《Misunderstanding》


 Chapter 1 - The rescue

    The deep darkness still didn¡¯t cover entirely the scout moving silently among the buildings, in search of the one to be rescued from the grip of rogues. The snow replaced the grass during those cold winter days, yet, not an obstacle after years of training in how to move in the shadows without being noticed.


    After tense minutes in slow but sure progress, the scout found the shed meant to contain the ¡°package¡±, with a few guards surrounding the place, still unaware of her presence. Werewolves could see in deep darkness, so the lack of light didn¡¯t concern the guards that someone would be stupid enough to attack.


    From behind a tree, the scout reached the first guard, breaking his neck in a quick twist. She held his heavy body and slowly laid him on the ground, without a sound. In the same creepy silence, the scout moved towards the shed, circulating it, evaluating the best option to get inside without being noticed.


    Voices came from inside, freezing the scout in place, followed by the sound of punches and kicks and a loud groan. Acknowledgement that he was still alive made her smile for a moment under the balaclava. A strong man left the shed, locking it with a big heavy locker, shouted orders to the guards accompanying him and left. He seemed to be the leader of the ones who kidnapped the Alpha¡¯s son.


    One guard got closer, suspecting someone was trying to take advantage of the darkness to infiltrate, but as quick as his thoughts crossed his mind, he lay on the floor, dead. And seconds later, the next guard, coming from the other corner joined him in the afterlife¡¯s dream. Both shot with a silenced gun.


    Without hesitation, she moved to unlock the door and took the bodies inside, with her. As suspected, he was awake but kept silent, wondering who was crazy enough to attempt to save him from that heavy-armed rogue pack.


    The scout removed her hood, revealing a familiar face, making Stefan relax. His expression moved from fear to joy in a fraction of a second.


    ¡°I-¡±, she put two fingers on his lips to keep him from speaking and felt sparks even through her gloves when touching him. She moved to release him from the heavy shackles restraining his body.


    As silent as she could, one by one, the shackles opened and Stefan was finally free to leave that nasty place. ¡°Exchange your clothes with one of the guards.¡±, she whispered in his ear, as low as she could. ¡°We will move slowly towards the forest. When we reach the first tree, you run. Another scout will be waiting for you there.¡± She got into her feet and turned her back to him, while he changed clothes in silence.


    His wounds were superficial, luckily, and didn¡¯t trouble him in moving. Meanwhile, the scout texted someone and put her hood back on.


    ¡°But what about you?¡±, he reflected while putting the new trousers on, then turned his gaze to her face, hoping for a comforting answer. ¡°I¡¯ll distract them if needed.¡±. Her gaze was cold as metal and her voice heavy with confidence. ¡°You should worry about yourself. Are you ready?¡±. He sighed and nodded.


    She opened the door slowly, analysing if there were guards in sight. One rogue scout walked towards them, and without hesitation, she shot. The lifeless body fell into the snow and blood began to spread, marking the ground with violence. She got outside, still alert of anything moving in the area.


    The referred forest was about three hundred meters from the shed, with nowhere to hide. One mistake and both would be dead in minutes. She locked eyes with him, and he nodded once again. She resumed to the right side of the shed, where one of the guards was before. Stefan got only a step behind her, trying to mimic the soundless movements of his saviour.


    They managed to reach the back side of the shed, with the gun in hand and ears sensitive to the least of noise, then began to take steps towards the forest.


    Halfway to their destination, both heard shouting and turned to find the source. The scout pushed Stefan to move further. He obeyed and got into a sprint, soon noticing she began to run in the opposite direction and four guards ran behind her.


    He ran frantically among the trees until someone reached him. Another scout, which he could sense belonged to his pack. A few guards reached them and escorted him to safety further away from the shed and rogue camp. ¡°What about Sarah? Will someone help her?¡±, his desperation loud in his voice made the guards and scouts exchange glances. The one answering him had confidence in his voice, the Delta Leader, ¡°She will have to make it on her own, as this was her plan. Now, let¡¯s take you out of here.¡±.


    Shortly, Stefan was in an SUV being driven back home, with a warm blanket around his shoulders and his mother checking how hurt he was, but his mind didn¡¯t stop thinking about the one they left behind.


    A few hours later, everyone was back at the pack¡¯s territory, waiting for further information about the rescue operation at the Alpha¡¯s meeting room. Delta Leader Klaus got in the room, followed by his coordinators. In the room, Beta Magnus, Gamma Kristofer, the Elder Council members and the Alpha¡¯s family, including Stefan.


    ¡°The rogue pack had about fifty men stationed in the area where Stefan was held captive. Our plan was risky but proved successful as we can see Alpha Stefan back with us, safe and sound. I also would like to-¡±, a guard opened the door of the room to let another person in. A slim figure, dirt and with visible scratches covering her arms, legs and back, found a spot close to Delta Klaus to stand. As all eyes turned to her, she lifted her gaze to look around the room. ¡°I apologise for being late¡±.


