Alexandrios’s POV
Cerelia Belmont!
I smiled at her name. It suited her. It was as exotic as she was.
The door opened and Dr. Sylvia rushed in with two nurses before I could ask Cerelia anything else. I swore under my breath out of frustration. There were so many things I wanted to know about her. She was too innocent and vulnerable to be a spy. While I was sure she wasn’t one, Zephyrus was adamant in his belief.
I couldn’t go against Zephyrus, not because he was the Alpha of the pack. It was because he was like a big brother and a guardian to me.
Leandros and I would have died that night twenty years ago when the Whiteridge Pack had attacked us. We lost our families and were forced to flee Lucania to save our lives. Zephyrus took us to his ancestral home in the kingdom of Aromania, Greece, which became our home for the last twenty years. I was indebted to Zephyrus and his extended family for educating me and helping me fulfill my dreams.
“Doctor Vasiliou, the patient has lost her consciousness again,” said Dr. Sylvia as she checked Cerelia.
“Shit! Shall we induce hypothermia?” I felt guilty for not paying attention to her after Dr. Sylvia arrived.
“No, what did you do to gain her consciousness?” She tried chest compression, but it didn’t work.
“CPR.”
I watched Dr. Sylvia try what I had done a few minutes ago, but Cerelia didn’t respond. How was that possible? How had she responded to me?
‘Now, do you believe we’re fated mates?’ prodded Rio.
‘Where did that come from in this context?’ I scolded him. He had to drop the notion. It would never work. I would never accept this young girl as my mate. She wasn’t even eighteen!
‘Are you dumb? She responded to us because she could feel the mate bond between us. She will be eighteen in two days. Does age matter? She needs us, Alex. Will you hand her over to Zephyrus?’ I knew he had a point. I couldn’t hand her over to Zephyrus. He would punish her for no fault of hers. She wasn’t a spy. I knew it.
‘I won’t hand her over to Zeph. Happy now?’
“It’s not working, Dr. Vasiliou,” said Dr. Sylvia, giving up and handing the patient over to me.
“I’ll take over.” I sat at Cerelia’s bedside and picked up her hands to rub them.
I tried to establish a mind-link with her as I rubbed her hand to stimulate the nerve endings there. ‘Cerelia, wake up.’ There was no response.
‘Cerelia, open your eyes for me. Won’t you see your mate?’ My throat choked with strange emotions as a sense of dread swept over me. Would she sink into a coma? Would I lose my mate forever?
“No, you can’t die on me, Cerelia!” I whispered desperately, patting her cheeks to revive her. I didn’t care about the jaw-dropped looks on Dr. Sylvia and the nurses’ faces. Yes, she was my mate. Even if I didn’t accept her in my life, I had to revive her because I was the only one who could.
“Mate!” came a soft whisper, making me freeze. I blinked and looked at the sweet creature in front of me. She had opened her golden eyes again to look deep into mine. I drowned again in her hypnotic gaze.
“How are you feeling, Cerelia? Will you let me check you?” I soothed her hair backward, and she nodded shyly. Dr. Sylvia smiled and walked away, leaving the two of us alone.
“I’m sure you can handle her better, Dr. Vasiliou.”
My cheeks flushed as the nurses too followed her out. I turned my attention to my mate. “Are you experiencing pain anywhere, Cerelia?” She nodded and touched her legs, arms, and head.
“I’ll give you a painkiller. Do you want to shift into your wolf? It will help you heal faster.”
She shook her head. “Lia, my wolf is traumatized now. She doesn’t want to shift.”
Rio thrashed inside me with desperation. ‘I’ll heal Lia. Please let me out, Alex.’
‘No, she doesn’t want to shift now, Rio. Let’s not force her, please.’ Thankfully, Rio understood and retreated to his place, allowing me full control.
I injected a painkiller into her channel while she gazed at me in silence. It made me acutely aware of myself for the first time in my life. “Why are you being so nice to me? Aren’t you a Lucerian?”
I sighed and looked at her to gain her trust. “I’m a doctor first, Cerelia. Taking care of you is my duty.”
“Are you only doing your duty towards me?” I could feel the hurt in her tone. I wanted to cradle her against my heart and comfort her. No, I wasn’t just doing my duty as a doctor. I was doing my duty as her mate. Yet I couldn’t admit that to her. How could I encourage her when I knew I would have to reject her? All this while, I was just trying to revive her. Now that she was in her senses, I had to downplay the mate bond between us.
“Yes, Cerelia. But I will protect you from everyone here, including Alpha Zephyrus. I won’t let them punish you.” She blinked at the tears that had formed in her eyes.
