I was too scared to be embarrassed about how I reacted to the door opening. It was all pure instinct.

A yelp escaped my throat. I scurried into the corner behind the couch and pushed myself against the floor. There, I hid and held still.

Obviously, I knew it was pointless. The Alpha heard my erratic heart beat in my chest, the same way I could hear his steady, slow pulse. He knew I was there, hiding behind the couch. Yet, he didn't speak to me.

Slow footsteps approached. I held my breath to avoid Luan's scent. Bare feet entered my vision, then knees as Luan crouched down in front of the couch.

My eyes met his steel-blue ones for a millisecond, and a jolt so strong it knocked the wind out of my lungs shot through my body. I lowered my eyes with the speed of light and fled my hiding spot.

In the scramble, I bumped my head into the couch and knocked over a lamp. It came crashing down with a loud thud while I made a desperate dash on all fours towards the East wing doors.

"Wait!" Luan broke the silence.

I froze, knees and feet nailed to the ground. Luan's voice was deep and pleasant. My skin tingled. I couldn't help but listen; one did not ignore a command issued by an Alpha.

I kept my gaze firmly averted while I awaited Luan's next move with a stuttering heart. He came closer. I couldn't hold my breath any longer, and Luan's scent filled my nose, my mind, and made me shudder. 

He kept approaching me until he was standing a mere two feet away. All my muscles flexed so hard my legs cramped when Luan, again, crouched.

"Don't be afraid," he said. His voice was quieter now. Softer, as if he was trying his damn hardest not to frighten me. "Please, stand."

My shoulders drew up. Luan phrased it as a... request? It confused me. Warrior Alphas were ruthless and forbidding. All the ones I'd met were. Even the ones that weren't completely awful.

They commanded, not asked.

Luan didn't command me, but I obeyed anyway. I forced my jello legs to straighten. I pushed myself up, wobbling slightly from the dizziness the Alpha's scent caused. I was burning up, sweating buckets underneath my shirt.

My head was in chaos. My wolf clawed at my insides. He wanted out. He wanted to meet Luan and take in his scent. My bones ached to shift. Simultaneously, I still wanted to run. Run as far away as possible from this Alpha because I couldn't deal with the turmoil of emotions, fear and excitement, he stirred up in me.

Luan's first request had been difficult. His next one was worse.

"Look at me," he said.

He couldn't be serious. I couldn't do that. Our differences were too great. It would be an insult for our eyes to meet like we were equals. 

Yet, Luan's request was clear. I couldn't ignore even a request made by a warrior Alpha.

Gingerly, I raised my eyes up to meet Luan's. His eyes were steel blue. The wind got knocked out of my lungs all over again.

Except... except it wasn't unpleasant. It was a punch that somehow sent waves of heat rushing through my body instead of pain. I felt like I was high or drunk or both, taking in Luan's gorgeous face. While the claw marks were only partially healed, I easily looked past all of it. I drank in the sight of his slanted eyebrows, the contrast between his dark hair and light eyes, the curves of his lips and his sharp jawline.

Luan seemed to do the same to me. His eyes travelled down my body and up to my face, taking in everything he saw closely. Only now I noticed his pulse had sped up, mirroring mine.

I quickly averted my gaze again, my face burning.

"What's your name?" Luan asked after a brief silence.

"River," I replied hoarsely once I found my voice again.

"River," Luan repeated, and hearing my name come from his lips made my heart skip a beat.

"Come closer."

As if I were in a trance, my legs started moving, bringing me closer to Luan. Fear and exhilaration pulled at me in equal amounts. 

I was too overwhelmed to fully understand what was happening. But when Luan reached out for me with his hand, I flinched. I couldn't help it.

Luan promptly dropped his hand back to his side.

"Are you this scared of me?" he asked. 

No would be a lie. I couldn't lie to an Alpha. Yes was offensive, so I couldn't say yes. I kept my lips pressed together.

Luan interpreted my silence correctly.

"Then I will have to make sure you're no longer scared," he said.

I slouched, making myself small. I'd given an unsatisfactory response by staying silent.

"I'm sorry, sir," I squeezed out of my throat.

Luan breathed in and out deeply.

"Luan," he then gently corrected me. "Call me Luan."

Again, I found myself with a dilemma. I couldn't possibly do what he asked. But I also couldn't ignore what he told me to do. I'd just have to dance around having to say his name. For the rest of my life.

"River," Luan addressed me, making a jolt go through my body. "How did you wind up here? You're not a patient, and you're too young to be a doctor."

"I— I'm in training," I squeaked. "To become a doctor. I came from a warrior pack but I got kicked out for—for not being able to fight well."

"What?" Luan growled. "Which pack kicked you out?"

I jumped at Luan's sudden booming voice. My eyes shot up to meet his and there was a storm brewing in his gaze. My knees and hands trembled, even if he was angry at my old pack and not me.

This was exactly why warriors scared me. They could seem calm on the outside, but changed like the weather. Sunny day to lightning, destroying everything in their path. But Luan smelled so amazing. I just wanted to be in his arms as much as I wanted to run.

I couldn't think clearly. I opened and closed my mouth stupidly a few times, before realising I couldn't ignore the demand for an answer. The Alpha wanted my old pack's name.

"I belonged to the Moonstone pack," I replied honestly.

"B—but I'm happy I'm here," I then hastily added, trying to diffuse the situation. "Winterpeak castle is a suiting place for me."

My old pack had deemed it a suiting fate, too, sending me away to the sanctuary where the broken wolves went. After I failed to complete basic combat training five times in a row at age twelve, I was exiled to Winterpeaks. The head doctors, my adoptive mom and dad took pity on me and took me in.

"I see."

Much to my relief, Luan sounded calmer. Slowly, he took a step closer. I stayed where I was, but I was tense from the tip of my toes to my crown. Our proximity made my head spin.

"River," he said. "Considering you were part of a warrior pack, do you know what's going on here?"

I swallowed thickly. "I have an idea."

Luan's breathing quickened.

"Then you know what is next."

I did. If two wolves were fortunate enough to find their mate in this lifetime, they made their decision as swiftly as possible. Rejection with, for example, an Alpha being paired with someone weak. Or completing the bond as fast as possible from the moment they knew they had it.

Either Luan would slit my throat, or... he would accept and leave his mark. A mark meant... physical things. I hadn't considered it. I hadn't considered the possibility of being accepted. It just wouldn't happen. He'd tenderly touch my jaw, breathe in my scent one last time, then snap my neck before he'd accept me.

"Hold still for a moment," Luan ordered, as if he'd already sensed I would run without an order.

He leaned in slowly.

"Please don't kill me," I pleaded.

I couldn't stop myself. The desperate words spilled over my lips before I could stop them. I did not try to hide my trembling anymore.

"River, I don't know what happened to you when you left your pack. But I won't hurt you," Luan replied gently.

He leaned down further. I inhaled sharply when our foreheads touched.

"River," he said. "I accept you as my mate."