(Cole's POV)
Human.
Dante's words kept echoing in my skull, each one heavier than the last.
Shes...Human.
The goddess had to be joking.
The previous Alphas of the LongClaw Pack had warriors, seers, witches for mates — not…just plain humans. Not fragile creatures who bled easily and broke even faster.
"Human?" I repeated, my voice low, sharp. "Are you sure?"
My uncle — or Vice Chancellor Everhart, as the university knew him — folded his hands behind his back and gave me that calm, measured look that always grated on me.
"Yes, Cole. She's human," he said. "She's Nineteen and a new scholarship student."
I stared at him, trying to process it. "Did you have her background double-checked? Maybe she's— I don't know— half-something. There has to be a mistake."
Dante sighed. "There's no mistake. I ran the checks myself. Her records are clean. Her lineage, too — human on both sides. Westvale is the place for the supernatural. A place where the children of the supernatural can learn. So every human that gets accepted into westvale must be checked thoroughly. "
My wolf growled under my skin, pacing restlessly. Human, it repeated like a curse and a craving at once.
"That's impossible," I muttered, pacing across his office. "The Moon Goddess wouldn't pair an Alpha with a human. It's never happened before."
"There's a first time for everything," Dante said dryly, watching me with faint amusement. "You should consider yourself lucky. At least you've found your mate. Some Lycans never do. I believe the other alphas haven't found there's yet. You're the exception now."
"Lucky?" I barked out a laugh, harsh and humorless. "You call this lucky? She could get hurt just being near me. The pack— hell, is dangerous now, with us facing attacks from the covens and other packs. You know of our feud with the other alphas, me having a human for a mate will make me weak. And it's a weakness if they found out, they can exploit.
I can't have a human for a mate uncle dante. The LongClaw Alpha with a human mate? How do you think it will pan out?"
Dante raised an eyebrow. "Would you rather the Moon Goddess had left you mateless?"
I clenched my jaw. "No. But this—"
"This," he interrupted, "is fate. You don't choose it, Cole. It chooses you. Human or not... you're still luckier than the rest of us without mates."
I stopped pacing, my gaze snapping to his. "Fate or not, she's still human. How do I bring her into our world without shattering hers? You know what happens when humans get too close to our kind.
And with this feelings am having right now, I don't think I can take it if she ends up hurt...or...or even bruised slightly.
Heck Dante I've not even marked her yet and am already feeling this way. I want her..."
Dante's expression softened, a rare thing for him. "As you should. Then the only thing you can do alpha Cole is to protect her. That's what Alphas do."
I exhaled, raking a hand through my hair. The faint scent of her still lingering in the room— sweet, warm, maddening — still clung to me. Every time I inhaled, my wolf pushed harder, whispering mine again and again, relentless.
Dante came around the desk, resting a hand on my shoulder. "Cole, you've already imprinted. There's no going back."
"I know," I muttered. "I felt it the second I saw her....like she's the reason for my existence..."
"That's the bond. It's instinct, not logic. You can't fight it."
I gave a low, humorless laugh. "Am not trying to fight it Dante, am just worried."
He smiled faintly. "You'll have to tell your mother soon. She'll sense your restlessness if you don't."
"I was thinking the same thing," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "She's not going to like this."
"On the contrary, I think she will" Dante said with a smile.
I snorted. "You mean after she asks if I've lost my mind."
"She might," he admitted, his lips twitching. "But she'll understand. Once she sees and knows for sure that you've imprinted. You still have to mark your mate."
I froze. "There's no mark."
"Not yet," Dante said evenly. "But it'll come. It always does."
My stomach turned. I didn't want to think about that — about the heat in my blood when I'd met her eyes, the way my control had slipped like sand through my fingers. If Dante hadn't been there, I wasn't sure what I would've done.
I turned to leave, desperate for air. "I'll go talk to her right now."
Dante nodded. "Good. But Cole…"
I stopped at the door.
