Chapter 2: A Beautiful Intruder.

E M B E R

I slowly gain consciousness and groan with the bright sun rays falling on my face. I peel my eyes open and try to get used to the light before I sit up and look to see tall, skinny trees surrounding me. Before I can register what happened, a massive headache shoots up, and I feel slightly dizzy.

What the—My hand brushes against my forehead, and I skim my skin only to bring my hand and notice blood. Dried.

I frown. Did I cause myself an injury? I look around and then up at the bright sky with birds chirping merrily. How long have I been out? I force myself to recollect past events: from looking and running after that man, even infiltrating into a different territory, to that intoxicating scent. I suddenly gasp and cover my mouth with my eyes widening—Mate.

Rayne makes her appearance by purring and jumping around. We have a mate.

I stare at nothing and stay still, stunned.

Isn't it good news? We finally have a mate.

Wait a minute! I am in Midnight Hunters' territory.

I let out another loud gasp. Fuck, how did I let myself come here? But what's more important is how I sensed my mate to be here.

Could he be a prisoner? Then I can rescue him. Rayne purrs blushingly.

But what if he belongs to this pack?

Lost in the depths of my thoughts, I bite my lip and absentmindedly chew on my nail, a nervous habit that often creeps in when I'm contemplating something.

Suddenly, a faint rustling sound pierces the silence, jolting me out of my reverie.

Instinctively, I snap my head to the side, my senses sharpening as I squint to hone in on the source of the disturbance. There's a fleeting moment of hesitation, but first, I must address a more pressing concern.

The Moon Goddess, in her infinite generosity, has blessed me with formidable powers. I take a deep breath, channeling that energy to mask my scent, carefully concealing my identity from the encroaching dangers. After all, the consequences of a werewolf wandering into this territory are all too dire, and I cannot afford to be caught unawares.

I swiftly rise, striving to keep my fatigue and dizziness from clouding my judgment. Yet, just as I turn and take a step, a booming voice halts me with, "Oh, that—stop right there! You fucking trespasser!" It makes me flinch and causes Rayne to growl.

Damn. We're busted.

C L A Y T O N

A rogue has entered our territory, alerted by one of the patrollers through our mind-links. Dammit, not again. With purpose, I stride over to the office, knocking three times on the door before hearing a familiar growl from within.

An intruder on our land isn't usually a cause for alarm, and I typically wouldn't bring such trivial matters to Seb, but today feels different. Today, I feel compelled to seek his permission.

"What is it?" he barks as I step into his office, his attention still fixed on the files I had left him that morning. "Seb—" he interrupts with another growl, prompting me to clear my throat, "I mean, Alpha, there is an intruder sighted on the western borders."

"Bring me the head," he replies brusquely, dismissing me without a second thought.

I blink, taken aback by his harsh command. "Yes, Alpha." With that, I turn on my heel and march out, my thoughts swirling in turmoil.

It's no shock that he would give such an order.

But deep down, I recoil at the thought of it. I have no desire to resort to violence—never have. Only in situations of absolute necessity do I believe such actions are justified.

I shake my head and leave the Alpha's house, heading into the forest where I find him with the patrollers he gathered. "Ha, it'll be entertaining to torment another loser who just doesn't learn and keeps coming back," he exclaims. I roll my eyes at our eager group of hecklers, led by the pack's Gamma, Graham.

As we quickly navigate through the woods toward the cabin, our outpost at the western frontier, I pause, captivated by an extraordinarily beautiful woman. Her features are exquisite, delicate like a fragile flower. The loose hoodie and leggings gracefully accentuate her petite figure, showcasing her curves just right, and her long hair dances in the gentle breeze. I initially smile at the sight, but my expression shifts to concern as I notice the dried blood on her forehead.

She is injured, and I start to move toward her when Graham suddenly yells, "Oh, that—stop right there! You fucking trespasser!"

I watch her flinch as he seizes her shoulders and forcefully pushes her to the ground. She lets out a groan of pain but quickly turns her head to glare at him, her expression betraying nothing and her eyes devoid of fear.

Though she appears to be an unassuming and fragile human, there's an undeniable aura of authority about her that puzzles me, almost making me want to bow my head in submission. Who is she?

E M B E R

This light-skinned Asian guy in a leather jacket, wearing an overpowering cologne, yanks my hair to tilt my face upward. He stands at 5'10", and there's a sinister vibe about him. He sneers, "What the hell are you staring at?"

