Alexandrios Vasiliou’s POV
I stared at the beautiful girl in my arms with horror. She was the most exquisite creature I had ever seen in my life, her skin and hair almost exuding a silvery hue. However, the blood oozing from her wounds had me concerned. The overcoat covering her hardly covered her tattered clothes and injuries. My heart sank with dread at seeing her condition. Who had done this to her? I ignored my wolf, Rio, who kept chanting only one word since he saw her.
‘Mate!’
“She’s a spy, Alex. Don’t let her die. I need to extract important information out of her,” said Alpha Zephyrus as we rushed towards the elevators. My heart sank with disappointment. Was my mate a spy? The girl looked too young and innocent to be a spy.
“Are you sure, bro? I don’t think she’s an adult even. Who did this to her?” Rob brought a stretcher, and I eased her gently into it, but couldn’t loosen her grip on my coat. A wave of tenderness filled my heart for the young female, critically wounded and battling for life.
“The prison guards. I’ll investigate this and take action on them. If she recovers, call me.” Zephyrus left, and we rushed the patient to the emergency ward with her still clinging to me. My entire body was filled with anger at the thought of someone abusing the young creature.
“Call Dr. Sylvia right now, Rob.” Dr. Sylvia was our experienced gynecologist, and I needed to be sure about the extent of the abuse. I checked her feeble pulse, and we immediately placed her on life support and IV drips. I had to save her life, not because Alpha Zephyrus wanted me to, but for myself. My heart went out to her, and I felt a powerful urge to protect and take care of her.
She was way younger than me. I was sure Rio was mistaken. This pale creature couldn’t be my mate. We carried out the routine examinations on her in the next few minutes. Yet she didn’t gain consciousness.
Dr. Sylvia arrived, and I had to leave for my rounds. Thankfully, Dr. Sylvia helped ease her grip on my coat so I could leave. “I’ll report to you when I’m done checking her.”
I nodded and walked away reluctantly. A strange force pulled me towards her and I couldn’t leave her and go. But I was a busy doctor and the founder and owner of the only proper hospital in Lucania.
It was my dad’s dream, and I had achieved it at the young age of twenty-six. Although my twin Leandros funded the project alongside me, he wasn’t interested in operating it. Now, within a short time, we had renovated the only hospital in Lucania which our dad, Elias Vasiliou, had built twenty years ago when he was the Zeta of the Luceres Pack, headed by Zephyrus’s father, Alpha Demetrius. It was a monumental task, and I had a jam-packed schedule with no time for enjoyment. As such, I hardly missed the absence of a mate.
While my twin and my friends had already found their mates, I was the only one left behind. So, was the young spy my mate? I blinked the thoughts away and checked my patients instead.
After a round of the Emergency section, I headed towards the ICU to check up on the mysterious spy girl. How had Dr. Sylvia not called me yet? Was the girl critical? A sense of dread gripped my heart. Did she die? Wouldn’t I have felt it if something untoward had happened to her? After all, she was my mate!
I entered the ICU and walked up to her bedside to see her in the same condition as earlier. Only now, her wounds had been tended to. The nurse rushed in to report to me.
“Good evening, doctor! Here’s the patient’s chart. Dr. Sylvia left just now on an emergency delivery.”
I nodded and frowned at her medical chart as she updated me. “The patient’s pulse rate is still feeble, ranging between 50-55. There are no signs of se*ual abuse. Her genitals are untouched. All the injuries were inflicted by a blade mainly on her limbs.” I breathed a sigh of relief.
“That’s good news. Did she gain consciousness yet?” It was important to know more about her before Zephyrus did. I had to know her name and find out her motive for coming to Lucania.
“No, doctor. Dr. Sylvia tried everything in her power to revive her.” With her respiratory rate fluctuating, and her blood pressure low, I immediately knew she was sinking.
“Have you tried CPR?” The nurse shook her head.
