Chapter 2

My wolf was absolutely exhilarated to have finally met our soul mate. A part of me was relieved and even excited, but another part wasn’t ready to give up my life of freedom and independence for a mate—especially not an Alpha.

Alphas were notorious for being extremely territorial and controlling of their mates. Some people dreamed of having an Alpha mate, but I was not one of them.

“NOOO!!” I screamed, shifting instantly.

I didn’t care that I had just shredded my clothes—all that mattered was escaping this nightmare.

Before my mother died, she always told me I was different, special compared to other wolves. One reason was that I had Alpha blood, which made my wolf twice the size of the average wolf. The other reason… She never really told me.

I aggressively shoved a wolf that happened to be in my way and darted away from the group.

As I ran, all I could hear was the whimpering and whining of my wolf, begging me to go back—to not run away from our mate, to accept him. But I couldn’t do that. It was asking too much of me.

Accepting my mate didn’t just mean giving up my lone freedom—it meant becoming the leader of a pack. It meant putting my trust in someone I barely knew. And I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t trust anyone.

Before I could process my thoughts, something slammed hard into my side, sending me crashing headfirst into a nearby tree. The last thing I heard was the sound of stampeding footsteps rushing toward me before I slipped into unconsciousness.

I woke up gasping for air, immediately sitting up as I scanned my surroundings.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the enormous room I was in. I was in someone’s bedroom.

A lingering, familiar scent filled the space, calming my senses and bringing a strange tranquility to my mind.

I surveyed the room. It didn’t feel very personal—just a plain white space with dark oak furniture, including a wardrobe and end tables on either side of a queen-sized bed, which also had a dark oak frame.

As I shifted under the blanket, I suddenly realized—I was completely naked.

My eyes darted to the side, landing on a neatly folded set of clothes beside me. They looked a bit small, but as I picked them up, the calming scent surrounding me became clearer. It was my mate’s scent.

This must be his room.

Panic surged through me, and I hurriedly put on the clothes before rushing to the door—only to find it locked.

My chest tightened as fear clawed its way through me. Memories from my past resurfaced, flashing like haunting specters in my mind. The suffocating sense of being trapped, the pain, the helplessness.

No.

A sudden rush of energy swelled in my bones, primal and uncontrollable. Without hesitation, I channeled it, lifting my leg and slamming my foot against the door.

It flew off the hinges.

Without looking back, I bolted down the hallway, my heart pounding. The corridor stretched endlessly until I finally burst into a large living room—where a group of people stood gathered, staring at me with a mixture of confusion and amazement.

So this must be the pack house of that Alpha… which meant I was currently a rogue inside an unknown Alpha’s territory.

Ignoring their stares, I bolted out of the pack house, my eyes locking onto the forest entrance beyond the buildings and civilization. Without hesitation, I shifted and sprinted toward freedom once more, my mind already plotting my escape.

But before I could get far, something—or someone—slammed into me, knocking me violently off course and sending me flying in the opposite direction.

Dazed, I scrambled to my feet, immediately falling into an attack stance.

My attacker stood tall with jet-black hair, slightly long but not as long as mine. His skin was darker than the Alpha’s, naturally tanned. And, annoyingly, I couldn’t deny that he was gorgeous.

Just… not as gorgeous as my mate.

I couldn’t believe I had just thought that.

"Do not deny destiny. You know, deep in your heart, you want to give our mate a "Chance and see the type of man he is; do not deny your attraction to him," my wolf spirit said.

It was in moments like these that she felt useless to me—we were separate spirits with separate opinions, even though we usually agreed on everything except one thing: mate.

"Someone call for the Alpha and tell him the rogue is attempting to escape!" my attacker shouted.

I didn't want to see him. I didn't want to melt at his feet just because we were destined to be together. I wanted to run away, far away, so that our mate connection would sever and we would be separated for good. I knew that the moment I saw him, I would hesitate and wonder what my life might be like if I stayed with him. I didn't want to give in.

So I snapped.