“Why will you do that? How do you know I’m not a spy?” I gulped, unable to answer her questions. I knew because I could feel it in my heart.
“I know. I’ll send the nurse with your food. You need to regain your strength to go back home.” The tears spilled from her eyes and I stared at her for a minute. Had I said something to hurt her?
“I have no home. Please don’t throw me out of here. I have nowhere to go.” I was dumbstruck by her admission and all my resolve to not accept her as my mate crumbled to dust.
“I won’t throw you out, Cerelia. You can stay with me as long as you want. This is my hospital and my decision is the ultimate here.” She closed her eyes with relief and I rose to leave her and tend to my job. I still had to complete my rounds. But the moment I rose, she grabbed my hand to stop me.
“Don’t go, please. I’m scared.” A jolt of electric current shot up my body at her touch. How was that possible? No, I shouldn’t encourage her, nor could I leave my work and sit with her. I was in a strange dilemma.
Despite my inner battle, I sat down beside her on the bed to comfort her. “Relax, Cerelia. You’re safe here. I’ll send a nurse if you want someone. I have to go on my rounds now.”
“No, please. What if they come in here to get me? Don’t go, Xandrios.” My heart skipped a beat at the way she pronounced my name. I loved it. No one had ever called me that in my entire twenty-six years of life, and I didn’t want to correct her.
“Who’ll come to get you?” I dreaded her answer. Was she afraid of the ones who had sent her here?
“The Red Wolves!” she whispered, her eyes wide with fear. I gripped her hand with concern. Who didn’t know about the notorious red wolves? But why were they after her? Before I could ask her, Cerelia lost consciousness for the third time in a row.
My phone buzzed with an incoming call from Zephyrus. I blinked and released her limp hand immediately to take the call. I knew what Zeph wanted to know, but I wouldn’t give Cerelia away and protect her, even if she worked for the Red Wolves.
I would keep my promise at all costs.
I accepted the call, and Zephyrus barked into the phone. “What’s the update, Alexandrios? Has the spy girl opened her mouth?” I could understand his frustration since I hadn’t updated him at all.
“No, she’s still unconscious, bro.”
Zeph grunted in frustration, and I felt guilty. Yet I couldn’t give Cerelia away. “What are the chances of her survival, Alexandrios? I hope she survives. I need to know who she is.”
“I’ll call you if she wakes up. Have you punished the prison guards who tortured her?”
“Yes. Okay, talk later.” He disconnected the call before I could ask him more. I wanted to know what punishment he meted out to them. If I were the Alpha, I would have ripped them apart for torturing an underage girl.
“Xandrios, thank you!” murmured Cerelia, and I gazed at her with awe. Was she awake? Did she hear my conversation with Zephyrus? My heart somersaulted with happiness to hear her call me again. I could listen to her all night and day and never tire of it. I was glad she didn’t lose her consciousness.
“Anything for you, Cerelia.” She gripped my hand, although her eyes were still closed.
“Then stay with me.”
This time, I couldn’t ignore her plea. I sat with her, watching her sleep in peace.
Alexandrios’s POV She slept in peace, and I rose to leave for the day. It had been almost four days since I had gone home, living in the hospital day after day. Tonight I needed to get a few fresh clothes and a refreshing warm shower as well. What if Cerelia found me undesirable when she woke up? Rio chuckled, sensing my thoughts. ‘Undesirable indeed! Why do you want her to desire you? You aren’t interested in her, right?’ My cheeks colored, and I muttered curses at my wolf as I walked out of Cerelia’s room. I could hide my thoughts from the world, but not from Rio. ‘F*ck off, Rio.’ I stormed out of the front door when I saw Zephyrus alight from his car right in front of me. Now I had no way of escape. “Good to see you here. I have no time to go inside. So is there any update on the spy girl, Alexandrios?” I hesitated but shook my head. “She opened her eyes briefly before sinking again. Dr. Sylvia was with me and I couldn’t ask her anything. Now she has fallen asleep. I’m going
Alexandrios’s POV I had no idea how long I sat at her bedside. A movement beside me woke me and looked up hopefully. Had Cerelia just moved? Maybe I was mistaken, since she lay in the same position as before, without moving even an inch. I leaned towards her, placing my mouth close to her ear. “Cerelia? Can you hear me? I promise never to leave you from now on. Open your eyes and see me fighting for you.” There was no response, but I didn’t give up. I picked up her hand like before and massaged it, sending warm signals to her brain. “I will fight the red wolves for you. I’ll fight Alpha Achlys too. You’re my mate, Cerelia. I’ll never give you up.” I meant every word I spoke. Tears pooled in my eyes as my heart filled with sorrow. She couldn’t die on me. “I want you to turn eighteen and live a fulfilling life with me. Don’t you want that?” I had no idea if she was listening to me, but I rambled on, wiping my eyes occasionally. Memories flooded through my mind of a similar trauma I
