Chapter 4 Am I Unfit to Be a Mate

Hazel's eyes drifted toward the ceiling, hazy and unfocused as she tried to grasp her surroundings. A dull ache spread through her body, becoming more pronounced with each passing moment. The only thing she could truly feel was the firm embrace encircling her.

"Oh my God, Hazel! I'm so sorry... Thank goodness you're safe!"

Olivia's voice was thick with tears as she clung to her. Hazel managed a faint smile and wrapped her arms around Olivia despite the weight pressing down on her limbs. She had long grown accustomed to Olivia's reckless behavior, which always seemed to end in apologies and regret, yet their friendship never required revisiting past mistakes.

"I'm fine," Hazel murmured softly.

Olivia hesitated before pulling back cautiously, offering her a radiant smile. Hazel shifted her gaze past Olivia, looking for someone else. Lucas stood behind her, staring at the floor for a few moments before finally raising his head to meet Hazel's eyes.

"I owe you an apology, Hazel. Choosing a partner for you was my mistake, and I've already been punished for it, so... forgive me."

Lucas let out a light chuckle at the end of his words, which made Hazel smile and laugh quietly along with him. She nodded, though curiosity gnawed at her-what exactly was this "punishment" he had received? Fragments of her memories trickled back slowly, as she struggled to recall what had happened earlier... or even yesterday. She had no idea how long she had been confined to this bed or how much longer she would remain there. But there was one thing she knew for certain: if she had to fight again, if she had to face those piercing stares once more, she would rather stay in bed.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sudden intrusion of someone bursting into the room.

Dylan stood there, panting, a large food tray in his hands as he struggled to catch his breath.

"I don't... understand... why do you guys have such a massive staircase?"

Lucas stepped forward and took the tray from him while Dylan collapsed onto the couch in front of the bed, still gasping for air.

"We have it for lazy people like you to climb," Lucas quipped with a smirk.

Dylan rolled his eyes without responding, while Olivia nearly fell to the floor laughing. She gradually stopped when she caught Dylan's warning glare, though the grin on her face remained as wide as ever. Settling beside Hazel on the bed, Olivia attempted to feed her, despite Hazel's persistent refusal and repeated protests. But Olivia was never the type to back down easily.

At that moment, Lucas muttered under his breath, "Well then..."

His expression shifted drastically-his usual carefree demeanor vanished, replaced by an unfamiliar hardness. Without another word, he turned and strode toward the door.

Everyone exchanged puzzled glances, while Dylan twirled a finger near his temple, silently implying that Lucas had lost his mind. Hazel couldn't suppress her laughter. She was beginning to believe that Lucas had two completely different personalities.

---

Lucas moved swiftly, almost recklessly, from the trainees' quarters toward the Alpha's mansion, which stood just a short distance away. But that was the least of his concerns.

The only thing consuming his thoughts was the Alpha's voice echoing furiously in his head, summoning him immediately to receive his "punishment."

It felt as if his feet were moving of their own accord, his body responding to an invisible force. He could feel the weight of countless stares following him, filled with curiosity and confusion.

Reaching the door, he took a deep breath, attempting to steady his nerves.

He knocked twice before stepping inside, keeping his head lowered.

The door shut behind him with a soft click. Slowly, he lifted his gaze, only to find the Alpha approaching him with deliberate steps, his jaw clenched, his stern expression concealing an unmistakable fury.

"What the hell happened earlier?"

The Alpha's voice was dangerously calm, tightly controlled, but the fire in his eyes made Lucas swallow hard.

"I apologize, Alpha... It was my fault. But Veronica insisted on fighting, and I-"

"Insisted?! She nearly killed Hazel, Lucas! What do you mean by 'insisted'?"

The sharpness in the Alpha's tone was uncharacteristic, almost accusatory.

Lucas was taken aback by this unusual level of concern for Hazel. Though surprised, he masked his emotions and simply nodded in apology.

The Alpha did not press further. Instead, he gestured for Lucas to sit.

A long silence stretched between them-longer than usual.

It seemed as though the Alpha was wrestling with his own thoughts, struggling to find the right words. Finally, in a quiet voice, he asked:

"How is she now?"

Lucas's brow lifted in surprise. He hadn't expected that question.

"She's doing much better. She'll be able to resume training tomorrow."

Lucas smiled slightly, but there was an unmistakable hint of challenge in his gaze as he studied the Alpha, who deliberately avoided his eyes.

"Don't look at me like that," the Alpha muttered, averting his gaze further.

Lucas burst into laughter. It was rare to see the Alpha unsettled-especially Ethan.

Rolling his eyes, the Alpha turned his chair away, pretending to ignore him, but Lucas could tell he was barely suppressing his own laughter.

