The scent only grew stronger with each step he took.
It clung to the air, sweet and elusive, stirring something deep within Alaric's core. His massive midnight-black form moved like a shadow through the forest, golden eyes glowing fiercely in the fading light. Leaves and twigs crunched softly under his powerful paws as he neared the source — the waterfall's soft roar growing louder with each heartbeat.
And then he saw her.
A slender figure lay curled beside the shimmering pool, only her back visible. She was tucked into herself, arms wrapped around her knees in a fragile, protective cocoon. Moonlight streamed through the canopy, casting a soft glow over her, making her look ethereal — almost unreal.
Alaric's entire being froze.
The sight hit him harder than any battle ever had. His claws dug into the earth as his wolf snarled low, the need to approach warring with the caution thrumming through him.
She was the source of the scent — he had no doubt now.
A soft, almost imperceptible whimper escaped the girl's throat, and it shattered whatever restraint he had left. Alaric inched forward, careful not to frighten her. Every instinct within him screamed Protect.
He took in the little details: the way her hair shimmered under the moonlight, the faint tremor in her shoulders, the exposed stretch of delicate skin. Something inside him — something ancient and powerful — recognized her. Even though he couldn't see her face, even though logic and reason tried to claw at him, telling him this was impossible — his soul already knew.
Mine. His wolf rumbled with absolute certainty.
But Alaric held himself back, body tense and taut with effort. He couldn't act on instinct alone — not when she looked so small, so breakable. Not when the wrong move might send her running.
The waterfall's mist danced around them like a living thing, weaving their fates tighter together with every breath.
For the first time in a long time, the mighty Alpha King felt uncertain.
And it terrified him more than any enemy ever had.
Alaric crept closer, muscles coiled tightly as he moved with painstaking care, not wanting to startle the fragile figure before him. Inch by inch, he maneuvered around the pool until he could see her face clearly.
And when he did, he stopped breathing.
She was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on.
Soft, pouting lips, full and pink, drew his gaze first — they looked heartbreakingly delicate, like the petals of a newly bloomed rose. Her brows were furrowed slightly, as if troubled even in sleep, and the sight sent a sudden, overwhelming urge through him to reach out and smooth them away. Long, curly lashes fanned against her cheeks, delicate as butterfly wings, casting shadows that danced with the rhythm of the waterfall's light.
He could only imagine the wonders hidden behind those closed lids.
Alaric, the mighty Alpha King, was mesmerized, utterly taken by the sight of her.
His great wolf form lowered itself slowly onto the ground, lying beside her with surprising gentleness. For a long time — perhaps minutes, perhaps hours — he simply watched her, captivated by the steady rise and fall of her breathing, the way her presence seemed to calm the raging storm within him.
Eventually, lulled by her soothing scent and the rhythmic sound of the waterfall, he drifted into sleep.
They lay there peacefully, two souls unknowingly tethered by a bond neither yet understood.
The night passed quietly, until a faint rustling in the underbrush snapped Alaric awake.
His golden eyes snapped open, sharp and alert, and a low, menacing growl rumbled from deep within his chest.
The sound startled Jade awake.
Her heart leapt violently into her throat as her eyes flew open, and she found herself face-to-face with a massive midnight-black wolf — a creature so powerful and fearsome, it froze the blood in her veins. And he was growling.
At her?
No.
Behind her.
Still, fear seized her. Scrambling backward instinctively, Jade put as much distance as she could between herself and the beast, panic clouding her senses.
Alaric's growl faltered for the briefest moment, a flash of pain crossing his wolfish features at the sight of her fear. But the disturbance in the woods snapped him back to his fierce protective stance, and his growl deepened once more, more threatening than before.
A figure emerged from the shadows — a pack guard, skulking out from the underbrush. The man immediately dropped to his knees, bowing low with trembling hands.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty," the guard stammered, his voice oozing false humility. "I did not mean to disturb your rest. I only came... to retrieve her."
He threw a disdainful glance at Jade, sneering slightly. "She must have come here with improper intentions, my king. She seeks to seduce you, to disrespect your station—"
Alaric's golden eyes flared dangerously, cutting the man off with a silent snarl that had the guard shrinking lower into the earth.
The mighty king rose to his feet, towering over both of them, the faint mark of the moon on his shoulder gleaming ominously in the dim light. His growl grew louder, vibrating through the ground, daring the fool to speak another word.
No one — no one — would dare insult her in his presence.
Not if they valued their life.