Chapter 3: Chapter 3

NOAH

“Man, it’s your shindig. You can’t just ~bail~ on it.” My kid brother, Greyson, was standing at my office door, complaining.

“Grey, I’ve already said it. If you’re so keen, ~go~,” I retorted, my fingers flying over the keyboard.

“Take a breather, Noah. It’s Saturday night.” He shook his head at me.

“Join the party.” Remi, my wolf, was restless in my mind, urging me to go.

I growled at both of them, slamming my laptop shut with a snap.

“All right,” I conceded, just to get them off my back. “Let’s do this.”

I brushed past Greyson, but I could hear his triumphant cheer behind me.

“Fetch the car,” I commanded him, already fed up with his antics.

I wasn’t in the mood for this party. It wasn’t even my idea. Greyson and Sawyer had cooked it up last week, using my name as a front.

They claimed I needed to ‘live a little.’ As if leading the largest pack on the East Coast wasn’t enough on my plate. Why did I ever pick these two clowns as my beta and gamma?

And then there was Remi, my wolf. I couldn’t figure out why he was so agitated or why he was so eager to attend this party. Usually, we were on the same wavelength.

We were both irritable, grumpy, and had zero interest in socializing. We took care of business, looked after the pack, and met our needs—nothing more, nothing less.

Neither of us was into making friends, having girlfriends, or attending parties. After a decade of searching for our mate, we had both given up.

We were always on edge, but we managed to keep it under wraps as best we could.

Greyson pulled up in front of the pack house, and I hopped into the passenger seat.

“Where’s Sawyer?” I inquired.

“He’s already at the party. Left hours ago.”

I rolled my eyes. “Figures.”

Sawyer, my gamma, was a party animal. He was a decent guy—level-headed—but he loved a good party. Not that my beta, Greyson, was any different.

Greyson was the family’s playboy and the least interested in finding his mate. Sawyer had a bit more respect for his future mate, at least.

That’s why I picked him as the gamma. If I ever found a mate—a luna—he would be responsible for her safety. I trusted him around my girl far more than I would ever trust Greyson.

By the time we arrived at the party, night had fallen. The parking lot was packed with cars, and the bonfire was visible from the road.

Remi was going wild in my head, giving me a splitting headache. I was even more irritable now than when we left the pack house.

I got out of the car and started toward the beach. The closer I got, the more uneasy I felt. I kept scanning the area, half-expecting to find some sort of threat.

I made my way toward the bonfire, driven by some unknown purpose. I had no clue where Greyson had disappeared to, and frankly, I didn’t care.

I circled around to the other side of the bonfire and that’s when it hit me. An intoxicating scent. It was reminiscent of old books, with a hint of something else—~chocolate perhaps?~

I took another deep breath. ~Yes, definitely chocolate.~

I searched for the source of the scent as Remi howled in my head. When I finally spotted her, it was as if the rest of the world faded away. The fire, the crowd, everything disappeared. It was just her.

She was perched on one of the log benches, her hair so blonde it seemed to glow. Even from this distance, I could tell her skin was sun-kissed and warm, and I wondered how soft it would feel.

She looked up and I caught a glimpse of her eyes. They were the most vibrant shade of blue I had ever seen. She shifted slightly in her seat and I noticed her shirt didn’t quite cover her stomach. I growled at the sight of the exposed skin.

I started toward her when a figure obstructed my view. I halted abruptly and watched in horror as my gamma, Sawyer, took a seat next to my mate on the bench.

He draped a blanket over her shoulders and I nearly lost it. When I finally reached them, Sawyer had his arm draped over her shoulders, and both Remi and I were spiraling.

Sawyer’s eyes met mine, and he instantly knew he was in hot water. He whispered something to my mate, but I didn’t bother to listen.

Instead, I seized his throat and flung him across the sandy beach, making sure my mate was out of harm’s way.

I pinned him against a tree. “Hands off my mate!” I snarled at him.

He was attempting to utter something, but his voice was choked off as I tightened my grip on his throat. I didn’t give a damn about what he had to say.

The only thing that mattered was the scent of my mate enveloping us. I let him go, and he crumpled to the ground.

I spun around to find Sawyer’s younger sister, Molly, standing next to my mate. The moment my mate’s gaze locked with mine, I almost lost it.

I began to approach her and was horrified to see her back away. Before I could say anything, Sawyer was back in my face, shouting.

~Is he asking for death?~

“Noah!” he bellowed in my face, then started mind-linking me.