Lucas stepped around the chair, positioning himself directly in front of the Alpha, before grinning mischievously.

"So... you and Hazel?"

The Alpha didn't answer. Instead, he rolled his eyes again and scoffed.

"Stop talking nonsense."

But Lucas held his gaze, challenging him with silence.

The Alpha sighed in defeat, raising his hands in surrender.

"Fine, fine... Don't act so smug. We're fated mates. There, you happy?"

Lucas watched as the Alpha moved toward the window, crossing his arms, his expression unreadable.

Lucas stepped closer, placing a firm hand on the Alpha's shoulder in a silent gesture of support before asking, "What's wrong?"

The Alpha exhaled sharply, his voice tinged with bitterness as he turned to Lucas, his eyes weary.

"What's wrong? Don't you see me, Lucas? Didn't you see me standing outside the training hall, too afraid to step inside because I didn't want anyone to see me like this? Even if they don't care... don't you see how weak I am?"

His voice rose in frustration at the end, making Lucas instinctively take a step back.

The Alpha lowered his head, running his hands through his hair before whispering,

"Don't you see that I'm unfit to be a mate?"

It wasn't a question. It was a certainty-a truth the Alpha had already accepted.

Lucas had no response.

All he could do was stand by his side, silently sharing in his unspoken pain.

"Alright, that's enough. I'm getting up."

Hazel muttered, growing weary of staying in bed, rebelling against Olivia's repeated attempts to feed her. Her wolf couldn't stand being motionless for too long.

Olivia gripped her shoulders, pinning her back to the bed, her warning gaze leaving no room for argument.

"No, you won't! You haven't recovered yet."

Hazel smirked sarcastically, forcefully pushing Olivia's arms away. She then rose slowly, wincing as a sharp pain coursed through her body. A slight dizziness washed over her, but she ignored it.

Turning to the mirror, she caught sight of a ghastly blue bruise near her lips and another, crimson-red, on her forehead. With a slow hand, she touched them, pitying her own state before reaching up to undo the messy tie in her hair. Gathering her long locks into a thick bun, she couldn't bear to leave them loose.

She trudged toward the room's door, her steps heavy, paying no heed to Dylan and Olivia's attempts to stop her. They both knew all too well how stubborn she was-especially when it came to her freedom and that of her wolf.

Descending the grand, twin-staircase-one Dylan had once mentioned-she found he was right; it was indeed majestic and imposing. As she moved down, a strong scent struck her nose. The aroma didn't fade; it clung to her senses, intensifying until her wolf began to howl within her, demanding control. Hazel fought against the urge, but her feet moved on their own, leading her toward a door at the far end of the hall-one she hadn't noticed upon entering.

Her trembling hand reached for the handle. She pushed the door open slowly, her heart hammering as if trying to escape her chest.

Darkness loomed inside, yet the dim light cast over a figure at the center of the room captured her attention.

She saw him-her mate.

Half his body was bare, his arms gripping the pull-up bar, sweat dripping from him in rivulets, rolling down the thick strands of hair that clung to his forehead. His eyes pierced through the shadows like two blazing embers, stealing Hazel's breath.

Beneath him sat a wheelchair, his legs hanging loosely as he relied entirely on the strength of his arms for his workout. His movements were swift, almost too fast, his entire weight balanced solely by his sheer power.

She watched, entranced, frozen in place as her wolf stirred with wild excitement. She didn't even notice the heat rising in her body or the breath she had trapped in her lungs-until he suddenly stopped.

He lifted his head slowly, his piercing gaze locking onto her through the damp strands of his hair. It was as if the very air had been sucked from the room. Instinctively, she took a step back.

- "Stop."

His voice was sharp, commanding-an Alpha's tone that brooked no defiance. The force behind it rolled through her like a lightning strike, making her shudder and freeze where she stood. He wasn't her pack's Alpha, and yet, his dominance was overwhelming.

When he released one hand from the bar, she thought he was about to fall. A gasp escaped her lips as she clapped a hand over her mouth, bracing for him to crash onto the floor. But he was quicker-far more adept.

His feet landed lightly against the wheelchair, and then he let go entirely.

He fell-but instead of collapsing, he landed smoothly onto the seat, executing the motion with practiced ease.

Hazel exhaled in relief. It was clear he was used to this, every move executed with precision.

Lifting a hand, he ran it through his hair, pushing the damp strands away from his face, revealing his full features.

She saw him.

And she saw that undeniable, haunting handsomeness-one that she despised herself for acknowledging.

A raw, commanding allure radiated from him, a pull she couldn't comprehend, let alone resist.

With great effort, she forced her gaze away from his chiseled, muscle-bound form.

Yet, the sheer power of his presence was suffocating. It was magnetic.

And Hazel wasn't sure she could fight it.