Scent of Fate

ALPHA DRAVEN THORNE'S POV

I despise traversing beyond my own territory to reaffirm treaties. The relentless formalities and the endless political theater test the limits of my patience. Yet, if the Sovereign Blood Moon Pack intends to maintain strong alliances, these tedious diplomatic chores remain a strict necessity. My Alpha brothers and I normally draw straws to decide who endures these miserable visits. Unfortunately, I drew the short straw this round. The obligation to check in on the Twilight Lake Pack fell squarely onto my shoulders.

Riding alongside my Beta, Ryker, I stare out the heavy reinforced window of out truck. The grueling six-hour drive grants me entirely too much time to dwell on my own frustrations. The asphalt stretches in an endless, depressing ribbon of gray ahead of us. My sole distraction over the passing miles is the lingering, desperate hope that I might finally cross paths with my fated mate. It is a quiet desire that beats steadily in the chest of every unmatched wolf, though my situation carries a heavy complication. I secretly pray my Alpha brothers and I will not be forced to share her. The Sovereign Blood Moon Pack requires immense stability, and sharing one mate among three dominant Alphas is a brutal dynamic I dread. My wolf, Vane, rumbles an unsettled agreement deep within my chest.

The heavy truck finally turns off the main highway. We navigate the winding gravel driveway leading toward the Twilight Lake packhouse. The moment the tires crunch against the loose stone, a profound shift occurs within me. Vane begins pacing anxiously behind my ribs. He snarls, his massive paws kicking up phantom dirt in my mind. A strange, feral excitement bleeds through our bond, whispering that something monumental is about to unfold on this foreign soil.

Ryker parks the truck near the front steps. I step across the threshold of the packhouse.

A heavenly scent of fresh pine, rain, and delicate wildflowers hits my senses with crushing force.

The aroma paralyzes me. My boots freeze against the entryway rug. Oxygen vanishes from my lungs. The scent weaves through the stale air of the packhouse, hijacking my nervous system and pulling my focus away from the surrounding space.

Alpha Gareth Reed steps into the foyer, his booming greeting shattering the silence. I reluctantly drag my eyes away from the empty hallway to look at the leader of Twilight Lake.

Alpha Reed extends his hand in a grand gesture of false hospitality. I take his outstretched hand, feeling instant distaste the second our palms connect. Gareth Reed is a cruel, hollow shell of a man. The rumors circulating among the packs claim he changed into a monster after his Luna died. Staring into his dead eyes, I smell the rotten arrogance radiating off his skin. Following our brief, strained introduction, a younger man steps forward. Gareth introduces his son, Declan. The boy wears a permanent, arrogant smirk. He offers a weak handshake, reeking of unearned privilege and a dark, malicious cruelty that makes Vane bare his mental teeth.

"Rkyer and I have traveled a long way. Let us get through this agenda," I state, keeping my tone clipped.

Gareth claps his hands together. He gestures for us to follow. We are escorted down a long, dreary corridor into the formal dining room for lunch. Silver platters of roasted meats and steaming vegetables wait on a massive mahogany table.

As we sit and begin to eat, that intoxicating floral scent washes over me once more. It sweeps into the dining room, rolling over the scent of the heavy food. It wraps tightly around my throat. Vane whines impatiently inside my skull. He claws frantically at my mental barriers, demanding to surface and hunt down the source of the rain and wildflowers.

Without warning, Alpha Reed shatters the tense atmosphere. He drops his silverware against his ceramic plate. He opens his mouth and unleashes a furious bellow that shakes the framed artwork hanging on the dining room walls.

"TAMSIN!!!!"

The oppressive silence that follows makes the air in the room heavy. I track the sound of light, hesitant footsteps hurrying down the main wooden staircase. A slight young woman enters the dining room. She wears baggy, ill-fitting clothes that swallow her fragile frame. She keeps her head angled toward the floor, her small face obscured behind a thick, messy curtain of raven hair.

*MATE! MATE! MATE!*

Vane roars in my mind. He shreds my internal control in a burst of feral ecstasy. The wolf demands to break free, to claim her, to wrap our strength around her. This tiny, trembling creature belonging to this weak pack is ours.

Before I can even process the monumental revelation, a sickening smack echoes through the quiet dining hall.

Alpha Reed strikes her cheek with brutal force. Her head snaps backward.

"Why are there no drink pitchers on this table? You claimed everything was set to perfection!" Gareth barks the accusation, towering over her small frame.

He raises his heavy hand and strikes her face a second time. The sharp crack reverberates against the high chandelier. She stumbles backward, whimpering a quiet, broken apology into her chest.