“Dr. Sylvia wanted to do it when she returned.” I immediately set to work on the mysterious creature. She hadn’t stirred ever since she fainted in my arms. “If this doesn’t work, we’ll induce hypothermia to lower the patient’s body temperature and stimulate her brain. Prepare for surface cooling first. You can get two of our cooling blankets to induce hypothermia. If everything fails, I will use intravascular or endovascular methods. Clear?”
“Yes, doctor.” She left to do her job while I removed the cover and prepared the patient for CPR. She lay still, and I felt angry with Zephyrus for treating someone this way. He should have taken more interest in what was going on in the pack than going on a honeymoon trip with Lena, his Luna.
I checked the patient’s breathing and put her in the recovery position to open her airway. Wasting no time, I performed 5 sets of 20 chest compressions in two minutes. Now was the time for rescue breathing and Rio was excited.
‘Mate! I’ll save you,’ he whispered with determination.
‘She isn’t our mate, Rio, but if you can connect to her, I’ll be glad. Revive her if you can.’
‘She is our mate and I’ll prove it to you.’ Rio sounded mad and I left it at that. He could try reviving her, but we would never pursue her. She was too young for me.
I tilted the creature’s head and lifted her chin to open her airway. Pinching her nose close, I sucked in a deep breath and placed my mouth over her soft one to create an airtight seal. My heart, my mind, and Rio’s too went into overdrive at the touch of her soft mouth to mine. I lost my senses! So did Rio!
It was strange since I had performed CPR more than a million times already but felt nothing at all until now. ‘Focus, Alex!’ I tried to concentrate on the task at hand, which was to revive her and prevent her from slipping into a coma.
I blew my breath into her for almost a second, checking to see if her chest rose. Rio tried connecting to her through the mind link.
‘Wake up, mate! I’m here for you!’
‘Open your eyes, pretty mate! I’ll protect you always!’
Rio kept on while I went for a second round of rescue breathing. I just wished this would work, and I didn’t have to use an AED to provide electric shocks as the last remedy.
Again, I placed my mouth on hers, but this time, her lips felt warmer. I blew air into her like before and her chest rose and she sucked in a deep breath. I released her mouth to see her stirring!
My heart thumped with excitement as I patted her cheeks gently. “Wake up! You’re safe here.”
She slowly opened her eyes, and I staggered backward as a jolt of electric current shot up my body. What was that? Her beautiful golden orbs gazed back at me with confusion, and I drowned in her eyes.
When she lost consciousness in my arms earlier, her hair had covered her hooded eyes. But now, after meeting her gaze, I knew she was my mate. She was the one I had collided with earlier, but she had disappeared like a breath of fresh air. I couldn’t pursue her with a surgery to handle in ten minutes!
“Water,” she croaked, and I came out of my dazed state. I brought a bottle of water to her and helped her up. She took a sip, her scared eyes holding my gaze.
She was too frail to be eighteen. Was she underage? “Who are you?” she asked in a whisper after quenching her thirst. “Please don’t send me to the prison. They’ll kill me.”
I released her and sat beside her to know her details. “I’m Doctor Alexandrios Vasiliou and you’re under my care in my hospital. You have nothing to fear. You’re safe here.”
“Are you a Lucerian too?” She cringed with fear as she waited for my reply. I realized she distrusted us after what she went through.
“Yes, but I’m just a doctor. I’ll help you recover. What’s your name?”
She hesitated, watching me warily. “Will you punish me? I swear I’m not a spy.”
“I know you aren’t. I’ll protect you. So what’s your name? Are you underage?”
She gave me an apprehensive look. I knew she didn’t trust me.
“I’m Cerelia Belmont. I’m not underage, I’ll turn eighteen in two days. Please don’t throw me out.”
