Lovestick Pup

Chapter 2 – Alaric's POV

Lovestick Pup

The air was thick with tension, bearing down on my shoulders as I sat in my office. My Beta, Jax, was in the middle of a report when a sudden mind-link from one of my warriors cut into my thoughts.

Alpha, a member of the Shadowfang Pack is here. She's asking to see Dr. Evan.

I frowned. Shadowfang. A pack that we had never fully trusted. They weren't enemies, but they weren't allies either.

Deny the request, I answered immediately. It's a woman, Alpha.

I might have disregarded that information, but my wolf stirred. A low growl simmered deep in my chest. My fingers tightened on the edge of my desk. I had felt this before.

Bring her to the gates. I want to see her.

I stood and walked out of my office, Jax behind me. The moment my eyes landed on the visitor, my breath caught in my throat.

Her.

The same woman I'd caught a glimpse of earlier. The one who made my wolf stir. The one whose scent had burned its way into my brain.

She was tall, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes. A warrior's build—strong, but lean. And still, there was something shut down about her. A barrier around her, strong and impenetrable.

Mate, my wolf murmured.

I waited for her reaction. For her to reflect the recognition that I'd felt. But she didn't. Her expression was blank, detached.

She didn't know.

Or worse—she didn't care.

I clenched my teeth, my voice even and calm. "Bring her in," I told Evan, my pack doctor. "For safety reasons, I need to speak with her first."

Evan smiled but said nothing, leading her in. *

She sat across from me, arms crossed, her expression blank. I studied her, hoping for a spark of recognition, but there was nothing.

"Ravina, right?" I finally spoke. She nodded once.

"I've heard of you. You're a good warrior." My voice was calm, but my wolf wanted to snarl at the coldness in her eyes. "My warriors can always use more practice. Would you be willing to help?"

Her eyes darkened. "I don't have my wolf right now," she said stiffly. "I'm not able to fight."

I frowned. That wasn't what I had wanted to hear. "That doesn't change that you're experienced," I pressed on. "Even without your wolf, you've got experience—"

"I said no." Her voice sliced through the air like a knife.

A burst of frustration passed through me. I wasn't offering this just because she was my mate. I respected her skill. I wanted her here, not for the bond's sake, but because she was strong.

Yet her expression only grew chillier.

What wasn't I seeing?

I leaned back, studying her closely. Something in her eyes—something other than simple rejection—

Pain.

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to be calm. "Wait outside," I said to her finally. "I need to speak to my doctor."

She did not wait. She simply stood up and exited the room. Evan's Annoying Smirk

The moment the door was shut, Evan whistled low. "Wow. That was uncomfortable to witness."

I shot him a glare. "Shut up."

He grinned, dropping into the chair across from me. "You were primping, sitting a little bit straighter... If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to impress her."

I scowled. "I don't—"

"Oh, please." Evan snorted. "You didn't blink once when she walked in. It was like watching a puppy see snow for the first time."

Jax chuckled in the corner. "So this is the great Alpha Alaric, huh? Can't even talk right in front of a woman?"

"Fuck off," I snarled.

Evan laughed. "She can't be your mate, can she?"

I hesitated a second too long.

Jax and Evan erupted into laughter.

"Oh, this is priceless," Jax said, laughing and shaking his head. "The big, bad Alpha finally meets his mate, and she doesn't even bat an eye at him."

I rolled my eyes. "Are we done?"

Evan scoffed. "I don't know, Alaric. Maybe you should go see if your powers still work. You know, just to make sure."

Jax coughed to cover a laugh.

I grabbed a pen and threw it at the back of Evan's head. He dodged, still grinning.

Then the door opened, and Evan's grin disappeared. "She's gone."

The Training Grounds

"Her body tensed up right away. "What?"

"She's not where we left her," Evan said, more seriously than usual. "But... I found her." He jerked his head toward the training grounds.

I moved to the window and found her immediately. She was surrounded by a band of warriors.

My fists clenched.

Ravina was capable. I had no fear she could handle herself. But she didn't budge, arms at her sides, nearly as if she was waiting. One of the warriors shoved her.

She fell to the ground.

Something within me broke.

I was down the hall and outside before I could reason.

"Enough."

My voice echoed across the training ground like a snarl. The warriors froze. Ravina raised her head a little, her blue eyes locking with mine.

She wasn't frail. She was pretending. I had no idea why.

But that didn't matter.

She was mine.

And nobody touched what was mine. Watching Her

I was at the pack hospital more after that day.

Technically, I was there for Jax, who had fallen ill after holding down the pack while I was away at war. But when I was in his ward, my questions were always the same.

"How is she?"

Evan raised an eyebrow each time. "She's fine."

"What about her wolf?"

"Still gone."

"Is she talking to any of her pack?"

Evan leaned back in his chair, smirking. "You're supposed to be an Alpha. Not a lovesick pup."

Jax snorted. "He's newly mated, Evan. He should be on a honeymoon, not hanging around a hospital."

They both turned to face each other.

Evan smirked. "Maybe that's it. Maybe we were wrong the whole time. Maybe Alaric is married to his Beta."

Jax laughed. "I mean, we do spend a lot of time together."

I rolled my eyes. "You two are idiots."

Evan grinned. "If you want to prove us wrong, maybe test your skills." I know I tossed a pillow at his face.

Late at Night

Ravina's face haunted my thoughts.

I checked her into a guest house near mine—so that I could keep an eye on her.

That was the excuse I gave myself, anyway.

Late at night, I was standing at my window, looking out. Something far away attracted my notice.

She was mind-linking with somebody.

My jaw tightened.

I did not want to snoop.

But jealousy burned in my breast like fire.

She must be a spy, I told myself. I must be cautious.

I reached out with my power, cutting her mind-link.

She stiffened in the distance, looking around abruptly.

I stepped back from the window, my heart racing more than it should. This woman was danger.

And not just because she might be an enemy.

She was danger because she made me vulnerable.