You're the one forcing me to look at you, swine.

"Who do you think you are? Don't you realize that every living being is prohibited from coming up here? Do you have a death wish?"

He shoves my head roughly, and I see his men encircling me.

You're the one who wants to die, fucker.

I shoot him a fierce look, clenching my fists behind my back, fighting to keep Rayne at bay. He yanks my hair again, and I wince, letting out a low growl as he smirks, "You must be truly foolish. How dare a human like you come here? This isn't a tourist destination you can just visit whenever you fancy. Are you aware of how we handle outsiders in our territory? Do you know anyone who has lived to share their story?"

Noticing my impassive look, he releases my head forcefully when another hand grabs his. He pauses and shouts, "Hey!"

I look up and spot a second guy next to the first. "Let go."

"But Beta—"

"Graham!" the other guy interrupts, his voice authoritative.

I arch an eyebrow.

A 6-foot tall man with dark brown hair and soft blue eyes glances past his friend and gestures for him to release my hair. He then kneels down to me and asks, "Hey, you seem tired. Are you alright?"

I notice that I mirror the rude guy's surprised look, though mine is more one of astonishment.

He raises his hand to rest on my shoulder, but I flinch, likely surprising him. Seeing my reaction, the Beta cocks his head and offers a gentle smile, saying, "Sorry. I was just worried because your forehead is stained with blood."

Oh.

I glance down and see that my skin is scraped.

"What the heck, Clayton!" Graham yells from behind this guy.

Clayton glances over, rolls his eyes, and then looks back at me. "Hi!" he says with a warm smile, extending his hand. "I know this might sound strange, but you're in werewolf territory." I raise my eyebrow, but he keeps talking without letting me respond, "People often think werewolves aren't real, but we definitely are. We just don't go around announcing it; we prefer a quiet life in the woods."

Well, he's not wrong about that.

"I'm Clayton, the Beta of Midnight Hunters, the second in command." I instinctively take his hand, which he notices as he says, "I'm not sure if you've heard of us, but our reputation is well known. We're considered the most ruthless of all, but there's no need for you to be afraid. How did you end up here?" He stands up, offering his assistance as I rise.

"Oh, come on! She should be scared—" Graham scoffs but halts abruptly as Clayton turns sharply, narrowing his eyes to glare at him. I seize this opportunity to quickly assess the situation. While I possess the strength to make a dash for a bite, my powers feel insufficient. I sense my weakness; if I were stronger, I wouldn't allow this foolish idiot to treat me like this.

I shoot a glare at the rude guy when Clayton quietly says, "You need to calm down, Graham."

"What? Me calm down? Why should I?" he scoffs, and their voices pull me back to reality. Clayton unexpectedly throws a cardigan over my shoulders, and I turn to him in confusion as they continue to argue, "You're overreacting."

"I'm not overreacting; I'm reacting perfectly. You're the one not following the Alpha's direct orders to bring the head of this intruder to him," Graham retorts. Direct orders from the Alpha?

I arch my eyebrow as Clayton massages his forehead and exhales deeply before turning to his subordinate. "I've followed orders and complied every time, but this time, it feels different—" "Why? Because this filthy lowlife enamours you?" The fool sneers and looks at me with disdain. I mutter a growl softly to myself.

"Hey, why are you looking at me like that?" he scowls in return.

I squint as Clayton takes a deep breath and unexpectedly turns to me with a reassuring expression. Rayne observes quietly as I sit up and feign distress, saying, "Oh, I apologize, I seem to have lost my way. I even tumbled off the cliff—" but the fool cuts me off, snapping, "Nonsense!" My expression flickers with irritation, and I nearly growl at him when Clayton interjects, "Alright. We'll allow the Alpha to review this incident."

Graham exhales in frustration. "But Beta, we've managed the rogues on our own. Alpha shouldn't be disturbed."

Clayton hesitates before responding, clicking his tongue as he says, "Not this time; he must be involved in this matter."

The two men glare at one another defiantly before the fool hisses, "Fine!" and then glances my way, "Our Alpha won't hesitate to snap that delicate little neck of yours."

Before I can respond, he signals to his men and rushes back to the packhouse. I observe him leave as Clayton clears his throat to get my attention. "Come, I'll assist you."

I stare at his offered arm, hesitantly placing my hand on it as we walk, him leading.

"Sorry for his behavior. Graham is protective."

I smile and tease, "Try overprotective."

He laughs and nods.