Chapter 10
Chapter 10
I gazed out the window, fingers tracing the intricate embroidery on my gown. The sunlight filtered through the leaves outside, casting soft patterns on the floor of my room. I’d tried to be indifferent about this mateship, telling myself it was simply an alliance–a necessity for my bloodline, a safeguard for my own stability. But lately, my resolve was slipping.
Bits and pieces of conversation with my father kept replaying in my mind: his admiration for this Alpha, his insistence on the Alpha’s strength and understanding of our ancient bloodline. Even the way my mother’s voice softened when she mentioned him stirred something in me that I couldn’t ignore–a spark of curiosity that only seemed to grow.
A knock sounded, and my mother entered, her footsteps soft against the wooden floor. She looked at me with that familiar, gentle
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smile, and I knew she could see through me. “Darling,” she said, her voice warm and knowing, “lost in thought, are we?”
I blinked, snapping out of my reverie, and offered a small smile. “I suppose I am,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.
She crossed the room, settling beside me with a grace I’d admired since I was a child. Her fingers brushed a stray strand of hair from my face. “I’ve been waiting for this moment,” she said, her eyes
softening. “To see you finally so close to being… safe. You don’t know how much peace that brings me.
“Safe,” I repeated, the word foreign on my tongue. Safety had never been something I’d known. My wolf, my blood -they were wild and unpredictable, more of a threat to myself than anyone else. The idea of feeling balanced, of finding peace, was both strange and tempting.
“Yes,” she continued, squeezing my
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hand. “Your father and I would never have
agreed to this mateship if we didn‘ t believe it was right for you.”
Her words settled over me, heavy yet grounding. I lowered my gaze. “And you‘ re certain… this Alpha will understand?” My voice came out small, almost hesitant. Could this really be true?
She smiled, her expression filled with an unwavering conviction. “More than anyone. He’s the only one who can. We’ve searched for years, Malinda–your father and I didn’t rest until we found the best match for you. And this man…” Her gaze drifted for a moment, thoughtful.
“He’s unlike anyone we‘ ve ever met. The moment we saw him, we knew.”
Her certainty made me shiver. My parents loved me fiercely; I knew they’d do anything to protect me. But hearing my mother speak with such confidence about a
stranger, this Alpha, left me both
comforted and strangely uneasy. “What
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makes him so different?” I asked, my curiosity creeping into my voice.
Her eyes met mine, calm and steady. “He understands the power that runs through our family, our lineage. He has his own strength, something rare, something your father recognized immediately. Your father believes this Alpha can balance even the strongest Lycan blood.”
My heart quickened, and I felt my wolf stir within me, restless and alert. Her words were sparking a longing I’d buried, a desire to know this man who might
become my anchor. Could he really be the answer to the wildness I’d fought my whole life?
“I never thought…” I hesitated, feeling a knot tighten in my chest. “I never thought anyone could be strong enough. All my life, I’ve struggled against my own blood, my own power. It’s hard to believe someone could… tame that.”
My mother’s hand rested gently on my
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shoulder. “He won‘ t tame it, Malinda. He’ll balance it. There’s a difference.”
Her words struck something deep within me. I had lived my life preparing to carry this strength alone, to shoulder this power without help. The thought that someone might be able to share that weight, even lessen it, was almost too much to believe. A flicker of hope started to grow, mingling with the curiosity that I could no longer contain.
“And you’re sure?” My voice came out in a whisper, carrying all my doubts and fears. “You‘ re sure he’s the one?”
Her gaze softened, filled with a certainty I wanted so desperately to believe. “I am more certain of this than anything else,” she replied, her voice resolute. “We didn’t choose him lightly, Malinda. He isn’t just strong–he understands you, even if he doesn’t know it yet.‘
Her words left me reeling, my thoughts a whirlwind of possibilities and questions.
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My father’s confidence, my mother’s quiet faith it was as if they had known something I hadn’t, something I was only just beginning to grasp. Could this Alpha really be the answer to everything I had fought against for so long?
“Then, Mother,” I finally said, my voice trembling with anticipation. “Who is he? Who is this Alpha who’s supposed to be my mate?”
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