The Alpha and the Princess

Encounter

Victor POV

I was so confused from my encounter with claire. My mate. I felt the strong pull and the need to be with her, to hold her tightly, and never let her go. however, she didn't seem to respond in kind. She was cold and kept a distance between us. I would’ve doubted myself if not all the signs. Especially her exquisite scent. It was what drove me to find her in the first place, while the others didn’t even notice her presence.

As the party broke I pulled Steven, my Beta and best friend. I was worrying about a path on my office carpet from pacing. Steven settled in my chair and kicked his legs on the desk. He crossed his hands behind his neck and watched me with a smirk. He lived for those moments, to see me out of my usual cold and composed self. It was his favourite hobby to annoy me.

“Mr tight ass is breaking his own rules by letting a stranger in the pack without questioning.” Steven started. “There are a couple of rules I want to break myself.”

“She’s not any stranger. She’s my mate.” Before he made more jibes, I let him on my little personal discovery.

“I hate to tell you this, you know i’ll be happy for you, but” He was suddenly serious unlike his usual self. “she doesn't have a wolf. She’s a human.”

" No human has ever crossed our borders. I don't know why I can't sense her wolf for some reason, but I know for sure that she is my mate. "

For a little while, I discussed with Steven the different reasons why my mate’s wolf was off the radar. It could be repressed by some kind of magic, or she simply never shifted before. Some wolves who grew up among humans never do. It was rare, but not unheard of.

Suddenly I felt the intense need to be with my mate, as if the distance was gnawing at my insides. I stormed out of the office and ran up the stairs only to find Hannah standing on my way.

"She is having a bath give her some time."

"Ok , I will wait until she finishes" I resigned for hannah’s request and went to my room.

I waited for nearly an hour and still no sound was coming from the next room. I was growing more impatient and pacing around the room. I couldn't wait anymore. I wanted to go see my mate but Hannah stopped me one more time. Why was she so protective of her? Claire is my mate and it's normal for me, but I couldn't understand why Hannah was like that.

"If you won't let me check on her, then you do it. What if she fainted or drowned or something. Please Hannah I just want to make sure she is okay" I pleaded with hannah, despite being the alpha and her older brother. Usually I would use a command and people would obey. maybe my mate was bringing out my softer side.

"Fine, I will check on her" She knocked on the bathroom door. "Are you doing ok there? I brought some clothes."

"I'm fine! I don't need it!" Claire's voice came muffled from behind the door.

"What?"

After a moment of silence, Claire came out from the bathroom with only a little towel wrapped around her perfect body. She has an athletic figure, sculpted but not muscular. Her body was the manifestation of strength and beauty fused together. I ran up my eyes over her long creamy legs then looked up. I never had a doubt that she was beautiful, somehow seeing her face clearly made me more attracted to her. She had heterochromia, one blue eye and one green, a rarity even among wolves. Pale skin and pink cheeks, cute little nose and pulp lips. Her dark hair was falling on her face, to her shoulders and ending on her breasts.

I wanted to lose myself contemplating her for hours, my eyes never laid on such a beautiful creature before, but too soon the view was blocked suddenly when she moved her arm across her chest. My eagerness to look at her had clouded my reason. I was invading her privacy with my eyes and made her feel uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry , I didn't mean to...um .. " It was a pathetic apology, I struggled to find an excuse. " I'll be in the kitchen". Better retreat for now.

I raced downstairs and sat on one of the stools by the kitchen counter.i never felt this nervous before. I took a deep breath and gulped some water to try and cool down the heat I got from what I have just seen. A couple of minutes later, I felt like I was stabbed in my chest. A sharp pain that I didn't know where it came from. Claire's face popped in my mind. my instincts told me that she was in danger. I sprinted back to her room ready to attack whoever was responsible for hurting my mate.

To my surprise as I pushed the door open I saw Hannah and Claire hugging and kneeling on the floor. I couldn't see Claire's face but she was sobbing like she was mourning a dear someone. I looked at Hannah and mouthed what happened. She helped Claire to the bed before she pushed me out of the room.

“She lost her necklace. I think it’s important to her, a family loom of some sort.” Hannah explained before closing the door. I was going to complain because I wanted to be the one to comfort my mate, but I knew better. I trusted Hannah, and Claire seemed more at ease with her.

Still, I couldn't just stand doing nothing while my mate was crying painfully. I had to do something. I went back to the woods to the place where we first met thinking she might have lost it in the woods. Her scent was still lingering, it was faint but it was enough for me to trail it. I let my sharp senses guide me along until I saw something on the ground between the dried leaves. I looked closer and it was a silver necklace. I grabbed it with the hem of my shirt and went back to my office. I wrapped the necklace with a handkerchief, put it in a wooden box and tucked it away in a drawer.

I wanted Claire to stop crying and make her smile but I couldn't give her back the necklace. Silver is poisonous for our kind. I was wondering how she could wear it but that would explain why her wolf was AWOL. I went upstairs, cracked the door slightly to check on my mate. She was in bed, crying under the covers. Hannah was by her side, when she noticed me, she got up, turned off the lights and pushed me out to the hallway.

"She's not well, I tried to calm her down but nothing worked. She seems like she was through a lot. Maybe letting her crying it out is the only thing we can do for her"

"Hannah, she's my mate. I can't sit back and relax when she is like that. My heart is breaking seeing her like that."

" But you said she didn't know about our kind, does she know you're her mate?"

"She doesn't seem to know anything, I think her wolf is suppressed and that's why she didn't recognize me. But there is no doubt that she IS my mate and I can't stand leaving her like this."

"If she thinks she's human then, I advise you to take things slowly. Just let her be for tonight, you will have plenty of time to bond with her later"

I always listened to Hannah and I trusted her because she was wiser than her years and always knew what was the best for me. I sat down on the floor in my room, my back resting on the wall standing between me and my mate. I couldn't sleep or rest while she was distressed. I was listening to her, after an hour or so she was more quiet, but I could hear her sniffing every minute or so.

My world was getting darker and I was losing my patience. I opened the door and sneaked in her room. I closed the door without making a sound and crawled slowly on the bed. I was careful to respect her personal space so I got as close as possible without touching her but enough to fill my nose with her delicious scent. Soon after I laid next to Claire, her breathing calmed down, her heartbeat was slow and she was asleep. I could finally get some rest as well.