Chapter 3: A heart in Turmoil
The phone ring that shattered the moment.
yanking him from the dream.
Zach woke with a gasp, Breathless and disoriented, he realized... it had all been just a dream, his body slick with sweat, his heart pounding against his ribs. The remnants of the dream clung to him, a tantalizing memory of pleasure and mystery. He stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of the images that still danced behind his eyelids. It was just a dream—but one that left a deep, insistent longing.
Zach sighed, running a hand through his tangled hair. It hadn't been long since he last saw that woman at Luna Cafe, yet her image refused to leave his mind. She was his fated Mate. The realization hit him like lightning—equal parts longing and dread. He wanted to be near her, to know her, but the weight of that bond pressed down on him, leaving him both exhilarated and terrified.
In the world of wolves, a fated Mate was unmistakable. The moment you saw them, your instincts took over—protect, guard, defend. It was primal, unbreakable, defining everything about your existence.
But Zach was still caught in the vividness of his dream. "Damn... it felt so real," he murmured, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Even in my dreams... am I imagining you like this?" Shaking off his restless thoughts, he grabbed his phone.
"Hello...? Who's this?" His voice was rough with sleep, still tinged with desire.
A tense silence answered him, and his chest tightened.
"It's me... Bri!" came the urgent reply.
"Oh, Bri... what is it?" He tried to keep his tone steady, but her voice alone set him on edge.
"What...?" Zach asked, senses instantly alert.
As he listened, his face drained of color, eyes narrowing in shock. "No...! This can't be true...! This can't be happening!" he shouted, disbelief and fear lacing every word. The world tilted beneath him, the ground unstable and unfamiliar.
After the long, harrowing conversation, Zach moved toward the bathroom, stiff and mechanical. Thoughts of Amber consumed him. He turned on the shower, letting the cold water cascade over him, a sharp contrast to the fire coursing through his veins. It should have been enough to calm him, to bring clarity—but even the icy water couldn't quench the heat, the longing, or the gnawing fear for her safety.
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At the Southern Region.
Sleepless nights and scattered thoughts. That was all Amber had as she lay in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling as if the painted plaster could somehow provide her with the answers she'd been searching for.
Her body was still, but her mind raced like a storm—thoughts colliding, breaking apart, and reforming in an endless loop. She turned to her side, then to the other, pulling the blanket up only to kick it away seconds later.
"What a ridiculous situation!" she muttered under her breath, barely audible. "I never imagined I'd meet that arrogant Alpha... much less end up living under the same roof with him." Her lips curled into a bitter line at the memory of their last encounter. The way he had looked at her—sharp, assessing, as if he were trying to decide if she was worth his time—made her chest burn with irritation. She pressed the heel of her palm to her forehead, willing the thought away.
"On the other hand, he was well-built and didn't seem like the type to harm anyone easily, yet his eyes... they felt like they could devour you," she murmured under her breath. "No. Don't think about him. Not now."
The room was quiet except for the faint ticking of the clock on her desk. For a while, she simply lay there in the stillness, until suddenly she sat up, the sheet pooling around her waist. She threw her hands into the air, fingers fluttering like she was conducting some invisible orchestra. "Alright, alright... for my co-workers' sake, and to save Luna Café... I'll do it," she announced to the empty room, her voice dripping with reluctant resolve. "I'll agree to what they want. Besides, it's only temporary. Just for a little while."
She crossed her fingers, almost as if making a secret pact with herself, and nodded. It was the kind of nod one gave when they were trying to convince themselves something terrible wasn't actually that bad. But the truth was, she hated the idea.
Her chest tightened. She had always valued her freedom, the little sanctuary she had built for herself. Now it was being ripped away, and she was expected to smile about it.
"What will happen to me there?" she whispered to no one in particular. "How am I even supposed to look him in the eye? Damn that rude Alpha." The words left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed, letting her bare feet touch the cool wooden floor. Something about the chill grounded her, made her feel less trapped in her own head. Drawn by a restless pull, she walked to the window and pushed the curtain aside.
The night outside was calm, but not silent. The hum of the forest beyond the village was faint but constant—leaves shifting in the breeze, the occasional rustle of some nocturnal creature. Above it all, the moon sat in its place like a watchful guardian, its silver glow spilling across the world.
Her eyes softened despite herself. The moon had always reminded her of home—of her mother.
She could still remember it as vividly as if it had happened yesterday: a warm September night, the air tinged with the scent of baking bread and peppermint. The rhythmic sound of dough being kneaded filled the small kitchen. She had been sitting at the counter, chin resting on her palm, watching her mother's hands move with effortless grace.
Her mother, Luna, had glanced up at her, a gentle yet knowing smile touching her lips.
"Amber, I need to go somewhere," she had said, voice calm but laced with an undercurrent of something Amber didn't recognize then.
"Where are you going?" Amber had asked, curious.
"Just something I need to take care of," her mother replied, smoothing a strand of hair behind her ear.
Amber had opened her mouth to ask more, but before she could, her mother stepped back from the counter and shifted. The transformation was seamless—bones lengthening, fur sprouting, posture dropping low until a magnificent wolf stood where a woman had been moments before.
Amber had always found the sight mesmerizing, but that night... something felt different.
She remembered the graceful leap her mother took, landing softly on the ground outside. The moonlight caught in her fur, making her look almost otherworldly. And then—without hesitation—her mother disappeared into the night, the peppermint scent lingering in her wake.
That was the last time Amber saw her.
Her mother had not been just any wolf. Luna was part of Canis—a global elite of hunter wolves, feared and respected in equal measure. She carried the rare gift of foresight, her visions said to have changed the outcomes of entire wars. She had been celebrated as the continent's first female Hunter-Gatherer.
And yet... she vanished without a trace.
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