Alexandrios’s POVCerelia 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
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
Cerelia’s POV I froze, my heart sinking with apprehension. I was suddenly unsure of Zephyrus’s reaction towards me. After all, there was a time when he hated me. “Welcome back to Lucania, Cerelia. How are you now?” he asked in a good-natured way, releasing my mate. I searched his eyes and saw no judgemental look hidden there. Xandrios had truly cleared every ounce of doubt from Zephyrus’s mind. “I’m fine, Alpha. How’s your Luna?” I had always liked Lena more than him. She was kind and forgiving, like a mother should be. “She’s doing fine. You can meet her tomorrow when you officially join our pack. There is a meeting in the morning at around 10. Why don’t you come down to the packhouse with Alex? You can meet the entire pack and join us.” I glanced at my mate, not knowing what plans he might have. I couldn’t go to the packhouse on my own in this condition.“We’ll be there, Zeph.” Zephyrus nodded at my mate and smiled at me before joining Stavros at the bar for a drink. “Are you
Cerelia’s POV The cab sped down the familiar roads and entered Lucania at last. All tiredness and exhaustion vanished, and I gazed out of the windows. The memories came rushing into my mind. They weren’t happy memories. A strange restlessness gripped my heart. What if the pack members didn’t accept me? What if Zephyrus didn’t want me in his pack? That angle hadn’t occurred to me until now. I turned to look at my clueless mate. “Xandrios, what if they don’t want me?” He smiled at me, pulling me to his side. “You have nothing to fear, baby. I’ve cleared your name when I returned to Lucania. Now the whole pack knows your true identity. Why won’t they accept you?” His words relieved me. He hadn’t forgotten while it had totally escaped my mind. “Oh, you remembered? Thank you, Xandrios. What about Zephyrus? Did he change his notion about me?” “Yes. He apologized, and he has agreed to welcome you to the pack. Are you happy now, Cerelia? I sought help from Alpha Alexios to prove your tru
Cerelia’s POV My knees buckled at his heartfelt admission. The intensity of his feelings for me took me by surprise. I had expected anything, but not this. His muscular arms went around me to keep me upright. “Are you alright, Cerelia?” His voice was warm against my ear and I sagged into his chest, maybe to stop him from leaving. “How can I be alright when you’re leaving me, Xandrios?” I looked up to see the fleeting emotions of pain and longing in his eyes. “You know I don’t want to leave you. That’s the reason I was dreading meeting you. I knew I couldn’t go after meeting you once.” He held my face between his hands and drowned in my eyes. “I couldn’t leave without meeting you even.” “Then don’t leave without me.” His arms fell to his sides in defeat. “I have to, Cerelia, but I’ll be back next month.” He flashed a tight smile at me while my heart wanted to howl and protest. How could he leave me for a month? “I won’t survive that long without you, Xandrios. Take me with you,
Cerelia’s POV I watched my mate in awe. How did his speech melt the bitter hearts of two hundred silver wolves? I had no idea, and neither did Alpha Alexios. He smiled at my mate, embracing him for easing his task. It wasn’t easy to convince bloodthirsty wolves who had been agitating for the last two months. Yet my mate made it look like a child’s game. I was glad he could connect to them with his honesty and simplicity, the way he connected to me. “Beta Theodore, do you agree to the rules of the council and the new rules of the pack?” asked Uncle Alarik. “Yes. If no one has a problem, I don’t either.” I released a sigh of relief that all matters were resolved, and there would be peace now. “The meeting is dismissed. Let’s join hands and make Pieria a heaven on Earth for all silver wolves. There’s another good news for the pack members. As a token of appreciation, Dr. Vasiliou has agreed to set up a hospital for all of us in Pieria. We wouldn’t need to go to Thessaloniki for medi