"The Blood Moon is rising soon," Dante said, voice low. "You know what that means."
My jaw tightened. "My control will be tested."
"More than tested," he said. "The Blood Moon amplifies the bond. If your wolf senses her again, it'll want to claim her. And she's human, Cole. She won't understand what's happening. You will be out of control, so will your beast."
"I'll keep my distance," I promised, though even I could hear the lie in my voice.
"For how long?" he asked quietly.
I didn't answer. Because I didn't know.
Dante sighed and straightened. "Remember, the Blood Moon doesn't care about your intentions. You can run, hide, deny her… but when it rises, your wolf will not be denied. It will want her no matter what. So whatever you want to do, do it fast."
I nodded stiffly and left the office before he could say more.
His words followed me out like a curse.
The late afternoon air slapped against my face as I left the building.
Students lingered across the courtyard, laughing, shouting, oblivious. I barely noticed them. My head was a storm — her eyes, her scent, the word mate still echoing through me like thunder.
A human.
Of all the women in this world, the goddess could have chosen her for me.
By the time I reached the parking lot, Alex was leaning against my black Porsche, smirking like the cocky bastard he was.
"Took your time," he said. "Let me guess — Everhart lectured you again about responsibility?"
"Something like that," I muttered.
He tilted his head, his grin fading a little. "What's wrong? You look like someone told you your favorite pub burned down."
I stopped in front of him. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Try me."
I hesitated. Then the words came out, rough and low. "I found my mate."
Alex blinked. Then he let out a whoop that made two students turn their heads. "No shit? Finally! The mighty Alpha has fallen!"
"Don't start," I warned.
"Oh, I'm starting," he said with a grin. "So, who is she? Some Alpha's daughter? Maybe one of the new transfer wolves?"
I looked at him.
The grin faltered. " What's with the look? Oh no. Oh, don't tell me—"
"She's human," I said flatly.
Silence...
Then Alex gave a low whistle. "Well, damn. I wasn't expecting that at all. The Moon Goddess must be in a mood."
"It's not funny Alex."
"Oh, it's hilarious," he said, still grinning. "Alpha Cole Williams, the fiercest rugby captain in Westvale, LongClaw heir, tamed by a human girl. Cole pls tell me she's among the humans that knows of our existence. Does she even know what you are? What we are?"
"She doesn't," I said through clenched teeth. "And she can't....at least not now."
Alex's tone sobered. "You planning to keep it that way?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "Dante says there's no going back. That I've already imprinted."
Alex sniffed the air, smirking. "Yeah,duh...that's how imprinting works. And uhhh .....I can smell it on you. You reek of mate bond, man. It's like wearing her scent as cologne."
I shot him a glare. "You done?"
"Not a chance."
I leaned against the car, exhaling. "This isn't a joke, Alex. She's human. Fragile. She doesn't belong in our world. Especially to an alpha,you know what will happen."
"Maybe that's why she was chosen," he said after a pause. "To remind you that not everything strong has to have claws."
I looked at him sharply. "When did you get so philosophical?"
He grinned. "Probably around the same time you started losing your mind over a girl."
"Alex—"
"Relax," he said, clapping me on the shoulder. "You'll figure it out. Just… don't scare her, alright?
"I think I already did" I said with a groan.
"I growled at her".
"You what?" Alex asked surprised.
I groaned. "I didn't mean to. I just smelt her scent and my wolf went beast mode on her."
"Oh, I'm sure. 'Hi, I'm Cole, future Alpha, professional growler.' Real smooth."
"Alex."
"Fine, fine," he laughed. "Just keep your wolf in check until after the Blood Moon passes. Maybe then you'll think straight."
"Yeah," I muttered. "Maybe."
But even as I said it, I knew it was a lie.
Because no matter how much I tried to push her out of my mind, I could still feel her there — her scent lingering, her heartbeat echoing in mine.
And deep down, my wolf whispered the truth I couldn't escape.
She's ours.