~She’s human. She’s clueless!~ he yelled through the link.

I finally started to pay attention to his words.

~“She’s human?”~ I echoed, taken aback.

I glanced at her and saw the fear etched on her face. Remi whimpered in my head; our mate was scared of us.

~Just give her some time. She knows Molly; let Molly take care of Evie.~

I looked back at Sawyer. ~“Evie?”~ I echoed.

~Yes, that’s her name.~

Evie. Such a beautiful name, my new favorite. ~I wonder if it’s short for something?~

~Molly, take her to the guesthouse,~ I instructed Molly through the mind-link.

She nodded and took Evie’s hand, guiding her away from the beach.

“I apologize, Alpha; I wasn’t aware that Evie was your mate,” Sawyer spoke up once Evie was out of hearing range.

I kept my gaze fixed on our mate the whole time.

“Don’t utter her name,” I growled at him, and he bowed his head in submission.

It wasn’t really Sawyer’s fault. He didn’t mean any harm. But I couldn’t bear the thought of anyone else touching my mate. Remi was losing it, and I was barely holding on myself.

“I don’t get it; she’s human?” I muttered, mostly to myself.

“Yes, Alpha, she’s human. She just moved here,” Sawyer replied, careful not to mention her name.

I finally turned to him, no longer able to see my mate’s silhouette.

“Tell me everything you know about her,” I demanded.

Sawyer quickly spilled every detail he knew about her, and I absorbed it all.

I was taken aback to find out my mate was a human. It had been years since anyone in my pack had a human mate, let alone the alpha. I never considered it a possibility. The thought of a human mate never even crossed my mind, but now it was all I could think about.

I didn’t care that she was a human; it was irrelevant. She was ~mine~. She was created for me and I for her. There was no doubt that I was already completely hers.

“What’s your plan?” Sawyer asked me.

“I’m going to see her,” I responded simply, heading toward the guesthouse located at the edge of the beach.

“She doesn’t comprehend any of this, Noah. You can’t just storm in there and tell her you’re mated,” Sawyer protested, trying to keep pace with me.

I halted and looked at my gamma. He had a point. I ran my hand through my hair, frustrated.

“She’s probably frightened. Maybe start with that,” Sawyer suggested.

I nodded and brushed past him, practically sprinting toward the house. The closer I got, the more potent her scent became. It was intoxicating. It made it nearly impossible for me to think, let alone think ~rationally~.

I pushed the door open, and my sight was immediately filled with nothing but ~her~, my mate. She tripped backward, colliding with the kitchen counter. I watched, captivated, as her gaze roved over my body.

Remi, my inner wolf, purred with satisfaction as our mate took in our appearance. I extended a hand to steady her, but she recoiled. The rejection stung—a sharp pain that Remi echoed. It was difficult to see her react this way, but we knew it wasn’t her fault. Patience was key.

“I’m really sorry,” I said, regretting the near miss with the door.

She wrapped her arms protectively around her petite frame. If she wasn’t so furious with me, I would have found it endearing.

“It’s okay.”

Despite the anger lacing her words, her voice was the sweetest melody I’d ever heard. That is, until she ordered me to step aside. The thought of her leaving was unbearable.

I pleaded with her to stay, but she was resolute. When she mentioned Sawyer—concern etched in her voice—I struggled to maintain my composure.

I was taken aback when she tried to push past me, actually attempting to move my solid frame. She was barely five feet tall, the smallest woman I’d ever seen, and yet she was standing up to me.

The moment her arm brushed against mine, I had to fight to keep my emotions in check. Her soft gasps filled my ears as she looked up at me. She felt it too. I could have danced with joy right then and there. She was human, but she felt our connection. This was perfect.

I gently grasped her arm, bending down to meet her gaze. I needed more of her. I inhaled deeply, her intoxicating scent filling my nostrils.

“Please, don’t go,” I implored, my eyes begging her to stay.

“You’re hurting me,” she whispered, her voice so small it shattered my heart.

I instantly released her wrist. When she said my name, it sounded like the most beautiful symphony. She slipped past me and was out the door before I could react.

“Let her go,” Molly advised gently.

My hands clenched into fists as I battled the urge to chase after her.

“Mate. Mate. Mate.” Remi whined in my head, insisting we follow her.

Frustrated, I punched a hole through the front door.

“Way to keep your emotions in check,” Molly muttered.

