Mate

Darius’s POV

She was the star of the party.

When she walked down the staircase with her head held up high and her smile, that smile seemed to have done something to me.

“Mine,” Magnus, my wolf, growled in my head, and my eyes narrowed at her as my frown deepened.

“What do you mean by mine?” I asked back, head tilting slightly to the side as I watched her hug Ivy.

“She is ours, Darius,” Magnus replied.

I clenched my hand, not understanding what my wolf was implying, but hell, that scent of hers had been driving me crazy since last night.

“That is impossible. She already has a mate.” I sneered.

My eyes darkened as the supposed mate walked up to her and held her hand, but Ivy refused to let her go.

Good girl, Ivy, keep her right there.

“I don’t know what is happening, but I’m not mistaken. She belongs to us” I could feel Magnus slowly break out of my restraint, wanting to rush out and claim her right there.

I stroked my chin, managing to keep him in check. What exactly was this girl?

“Alpha Darius, some packs are requesting an audience with you,” Ezra, my second in command and beta, said with a bow, and I waved my hand, dismissing him.

I hated socializing with people. He should know this by now.

“The Emberfang Nation is among them,” he said.

Despite his head down, I knew he was smirking when I turned to him, my interest now piqued.

“That girl’s pack?” I asked, watching her as she walked with her mate. She seemed to have said something to Ivy, because Ivy ran up to my side with a smug expression.

Silly girl.

“Yes Alpha,” Ezra replied.

“Darius, Darius, did you see her? Isn’t she really pretty” Ivy held my hand as she jumped. I shook my head and carried her up before giving her cheek a pinch.

“Then why did you leave her?” I asked, and she giggled.

“She promised to play with me later,” Ivy said, grinning. 

I stroked her head before putting her down. I nodded at Diana, who was by her side to take her away, and when Ivy was out of reach, I turned to Ezra.

“Did you look into what I asked?” I asked. 

Yesterday’s incident wasn’t a mistake. Apart from Ivy and that girl’s scent, there was another scent at the lake. The scent of a rogue wolf, and that only meant one thing.

“Yes, Alpha. We are tracking the scent at the moment. It seems like it’s not an ordinary rogue if they could hide themselves well,” Ezra replied, and I smiled.

“Find them before the night ends.” I sneered.

Let’s see the rouges stupid enough to mess with me and most especially the person behind them.

“Understood, sir,” he answered.

“Oh,” I exclaimed, causing Ezra to stop as I turned to the girl, my lips tilting up into a smirk. “Find out more information about her. I need even a little piece of information.”

“Stop freaking watching and get close to our mate.” A few minutes of just standing there, I heard Magnus growl in my head, but it sounded more like a longing.

Rolling my eyes, I brought the drink to my lips, watching as she glanced my way and our eyes met for a second before she looked away in surprise.

“You know you look like a damn creep right,” Magus said, getting impatient and I could feel it, but I stood there waiting for an opportunity.

My opportunity came when someone splashed a drink at her in what I assumed to be a mistake, but the tiny smirk on her lips said otherwise.

She looked at the girl with a frown but held back her anger before smiling and heading to the bathroom.

I moved away from the wall and followed her as she walked into the bathroom.

My eyes were on her, the way she bent to take the tissue to wipe her dress, the way her dress showed every hint of her curves. Her mere presence alone had been driving me crazy for a while now. She was the first woman that had this much effect on me.

It was amusing that she hadn’t noticed my presence at the door. I guess she didn’t have a wolf. She sighed and finally turned around. That was when our eyes met.

I smirked when I saw her a bewildered look. She muttered shit under and breath and tried to walk past me like I was invisible. It was not like she didn’t know who I was. I chuckled darkly as she brushed past me, heading for the door; so I was being ignored now?

I closed the distance in a single stride, reaching for her shoulders and pressing her back against the wall. She gasped and her pretty blue eyes practically shot up in surprise. Her lips parted as my body pinned her there, leaving no space between us, barely an inch for her to breathe. I could feel her warmth, the slight hitch of her breath as her chest rose and fell against mine. 

“You-” she tried to say, but I tilted her head to the side and leaned against her neck, sniffing her intoxicating scent.

I leaned back, a mischievous smile playing at my lips as my eyes locked onto hers.

She really was my mate

“W-what do you think you are doing?” She looked flushed, trying to pull away.

I smirked, leaning in closer. 

“What do you think I’m doing?” I asked in a teasing voice.

Just as I was about to tease her further, the sound of footsteps echoed outside the bathroom door. I glanced at the door, and her eyes widened in alarm, realization dawning as she tried to squirm away.