Chapter 4 4

Alpha Nathan's POV.

She tucked that loose strand of blond hair behind her ear again, her fingers shaking like she wasn't sure if she should even look at me. I stood frozen, staring at her in silence for way too long.

I didn't even realize that my mouth was hanging open until she gave a small, nervous cough.

Her voice was soft, almost apologetic, like she was afraid she'd done something wrong. "Alpha... I couldn't find anything else to wear, so I put on this shirt of yours. Is that okay? I'm sorry if it bothers you. I'll take it off if you want."

Her words jolted me like a slap to the face, dragging me out of my trance.

I snapped my mouth shut and forced myself to breathe, but my chest tightened the closer I stepped toward her.

The glow of her pale skin under the light almost blinded me, and those mismatched eyes-one golden like fire, the other blue like the ocean-pulled me in as if they were casting some kind of spell.

I wasn't the type of man to think about beauty, let alone talk about it. I was an Alpha, a fighter, a leader. But in that moment, I felt like a poet who wanted to write verses about her face, her eyes, her presence.

Her face drew me in like a magnet, and I couldn't even bring myself to glance at the length of her bare legs beneath my shirt.

My hand lifted on its own, brushing gently against her cheek. My voice came out raw, straight from my chest, without thought. "How... how can anyone be this beautiful? Where were you hiding all this time? Your skin is softer than silk, and your eyes-"

She cut me off with a sigh, her voice sharp with pain. "My eyes are ugly. People have been telling me that for as long as I can remember."

I shook my head so quickly it almost hurt. With my finger, I raised her chin so she had no choice but to meet my gaze.

A smile tugged at my lips, the first real smile I'd felt in months. "No, Isabella. Don't ever call them ugly again. They're not ugly. They're special. They're rare. They're yours. I could stare into them for hours. Honestly, it feels like I've known you my whole life just by looking into them. Tell me, who are you really? What's your story?"

For a few seconds, everything else faded away. I forgot I was Alpha. I forgot about the Luna waiting for me in another house, bound to me by duty.

I forgot my grief, my rage, my responsibilities. Standing in front of this girl, it felt like I had stepped into another world-one where nothing existed but her and me.

Her lips curved into a shy smile, and her cheeks turned pink. "I'm Isabella," she whispered. "And my story... my story is ugly. If you don't mind, I'd rather not talk about it. I don't want to relive it. All you need to know is I ran away from my mother's house. She hated me. It was hell. I don't ever want to go back. I just want a new life."

I nodded slowly, humming under my breath as I thought about her words. "Okay. But if you want a new life, where? What's your plan? You can't just walk forever without a destination. So tell me, Isabella, what's next?"

She hugged her arms around herself, her eyes darting away like she was trying to see her future in the dark. "I'm thinking about finding my father. He's a bear shifter. I've never met him, but maybe... maybe he'll help me if I can find him. Maybe he'll give me a chance. So... I'll stay here tonight if you don't mind. But in the morning, I'll leave the pack and keep searching."

Her words stabbed me in the chest, one after another. My wolf growled so loud inside me I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from shifting. "No!" The word shot out of my mouth like a command, sharp and aggressive, louder than I meant.

Even I startled at the sound of it. The thought of her leaving tomorrow morning felt like someone was ripping something out of me. I couldn't let that happen.

I shook my head, my voice dropping into a stern, commanding tone. "No, Isabella. You're not leaving. Not tomorrow. Not the day after. Not ever, unless I say so."

Her eyes widened, and she stepped back a little. Her voice trembled with fear. "W-why? You're not going to lock me up here, are you? You wouldn't do that, right? Please tell me you won't."

I let out a chuckle, but it wasn't real. It was nervous, shaky, because the truth was dangerous. Deep down, I wanted to lock her inside this house and never let her go. That thought scared me more than anything, yet I couldn't deny it.

I forced a smile and stepped closer until I could feel her breath fan against my lips. "No, Isabella. I'm not that kind of man. I'm not a monster. What I mean is-why do you have to leave at all? I can give you everything you need. Don't you remember? I'm the Alpha. It's my duty to protect you. So stay. Stay in this house. I'll provide you with everything you want. You don't have to run anymore."

Her lips parted, and she hesitated. "But... Alpha, I don't want to live off you. I don't want to feel like I'm stealing. If I stay, I need to do something. I need to work. I can't just... be a burden on you."