    Smiles and nods were the answers she got from the audience. ¡°Sarah, welcome back.¡±, Klaus patted her on the shoulder, ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t have to kill them all to get away.¡±, some laughed at the joke, including her. ¡°I got out of ammo before that.¡±.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Alpha Demetrius took the chance to address the ones in the room, finally. ¡°I appreciate all the effort you¡¯ve put into bringing my dear son back home. I hope you can get a good night''s sleep so we can celebrate the success of the operation tomorrow with a great party.¡± The mood in the room turned lighter and a few began shaking hands of the Delta and Gamma leaders, who provided guards and scouts for the operation.


    ¡°Well done and thank you, Delta Sarah. And I am glad that you didn¡¯t get severely hurt, even though the risks were great.¡±. Sarah turned on her heels as Alpha Demetrius addressed her from behind, with a gentle smile on his face and followed by none other than Stefan. ¡°It¡¯s my honour to serve the pack with the best of my abilities, Alpha.¡±, she bowed lightly, ¡°If you excuse me.¡± She left the room without looking at Stefan even once. He, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t stop staring at her until out of sight. His father, catching him in the act, giggled a little. ¡°Is she the one, Stefan?¡±. Back from daydream land, he sadly stared at his father, he sighed. ¡°Must be.¡±. Demetrius paused for a moment, thinking. Then patted Stefan on the shoulder, smiling, ¡°Great choice¡±.


    The next day was full of gossip around the pack territory, from how Sarah was merciless in killing all the rogues with bare hands to Stefan eating alive his raptors using his wolf form.


    At the training barracks, everyone couldn¡¯t stop talking about the operation from the previous night and an ovation as loud as thunder began when Sarah came into sight for her daily workout. ¡°You should take it easy today, sweetie. Besides yesterday¡¯s job, we have a party waiting for us tonight.¡±, Julienne approached her from behind as both walked towards the gym. ¡°That was my plan, Juls. Not because of the party though.¡± As the other narrowed her eyes, wondering what could detain Sarah from training hard, as she used to do every day, she went on. ¡°I had quite a trouble getting away from those rogues. They were well trained and organised.¡± They reached the gym room and each one took a spot on the treadmills and began jogging. ¡°And I was here wondering if you had finally fallen for our gorgeous young Alpha¡±, Julienne giggled. Sarah frowned and increased the speed of the machine, not bothering to reply.


    At sunset, most youngsters were gathered at the main garden drinking and chit-chatting, as they waited for Alpha Demetrius to do a speech and officially start the party, welcoming the main guests to the pack house and the big dance saloon. The next generation of leaders was gathered there too: Alpha Stefan, his sister Sabrina and cousins Arthur and Florence, Beta Lucius and his brother Liarco, Gamma Josef and his sister Bianca, Delta Alexander followed by his older sister Julienne and youngest brother Benedict. As it had to be, they got along well and shared laughs and drinks until Stefan¡¯s eyes paused on a beautiful young woman with a royal blue dress, loose long brown hair and a penetrating pair of gray eyes, slowly approaching the group.


    Sarah stopped at Julienne¡¯s side, ignoring whoever noticed her presence. ¡°I was looking for you, Juls. Shall we grab something to eat?¡±. Without directing her attention away from Stefan, Juls answered. ¡°And here you are ruining my chance to flirt with the most gorgeous male in this pack. I thought you were my friend, you know.¡±. Angry, Sarah sighed. ¡°Whatever.¡± The same way she came, she left without another word.


    Alpha Demetrius gave a short speech, thanking everyone involved in rescuing his son and opened up the doors to the saloon within the pack house for anyone who wished to enjoy the night. Sarah remained leaning against a pillar, close to the bar counter, drinking and with attention lost among the crowd. Her thoughts navigated so freely that she didn¡¯t notice someone getting closer until a familiar face got centimetres away from her and sparks began to burn her left cheek with the touch.


    Her eyes widened with the sudden approach and her body got hot, for no apparent reason. Hardly, she fought the will to surrender to the pair of golden eyes locked on hers, as if ready to take her in without permission. ¡°Did you get lost, Alpha Stefan?¡±, she dared say with the remains of her self-control. Those sparks were driving her crazy. ¡°I realised I forgot to thank you for rescuing me and putting yourself at such risk for my sake.¡±, he leaned over her in hopes of stealing a kiss, however, she managed to escape from his touch and walked away, to a deserted balcony nearby. He followed, determined to not let her go this time.


    She noticed his presence by her side, closing the gap between them. The warmth from his body, his delicious fragrance filling her nostrils and her wolf howling in her head, gradually made her blush. ¡°I was well informed that you and your family are grateful for my efforts. There is no further need for acknowledgement.¡± Her fingers got white as she held the bannister tightly. ¡°Yet, I felt the need to come and thank you myself.¡±. His voice was low, close enough for her to listen.


