Chapter 1 Sweet scent

Clara

The mall is so crowded today that I start wondering if there is a special discount sale going on. I squeeze my way through the overly excited customers and go to the food section. Am I missing out on something here? It's not that I am always informed about what is happening in this area or Pack but I am just wondering...

I grab the groceries that I have come in here for and head to the receiption to get them packaged. There is quite a queue there. I am still wondering why there are so many people doing shopping tonight. I stand in line and wait for those who arrived before me to be taken care of, like a good girl.

I mentally roll my eyes at my own thoughts. Sure I can be a good girl if I want to but I just don't like acting dumb and all nice. I don't want people to step on my head. I always keep my head up. Most people in my Pack think I am proud because I am the Alpha's daughter, but I don't give a damn what whoever thinks of me.

Later, I get my turn to be attended to. I pay for the groceries and walk out the door.

A sweet tantalizing mouthwatering scent hits my nostrils making my wolf awaken. I stop dead in my tracks and look around for what it could be. The sweet scent keeps invading my nose into my entire living system.

I know I should be on my way home and it is getting late, but my instincts won't rest until I find where the sweet scent is coming from. I walk past the mall following the scent. It keeps getting strong every step I take.

I walk through the dark alley beside the building. This is creepy enough to make the hairs at the back of my neck raise but my wolf seems is very excited.

Mate! my wolf pants.

What? Wait...

The scent is so strange. I can tell that it is definitely not a human's but it doesn't seem to be a wolf either. What is going on here? Where the hell am I going?

The bag of groceries is getting bulky in my hand. I should take it home but my wolf doesn't seem to mind if I drop it where am standing and follow the sweet scent like a hypnotized woman.

The alley is narrow dark and quiet. This is a bad idea, my subconscious mind warns me but my wolf doesn't care about anything else other than finding out where the scent is coming from.

I have left my groceries behind. Someone might grab them and run away. I look back to where I left them but it is so dark I can't see anything other than the dim light from the street where I have come from.

Something moves!

What was that? A swift light move so fast I almost didn't notice it. The scent becomes so strong my mouth starts to water. Ummmm.....

Something moves again and this time from behind me. My heart starts pounding so loudly in my ears. Someone is standing behind me. I can hear the soft breathing with my heightened werewolf senses. I should be running away or something. Hell! I should be screaming my lungs out being in this dark alley with someone strange standing quietly behind me. Bad things could happen!

Mate! Mate! Mate!

My wolf keeps panting. Our mate!

I have tried my best to ignore what my wolf is trying to tell me.

"Are you lost?" a firm but gentle manly voice cracks from behind me making my entire body shudder. I am still looking away from him. I don't know if it is because of the fear to finally meet my mate, the one single person I have spent my entire life waiting for.

I can feel his presence behind me. It is so strange how much comfort I feel right now knowing that he is finally here. I close my eyes and try to think of a sensible thing to say or do.

I turn slowly and face him. He is pretty tall, that is all I am able to see in this dark alley. I can see he has a well shaped head.... wait? What am I thinking about?

"Are you alright?" he inquires from me. God! His accent! So damn hot and foreign!

"Umm... No. I was just looking around...." I stammer.

Even my answer sounds really ridiculous in my own ears.

"Are you sure? I mean you seem lost to me. What would you be doing here in this dark alley by yourself?" he doesn't seem to be convinced by my idiotic reply.

"Nothing. Anyway, I was on my way out of here," I coward out and walk away from him.

I don't know why but I need to excuse myself from him. My wolf frowns sadly but I ignore her and walk away without looking back. I can feel his eyes pinned on me as I grab my bag of groceries, which were miraculously still there.

Damn it! I can't just walk away. There is a high chance that he could be my mate. My wolf already sensed that. I could just walk away and never see him again.

I look back and find him still standing where I left him. I wish it was bright enough so I could have a clear view of what he really looks like.

He is standing in front of me in a blink of an eye. Whoa! Werewolves can walk quickly but not that fast. Him being near me again makes my body heat up again. He tilts his head to one side and studies my face. I can feel his stern gaze penetrating my skin and his presence dominating my body. I feel the need to lurch myself into his embrace and beg him to take me with him, but I have to keep my dignity at least.

"Hi," is all that I manage to mumble.

He chuckles softly and my tension lightens a bit. At least I am able to see the firm edges of his jaw and outline of his cheeks. His hair is neatly combed on his head and his clothes look formal enough though a bit old fashioned.

He walks nearer to me so that his intoxicating scent makes me nearly drool. I stand still and stare as he lowers his head to my neck. His breath is so warm on my skin.

I think my subconscious mind has passed out because I can't think of anything sensible to do right now other than letting this stranger get on my skin.

"You are not human, are you?" he asks me while sniffing my hair.

"No, I am a werewolf," I reply in a voice very small it comes out like a whisper. I don't feel worried about exposing my identity to him and luckily, he doesn't run away.

"Mmm... I see," he mumbles while sniffing my neck, his breath caressing my skin. I think I am going to pass out because of all the excitement my body is having right now.

"You have such a sweet scent," he whispers.

Oh, god! I thought it was the other way round.

"You too," I murmur. My throat feels dry.

He wraps one hand around my waist and pulls me into him. His body is hard and firm. I shudder at the contact.

"Have you been stalking me?" he asks me without looking at me. Have I? I didn't even know who it was. I was just following the scent.

"I was just following your scent," I reply.

"Why?"

"I don't know. I just couldn't help it. I thought you were my mate," I reply and bite my lip so that I don't continue. Doesn't he feel the mate bond? Am I the only who is feeling it?

"Your mate?" he asks in surprise. He finally looks in my eyes. So he doesn't feel it. My wolf recoils in hurt. She's hurt because he doesn't feel what she feels for him.

"I'm so sorry. This must be a misunderstanding. I will be on my way," I say while trying to hide the frown on my face. I try to pull myself out of his grip but he is so strong. He later releases me and I walk away without looking back. I am on the verge of breaking into tears.

This is not what I imagined would happen when I finally met my mate. I wanted him to feel the mate bond and look for me the way I have looked for him. I wanted us to smile and cuddle in the tightest of embraces, but maybe that was all in my head.