Cerelia’s POV I knew he was waiting for me to disclose more details about myself, but I couldn’t utter another word. My throat choked with painful emotions as I thought about my father, my pack, and my village. My life had been picture-perfect until the Red Wolves attacked us out of the blue. Now, I couldn’t connect with anyone in the world. It seemed I was an alien amidst a sea of shifters. The only one who took care of me was my mate, Xandrios, but I couldn’t tell him who I was. What if he threw me out of his house? Where would I go? I looked at him and drowned in his beautiful electric-blue eyes. There was so much adoration in his eyes, I wanted to trust him blindly. Maybe some part of me already did. Xandrios had proved himself already. He was the only one in the world I could call my own. He was my mate, who had already promised me a forever. But how could that be possible?How could an ordinary shifter wolf be my mate? Shouldn’t my mate be a Silver Wolf too? Moreover, he was
Alexandrios’s POV “She isn’t fit to be released now. I want to keep her here for another week. Once she regains her strength, you can decide what to do with her.” I could feel Zephyrus’s annoyance at the other end, but I wasn’t giving up my mate. “You’re not abiding by the rules of the pack, Alex. The Luceres Pack has zero tolerance for spies. I won’t have her here for a week. What if she harms us?” I groaned at his false alarm. “I don’t think she’s a spy, bro. She’s an orphan. The Red Wolves have destroyed her pack and territory.” He grunted in disbelief. “Is that the story she had fed you? I have other facts to prove she’s a spy, here to hack into our information systems. I would advise you to step up the cyber security of your hospital, Alex. This is serious.” My jaws dropped with shock at his misconception about my innocent little mate. What was wrong with Zephyrus? Why couldn’t he deal with the actual culprits instead of an underage soul? Before I could protest and support m
Cerelia’s POVSparks of electricity shot up my body the moment I felt his soft lips against mine. I didn’t know what to do anymore as he stood frozen on the spot. All the courage I had mustered up to thank him left me and I stilled for a moment. Was I the only one feeling the heat? Was he immune to me? I released him abruptly and whirled around to flee. What did I do? He was way older and more experienced than me. Obviously, he didn’t want me. My instincts were right. I shouldn’t have come to Lucania. This place could never be my home.“Wait, Cerelia. Where are you going?” He came to his senses and lunged forward to grab hold of me, but I escaped and headed towards the main door. “I’m fine now, Xandrios. Maybe it’s time for me to leave. I’m eighteen and legally an adult. So I know what I’m doing. It’ll save you the trouble and you can concentrate on your work.” “No f*cking way! As if I’d let you go.” He rushed after me and stood blocking the door. “Are you out of your mind? Do you
Cerelia’s POV “This hospital was my father’s dream. He had built it twenty years ago when he was the Zeta of the Luceres Pack under Zephyrus’s father’s rule. I had never expected to revive it and fulfill his dream after so many years, Cerelia, but I have.” My eyes filled with tears of happiness for him. At least he could fulfill his father’s wish, whereas I had no way of doing so. “I’m sure he’s very proud of you wherever he is.” Xandrios paused and gave me a look of astonishment. “Do you really think so?” I nodded sadly. While his father was feeling proud of him, my dad might have been disappointed in me. “Yes. So what if they aren’t with us? My dad used to tell me that my mom was watching over me, guiding me, and saving me from all evil.” His eyes widened, and he nodded, looking so vulnerable that my heart went out to him. I wanted to tell him all about me, the way he had, but my life was so complicated. I had sworn never to let anyone know my true identity. Silver Wolves were e
Alexandrios’s POV I could see the blush staining her cheeks as shyness gripped her. It satisfied me to know she had understood my implication. My heart somersaulted with excitement as I waited patiently for her to make a move. The wish to feel her soft, luscious lips on mine drove me crazy. I knew this was suicide. I knew she was way younger than me. Maybe she would leave me and I would be separated from her forever. I knew she wouldn’t accept the mate bond between us. Yet I was helpless. My heart won against my mind. “I’m still waiting, Cerelia!” I prodded her softly as I stood waiting for her. Now that she was eighteen, could I kiss her at least? A single kiss wouldn’t harm anyone, would it? She stood up, and my heart skipped a beat. “You’re staring, Xandrios.” I knew I was, and I couldn’t help it. How could someone be so damn adorable? “Get used to it, baby.” She blushed even more as she stood on the tip of her toes to reach my height. “Can you bend down a little? I can’t r