    A hand touched her waist, turning her to face him and again, causing more sparks. His right hand reached her cheeks, his thumb caressing it gently. ¡°I never dreamed someone would dare to rescue me in such circumstances. I thought it was my end.¡±, he paused, his gaze memorising each part of her delicate face, ¡°Why did you do it?¡±. The question took her off-guard, and she took a step back, as a reflection. Still holding his gaze, she thought it was reasonable to let him know her motivations. ¡°I swore to do whatever it takes for the sake of the pack. You will probably be our next Alpha, so... this alone was reason enough for anyone here to attempt a rescue. It¡¯s just that... I was the best option to succeed.¡±. Surprise shone in his golden eyes, not letting go of her yet.


    ¡°Not quite the answer I was hoping for, but it will do.¡±, he smiled, getting closer again. Sarah immediately pushed him away, without understanding what was going on. ¡°You know I am saving myself for my mate. How hard is it to respect my decision?¡±. Stefan sighed and let his frustration take the best of him. Still looking at her, he kept his distance. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel the sparks?¡±. The situation began to slip out of control, from Sarah¡¯s perspective, so she decided to appeal. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± And walked away.


    Sarah dibbled the crowd as quickly as she could towards the exit. But on the way, something caught her wolf¡¯s attention and she paused, turning to look around. She saw Benedict with a gamma girl, having a date or something like that. ¡°Mate¡­¡±, her wolf whispered sadly in her mind and the bond weakly waved within her chest. Without a second thought, Sarah made it out of the building and took herself to the ancient building area, used for rituals still applied by her people to this day. She let her eyes stare at the trees and the river passing by, digesting what just happened.


    ¡°I am happy to know that at least one woman in this pack doesn¡¯t surrender to His Highness.¡±, Alexander took a seat beside her, waiting for her cold and blunt reply, but it never came. ¡°Are you alright?¡±. Sarah took a deep breath and raised her gaze to the moon, pale and hidden among clouds. ¡°When is Ben turning eighteen?¡±, surprised by the question, Alex scratched his head and looked at her. ¡°Ben? Well¡­ it should be in a few weeks. Why do you...? Oh¡­¡±. The realisation of what Sarah potentially saw and the fact that she was also waiting for her mate clicked in his mind. ¡°What will you do?¡±.


    Silence reigned for a few minutes until she found her voice again. ¡°I will wait. It¡¯s not that I can just ignore my wolf and say that I am free to be claimed.¡± Alex put his hand over hers, tenderness shown in his eyes as they faced each other. ¡°You know you should not worry about being alone, don¡¯t you?¡± They smiled and she put her other hand above his. ¡°I appreciate your support, Alex. And have you found your mate yet?¡±, holding his gaze, Alex¡¯s smile grew. ¡°Not yet, but I at least know who I want to be with.¡± Sarah looked again to the sky as if praying to the Moon Goddess on behalf of her friend. ¡°I hope it¡¯s someone with an empty heart, ready to love you back.¡±

 Chapter 2 - A few weeks before

    The search for the first mate was always a challenge and that¡¯s where Stefan was now: wondering who would be the one selected by Moon Goddess to become his mate until the end. His cousins, close friends and sister were already mated, leaving him in a cruel position. Without a mate, he couldn¡¯t candidate himself to be the next Alpha Leader and replace his father. Thus, he was hurrying to find ¡°the one¡± as soon as possible.


    For good or for worse, he had already dated a large portion of the unmated females in the pack and none of them seemed to be who he was looking for. Besides, none managed to resist his charming stereotype: golden eyes, black short hair, 1,90 meters tall, caramel skin and muscles well distributed. Not forgetting his most wanted proof of being an Alpha: a well-sized phallus.


    Regardless, his research had given no fruit and again, he found himself at the training barracks, looking for someone new to chase and hopefully get what he needed. Needless to say, everyone knew why he became such a regular of the place, but yet everyone made it seem like something new every time he arrived.


    Julienne became his go-to person for this special affair and she helped to map the girls he could approach without being disrespectful to other males. ¡°Hello, Juls. Did you get any news for me?¡±, he used his charming smile to get her entire attention. As soon as she heard his sexy voice, the engaging discussion ongoing with another girl ceased and her eyes moved to his gorgeous face instantly. ¡°Hi there! I was wondering if you would show up today.¡±.


    The girl still standing in front of Julienne didn¡¯t seem happy with the interruption and almost killed Stefan with her cold look. ¡°We need to finish discussing this matter before you disappear with him, Juls. You know that-¡±, Juls mouffled the girls¡¯ mouth and kept talking to Stefan instead. ¡°So, how may I help you today, Alpha Stefan?¡±. He could notice the girl rolling her eyes and finally leaving the place, disappearing among the crowd. ¡°Who is she?¡±. A scratch on her head and a sigh soon made Stefan understand that the girl was a problem or a hard shell to crack. ¡°She is one of the candidates to replace my father. And she is unavailable, in case you wonder.¡±


    A moment passed and Julienne sighed again, heavily, as he didn¡¯t move his eyes away from the girl. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have a mate, but she will not do a ¡°test¡± with you. Sarah is¡­ conservative.¡±. He spotted her talking to a few other Deltas in one corner, in what seemed a fun mode. ¡°I see¡­ well, do you have anyone else then?¡±, his voice controlled and low, expecting a positive reply from his new friend. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I introduced everyone I could to you by now. You may look into the Omega quarters though. Have you been there?¡±. Again staring at the corner where the girl was, he turned on his heels and left, without another word, while putting his brain to work.


