Chapter 3 Meeting

ZALE'S POV ;

The neon lights of the casino flickered ominously in the humid night air, casting a garish, almost sickly glow over the entrance. It was a stark contrast to the darkness of the world outside, a beacon luring in those desperate enough to gamble away what little they had left. The stench of desperation hit me the moment I stepped inside-thick and cloying, mixed with the acrid scent of alcohol, sweat, and the unmistakable undertone of fear. It was a familiar scent, one that I had encountered countless times before, yet tonight, it felt more oppressive, more suffocating. My heightened senses were assaulted by the cacophony of sound and scent, each one a sharp reminder of why I despised places like this.

Beside me, Wilder, my Beta, moved with the same calculated precision, his eyes scanning the crowded room just as mine did. We were here with a purpose, a mission that demanded focus and ruthlessness. A string of mysterious disappearances had led us to this very casino, whispers of dark dealings and sinister forces hiding beneath the surface. Rumors had circulated within the pack, tales of something dangerous lurking within these walls, something that posed a threat not just to the humans who frequented this den of sin, but to us as well.

The casino was a hive of human activity, a chaotic blend of sights and sounds that would have been overwhelming to anyone without the senses of a Lycan. The clatter of poker chips, the muted thuds of dice rolling across green felt, the occasional shout of triumph or groan of defeat-it all echoed off the marble floors, creating a discordant symphony of vice. My instincts were on high alert, every fiber of my being tuned to the slightest hint of danger, to anything out of the ordinary that might explain the mysterious disappearances. But instead of finding what I was looking for, instead of uncovering the source of the darkness, I found something far more unsettling.

Her.

She stood at the bar, her presence as out of place as a lamb among wolves. She couldn't have been more than eighteen, her youth and innocence stark against the backdrop of the casino's seasoned, hardened patrons. Her wide eyes betrayed her nerves as she handed over a wad of cash to the bartender, the bill clutched tightly in her trembling fingers. There was something almost ethereal about her, something that called to me on a primal level. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl rumbling in my chest as her scent hit me-wildflowers and something so pure it almost made me sick.

Mate.

The word echoed in my mind like a curse, an undeniable truth that sent a wave of fury crashing through me. How could this be? How could the fates be so cruel, so merciless, as to pair me, a Lycan Alpha, with a weak, fragile human? My mate was supposed to be strong, capable of standing by my side in the face of any threat. But this girl... she was nothing but a child, vulnerable and naive, standing in a place where she didn't belong.

She was underage, for gods' sake, and yet here she was, in a casino of all places, trying to buy alcohol as if that would somehow make her grown. My anger flared, burning through my veins like wildfire. Humans were pathetic, fragile creatures-unworthy of the strength we possessed, unworthy of our protection. And yet, here she was, my mate. The one person destined to be mine, the one person I was supposed to protect above all else.

I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms as I struggled to control the storm of emotions raging within me. I should have been relieved, elated even, to have found my mate. But all I felt was anger-blistering, consuming anger. This slip of a girl couldn't possibly understand the world I lived in. She was soft, vulnerable-nothing like the fierce, resilient mate I had imagined. And to top it off, she was breaking the law, putting herself in danger for something as trivial as alcohol.

"What is she doing here?" Wilder's voice cut through my thoughts, his gaze following mine to the girl at the bar.

"She's my mate," I snarled, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.

Wilder's eyes widened in shock, his usually stoic expression faltering for a brief moment. But he knew better than to question me when I was like this, when the rage was so close to the surface. He simply nodded, his expression hardening with understanding, as if he could already sense the turmoil within me.

Before I could decide what to do, before I could figure out how to deal with this cruel twist of fate, I saw them-a group of men sidling up to her, their lecherous smiles turning my blood to ice. They were predators, drawn to her like vultures to a carcass, their intentions as clear as the fear that flickered across her face. My wolf bristled with rage, the protective instinct surging to the forefront. They were nothing but scavengers, feeding off the weak and the vulnerable. And she-my mate-was too naive, too innocent to see the danger.

My vision tinged red as I watched them move closer, their laughter low and menacing as they circled her like a pack of hyenas. The very idea of them touching her, of laying their filthy hands on what was mine, sent a violent surge of possessiveness crashing through me. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. My mate wasn't supposed to be a human girl who couldn't even recognize a threat when it was staring her in the face. She wasn't supposed to be someone I had to save from the monsters that lurked in the shadows. But here we were.

A snarl tore from my throat, primal and fierce, as I prepared to intervene. They wouldn't touch her. They wouldn't get the chance. She might be human, she might be fragile, but she was mine. And no one-no one-would take that from me.