Alexandrios’s POV Lena was unwell, and we had to admit her right away. I arranged for an ambulance and brought her to the hospital with me while Zeph followed in his car. I left him at the reception to complete the formalities and wheeled Lena to Dr. Sylvia’s chamber for a checkup. “Dr. Vasiliou, are you free to come down to the Administrative office?” asked Mark, as he rushed after me. The grim expression on his face immediately alarmed me. I instinctively knew something was up. “I’ll be with you right away.”I ensured Lena was taken care of before heading to the administrative office. There was utter chaos inside, with the team rushing between consoles. “What’s going on, Mark?” He came rushing towards me accompanied by the security-in-charge, Barry White. “Dr. Vasiliou, there has been a breach of security in the hospital. All the patient record files are missing.” My jaws dropped to the floor. At that moment, I remembered Zephyrus’s warning. “Are you sure? When did you discove
Cerelia’s POV I had all the luxuries in the world in the room I was locked in but lacked the most important thing: my freedom. All night, I waited for Nikos to update me about my mate. But he didn’t return. A sense of dread gripped my heart. Why didn’t Nikos return? Did something happen to my mate? All the time I was locked in, no one took an update on me. At dinnertime, an attendant brought me my food. It tasted so weird that I spit out the only bite I took. It made me suspicious. Had they mixed something into the food? It was better to sleep on an empty stomach than to have their food.It was morning, and I was ravenous. How long were they planning to keep me here? I would die if I had to stay here another day. There was nothing in the room to keep me occupied. It was a weird house where no one cared about me. Then why did my grandfather want me to come here? Was it only to separate me from my mate? What difference did it make to him if we were together? While I fumed in anger, t
Alexandrios’s POV I drove Leandros’s pickup truck to the packhouse. The sun was already up, and Zephyrus would hold a quick meeting before heading to work. I would address my mate’s issue in everyone’s presence. It wasn’t time to wallow in self-pity. I needed to pick myself up and act. I had to seek Alpha Alexios’s help in first clearing Cerelia’s name and then rescuing her. I wouldn’t sit back here and just try to mend my broken heart.Parking the car, I alighted and strode towards the packhouse. Zephyrus hadn’t arrived yet, but Stavros’s car was parked a few feet away. Taking two steps at a time, I headed towards his room. Maybe Stavros would help me. I saw him in the lobby, talking to Michael, our Zeta. They turned to look at me, sensing my presence. “Hey, Alex! So nice to see you back!” said Michael, smacking my arm playfully. “When did you return? Is Cerelia fine?” asked Stavros. My shoulders drooped at the mention of her name. “I lost her, bro.” My voice trembled with grie
Cerelia’s POV “Why don’t you freshen up for lunch, Cerelia? Come, I’ll show you to your room. Your luggage is already there.” I smiled at my aunt Elena. She was a true silver wolf and my uncle Alarik’s mate. Alpha Alarik was my dad’s older brother and the ruling leader of the Silvermane Warriors. Even my grandpa didn’t interfere with his rules. His twin sons, Nikos and Alekos, were five years older but kind to me. I met everyone here, yet my eyes sought my mate. Where was he? What was the holdup? What was my grandpa discussing with him?“Umm, I’ll just check on Alexandrios, my mate. He’s the one who brought me here.” I walked out of the living room, but four guards blocked my path. “Alpha Cassius has gone out, miss. You cannot go to his study in his absence.” I gave them a bewildered look. Wasn’t this my father’s house? Who were they to stop me? It seemed I was a prisoner in my house. “I’m not interested in his study. I just want to know about my mate, Dr. Alexandrios Vasiliou. H
Alexandrios’s POV A sudden jerk made me open my eyes and focus in front of me. My head felt so heavy, I felt dazed. Where was I? Then I remembered my last ordeal before I blacked out. Alpha Cassius had injected something into me to make me unconscious. He had ordered his guards to throw me into the Pieria Canyon to die. Fear gripped my heart, and I sat up with a start. Thankfully, I was still in a car that had halted. Were they about to throw me in the canyon? “Good, that you woke up. We’ve reached Thessaloniki Airport.” Pedro’s voice greeted me and I blinked to find myself in his car. How did I get here? Weren’t they about to kill me? “Airport? But they were about to throw me into the Pieria Canyon.”Pedro gave me a sad smile. “Yes, I defied Alpha Cassius’s order. I sabotaged the camera installed in my car and brought you here instead. Go home, doctor. Save your life.” He emerged from the car and unloaded my stuff. I got out in a dazed state, but I couldn’t leave without my mat