Pure fury ignites my blood. The heat of my Alpha aura flares, threatening to melt the skin off every wolf in the room. This arrogant monster is striking our tiny mate. Ryker tenses beside me, sensing my sudden, lethal urge to commit murder. I force myself to remain stationary in my chair. My knuckles turn white as I grip the edges of the table. I watch her scramble frantically out of the dining room, retreating toward the kitchen to retrieve the forgotten service tray.

She emerges moments later. Her thin arms shake under the weight of a heavy silver beverage service. She keeps her head down, blindly navigating the narrow space behind the guest chairs to deliver the glasses.

Just as my mate passes Declan's chair, the smirking boy maliciously extends his foot right into her path.

He trips her. The heavy silver tray flips from her grasp. Glass pitchers shatter against the edge of the table. The ice-cold liquid splashes directly across Alpha Reed’s lap and heavy jacket.

The entire packhouse trembles as Gareth releases a murderous roar. He launches out of his chair. He fists Tamsin’s long, raven hair in one giant hand. He drags her mercilessly across the dining room floor, hauling her weeping body toward the double doors of his private office.

My chair flips backward, crashing to the hardwood as I launch to my feet.

I storm after them in a blinding rage. My vision tints with the golden hue of my wolf's eyes. I ignore the chaotic shouts of the pack members behind me. I hear Tamsin's terrified, sobbing pleas echoing down the dark hallway, begging her father for mercy.

Gareth reaches his office. He hurls her through the doorway with abhorrent force.

She hits the hardwood floor with a sickening crack. Her small body folds inward, a pained groan escaping her lips. Gareth advances on her prone form. He wrenches her head up by her hair, pulling her neck taut. He raises his massive fist high, aiming directly for her bleeding face.

Channeling Vane’s supernatural Alpha speed, I cross the open space in a fraction of a second. I intercept his descending arm. I lock my grip around his thick wrist like an iron vise. The bones in his forearm shift against each other under the immense pressure of my crushing grip.

"YOU WILL NOT HIT MY MATE AGAIN..."

I roar the words from the depths of my chest. My Alpha aura floods the room with suffocating dominance. The sheer weight of my presence forces the oxygen out of the office. I shove Gareth backward, breaking his hold on her hair. I step forward, placing my large body squarely between the abuser and the trembling girl on the floor.

Gareth catches his balance. He snarls back at me, his eyes flashing in foolish defiance.

"I will treat my daughter however I feel like treating her. It is not your place to tell me how to discipline a member of my pack, let alone my family!"

His words sever the last thread of restraint keeping my wolf leashed. Vane seizes total command of my limbs.

Without a single second thought, I step into Gareth's space and drive a devastating punch straight into the center of his face. The horrific crunch of bone sounds like a heavy branch snapping in half. I shatter his nose instantly. His eyes roll back into his skull. He collapses backward, knocked out cold before his head even hits the floorboards.

The silence in the office is profound. I pull Vane back just enough to maintain my human composure. I turn away from the unconscious monster and drop to one knee beside the terrified girl. She is curled into a tight defensive ball, shivering against the cold wood. Her intoxicating scent of pine, rain, and wildflowers surrounds me, tainted only by the smell of fear.

"I will not hurt you, little one," I murmur in the gentlest tone I can possibly muster, fighting down my aggressive instincts.

I reach out slowly. I slide my arms under her fragile frame. She weighs practically nothing. I lift her bridal style, bringing her against my wide chest. Her body stays rigid for a brief second before she instinctively curls into my warmth. She hides her beaten face against my collarbone, seeking refuge in the very arms she belongs in. A soft smile touches my lips. Her small hands grip the fabric of my shirt.

I stand tall, cradling my mate securely. I stride out of the office and walk back toward the main foyer. The Twilight Lake pack members stand frozen in absolute shock, staring at the girl in my arms.

I spot my Beta near the entrance.

"RYKER! Alpha Reed and the Twilight Lake Pack are no longer under our protection. We are leaving," I bark the command, letting my voice carry the undisputed weight of a Sovereign Blood Moon Alpha.

Ryker does not question me. He nods sharply, catching the severity of the situation. Vane growls wildly in my head, begging for a chance to drop Tamsin safely outside and return to tear Gareth apart limb from limb. I force the protective wolf down. Ensuring our mate’s safety is our only priority right now. I carry my precious cargo out the front doors and step into the sunlight.

I march straight toward my heavy truck. Ryker sprints ahead of us, swiftly throwing open the back door. I slide into the spacious backseat, refusing to release my grip on Tamsin. I keep her securely pulled against my chest, wrapping my arms around her to shield her from the harsh world outside. Ryker slides behind the wheel. The engine roars to life. He shifts into gear, burning rubber down the long gravel driveway. We speed away from this cursed territory, taking our mate back to our home.