Paul's pov
It's been days since I last saw Pecan and here I was in a tense meeting.
The tension in the council chamber was suffocating, a steady hum of voices clashing as the ministers argued over the latest crisis. Reports of a border breach had sent ripples of panic through the pack, and now every minister seemed intent on out shouting the other with their proposed solutions.
I sat at the head of the table, my hands clenched into fists beneath the polished oak surface. My wolf growled restlessly inside him, demanding action, but I forced himself to remain composed. This was part of being Alpha; listening, assessing, and leading. Still, my patience was wearing thin.
"Alpha," one of the older ministers, Gregor, said, his voice rising above the din. "This is a direct threat to our territory. We cannot afford to appear weak, especially now."
I fixed him with a hard stare. "I've already sent patrols to secure the borders. Our warriors are on high alert. There's no need for panic."
Another minister, a younger wolf named Jared, leaned forward, his expression tense. "With all due respect, Alpha, this breach wasn't random. Whoever did this knew our patrol schedules. They had inside information."
That struck a nerve. My wolf bristled at the implication, but I nodded slowly. "We'll investigate the source. I've already assigned men to track the perpetrators. For now, I need everyone here to focus on keeping the pack calm and unified."
The room fell into a grudging silence, though I could still feel the undercurrent of tension. My wolf itched to leave, to escape the oppressive atmosphere of the chamber and breathe fresh air. The constant chatter and second-guessing were draining, and my thoughts kept straying to something...or rather, someone...else entirely.
Pecan.
She had been on my mind all morning, her fiery presence impossible to ignore even when she wasn't around. The memory of our last encounter flashed through his mind; her scent, her voice, the way her gaze had challenged him even as it stirred something primal in me.
"Alpha?" Gregor's voice snapped him back to the present.
I stood abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor. "That's enough for today," he said curtly. "Continue monitoring the situation and report to me immediately if anything changes."
I didn't wait for their responses. Turning on my heel, i strode out of the room, i wolf practically clawing at him to break free.
The pack house was quieter than usual when i returned, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the halls. I walked through the corridors with measured steps, my shoulders stiff with lingering frustration from the meeting.
And then i saw her.
Pecan was standing at the base of the staircase, her auburn hair catching the light like a halo. She seemed lost in thought, her expression a mixture of curiosity and melancholy. The sight of her hit me like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, all the tension from the meeting melted away.
I felt it again, that pull, that undeniable connection that made my wolf howl with longing. But as much as i wanted to walk up to her, to talk to her, to stay in her presence, i knew he couldn't.
She turned, her eyes meeting mine, and for a second, the world seemed to stop.
"Paul," she said, her voice soft but steady.
"Pecan," i replied, my tone carefully neutral. I couldn't let her see how much her presence affected me.
"What are you doing back so early alpha?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
"Council meeting ended," i said simply, my gaze fixed on her face. I could feel my wolf pushing against my control, urging me to close the distance between us.
She gave me a faint smile, though there was a hint of something else in her eyes, something i couldn't quite place. "Must have been an intense meeting," she said lightly.
"You could say that."
The air between us was charged, every second stretching into an eternity. I felt at peace here, standing with her in the quiet of the pack house, her scent wrapping around me like a balm. It was dangerous, how easily she could unsettle me, how deeply she affected me without even trying.
But then he heard it, the faint sound of footsteps approaching.
My stomach twisted. I didn't have to look to know it was Pate, my wife, coming to find me.
"I should go," I said abruptly, stepping back.
Pecan blinked, her expression shifting to one of confusion. "Go? Why..."
"I'll talk to you later," I cut her off, his voice firmer than I intended.
Before she could respond, I turned and walked away, my chest tightening with every step. I didn't want to leave. Everything in me screamed to stay, to let myself feel the peace and comfort i found in her presence.
But I couldn't. Not with Pate so close. Not with the weight of my responsibilities bearing down on me.
As I climbed the stairs to my quarters, Paul made a promise to myself. Next time, I'll find the courage to talk to her. To tell her the truth.
For now, though, I could only retreat, leaving behind the one person who made me feel alive in ways I couldn't begin to explain.
My head was a storm as I climbed the stairs, every step heavier than the last. Leaving Pecan behind had felt like ripping away a part of myself, but I had no choice. Duty came first. It always came first.
Her scent clung to me, faint but intoxicating, wrapping around my senses and making it impossible to focus. It was maddening how much space she occupied in my mind, how she seemed to slip into every thought, every quiet moment.
By the time I reached my quarters, my chest felt tight, my emotions a tangled mess of longing, guilt, and frustration. With a sharp motion, I shrugged off my jacket and tossed it onto a chair. I needed clarity; needed to purge this chaos from my mind. A shower would help. It had to.
The water poured over me, warm and steady, but it didn't wash away the turmoil. My mind kept circling back to Pecan. Her eyes, the way they softened when she looked at me. The way she said my name, like it meant something more than I could allow myself to feel. I pressed my fists against the tiled wall, trying to drown out the roar in my head with the sound of the water.
Then I felt it; hands sliding over my back, soft and deliberate. My heart leaped, and for a fleeting, reckless moment, my mind conjured her. Pecan. I could almost see her, almost feel the weight of her presence behind me.
But reality slammed into me like a freight train as I glanced over my shoulder and saw Pate. My wife. My Luna. The mother of my children.
"Paul," she murmured, her voice intimate, like it always was when we were alone.
I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to settle, forcing my wolf to calm its restless pacing. "Pate," I replied, my voice careful, measured.
She rested her chin on my shoulder, her hands gliding down my arms in a gesture meant to comfort. "You seemed tense when you came in. Council troubles again?"
I closed my eyes, nodding. "Something like that."
Her touch was familiar, grounding in a way that spoke of years of partnership, shared burdens, and silent understandings. But it didn't stir me. Not like...
No. I shoved the thought away, swallowing the guilt that clawed at me. This was my life. My responsibility. Pate had stood by me through everything, and I owed her my loyalty.
Still, as she pressed a kiss to my shoulder, I couldn't stop Pecan's ghost from lingering in the corners of my mind.