Elise looked up to see a tall, broad-shouldered man with dark hair and piercing green eyes. He wore the uniform of a pack warrior, his expression stern.
"Sorry," Elise mumbled, stepping aside.
The man's eyes narrowed as he looked her over. "You're the Omega, aren't you? The one the Alpha brought in."
Elise's cheeks burned. "I—"
"You shouldn't be wandering around," he said, cutting her off. "Go back to the infirmary."
Before Elise could respond, a commanding voice echoed down the hall.
"Is there a problem here, Markus?"
The warrior stiffened and turned, bowing his head slightly. Elise followed his gaze and felt her breath catch.
It wasn't Kai.
But the man standing before her radiated a similar air of authority. His dark brown hair was neatly combed, and his sharp features were softened by a hint of a smile.
"Beta Lucien," Markus said, his tone respectful. "I was just advising the girl to return to the infirmary."
Lucien's gaze shifted to Elise, his eyes warm yet curious. "I'm sure she's capable of deciding where she wants to go."
Markus hesitated before nodding and walking away.
Lucien approached Elise, his smile widening. "You must be Elise."
Elise blinked. "You... know who I am?"
"The Alpha doesn't bring just anyone to the pack house," Lucien said, his tone teasing. "You've caused quite the stir."
Elise felt her cheeks heat again. "I didn't mean to—"
"I'm kidding," Lucien said, holding up a hand. "Relax. You're safe here."
"Where is he?" Elise blurted, unable to contain her question any longer.
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
"You know who," Elise said, her voice firm.
"The Lycan Alpha."
Lucien's expression shifted, a flicker of something unreadable passing over his face. "The Alpha is... busy."
"That's what everyone keeps saying," Elise said, frustration creeping into her voice. "Why won't anyone tell me the truth?"
Lucien hesitated, then sighed. "It's not my place to say. But if you're looking for answers, you won't find them by wandering the halls."
"Then where should I look?" Elise asked.
Lucien studied her for a moment, then gave her a cryptic smile. "Just go back to rest, will you. We have the best medical treatment here. In a few days you should be back on your feet. That's all you should be worried about now."
With a tap on her shoulder, he turned and walked away, leaving Elise more confused than ever.
That night, Elise couldn't sleep.
Why had Kai saved her? Why had he brought her here? And why was he avoiding her?
Frustration bubbled in her chest. She needed to know.
Quietly, Elise slipped out of bed and crept toward the infirmary door. The halls were dark and silent, the only sound the faint rustle of the wind outside.
Elise didn't know where she was going, but her feet seemed to move on their own, leading her through the labyrinthine corridors.
A door seemed to be open that led to a well-furnished room with antique design. The heads of several beast of burden lined the walls: donkey, ram, wild boar…
Elise somehow had the feeling that these were the real deal, ripped off of the animals and mounted like trophies.
But that wasn't what caught her eye.
On the wooden drawer at the far corner, a glint of gold flashed underneath the yellow light.
Her crescent necklace.
She knew this had to be the Lycan Alpha's room, but nobody seemed to be around for the moment, and that necklace was too precious to her to lose.
Of course, she would thank him later for safekeeping it, whenever he decided to make himself shown.
She crept inside the big bedroom and swiped the necklace and draped it over her neck. An unusual peace settled over her. She was beginning to slowly lose her mind.
Elise was so caught up in her recovered treasure that she hadn't realised the presence that loomed behind her.
"How dare you steal from me?"
Elise turned swiftly, almost tripping from the shock.
Behind her, bathed in the yellow lighting of the room, stood a completely shirtless Kai.
His body was sculpted like a Greek god, each ab chiseled and toned. He seemed to have just come back from a hunt, because there was a dead rabbit in his left arm, it's blood drooling down the side of his mouth.
He was looking at her with that same fiery intensity that he had on that fateful night.
Elise's heart raced as he stepped closer, her breath catching in her throat.
"Sir," she said softly.
"I believe that belongs to me."
"I'm sorry. I didn't get the chance to thank you, but this is mine. I lost it earlier in that attack."
"First rule of the hunt."
Kai said as he stepped to a slab at the side of the room and dropped the rabbit.
"Whatever loot you find is yours. And I happened to find that beautiful piece of jewelry you're wearing."
Elise fiddled with her necklace uncontrollably. She didn't dare defy the Lycan Alpha himself, but giving up her necklace was too much. Kai seemed to have noticed the inner conflict raging within her.
He laughed.
"It's okay, love. You can keep it. But don't sneak into my room again."
Elise sighed with relief. But there was still one thing that clouded her mind.
"Why did you save me?"
Kai looked at her for what seemed to be forever, as if he was pondering his next words. When Elise thought he would never answer her question, he finally spoke.
"The easy answer would be to tell you that I was on a hunt that night and I happened to stumble upon you and your little party of killer wolves, but that would be an obvious, although convincing, lie."
"Then what would be the truth?"
Elise asked out of curiousity.
"The truth is…"
Kai stood up from where he was and walked slowly towards Elise, his suffocating aura causing her breath to catch in her throat.
He came within talking distance, and got a little closer, their lips just inches apart.
His hand cradled her lips as his amber gaze stared at her with lust she had never seen from anyone before.
Then, in a voice that was both gentle and commanding, he said.
"You're my mate."