    That afternoon, Stefan spent his time understanding the Delta families, and hierarchies within, until he finally found the name of the girl he intended to talk to. Sarah Nightingale, the fourth strongest family among the Deltas, with a strong tradition of having one of the males as leader or coordinator of the scouts, and she had an older brother, Adam, who got ranked up after being matched with his soulmate. ¡°I think I understand now why Julienne said she is out of limits.¡±, he spoke to no one.


    Sarah was on her way home after spending the day between training and teaching the novices when what seemed like a wall blocked her way forward. Her eyes widened as she recognised the man standing in front of her. ¡°I apologise for startling you.¡±, she took two steps back, making sure there was enough distance between them so she could run in case of need. ¡°Do you need something?¡±. Her emotionless voice tone said clearly that she was not happy to meet him. ¡°I am trying to get acquainted with all the candidates for leadership positions and I thought to invite you to chat for a bit. I heard you are one of the candidates to replace Delta Klaus, so¡­¡±. Sarah took another step backwards and held her hands on each other, tightly, elaborating the best answer. ¡°Not officially, but I intend to, yes. Will you book a meeting to discuss the matter?¡±. Her face didn¡¯t betray her in showing how that dialogue affected her nerves. Calmly, Stefan grinned and took a step forward. ¡°I just thought of inviting you to share a beer at the pub, as it is an informal chat. Do you have time now?¡±. As an automatic behaviour, Sarah checked her watch and paused for a moment, mentally going through her agenda. ¡°I have some time now, yes.¡±. As a reward, his smile grew and gestured for her to proceed. ¡°Lead on.¡±.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    They found a small table by a window with chairs opposite each other. Each one holding a mug of draft beer, they sat and took a sip. ¡°So, I guess we could start with some basic things, as I don¡¯t know you so well. Would you mind introducing yourself to me?¡±, his soft and gentle voice lifted a bit of nervousness from Sarah¡¯s shoulders, though she still had trouble getting started. ¡°Where to begin¡­ I am Sarah Nightingale, ranked as the third strongest Delta among the youngsters, twenty years old. I have an older brother who was supposed to be a candidate for replacing Delta Klaus but¡­ he became a Gamma warrior after mating, as he got lucky in finding his soulmate as the first mating option. In my family in the past generations, it got common to have at least one raking up. So now I am working hard to be up to all expectations and be worthy of the position since my brother is no longer an option.¡± Stefan listened carefully, slowly drinking from his mug and thinking about the next question. ¡°I have seen how serious you take it, as I¡¯ve been in the training barracks quite often lately.¡± Sarah concentrated her gaze on the beer in front of her, wondering what else there was to say about her that could be of interest to a to-be Alpha Leader.


    ¡°I am not yet chosen as the next Alpha, but I do not intend to let anyone else take the position. And I guess you¡¯ve been wondering why I''ve made myself so approachable and public in the past months.¡±, she lifted her gaze to him immediately, still holding her mug with both hands. ¡°Julienne already informed me about your chore, Alpha.¡±, another gulp between phrases, Stefan swallowed the bitter beer before opening his mouth again. ¡°Well, then.¡±, his face turned into a mischievous grin. ¡°Shall I ask you how is your progress in looking for your mate?¡±


    Butterflies in the stomach. No better description of what Sarah felt as he addressed her in such a sexy voice, causing a shiver down her spine and a desperate desire to run for her life. ¡°I am not looking for my mate.¡±, that¡¯s all she could blurt out in the middle of the strange feelings that that man was causing her. ¡°Really? What a pity. But why is that, if I may ask?¡±. She fixed herself in the chair, turning her eyes to the window, watching the people passing by on the outside. ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry. Besides¡­ I believe what is mine will find my way eventually.¡±. The sadness in her voice and gaze shook something inside Stefan. He could feel something towards her, it was not a mating bond, but he was neither nonchalant to her melancholy. His wolf was quiet, yet anxious and seemed waiting for something to trigger whatever was required to create a bond with the woman in front of him.


    ¡°I wish I could do the same.¡± Her attention returned to her companion, surprised by noticing the same melancholy in his voice. ¡°I guess not everyone can afford such a thing?¡±. A bitter smile was her offer before drinking again from her mug.


    They chit-chatted a bit more about less important matters and parted ways before the sun was completely out of the sky, without a conclusion of what happened.

 Chapter 3 - The mating season

    The spring reached the pack territory at an agonisingly slow pace. The official mating season was on, regardless of whether the last traces of snow were still on the ground and the roofs of the houses. Among the Omegas, there was no other topic to talk about than Stefan walking around, desperate to find his second mate, because the first one was an Omega who ran away from him, in fear, just a few days before he was kidnapped. He could have forced her, however that was not how he intended to treat his beloved one.