Alexandrios’s POVRealization hit me hard, but I had no time to react. Why didn’t he warn me earlier when we could retrace our steps? Now, there was no avenue of escape. Cerelia paled, giving me an agitated look. Maybe she had heard it too.The guards nudged us ahead, but I gripped Cerelia’s hand all the way to the gaping maw of an arched stone entrance. They escorted us inside a cavernous entry room where the ceilings stretched far above our heads. The entire house, made of the same opulent marble, seemed more like a prison than a home. Strangely, the décor was modern, but with a regal touch.Before I knew it, the guards tugged on Cerelia’s arm, wrenching her away from me. “Alpha Belmont is waiting to meet you, miss.”She glared at the guard and recaptured my hand in a panicked state. “We’ll go together to meet my grandpa.”The guard looked clueless but escorted us towards a closed door beside a grand staircase. He knocked and waited patiently for a minute.“Come in!” a booming voice
Alexandrios’s POV We boarded the flight just in time, and Cerelia smiled with relief. “Phew! That was a close call. I thought we would miss the flight.” I smiled at her enthusiasm, unable to share any of it. Since her grandfather sent the flight tickets, it had been a mad rush for us. He hadn’t given us much time to pack or check out of the hotel. We had to rush with everything at the last minute. I secretly wished Cerelia would decline her grandfather’s proposal. Why did she need to live with her species when she had met her mate already? Now that nothing could stop us from staying with one another, she could have returned to Lucania with me. We were mated and had every right to start a life together. Her grandfather couldn’t separate us. We only needed to stand our ground. But Cerelia didn’t. She jumped at the opportunity to live with her family. She was ready to overlook our mate bond and let go of me. It proved she didn’t love me. Maybe I had wasted my time, my efforts, and my
Alexandrios’s POV I watched my mate sleeping peacefully with a faint smile playing on her luscious lips swollen from my kisses. It has been almost three days since we checked into this hotel. Three days of unlimited se*. It seemed we were under a love spell with no rush to go anywhere. Although Cerelia hadn’t confessed her feelings for me, I could feel her love in everything she did. In the last three days, there has been a drastic change in her attitude. She understood me so well, I hardly had to articulate my needs to her. She had matured as well, trying to be more giving than taking. Yet I didn’t dare to address the elephant in the room. I still had no idea what she was planning to do. I tried hard to postpone the talk. Therefore, I hadn’t booked our flight tickets to Athens yet. Strangely, Cerelia didn’t remind me at all. It gave me hope, which I clung to for the last three days. “Xandrios!” she murmured in her sleep. It brought me out of my dazed state. The sun was already u
Alexandrios’s POV I watched Cerelia lying against my chest in a deep slumber. With her pale hair sprawled all around her like a halo sparkling under the dim bedroom lights, she took my breath away. I couldn’t believe this exquisite creature was mine. Only mine. A sense of satisfaction spread all over my body and mind. I was glad everything fell into place. The confusion I had been feeling had ebbed away on its own. Now all I had to do was convince her to return to Lucania with me. I had already started working on my mission. My first step was confessing my love to her. However, it hurt me when she didn’t respond as I expected her to. ‘Give her some time to get used to it, Alex. She’s just eighteen. There’s so much happening around her, she’s too confused right now,’ said Rio. ‘Yes, you’re right.’ Although I was disappointed, I knew I wouldn’t give up so easily. I would drill it into her head that I loved her the most in the world. No one else could love her as much as I did. The
Cerelia’s POV In an instant, he flipped me over and pinned me to the bed, his head dipping until his lips touched mine. “I won’t wait, Cerelia. We’re mates. The Moon Goddess planned our union all along. This is fate and its stronger than any force ever. No force can ever negate that.”Breathless, I nodded slowly, agreeing with him. He claimed my lips in a lingering kiss that had so much intensity it had me clinging to his shoulders for support. Intoxicated, I kissed him back; the heat spiraling down to the pit of my stomach and between my legs. A gasp escaped my lips when his hand inched downwards, leaving a blazing trail of fire in its wake. He plunged his tongue deep into my mouth and devoured me hungrily. The kiss turned fierce, yet there was a tenderness that touched my heart. His fingers roamed over my body, inching downward to dip into my underwear. He broke the kiss, and I gasped for breath as an intense wave of pleasure hit me.“Oh, you’re soaking.” His fingers thrust deep