Chapter 2 His Mate

JAKE'S POV

I smelled her before I felt her gentle touch on my shoulder.

Whoever this mysterious person was, she seemed like the solution to all my problems.

I took a moment to enjoy the relief her touch brought to my burning body before slowly turning around to see a small figure standing in front of me.

She appeared amazed yet uncertain.

Her blonde hair was tousled by the cool breeze of the night, and the faint moonlight revealed her somewhat charming face.

Her radiant blue eyes and soft, heart-shaped lips caught my attention immediately.

I wondered who she was and what brought her to this dark and dangerous forest without any supervision or guidance.

I couldn't recall ever encountering someone brave enough to venture into this part of the woods alone, but she had.

She silently beckoned to me as if her life depended on it.

I had left my castle earlier to seek solace in the quiet woods, as the full moon illuminated the night sky.

The curse that haunted me every full moon had driven me away from the comforts of home, aimlessly wandering without a destination. Today marked three decades since the curse was placed upon me, and with each full moon, I felt an unexplainable pain in my chest.

My teeth would grow longer, strange voices would torment me, and I would transform into a terrifying monster.

Even worse, I would lash out at those around me.

That's why I had fled the castle. I didn't want to put my people in danger or make them scream in terror at the sight of my monstrous form.

But as usual, something strange happened when I reached the woods, and for the first time in years, I didn't feel any pain or transformation.

It took a moment for my brain to process that my curse had abruptly stopped because of the young lady in front of me- the woman whose sweet scent I had noticed earlier.

"Mine! You're my mate?" I said, feeling a bit disoriented as my deep voice overwhelmed me.

"Mate?" She stumbled, her eyes wide with surprise and astonishment.

"Yes, mate... Your scent called to me, and..." I took a few predatory steps closer to her, my hands longing to touch her.

She still had a disbelieving look on her face, getting harder by the second, and I couldn't understand why she couldn't believe that I was her mate.

It made sense, right? I had been without a mate since I was 18 when the curse was placed on me. She was my antidote, my mate.

She was the woman I had searched everywhere for, and here she was, standing right in front of me in the most unexpected circumstances.

This was an extraordinary opportunity, something surreal.

I raised my hand gently to her face, feeling her smooth skin with longing.

Her delightful scent of vanilla mixed with peach, but there was something else that clashed with my senses.

Something else... alcohol. The strong smell of ale and beer lingered, and I realized she was completely intoxicated, heavily drunk.

"Are you wasted or something?" I lifted an eyebrow in amazement, staring at her.

"What does it look like, mister?" She responded with a sassy tone of voice.

"Oh my God! This is not possible. There has to be some sort of misunderstanding. I mean, really? "Will you be my companion?" She paused, taking a step back as I approached.

Though her words were clear to me, I felt irritated by what she said.

Did she not want me to be her destined mate? Was I not worthy of her? Was that why? Was she going to reject me?

My mind raced with these rhetorical questions, and for the first time in my life, I was confused.

"Wait, wait, wait! Hold up! This is insane! You can't possibly be my mate," she said, sounding all flustered.

I couldn't help but chuckle at her disbelief. "Believe it or not, darling, fate works in mysterious ways," I replied, trying to ease the tension.

And then she dropped the bombshell- she already had a mate before. Damn, that was unexpected.

"But, but he rejected me!" She blurted out, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me.

A rejected mate? Well, that explained her hesitation and confusion. Now it made sense why she was acting all wary around me.

"I am sorry about that," I said.

"It...it's fine." She said as she took a few steps closer, and I could feel the heat radiating from her body. And then she pressed herself against me, her intense gaze never leaving mine.

My wolf was going crazy, and I could tell she felt it too. The electricity between us was off the charts. Fate sure had a twisted sense of humor, but hey, I wasn't complaining. We might just be a match made in wolf heaven.

Her body trembled, and she let out seductive moans as her hands started to passionately caress my body, driving me crazy.

What was she doing? What was happening? I was puzzled as she took my hand and wrapped it around her waist.

With a suggestive raise of her eyebrows, her scent filled my senses, and I realized she was in heat.

My hands firmly held her waist as we embraced, and I kissed her deeply, tangling my fingers in her flowing hair. The night we shared was passionate and intense, and time seemed to slow down.

Amidst our intimate connection, I couldn't help but wonder if this mysterious woman held the key to curing my curse.

As the hours passed, I felt a sense of weakness, but also a strange sense of relief.

Amid our intimate encounter, she whispered, "Are you still my mate?" Her breathy voice brought me back to reality.

"Yes," I whispered back, pulling her close to me. "You are my mate, and I won't ever leave you again," I promised, planting a tender kiss on her forehead.