    Julienne was frustrated that despite her efforts to conquer the Alpha¡¯s heart, she was yet not chosen to take the vacancy at his side. And not a few days more passed until she found herself mated to a gamma warrior who got rejected by his first mate. Everyone could see her happy smile kilometres away after a few nights of intense sex. Her brothers were still waiting though and felt quite jealous that she finally got the chance to enjoy the pleasures of having a mate.


    Another day at the training barracks, Sarah finished her class with the beginners when Ben approached her. ¡°Hey, Sarah. Do you have a moment?¡±, wondering the reason for him talking to her without being in a chat surrounded by friends, she paused to listen. ¡°I do. What is it?¡±. His cheeks got reddish and she held the desire to laugh at the sight of him so shy. ¡°I was wondering if you could¡­ if you wish, of course, be my trainer as I will turn eighteen soon and join the scouting team.¡±. She offered a sweet smile and felt proud of herself for a moment. ¡°Of course. When do you wish to start?¡±. She guessed he didn¡¯t expect such a reply as he seemed caught off-guarded by it. ¡°Ehmm, what about tomorrow?¡±. Sarah began picking up the tools the beginners left around the room, mulling over her agenda mentally. ¡°Sure. I have some time after lunch.¡±. He jumped as a sign of happiness at her acceptance. ¡°Thank you so much, Sarah! I will not disappoint you! See you tomorrow then!¡±. He left the place, running, leaving Sarah staring at the floor, feeling her heart was heavy and released a deep sigh.


    The training began smoothly and gradually Ben could perceive improvements in his techniques thanks to his demanding teacher. But soon, Juls¡¯ youngest brother turned eighteen with a big party with all Deltas and Gammas who knew him and trained at the barracks. Sarah was there, hiding in a corner watching him smile and shake everyone¡¯s hands as they congratulated him and handed gifts. The Gamma girl she saw with him earlier was not there, leaving her to doubt if he was still seeing her or not.


    In a moment of distraction, all guests began shouting ¡°Mate! Mate! Mate!¡± and Ben began walking around the room, trying to find out who his mate was, as his wolf woke up and felt the bond. She knew it because that¡¯s what she was feeling as well, her wolf pushing her to move. ¡°He will find us very soon¡±. She tried to calm her wolf down, without much success. About five minutes passed until he stopped in front of her and their eyes met. There was no happiness in his expression when he found it out. Alex and Juls approached them but didn¡¯t interfere, and the first couldn¡¯t hide his shock and disbelief.


    ¡°Sarah¡­ you¡­ but¡­¡±, Ben messed his hair as he searched the words to talk to Sarah. ¡°Yes, we are mates.¡± Even the coldness in her voice surprised her, yet she continued. ¡°Think about what you want and we talk when you feel ready. You have a week.¡±. Not truly waiting for a reply, she left the house to her usual spot, where she could be alone and put her thoughts in order.


    ¡°That¡¯s just too bad, isn¡¯t it?¡±, Juls sat by her side, knowing very well how hard that discovery meant to her friend. ¡°Goddess has been quite good at messing up things, don¡¯t you say?¡±. The silence remained with them as the first tears dropped from Sarah¡¯s cheeks. Her friend held her tightly, placing her head on her shoulder, letting her cry as much as she needed.


    ¡°You know¡­ not always the first choice is the best one. And you are such a marvellous girl, Sassa, you will get another mate in no time. You¡¯ll see.¡±. Sarah lifted her head and cleaned her tears. ¡°That¡¯s why I am crying.¡±.


    The days passed and the mood in the barracks was not on its best. The Betas and Alphas showing up to use the facilities also didn¡¯t help to improve the environment. No one truly knew what was going on other than Sarah training way heavier than before, maybe with a death wish once she challenged Beta Lucius for a ¡°friendly¡± fight. Most of the ones around the ring area at that moment stopped to watch.


    ¡°She is always aiming high, isn¡¯t she?¡±, Alex said to no one, standing by Stefan¡¯s side while smiling proudly. ¡°She will get herself hurt.¡±, the Alpha concluded once she got thrown on the floor. ¡°She is always challenging the strong guys for a fight. That¡¯s how she learns how to put them down.¡±. Analysing her moves for a while, both could see that she was only playing with Lucius until the point where he was slightly tired and she could easily predict his movements. About twenty minutes passed when both agreed to stop in a tie.


    At noon, Sarah left the barracks followed by desperate bawls from Julienne and a few other girls. Soon enough, everyone in the barracks and on the streets began to follow as she walked determinedly to the ancient buildings, ready to attend the ritual where wolves offered themselves to be claimed in case they were rejected or not claimed in the time of ten days by their mate.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°Sarah! Don¡¯t do it! Have you truly thought it through?¡±, Julienne ran to catch up with her, trying to change Sarah¡¯s mind at all costs. ¡°You will make a fool of yourself!¡±. Sarah finally paused and turned to face Juls. ¡°Make a fool of myself? What about finding out that my to-be mate meets with another girl and refuses to tell me? My decision is not up for discussion!¡±


    The scout resumed her journey to an open-spaced ruin where there was an arc made of stone and the ground, also made of stones, was engraved with old dialects within a big circle. At the centre, there was a drawing of a full moon and a wolf. Elder Cassius was at the stairs that led through the arc, waiting for anyone who wished to be claimed to start the ritual.