Cerelia’s POV“Xandrios, what the hell are you saying? How can you accuse Nikos?” I faced my mate fiercely, shoving him backward. Nikos tried to protect me, knowing my delicate condition.Xandrios looked even more furious. What was wrong with him? “Why can’t I? How could you move on from me, Cerelia? How could you forget me and accept him in your life?”I gaped at him as realization struck me. Did he think Nikos was my rebound? Did he think I was carrying my brother’s pups?“Are you out of your mind? Nikos is my brother. Why will I move on with him? If you don’t want to accept me and your pups, why are you here? I’m fine. I’m alive. Go away, Xandrios. I don’t need you.”I left him frozen on the spot as tears stung in my eyes. “Bro, please, can you help me to my room? I’m feeling dizzy.” I didn’t look at Xandrios, my heart breaking at his lack of trust in me. Didn’t he feel my love for him? I had endured so much, hoping to unite with him one day. For months, I waited for him to rescue
Cerelia’s POV “Cerelia, how are you today? Aunt Sophia wants you in her clinic for a checkup. She has lots of patients today. She can’t take out time and come over,” said Nikos, coming into my room. It had been over two and a half months since my grandpa died. My pregnancy was progressing well, and I looked pregnant, too. Aunt Sophia still thought my condition was critical, although I wasn’t bedridden anymore. Yet I couldn’t leave the mansion and go to Lucania.We were all imprisoned inside. There was mayhem outside with Grandpa’s supporters demanding justice. They wanted Uncle Alarik to step down and Grandpa’s friend and counselor, Beta Theodore, to take over as Alpha of the Silvermane Warriors. With an impeccable track record of always following the rules of the pack, he was a strong contender. But our family refused to bend to their demands. As Grandpa’s true successors, Uncle Alarik and Uncle Viktor were the rightful leaders of the pack. Every day, their demands grew violent an
Alexandrios’s POV Annabeth frowned as she switched on the lights. I waited anxiously for her to explain. Cerelia’s face kept on flashing across my mind. Was she in pain? Did her grandpa start the purification process? Had she forgotten me? Had she mated with a Silver Wolf? Whose hand was she holding? I was at my wit’s end, with so many questions flitting across my mind. I needed answers. “The black smoke you saw denotes danger. It seems your mate is shrouded in danger. The painful expression on her face denotes health issues. Maybe she too was unconscious, like you, for a long time. It points at a curse, but the white cloud looks hopeful. The evil force controlling your mate is no more. The curse has vanished. She’s free now.” I watched her with confusion, my mind swirling already. I couldn’t understand her. “If Cerelia’s free, can I go to Pieria and rescue her?” Annabeth gave me an agitated look. “No, not until the black smoke reduces. You could lose your life, son.” My heart an
Alexandrios’s POV I opened my eyes and looked around the hospital room I was in. It was torture to be admitted to my hospital under a colleague’s care. I had no idea what happened to me. I suddenly lost consciousness when on my rounds. The tests produced no problem at all. Yet I was in a semi-conscious state for fifteen days, receiving intravenous treatment. I could hear and feel everyone’s concern, but couldn’t move an inch. I was at my wit’s end and so were my close friends and colleagues, Dr. Daniels and Dr. Bradley. They couldn’t pinpoint the cause of my illness from my reports. I could hear Zephyrus and Stavros discuss the possibility of a curse. “I have a hunch that even Cerelia is suffering the same. It’s a mated wolf’s curse, prevalent among the Silver Wolves as a punishment for disobedience. I had heard about it when in Aromania,” said Zephyrus. My heart sank with dread, and I forced myself to open my eyes. I saw the look of surprise on Zephyrus and Stavros’ faces. “Alex
Cerelia’s POVI stirred, but my body ached tremendously. It seemed like the last drop of energy was wrenched out of me. Was I dead? Did Grandpa’s deathly grip or the touch of his sword to my skin kill me?I could hear faint voices near me. It seemed I was far away, unable to open my eyes or move my body. A cold metal touched my chest, and I gasped, filling my lungs with a lot of oxygen. What was it? I tried to shout for help, but no sound came out of my lips.“She’s responding!” someone cried out close to my ears. I recognized that voice instantly. It was Nikos’s. So I wasn’t dead. I was still at the mansion and my brother was with me.“Nikos,” I croaked into the deafening silence. “Water.”There was a shuffle, and someone held water to my lips. I drank a sip and then another. It energized me, and I slowly opened my eyes. Everything was blurred and I could hardly focus on anyone. The room was full of my family members. Was my grandpa here too? Fear gripped my heart as I blinked to ref