A couple of days had passed, testing Ashlee’s patience as she waited for Kyle. Even though Esyn had told her it might take longer than she anticipated, Ashlee still wanted him to return the instant she thought of him.

But that wasn’t possible. Her days had become increasingly dull and lonely. Esyn, with the ability to mind-link Derion and ask anything, could sense Ashlee’s restlessness. Ashlee couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy.

“You could just find a new hobby to pass the time, Ashlee,” Esyn chuckled, watching Ashlee linger by the door each day like an impatient child.

“Like it’s as simple as that,” Ashlee huffed, drifting through the antique decor of the house.

“Why don’t you go outside and find something useful to do? Instead of moping around and whining like a child?” Esyn’s smile was tight as she looked at Ashlee, her patience starting to wear thin.

“Fine,” Ashlee rolled her eyes and stepped out into the garden. She twirled around and saw only a few guards and empty stretches of land.

“What an interesting place to be productive!” Ashlee muttered sarcastically to herself, cursing the lonely surroundings. There was no one to talk to, not even for small talk.

“Kyle should have taken me along instead,” she shrugged, wandering closer to the edge of the forest. Why was she heading toward the forest?

Lost in her thoughts about Kyle and other random musings, Ashlee found herself deep within the forest without realizing it. The sudden stillness around her brought her back to the present with a jolt.

“I should have just gone to the kitchen,” she muttered, shaking her head at her own foolishness. Learning something new there might have been more productive.

Turning around, she tried to retrace her steps. Fortunately, she could still see faint traces of her footprints. She decided to follow them back to the house.

Suddenly, a strange, heavy sound echoed around her. She whipped her head toward it, but only dead silence met her.

Twilight had settled in. She gulped, hoping it was just her imagination. Ignoring it, she focused again on her way back.

The same sound came again, louder and closer. Her heart raced, her body tensing instinctively as she looked around, finding nothing but shadows.

‘For heaven’s sake! What if it’s a ghost?’

She thought, mentally chastising herself for the wild assumptions. She steeled her resolve, focusing only on getting back home and not on whatever strange sound was surrounding her.

The moment she refocused, a huge wolf leapt into her path, causing her to scream loud enough to wake the entire estate.

“Who? What the hell!” she gasped, trying to catch her breath and steady her heartbeat. The wolf smoothly shifted into a human form before her – but he was naked.

She quickly averted her gaze, sensing it was a man. Her hands hovered in a weird, defensive position. The man chuckled at her reaction; her innocence amused him. Rather than fleeing, she waited politely for him to get dressed.

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She peeked with one eye, just enough to confirm he was clothed. While the sudden transformations of werewolves surprised her, the nudity afterward was something she still struggled to ignore. No matter how irresistible they might be, she still valued her modesty.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Who are you? Why did you jump in front of me like that? Are you insane? Were you trying to give me a heart attack?” she snapped, venting her frustration at him.

“Which question should I answer first?” he chuckled, entertained by her barrage of questions rather than fearful of him.

“Does this look like a joke to you?” Ashlee hissed, glaring at him from head to toe.

“Do I look like I’m joking?” His smile faded, replaced by a dark, mischievous look. He stared at her, his eyes cold and unblinking.

“Who the hell are you?” Ashlee scrunched her face in disgust, unimpressed by his attempt to intimidate her. He was surprised; she wasn’t afraid. Was this bravery or sheer foolishness?

“I’m Alpha Collin,” he growled, hoping to elicit a hint of fear or respect.

“Another episode of radioactivity? Why do you guys have such bizarre titles? Alpha, beta, gamma, omega – you don’t find it embarrassing to introduce yourself that way? If you told a regular person you were ‘the Alpha,’ they’d call a mental asylum for you,” she replied, raising her brows and delivering her own version of logic.

One thing she didn’t know was that he was nothing like Kyle. He might not be as forgiving.

“Shut your insolent mouth, petty human!” He snarled, reaching for her throat. She instinctively shoved him back. To his shock, her push sent him stumbling to the ground.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Are you alright?” she asked, a bit guilty, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu from the time she’d accidentally hurt Kyle.

“What the hell are you?” Collin looked up at her, wide-eyed. “You’re definitely not human,” he murmured as Ashlee leaned closer, checking if he was hurt.

She tilted her head, confused. Another one who thought she wasn’t human? Just like Kyle.

“Believe me, I’m human. But here, let me see if you’re hurt,” she offered, her hands hovering near his chest, her touch gentle. He was taken aback by her concern.

How was she not terrified? He had shown her his aggressive side, yet she remained calm, kind, and beautiful.

He snapped out of his thoughts. No human could possess such beauty, such rare energy and brightness. He understood why Kyle was drawn to her – she was impossible to ignore.

“Thank God, it’s just a small bruise. Maybe, as you claim, you’re some physics experiment too, and you’ll heal fast,” she teased, her laughter soft, somehow managing to make him feel at ease rather than mocked.

‘She’s Kyle’s mate!’ Collin’s wolf reminded him sharply, pulling him back from the thoughts creeping up.

“Aren’t you afraid I might kill you?” Collin asked, struggling to maintain his cold demeanor, despite her gentle treatment.

“Well,” she gave an awkward laugh, wondering if he’d forgotten she’d just pushed him like he weighed nothing. The irony of his question was almost laughable.

“Not particularly,” she muttered, glancing away, not wanting to crush his confidence entirely.

“You’re not from Kyle’s pack?” she asked, smoothly steering the conversation elsewhere.

“No,” Collin winced as he stood, still feeling the sting of her push. “I’m the Alpha of my own pack. Kyle is a close friend, though, and I know you’re his mate.”

“Oh! That’s good to hear. Collin, was it? Can I call you that, if you don’t mind?” She looked at him so respectfully, her voice so warm, that he nodded without even thinking. How could he refuse her?

“Well then, hello, Collin. I’m Ashlee,” she greeted him with a bright smile, extending her hand.

The realization struck him again – she was innocent. Hurting her would be an unforgivable sin.

‘I guess making an exception wouldn’t be too costly.’

He took her hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He surprised her by placing a gentle kiss on the back of her hand, a gesture that held a surprising amount of respect.

“Oh wow!” Ashlee chuckled, delighted by the unexpectedly gentlemanly behavior of a so-called beast. They did understand human customs after all.

“What are you doing here so late, though?” Collin asked, a flicker of concern crossing his face.

“I didn’t even realize I’d wandered this far. And now I’m lost,” she admitted, rubbing the back of her neck, slightly embarrassed.

He noticed her shyness – it was endearing. Shaking off his stray thoughts, he offered, “Let me escort you back.”

A subtle tension hinted at the start of something new, something unexpected.

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