    ¡°Sarah, please don¡¯t do it!¡±, Alex ran and reached for Sarah¡¯s arm before she stepped on the ladder. ¡°If you could wait only a few days more I could-¡±, she frowned and released her arm from his grip. ¡°What are you talking about? We are like brothers, Alex! I couldn¡¯t possibly be mated to you!¡±. The expression on his face changed from anger to sadness, followed by others who could hear her. Everyone knew his intentions for a very long time, but she was blind to the fact that he was in love with her.


    Sarah turned her attention to the elder, bowing her head lightly. ¡°I wish to go through the claiming ritual, Elder Cassius.¡±. His sharp blue and experienced eyes ran across Sarah¡¯s features for a while. ¡°How long has it passed since you met your mate, Delta?¡± Even though Sarah could hear someone shouting her name from afar, she ignored it. ¡°Fifteen days.¡±.


    Elder Cassius noticed Ben approaching, breathless. ¡°Won¡¯t you give him another chance?¡±. There was ice in Sarah¡¯s grey eyes as her will just got stronger with the passing minute. ¡°He had fifteen chances. Why should I give him another one?¡±. Elder Cassius smiled at her, acknowledging her resolve. ¡°Very well. You may cross the arc and place yourself in the middle of the circle. It will cut whatever bond you shared with any unclaimed mate you had up until now. Then I will start the ritual for you.¡±. Her features softened as the elder agreed to help her. ¡°Thank you, Elder.¡±


    As she went up the ladder, Ben yelled her name countless times until she placed herself in the middle of the circle, which blinked a light blue colour, and turned to face the crowd. Ben dared to step on the ladder, stopped by Sarah¡¯s growl. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare come in here!¡±, he looked shocked and seemed not to notice all eyes over him, and a few males groaning, threatening. ¡°But I am your mate! You shouldn¡¯t be in there!¡±. That made Sarah¡¯s blood boil. ¡°You are a coward who didn¡¯t dare to claim me! That¡¯s what you are! Neither you were man enough to tell me that you have someone else already! Take your ass out of here before I do it myself!¡±.


    More people arrived to check what was happening, turning the small crowd into a big audience as if it were a play during the daytime. Ben didn¡¯t find words to reply to keep arguing with Sarah, but he remained there, waiting for what would happen next.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin. For all the eyes present here, this female who goes by Delta Sarah Nightingale claims to be unmated and willingly is placing herself available to be claimed. The one who believes capable of being accepted by her as a mate, cross the arc and meet with her within the circle.¡±


    Silence. The air was thick with tension, waiting to see who among them would dare to cross the arc and claim her. Many had shown interest in her before, yet none felt man enough to take things seriously. ¡°You must be there until sunset, dear. After that you will be free to do as you please.¡±, Elder Cassius instructed Sarah, as they waited for someone to show up. Not so far, she noticed her mother watching her, with a satisfied expression on her face.


    ¡°As I said last night, I support your decision all the way.¡± her mother mind-linked her, as all Deltas could do among themselves. ¡°I am very proud of you.¡±. A soft smile found its way to Sarah¡¯s lips, as she felt the words of her mother sinking in her mind as petals of roses. ¡°Thank you, mom.¡±.


    A minute more elapsed. Sarah¡¯s wolf began to move in her head, impatiently and howled. She lifted her gaze to the crowd and noticed someone walking in her direction. Murmurs started to spread among the crowd and her heart beat fast until the feared word crossed her mind as soon as he stood in front of the ladder. ¡°Mate!¡±, her wolf shouted and the bond within her chest was like a turmoil of emotions mixed up. Her hands got cold and her face hot, unable to move her eyes away from him.


    ¡°Are you eligible to claim her?¡±, Elder Cassius intervened, before he could proceed. ¡°I must be, as she is my mate and I feel the bond.¡±. Astonishment provoked more murmurs as the crowd heard his words, in disbelief. ¡°So, go on. Just remember that she has the option to accept your claim or not.¡± A gentle bow was all he did before going up the ladder, eyes locked on hers.


    As he stepped into the area, the circle engraved on the floor shone green colours and was noticed only by the audience, who were concentrating on watching their next moves. He stopped a foot away from her, carefully reaching for her left hand and placing a sweet kiss on it. ¡°I just hope you don¡¯t see me as a coward as well.¡±.


    The time seemed to stop as the sparks almost burned her hand, pleasantly. ¡°Alpha Stefan.¡± She didn¡¯t know how she managed to speak, as being so shaken by the tsunami of emotions and the urge to touch him, triggered by the bond. But clearly, he was happy, as his lips and eyes were smiling at her, warmingly. ¡°It took more time than I anticipated.¡± He entwined their hands, and lowered them, with no intention to release any time soon.


