Chapter 1

Louisa's POV

Stirring from the abyss of unconsciousness, I was greeted by the overpowering scent of liquor hanging heavy in the air.

What happened to me?

My body was unresponsive, every attempt to move my limbs or lift my head met with searing pain.

Good. Pain is good. Pain means that I'm still alive.

I told myself.

As my eyes slowly adjusted to the low light, the realization hit me - I was sprawled out on a bed in a tent.

This wasn't the run-of-the-mill tent I was accustomed to during my time with the Crimson Creek Pack.

It was adorned with intricate decorations, reminiscent of a royal abode.

With my mind kicking into gear, the pain coming from my back started to deteriorate.

Abruptly, a man's voice, dreamy and distant, echoed in my ears -

"Fuck it... I don't give a fuck... I'll kill them all."

I heard a man's dreamy voice next to my ear.

That can't be good.

Why am I lying on a bed with a man?

And why is this man showing attitude and swearing to kill everyone in his dream?!

Summoning all my strength, I managed to turn my head, revealing a face that was breathtakingly handsome.

What the heck?!

I have never seen this man before! I have never seen a man who looks so handsome.

His sculpted face, partially hidden by his tousled black hair, was as if it had been caressed by the Moon Goddess herself.

My nostrils flared and I recognized that he was the source of alcohol in the air.

He must have drunk a lot of alcohol to be hammered like this.

Other than being so effortlessly handsome even without opening his eyes, there was something very different about him.

But what is it?

My heart pounded in my chest, a wave of heat washing over me.

In an attempt to steady my nerves, I took a deep breath, only to be overwhelmed by his scent, sending my anxiety spiraling.

Just then, he shifted, his arm draping over my chest, sending me into a frenzy.

My heart was racing, my scream echoing in the air as I used every ounce of strength to shove his arm off.

I am not naked. That's a relief for sure.

But just as I started to feel relieved, something very disturbing happened -

He woke up.

His eyes, a striking blue, sparkled eerily in the dim light.

As our eyes met, I was completely petrified.

Frozen in place, our eyes locked in an intense gaze.

I had never been this close, this intimate with anyone before.

"Oh, fuck... I need a drink for this." He lowered his head and grumbled, rubbing his head in distress.

The tent was gradually filling with light.

He pushed himself up, sitting on the edge of the bed.

That's when I noticed his bare torso.

His back was a canvas of scars, fully exposed to my view.

I didn't know what to do.

My mind went blank.

All I could do was hold my breath, praying he wouldn't notice me.

He looked very drunk and in a very bad mood.

He rose to his feet and poured himself a glass of wine.

For a moment, he just stood there, holding the glass, his muscular arm on display like a Greek statue.

But as he turned his gaze towards me, our eyes locked once more.

The wild cries of my inner wolf echoed in my ears, causing my knees to buckle.

A wave of heat washed over me, like a bolt of lightning, seeping into every pore.

My body began to tremble uncontrollably.

This tall, brooding, enigmatic man...

He is my mate!

Somehow, I knew he recognized me as his mate as well... Maybe in a half-conscious way.

I had dreamed a thousand times about this very moment in my life. Everything about this moment felt alright, yet everything was fundamentally wrong.

For every werewolf, meeting their mates for the first time is the most life-affirming and sacred moment in their lives.

But somehow, the expression on my mate's face made this moment very upsetting... even appalling.

Disgust and hostility were written all over his face.

"Lucian! Drag your lazy butt in here!" His voice thundered, deep and gruff.

I was taken aback.

A moment later, a gorgeous tall man with blond hair walked into the tent.

He took a glance at me and bowed slightly to my mate -

"Alpha Lucas, how may I assist you at..." he glanced at his watch before continuing, "...this ungodly hour of 3 am?"

Alpha Lucas?!

There was only one Alpha Lucas I knew of - Alpha Lucas Farrow of the White Walkers Pack.

The mere mention of his name sent chills down my spine.

Alpha Lucas Farrow was the most feared pack leader in the entire northern realm of the Kingdom.

He was also my father's arch-nemesis, Alpha Jacob of the Crimson Creek Pack!

My mouth fell open in shock, and I couldn't seem to close it.

Everything was happening too quickly for me to comprehend.

"Why is this fucking woman on my bed? Why is she still breathing?!" Alpha Lucas pointed at me and asked.

"For the simple reason that you brought her into your tent, Alpha," Lucian replied nonchalantly.

"And you watched me do it but didn't intervene?!" Alpha Lucas downed another glass of wine.

Lucian didn't answer him. He took the glass from Alpha Lucas and replaced it with a glass of water.

"You look like shit," he said.

"Much obliged. I know I say this all the time but I just don't say it enough, but you're a heck of Beta," he said.

Then, their gazes both fell upon me.

Out of nowhere, I found myself the center of attention of two strikingly handsome men.

There I was, stretched out on the bed, completely paralyzed, not knowing what they would do to me.

One thing was for sure -

At least one of them wanted to have me killed.

A pounding question emerged in my head -

How did I end up in this place?!