Nathaniel
I closed the door to Mer's room, the soft click of the lock echoing in the stillness. The master key felt heavy in my hand as I lingered momentarily, staring at the door. She was locked away, just as Ethan asked. Part of me hated doing this to her, but another part knew there was no other way. Not now. Not with everything that was at stake.
I sighed and headed up to the fifth floor, where Ethan's smaller office loomed at the end of a long hallway. My footsteps were the only sound, a stark contrast to the swirling thoughts in my mind. Reaching the door, I knocked once, and after a beat, I hear a low, measured, "Come in."
I pushed the door open and stepped inside. Ethan was seated behind his massive mahogany desk, the dim light from the windows casting shadows across his face. His presence always commanded attention - he's the Alpha of the "Silver Dawn" pack, after all. One of the largest packs in North America, and I, his Beta, second-in-command, and best friend, have stood by his side for years.
"I locked Rosemary in her room, just as you asked," I said, feeling a tightness in my chest as I spoke her name.
"Good," Ethan replied, his tone steady. He gestured to the chair in front of him. "Beta, please sit down."
I took a seat across from him, trying to relax, but the weight of the last 24 hours had settled heavily on my shoulders. I exhaled slowly before speaking. "Ethan… is she really your mate?"
Ethan leaned back in his chair, his dark blue eyes meeting mine with an intensity that was hard to describe. "Yes," he said, his voice softer now. "I felt the pull of the mate bond the second you guys walked into the club. It was undeniable."
I nodded, though it still felt surreal. Ethan, the Alpha who had spent years without a mate, had finally found her in the most unexpected way. The pack's elders had been on his back for years, insisting that an Alpha without a mate was a weakness, an anomaly. At 28, it was unheard of for someone like Ethan to remain unmated. But he waited. Waited because the pack's oracle had told him that his mate was out somewhere, though she couldn't reveal her name or appearance. I also didn't have a mate, but for a different reason than his. I found my mate the day I turned 18 and gained my wolf, but I haven't accepted my mate yet.
"I was sent to that college four years ago to look for her," I said, my voice a little quieter now, remembering the moment I first saw Mer. "But I didn't know it was her at first. I just felt this… pull. I didn't realize she was your mate until that day you picked me up from college."
Ethan's expression tightened slightly, remembering the moment. "I knew she was close the second I arrived," he said. "I could smell her. I could feel the bond, but I didn't know who she was. It wasn't until I saw her with you outside the gate that I realized."
Ethan confided in me four years ago that the pack's oracle, Amber, knew where his mate was but not her name and looks, so he sent me to her whereabouts, a college in New York, to look for her. I felt an instant pull toward Mer, but didn't immediately know she was his mate. One day, Ethan came to pick me up from college to attend a business meeting with him. I remember that day vividly; Mer and I had been walking out of the campus gates, laughing about something trivial. I said my goodbyes and walked toward Ethan, who was waiting for me. His posture had stiffened, his face drawn with tension. He knew. That's why I brought her to the nightclub last night. I needed Ethan to be sure.
"When I saw the way you looked at her last night, I knew. I knew you had found her." I let out a small breath. "I'm surprised you didn't jump on her right there."
Ethan chuckled, but there was a restraint in his voice. "Believe me, it wasn't easy. The mate bond, it's… intense. All I wanted to do was claim her right then and there. But I couldn't. Not with everything going on."
I nodded in understanding. The mate bond was powerful, all-consuming. I remember how it felt when I first met my own mate. The urge to be with them, to bond in every way, was overwhelming. But I hadn't accepted them - not yet. I didn't reject them, either. I was still figuring things out, but Ethan didn't have the luxury of time like I did. He had waited so long for this moment.
"When I came back from the bathroom last night and saw Amber talking to Mer, I was surprised," I admitted. "I didn't know she had come with you."
Ethan frowned slightly, leaning forward. "Amber has her reasons for being discreet. She sensed the danger before I did. When we heard the scream… I knew it was one of Andromeda's minions. They've been hunting for witches from powerful bloodlines."
I nodded grimly. "I knew it was them, too. I made sure Mer was safe with you before I went to check it out. All I found was a bloody woman, dead on the floor. No pulse, no breathing. Andromeda's minions got to her first." The memory of that scene, the woman's lifeless body on the ground, flashed in my mind. I've seen death before, but it's never easy.
"I dealt with the cops and paramedics," I continued. "After all, it is one of our clubs. Everything is cleaned up now, and we're in the clear. Alpha, I am thrilled for you. I know how much you wanted to find her."
Ethan nodded, "Thank you, Nate. It means a lot to me."
"Please," I said, exasperated, "I'm begging you. Stop calling me Nate."
He chuckled, the tension in the room lifting slightly. "Fine, fine. Just don't bite me."
I rolled my eyes, but a small smile pulled at my lips. We'd been through so much together, Ethan and I. He was like a brother to me, and I knew the weight of finding his mate had been a heavy burden on his shoulders. But there was still so much more to deal with.
I was just not too fond of this nickname: Nate. Only my mate got to call me like that.
"Have you told Dylan yet?" I asked, shifting the topic.
Ethan shook his head. "Not yet. He's still on that business trip. He's been gone for three weeks now."
I nodded. Dylan, our third in command, had been away for weeks on pack business. He'd need to be filled in soon. But right now, there are more pressing matters.
"We'll need to get Grace to take Mer shopping," I said, thinking ahead. "She didn't bring any clothes, and I'm not exactly an expert in that department. I'll go with them, but I can't do it alone. I'll go mad."
"You're right," Ethan said, leaning back in his chair. "But first, we need to explain to her why she's here. Why all of this is happening."
"And are you going to tell her she's your mate?" I asked carefully.
Ethan's expression hardened. "No. Not yet. She doesn't need to know about that right now. We'll start by telling her about what happened to her parents. She probably doesn't remember them. And then we'll tell her about Andromeda."
I nodded, understanding the weight of his decision. It's not just about claiming his mate. It's about protecting her from the storm that's coming. Andromeda, the dark witch, is no minor threat.
"Yes, Alpha," I said, my voice steady. There was a lot ahead of us, but for now, all we could do was prepare.