    ¡°Anyone who challenges the claim of Alpha Stefan Thundersten to mate Delta Sarah Nightingale must get into the circle in the next half hour.¡± The elder shouted for anyone to hear. Whoever had the intention of claiming Sarah, let it go, but no one seemed to wish to leave the place yet. All of them wanted to stay until the end and witness the most desired Alpha take that girl to himself.

 Chapter 4 - The job

    ¡°I hope you feel the sparks now?¡±, Stefan side-eyed Sarah with a mischievous grin, showing how victorious he felt at that moment. ¡°More than I expected.¡±. The warmth of his touch and the burning sensation due to the sparks were overwhelming on her hand, yet neither her voice nor her face gave away the mess happening in her head. She noticed her mother still there, with a big smile on her face, watching her go through that situation.


    ¡°How so? We did have a chance to test this some time ago, right?¡±, he turned to face her, still holding her hand and reducing her view of the crowd. With her peripheral vision, Julienne was visibly angry, frowning. ¡°What is he talking about? Did you have a date with him and didn¡¯t tell me?¡±. The loud voice in Sarah¡¯s mind confirmed her suspicions about her best friend¡¯s mood by listening to what her now-mate just said. She sighed. ¡°Or will you still pretend you didn¡¯t feel anything back then?¡±. Without an escape, her mind raced to find a quick and impacting answer. ¡°Shall we discuss methods to find out pretenders while we wait?¡±. She couldn¡¯t avoid the smiling, triumphant, challenge shown in her grey eyes, forcing him to return to her side without further arguments.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a date with him. I accidentally touched him during the rescue operation and that¡¯s all that happened.¡±, her mind linked to Juls¡¯, justifying the unjustifiable. Everybody knew that Julienne had feelings for Stefan since young adolescence and Sarah was the last person in the world who would be on her way to conquer his heart, but now things have changed. Julienne accepted her mate and Stefan was claiming her, in front of everyone.


    ¡°And¡­? I know you are hiding something, Sassa. Spit it out!¡±. Her friend made a big effort to not jump into the circle area, take her by the collar and shake her until getting a satisfactory reply. ¡°Fine¡­ but you will not like it.¡±. Sarah embraced herself for the explosion of anger that would come after her next words. ¡°He tried to kiss me at the party, after the rescue operation. I ran away before anything happened.¡±


    Silence. A few minutes passed. Silence. Sarah looked at the stones and the dialects written on them, with an empty mind. Julienne left the crowd, seeming calm. ¡°He has liked you since he first put his eyes on you, anyway. I hope you make each other happy.¡±. The bitterness of her mind''s voice broke Sarah¡¯s heart and a desire to cry reached her eyes before she could stop it. Then she felt someone squeezing her hand, affectionately, and caressing it with a thumb.


    Their eyes met, reflecting each other¡¯s sadness, triggered by different reasons. ¡°You didn¡¯t have an obligation to come here¡­¡±. The sadness deepened in his golden eyes and he lifted their entwined hands so he could kiss the back of hers. ¡°Will you say no to me?¡±, his voice no louder than a whisper and his pleading eyes affected her heavily. A tear rolled down her cheek and her gaze moved again to the floor. ¡°There is no reason to reject you.¡±, she whispered, ¡°The damage is already done.¡±


    A warm hand cleaned the remains of her shed tear, sparks followed as his fingers touched her face. A pleasing sensation that filled her heart with joy.


    The crowd still hoped to see someone daring to challenge Alpha Stefan¡¯s claim over Sarah, so they remained and conversations began all over the place, as everyone waited. Now that the attention was not over them anymore, Stefan moved to face Sarah, still not letting go of her hand. ¡°I need you. But I don¡¯t wish you to feel forced to accept my claim.¡±


    He tried to search for a hint of what she could be thinking, while intently looking him in the eye. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±, her resolve back to her eyes as she went on, ¡°I brought this upon myself. But I must admit I didn¡¯t expect you to claim me, regardless of your need to get a mate.¡±


    The crowd remained unaware of their conversation, giving the chance to Stefan to clarify things before the time was up. ¡°I had plenty of time to think about what to do about this. My conclusion was that I would be doomed if I ignored the gift Moon Goddess gave me. How many have the privilege to meet their soulmate before it¡¯s too late?¡±. They left his words hanging in the air for a moment. ¡°Of course, I would be glad if you let me claim you by the time we found out about the sparks, but¡­ I didn¡¯t see any harm in respecting your traditional approach to this matter.¡±


    Her tranquil features changed to something else he couldn¡¯t identify. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±. Her reaction startled him. His efforts in being lovely seemed to not affect her as they did with other girls before. ¡°What don¡¯t you understand?¡±. She took a step back, his grip on her hand strong enough for her to not escape from him. ¡°Why did you keep bedding so many if you had made up your mind?¡±. The answer got locked in his throat as Elder Cassius announced the time was up and no one could challenge his claim anymore. There were only two things left to be done before they could leave the circle.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Delta Sarah Nightingale, do you accept Alpha Stefan Thundersten¡¯s claim to become your mate?¡±. Elder Cassius was blocking the ladder, looking at her, expecting her reply to the most important question, the one that would change her life forever. The crowd got silent and turned their attention to them again. Sarah could see different emotions in the faces spread around the place. Some worried, some anxious, some happy and hoping she would do the right thing.