I leaned in closer, my breath warm against her cheek. For a terrifying second, I almost kissed her. My wolf screamed inside me, demanding it. My heart pounded like a drum. But I forced myself to stop, to pull back before I lost control.

She stepped away slowly, her eyes scanning my face, not with fear but with something softer. Curiosity. Maybe even trust. Finally, she nodded. "Thank you for offering. Really. But if I stay, I need a job. I need a reason to be here. I can't just sit around."

My mind went empty. She was stubborn, determined, and I knew if I pushed too hard, she'd be gone by sunrise. Panic made me act before I thought.

I reached for her arm, holding it firmly but gently, and guided her to the couch. Her lips parted a little as she looked at my hand on her skin, but she didn't pull away.

"Sit," I told her firmly. "We need to talk this out. Here's the deal-you'll stay here for now. Temporarily. You'll take care of the lake house while I'm gone. Keep it clean, keep it alive. When I come back, I'll find you a proper job, one that suits you. How does that sound?"

She let out a soft laugh, the sound warming my chest. "Yes. That sounds fair. Thank you, Alpha. So... what do you want to talk about?"

My wolf stirred restlessly, pushing me, daring me to cross a line I shouldn't. My eyes betrayed me, sliding down her body, lingering on the smooth length of her bare legs.

Heat shot through me so fast it made me dizzy. I cleared my throat, trying to look away, but the words tumbled out before I could stop them. "Are you... are you still a virgin?"

Her head snapped toward me, her eyes wide. "What? Did you really just ask me that?"

I cursed under my breath, my face burning. I dropped my hands to cover my face and jumped to my feet, pacing the floor like a madman. My body betrayed me, twitching with desire I couldn't control. "Forget I said that," I muttered. "That was stupid."

Desperate to change the subject, I blurted out, "Do you want something to drink? Tea? Juice? Beer? Anything you want, just say it."

---

I felt ridiculous. Like a teenage boy fumbling around a crush for the first time. But I wasn't a boy. I was Alpha Nathan, twenty-two years old, leader of an entire pack. A man who had already buried an unborn child.

A man with a Luna tied to him by blood and tradition. A man who was supposed to be strong, calm, unshakable. Yet none of that mattered, because in front of Isabella I was losing all control.

And the worst part? I had never even felt this way with my Luna. She was supposed to be my destined mate, the one chosen by the Moon Goddess. Then why did my entire body burn for Isabella? Why did my heart ache at the thought of her leaving? Why did I feel like I would die if she walked away?

My voice snapped out rough, sharper than I meant. "Isabella, I think you should go to bed now." I sounded angry, but the truth was I was terrified of what I might do if she stayed any closer.

She blinked, confused, then took a slow step toward me instead of away. Every inch she moved closer made it harder to breathe.

My wolf clawed at my chest, begging me to claim her, to pull her into my arms. I clenched my fists, repeating in my head: I already have a Luna. I already have a mate. I cannot do this. I must not do this.

But then her small fingers brushed against my back, soft and trembling. My entire body froze, my heart skipping a beat.

Her voice came out in a whisper, trembling but honest. "I'm still a virgin."

Before I could even react, she was already at the bedroom door.

My chest heaved, my wolf howled, and before she could shut herself away, I was there. My hand slammed the door closed, locking us both inside. I couldn't fight it anymore. Whatever this was-lust, fate, destiny-I was drowning in it already.

Her scent hit me like a storm, filling my lungs with sweetness that made my head spin. Our eyes locked, golden and blue staring back at me, and the entire world disappeared. Nothing else mattered. Just her. Just us.

My breathing turned ragged, uneven. She glanced toward the window, her lips trembling. "The full moon... I'm turning eighteen tonight. I was supposed to meet my mate tonight."

And then it happened. My wolf howled, raw and primal, bursting out of me with a force I couldn't hold back. And she howled too, her voice merging with mine perfectly, like our souls had been waiting for this moment.

I staggered, stunned. My head spun, my body trembled. "Two mates? Is that even possible?" I whispered out loud, not even sure if I was asking her or myself.

I leaned closer, unable to stop myself. I pressed my face near her neck, inhaling her scent like it was oxygen, pushing her gently back onto the bed. My wolf growled deep in my chest, loud and hungry.

Her voice broke the silence, rushing out quickly, filled with fear and hope at the same time. "We're mates? Are we really mates?"