Chapter Four

Alexander’s POV

The attraction was instant, I could feel every emotion radiating off of her small frame, I wanted to kiss her there and then but as she looked at me, I knew she was not yet eighteen. The mate bond would not be showing itself to her yet, but I knew as soon as I smelt her scent she was mine.

Gorgeous grey blue eyes framed by brilliant dark eyelashes, she was truly annoyed that I had interrupted her and the thought made my wolf smile, what was concerning was how skinny she looked and I briefly wondered if that was why her skin was so pale. When she wasn’t looking I slipped the extra bag of apple slices I had in my suit pocket into her bag, honestly, it looked as if she hadn’t eaten for days.

As i grabbed her arm, a part of her jumper caught on my watch, pulling at the material around her slender neck. Were those bruises on her neck?!, I held back the growl that was forming in my throat, I could not show her my protective side yet. It made me angry, how anyone could dare place their hands around my mates neck, the more I looked I could see she was also wearing makeup, makeup that looked as if it was covering marks on her face.

She distracts me, finally telling me her name is Charlotte but she prefers to be called Charlie, my Charlie, I will never let harm come to her again, I will watch her until she is ready to join me.

Charlie was working tonight, it meant that I could do some digging and find out a few things about her. I left Charlie to her books and quietly slipped out the library. I could have spent hours, days even weeks just watching her but I had to let my parents know I had found my mate and that she was in danger.

Returning to them, both my mother and father were deep in conversation with some of the girls and they started screaming again as soon as they spotted me. The headmistress guides us to the new science hall followed by all the noisy girls and my father cuts the ribbon, the usual expectations of photographs and speeches take place but all I can think about is getting back to my mate.

Climbing back into the limousine my mother smiles at me “You’ve found her”

Raising my eyebrows, I smile “How did you know?” whilst my father takes my hand shaking it

“A mother can always tell” was the only words my mother would say.

I told them both that she was not yet eighteen and was therefore unable to scent me, my father frowned “What is her name?”

“Charlotte but she prefers to be called Charlie, there is one more thing, she is being beaten”

My father yelled to his Beta to stop the car “Beaten?” he looks furious, wolf children were not to be beaten in any form. Well that was one of his rules in the pack.

Retelling the story about the bruising had my mother looking horrified, “How is she not healing if she is a wolf?”

Father was deep in thought and I just did not know what to say “There was no record of any wolves in this town, it as why we wanted to check it out” and he asks his Beta to double check the database.

After a few moments of silence, my father’s Beta finally spoke, “There is no one registered on the database now but a Damon Blackheart was several years ago but it looks like he died”

I watch as my mother and father stiffen at the name, it wasn’t a name I had heard before “Who is Damon Blackheart?

“Son” My father moved closer to me “He was an Alpha of an incredibly ferocious pack, unfortunately his Luna was killed by a vampire and he fled his pack taking his only daughter with him”

“A female Alpha? What’s this got to do with Charlie?”

“His daughters name is Charlotte she would be about seventeen or eighteen now”

I was stunned by the news, female Alpha’s were unusual and they were twenty times stronger than a normal Luna or any other she wolf and I could possibly be mated to her. She would be more powerful than me.

This cannot be true, she didn’t seem very powerful, her wounds were not even healing “Do you think someone is hurting her?”

My parents exchanged concerned looks “It’s possible her father is keeping her wolf at bay, did she have a ring or necklace on?” My mother stares at me with her green eyes.

I thought back to the image of her sat at the small study table and I shook my head

“Maybe a tiny dose of wolfsbane, not enough for her to feel it but enough to keep her wolf shut down” my father suggested and they both looked worried.

“Can we help her?” As much as i was annoyed she may be stronger than me, I could not help being concerned for my mates safety.

There eyes glaze over briefly signalling that they were having a private mind l**k, it did not last long and my mother smiles “Of course, firstly we need to find out as much as possible and then we will head to the place she works".

My father instructs the Beta to find Charlie’s house and find out what he can, whilst my father produces an envelope of cash. “You will give this to her tonight, give her a chance to escape”

He hands me the envelope “It may not be the same girl though” I nod my head, we come up with a plan and a short while later the Beta returns. He looked concerned,

“Her father is a wolf, she lives in horrible conditions and I could scent her blood everywhere”. The final comment made me snarl, I did not want anyone else to smell my mate and my mother squeezed my arm.

“Son, this is not the time, lets help the female wolf” My mother’s words were always so calming and reassuring.

My fathers Beta had also discovered where Charlie worked and we made a booking, specifically requesting Charlie as our waitress, the owner agreed and as soon as 7pm hit we were entering the restaurant. As the doors were held open for us, I was hit by her floral scent and there she was, my absolutely stunning mate.