Malaika's Pov

“Your highness, I think we should start returning back to the castle. It's getting late and you know the mating ball is supposed to start once the clock strikes 12.” Said my beta, Koslov.

“Supposedly.” I hummed as I walked past the entrance of the woods. Koslov was correct, it was indeed getting late. But I had no reason to leave until I'd caught something – a prey, something to get my mind off the pressing issue of finding a mate, scratch that – a Luna queen.

“Supposedly?!” He shrieked. “Your highness, the mating ball is important. I don't want to assume you're beginning to have second thoughts about it again.”

“Enough Koslov, you're beginning to sound like my mom.” I glared at him.

He looked like he was about to say something, but then he simply shrugged. I heaved a tired sigh as I signaled to him to hold firmly the fire torch while I shifted into my lycan form. It was easier and more interesting to hunt my lycan wolf. The human form was limiting.

“Be careful your highness!” Koslov yelled after me as I sped through the woods, going deeper and deeper. My senses heightened and my wolf, Cougar, was all out in its fiery glory. The ground trembled underneath my feet as I released a loud howl. In that moment, it felt like I was free from all the troubles. The elders insistence on finding me a Luna queen. My mother's constant match-making schemes and the biggest of all – being the head of the clans that made up Shadowfang pack.

Halo. Thalor. Creslorn…..the list was endless, and I'd stopped keeping note of the rest of the names. But as the goddess would have it, there's Koslov who always had their names at the tip of his tongue like it was air.

My wolf eyes adjusted to the palpitating darkness just as I reached the border of one of the clans. Was it Creslorn or Halo? I couldn't tell but I knew it was either Creslorn or Halo.

I stopped in my tracks when I heard a shrieking sound, so low that I could have missed it if I was human. Alert, I moved to the back of a tree, my claws out and my eyes wide and searching. And then it hit me. It was so sudden that it took me by surprise. That smell – the scent of a female werewolf.

But that wasn't all.

Underneath that feminine odor was a heavy musky scent of blood, I could almost taste it just by smelling it. Without giving it a second thought, I followed the scent, and it led me right straight to her. A frail looking young woman covered in clotted blood and thick whip lashes on her body instead of clothings. I scooted down, placing a thumb on her neck to check for a pulse. There was one, but it was faint.

My survival instincts screamed at me to turn around and leave, but then there was Cougar screaming the total opposite. “This could be a setup by rogues, Cougar.” I grunted, not bothering to hide my displeasure.

“I don't think so.Take her back to the castle.”

“Is she our mate?” I asked. And just like that, Cougar went mute.

I let out a sigh as I stepped closer to the woman, tucking some strands of hair away from her face so I could see her properly. She was breathtaking, despite the bruises and all. But who could have done this to her? Rogues? Or humans? Our kind has never been at peace with them, every now and then, troops of their hunters scanned our forests for us and most times they were always successful no matter how prepared or strong we fought. The few times we defeated them, they always came back stronger and with more refined silver–made weapons. It was almost like they knew all our moves.

Another sigh escaped my lips.

Gently, I lifted her from the floor, making sure my claws didn't bruise her pale red skin any further before running back to the entrance of the woods.

“Your highness.” Koslov bowed on sighting me. Immediately he saw the lady resting peacefully on my back, his face contorted into a curious look.

“Your highness, you caught a human prey?” he asked, inching closer to me.

I dropped her on the ground stealthily, shifting back into my human form. “She's not human. She's a wolf too.”

“How are you so sure? Your highness this isn't a good move if you ask me, she could b–”

“I caught her scent Koslov, and yes, I thought about all your concerns before deciding to rescue her.”

He didn't say anything, and I took it as a cue that he understood better than to say any more words concerning the matter of the strange lady. I was his alpha afterall and my mind had already been made. Him or anyone else couldn't change that.

We walked back to the castle, a deathly silence hanging between the two of us. Until Koslov cleared his throat, saying. “I'll quickly inform the elders of your arrival so the mating festival can begin.”

I gave a stiff nod and Koslov walked away. The lady in my arms snuggled deeper into me, her lips parting into silent gaspes and mutterings like she was in some sort of nightmare. For some reason, my jaw clenched tightly as thoughts of what she might have probably gone through reeled into my head. And what she might be thinking right now that's made a tear slip from her eyes.

Finally reaching my room, I placed her carefully on the bed and rang the bell that alerted the maids about my need for them. Soon enough, a maid walked in.

“You called, your highness?” she curtsied.

“Get the rest of the maids into my room right now, alongside Baski, the healer. I need the lady on the bed to be cleaned and her wounds treated.”

The maid nodded and dashed out. Barely a second later, troops of maids entered my room, with Baski trailing behind them. I gave a nod of approval to Baski before leaving to one of my other chambers in the castle to get dressed for the mating ball. Two servants walked in, gesturing to the outfit they had laid out for me. I quickly pulled it on and sat in a chair, waiting patiently as they began to prepare me.

As much as I detested it, the mating ball was important. It was a ploy to find me a mate, but from the elder’s perspectives, a Luna queen being that it was the only thing that made our pack rank lower than the neighboring ones.

A few moments later, I was ready. As one of the servants finished the final touches on my hair and balanced the ceremonial crown, I stood. It was time. Somewhere outside right now, my mate was waiting. I would find her tonight and soon, everything would be fine. The pack will get the respect it deserved and my mother would stop her match–making games. The list, truly, was endless.

As I made to leave my room, a servant rushed in, panting and chest heaving like one who just ran a marathon.

“Y–your highness.” She croaked, curtseying.

“Speak.” My brows cocked as I waited for her answer and when it came, my eyes lit up with excitement.

“The lady has awoken.”

Before she could say anything else, I ran out, heading straight to my chambers. When I got there the servants were all facing down, talking in hushed tones and shooting curious glances at each other.

“You all may leave.” I intoned.

They scurried out, leaving me with just the lady lying on her bed. With the blood being wiped from her body, she looked even prettier, like a Greek goddess who merely slipped from Zeus's clutches.

“She's pretty.” Cougar whispered.

I grinned widely. “Indeed.”

All her wounds were covered with herbs, it was only a matter of days before her healing would be completed, since the cycle had started already. Her fingers twitched and Cougar leapt excitedly. Confusion marred my features, why was he so happy? Slowly, her eyes fluttered open. A hazel deep shade of green and I marveled greatly at the sight of it.

But there was something else. A scent, not metallic and musky like before. I sniffed the air deeply, my mouth nearly watering at the warm—almost tropical—scent; a subtle blend of coconut and jasmine. Nothing was more divine.

'Mate!' Cougar intoned, making my eyes widen in surprise.

“Mate?”

Cougar nodded. Why didn't he say it earlier?! I felt hope surge through me and I plonked on the edge of the bed, just beside her. I had finally found my mate, which explained a lot. Cougar's insistence on taking her out of the woods, how he'd stopped me from moving, it all made sense now. Goddess, I would have lost her if Cougar hadn't stopped me. Again I ask, why didn't he say it earlier?

A knock on the door broke me out of my reverie. It opened to reveal a gloomy Koslov fully dressed in his Beta regalia. “Your highness, we've been expecting you. The guests, the maidens, everyone's downstairs and waiting for your arrival.” he said.

I couldn't help the smile that stretched my lips as I answered. “There'll be no need for that.”

“Why?!” He was almost screaming.

“Because I've found my mat