    Sarah turned her gaze to Stefan, her expression not telling what she would say next. Her eyes moved from his face to their hands, still entwined, and finally back to Elder Cassius. ¡°Yes.¡±. The crowd exploded in cheers for them, followed by applause and whistles. Both Alex and Ben couldn¡¯t look more upset with her decision.


    ¡°Congratulations are in order then. Now, before you can leave the circle, you must mark one another.¡±. Sarah turned to face Stefan, feeling her body tense and her mind wondering how to approach the task at hand. Before she decided to do anything, he finally released her hand, finding instead a good spot to put his in her small back, pulling her closer to him. With his other hand, he carefully touched her cheek, and their eyes met once again.


    ¡°Do you wish to be my mate?¡±, their foreheads touched and Sarah could feel his fresh perfume invading her nostrils, making the task of keeping self-control close to impossible, her hands moving automatically to his shoulders. He inhaled her sweet scent several times, waiting for her answer and listing all the things he wanted to do with her as soon as they were done with the ritual. ¡°I do.¡±, she whispered and he finally did the one thing he wished for the most.


    Their lips touched, lightly first, and gradually he found his way inside her mouth, their tongues meeting for the first time. Besides Sarah¡¯s inexperience, he guided her in the kiss as a master. His lips moved from her mouth down to her neck and to her shoulder. Then he paused and looked at her again, giggling.


    ¡°Please, sweetheart, save your moaning for later.¡±, her placid face turned into a reddish portrait and her eyes tried to focus on somewhere else, but he was the only thing in her sight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t notice¡­¡±. His nose touched the side of her neck delicately. ¡°It¡¯s okay, as long as I am the only one to hear it. Which is not the case right now.¡±. His hand reached for her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye again. ¡°Do you allow me to mark you mine?¡±.


    The husky voice provoked chills on her entire body and something else, until that moment dormant, began pulsing between her legs. ¡°Y-Yes¡±. He seemed undecided on which side to bite, so he remembered the royal blue dress she wore on that night when he approached her for a kiss and decided where his mark had to lie.


    Wearing a tank top made Stefan¡¯ job fairly easy. Their lips met again and when he released her from the kiss, his canines grew into fangs. Light kisses travelled from her jaw until her right shoulder, the perfect spot to stick them and leave his mark on her body and soul. A mix of pain and pleasure could be heard from Sarah when he did it, her fingers pressing hard on his shoulders and her legs almost failing to keep her standing, but she was safe in his arms, both supporting her weight until he was done. His tongue finished the work, licking the two holes, stopping the bleeding.


    Heavily breathing, Sarah dropped her forehead to rest on his muscled chest, trying to recover from the hurricane of feelings going through her body and the desperate need to get rid of her clothes and let him have her whole. Strong arms wrapped around her in a bear hug, giving her time to recover.


    The crowd witnessed the tenderness stamped on Stefan¡¯s face while holding her in his arms, only wishing for the moment to last forever. Another moment passed when she lifted her gaze to his face. ¡°I guess it¡¯s my turn now.¡±, her weak voice and shy smile convinced him to let her go for an instant. As he touched the bottom of his t-shirt, strong grips on his hands stopped him. ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡±.


    ¡°But-¡±, her angry expression told everything he needed to know, but she still decided to explain. ¡°Haven¡¯t you shown yourself enough yet?¡±. Her nails turned into claws and she cut his t-shirt, from the collar up to the edge of the right shoulder, then another cut from the collar towards the chest, enough for her to pull the fabric and reach his collarbone.


    ¡°Not very romantic, but¡­ it turned me on.¡±. His voice directly into her ear¡­ She took a deep breath and her fingers moved the fabric away. Sharp fangs emerged and without a second thought, they met his bare skin, forcing a pleasing loud moan to escape Stefan¡¯s lips. His grip was strong on her back, his body shook in ecstasy until she licked the holes left there.


    By instinct, he kissed her deeply, still in trance by the pleasure felt by the marking process. Breathless, their mouths got apart, both breathing heavily. ¡°We should¡­ go home soon, sweetheart. I think I wet my trousers.¡±, she giggled. ¡°Not with what you may think though.¡±. The grin disappeared from her face, without understanding what he truly meant.


    Their hands entwined once again and Stefan pulled Sarah to leave the circle. Elder Cassius nodded to them, understanding the urgency they felt to be alone in a private room.


    The audience applauded one more time as they walked away, towards Stefan¡¯s house. However, his expression changed on the way and she could feel his mind touching hers.


    ¡°I have a special mission for you.¡± She naturally tensed at the mention of work and looked at him puzzled, yet a step or two behind him, being pulled by the hand with urgency. ¡°We cannot let my cousin become the next Luna. If she does, we are all doomed.¡±.