I shot her a glare. “Shut up, Molly,” I snapped. “Keep an eye on Evie.” I knew from Sawyer that they attended the same school.

“Yes, Alpha,” she acquiesced.

I kicked the remnants of the front door aside and watched as it fell off its hinges. I stepped over it and morphed into Remi. We tracked our mate’s scent to the parking lot, where she must have gotten into a car. Her scent was faint, but Remi was still able to follow it.

I stayed out of sight and continued to track her scent through the city. It led us to a townhouse with a navy-blue door. I saw a shadow pass by the window and purred at the sight of my mate, even if it was just a silhouette.

I didn’t know how I was going to survive without her, even for a night. I would do whatever it took to make Evie feel comfortable, even if it meant Remi and I felt like we were dying.

EVIE

The remainder of the weekend was filled with an eerie sensation of being watched, reminiscent of my experience at the bus stop on Friday. The feeling was amplified after the bonfire incident. I was clueless about who this Noah character thought he was, but I’d be perfectly fine if our paths never crossed again.

Molly bombarded me with texts on Sunday, inquiring about my well-being. I chose to ignore her for the most part. Monday finally arrived, and I was surprisingly relieved to return to campus and resume my usual routine.

I was done with the idea of having a social life. My plan for the next eighteen months was simple: keep a low profile, earn my degree, and bid this town goodbye.

This time, I managed to navigate my way to the fine arts building without assistance. After enduring three consecutive classes, I decided to treat myself to a late lunch on campus before heading home.

I found a solitary table and ate my salad while engrossed in my textbook.

“Hey!” Molly’s voice interrupted my solitude.

I let out a sigh. “Hello,” I responded, hoping she’d take the hint and leave me be.

She didn’t.

“I was hoping I’d run into you today,” she chirped.

~Why is she always so cheerful?~

“Well, you found me,” I grumbled.

“I’ve been worried about you. How are you doing?” she asked, settling into the chair across from me.

“I’m fine, Molly. One idiot isn’t enough to rattle me,” I retorted.

Molly smirked. “Good, good. You know, Noah’s really not that bad of a guy.” She shrugged.

I looked up from my book. “Why are you defending him to me?” I asked, my tone laced with caution.

“I’ve known him my entire life. Sawyer and Noah are best friends,” she revealed.

“They didn’t seem too friendly on Saturday,” I pointed out.

“They fight like brothers. Sawyer did something that pissed Noah off; it happens all the time,” she explained.

Her casual attitude toward their brawl was concerning. I couldn’t help but worry about her home life.

“I have three brothers—that was ~not~ normal brother behavior,” I said.

“It is in our family.” She laughed.

“I think I’ll avoid any more interactions with your family, then,” I muttered.

Molly’s smile faded and her eyes narrowed into a pout.

“I hope that’s not true,” she whined.

“Except you, Molly, of course,” I added.

“Everyone really liked you, Evie. You should give them a second chance,” she pleaded.

“I only met two people,” I said.

“Yeah, and they both really liked you,” she replied, her cheerfulness returning.

“Listen, I’m not interested in meeting anyone. I just want to get my degree finished with as few interruptions as possible. Thank you for trying, but I’m not up for going to any more parties,” I said.

I closed my book with a snap, zipped up my backpack, and slung it over my shoulder. I tossed my lunch in the trash can.

“I’m sorry about the party, Evie, I really am. Please don’t be mad,” Molly pleaded, trailing after me.

“I’m not mad.” I laughed.

“You seem mad,” she said.

“I’m just not one for socializing,” I sighed, making my way toward the shuttle.

“You two really do make a good pair,” she mumbled under her breath.

“What was that?” I wasn’t sure I heard her correctly.

“Nothing, you just remind me of someone else. Do you have dinner plans?” she asked, swiftly changing the subject.

“Yes, takeout on my couch,” I replied, my tone firm.

“Let’s go out! I know a great spot…” Molly began, but I cut her off.

“No, Molly.”

“You mean, not tonight,” she countered.

I stopped in my tracks and stared at her. “You’re not going to stop until I agree to something, are you?” I groaned.

She shook her head, dancing around me like an excited child. “Nope!”

“Fine, Friday night,” I conceded just as the shuttle bus pulled up.

“It’s a date!” she agreed, hugging me from the side.

I shook my head at her antics, but a smile crept onto my face. Her happiness was infectious.

“I’ll see you later, Evie,” she grinned, skipping away.

I climbed onto the bus, contemplating what I had just agreed to again.