My Miracle: ALPHA SWEETLOVE

Glancing over the very edge of my big, toasty blanket, I cast a longing glance at the broken remnants of my once perfectly working alarm clock. Over the many years I attended school, it had proven to be quite helpful, but today marked the start of summer break and the end of the incredibly arduous four years of high school. Everyone didn't enjoy high school, but the few humans among the arrogant wolves most definitely didn't.

Freedom at last! It was the first day of summer vacation after four agonizingly long years of high school, full of conceited werewolves who believed they were superior to the relatively small number of human classmates. I spent the entire day curled up in bed beneath my cozy blankets, making the most of this day.

I could hear my mother furiously arguing with my father, telling him how foolish it was of me to decide to go to college so far away from home, where neither she nor my father could be there to support me. The greatest school to pursue my dream of becoming a psychiatrist was located in a different pack, quite close to the free state boundary. I wanted to practice in the free state after ten exhausting years of post-secondary education because I believed it to be one of the few locations on Earth where wolves did not dominate. Despite being a pessimist, my mom didn't comprehend that I would ever receive permission from our alpha to remain in the free state. She thought it would be unrealistic for him to allow me to leave pack territory after graduation. Although Alpha generally kept unmated girls in check, particularly if we were humans, he was unable to ignore my great potential because I had consistently performed better academically than other children. This summer, I was going to be quiet. I had made it very obvious to my parents that I intended to enjoy this time with my family and close friends and then never return.

The impending mating ball was the one thing keeping me from savoring my two months of leisure. Alaricus Knight held the mating ball at his castle, which was somewhat unusual because Knight wasn't particularly social and avoided social situations, which added to the lengthy list of reasons he was referred to as a beast. As implied by the name, the mating ball is a gathering where single humans and wolves from the territories meet to find partners. Since I was seventeen, I had to go.

My mother threw open my door without warning, her curly hair flying up, her green eyes blazing, and her delicate nostrils flashing with rage. She was angry, of course, and I was to blame, as usual. Back then, my father understood better than to enrage her. My dad's head tucked in somewhat from the entrance, and he plodded in with a sheepish smile upon realizing he had been caught.

"Have you even decided what you want to wear to the ball yet?" Mom insisted.

"No." I spoke gently, anxiously biting my bottom lip.

"But me and Marina were planning to go shopping today." I quickly clarified as I saw her little, delicate nose start to flush with rage. I was relieved that my response seemed to placate my mother for the time being, even though I knew I would be dead if I didn't receive a dress today.

"Can I trust you to get this done on your own?" My mother asks me with a suspicious look in her eyes, as if to get me to break and beg to go with her, but this time I would resist the urge.

"Yes, I promise mom, I can do this on my own." I answer, trying not to avert my gaze from her question. I was going to miss them, but maybe some time apart would help my parents ease their transition? A tiny smile pinches at the edges of her lips, lighting up her entire face as I watch enviously. The wolves became much more interested in the unmated child, regardless of age, living in the house. My parents would welcome a little time away from the spotlight after living under the wolves' constant surveillance for their entire lives.

"My little baby is growing up so fast." My father replied, coming to sit next to me, his voice shaking a little.

"Oh, please, not once more." I'll make you go ball gown shopping with your daughter if you cry any more, I swear." My dad's eyes widened as my mom threatened, knowing full well that she always kept her word.

I'd shoved my dad and mom out of my room after they'd finished cleaning it all up, and I was uncomfortably trying not to get in the way so I could get ready to go shopping.

I'd never been good at taking quick showers, but luckily Marina was running late. I hurriedly dried my hair, put on a light-colored sweater and dark trousers, and then I was early. I stumbled down the stairs, kissed my parents' cheeks, and hurried out the door.

My mother hated it when I played with my phone while waiting for my friend on the porch. I would throw it up and catch it, and my hand-eye coordination wasn't exactly perfect. I gave up and huffed as my phone fell into my lap. As I looked up, I noticed that our poor neighbor was getting closer. He was a pack fighter, just like all the other prominent pack members whom the unmated ladies adored. Sadly, it appeared like he was enjoying the fact that I wasn't trying to get his attention. I had a very low human ranking, so I would be severely punished for showing him disrespect. It would also be disrespectful to just turn down his approach. This is just one of the several terrible laws that people have to abide by.

His canines were showing as he grinned at me, attempting to be kind, but I couldn't help but squirm at the thought of how close being to a girl had clearly gotten his wolf a little pleased. Fortunately, though, my companion arrived in her adorable little blue car with loud beeping before I had to put up with the awkward small conversation. I pretended not to hear him call out for me as I sprinted by him to my friend's car, sending him an apologetic smile.

Panting from my race across the parking lot, I threw my pal an appreciative smile before climbing into her car.

I'm in the car listening to soothing music and drumming my fingers blindly to the beat while leaning my head on the comfortable headrest. I tried to listen carefully as Marina talked animatedly about her partner and attempted to give her the best advice I could because she tended to overreact. I had no prior experience in this field; therefore, I had no idea what to do.

When Marina entered the mall, I sat up and tried to figure out the complicated parking chart before giving her directions. After locating parking rather easily, we went into the mall with excitement. After visiting thousands of stores and trying on thousands of dresses, we had at last discovered a stunning blue dress for Marina. I told her to meet me at the cute cafe and book store at the end of the mall while she made the transaction in the extremely lengthy line. Given my familiarity with books, Marina was relieved not to have to go with me to a bookstore and readily allowed me to leave after obtaining my word that I wouldn't linger too long.

I headed to the classics section to purchase a gingerbread latte because it was one of the few areas without books about wolves and mates. Since humans were rarely permitted to print, most novels about wolves were about their mates. Wolves lived for their mates. They were, in a sense, extremely romantic, but aside from the fact that their partner was the most suited to them biologically, there was no emotional resonance and no spontaneity-the hallmark of what love ought to be.

The proprietor, a charming elderly woman who was human and appreciated romance as much as I did, stopped by to talk with me as her husband brought beverages. She was among the very few people with whom I felt safe disclosing my dislike for romance novels and the only one who could relate to my passion for classics. I simply didn't think that love was something that could be experienced instantly; rather, I thought that love could only be discovered in human romance novels. Love was about getting to know someone, falling in love with their personality, and accepting them despite their flaws. Because their mate was the only reason they were alive, werewolves placed a high value on romance. I was pretty much the biggest prude ever, and I enjoyed the old-fashioned slow falling in love, which is probably why most adolescent males didn't like me and the reason I had a really unhappy dating history.

I wasn't even aware of how much time had gone by while I was laughing with Mrs. Burkins about made-up people, and before I knew it, When I attempted to object, Marina was there to haul me out and reprimand me. When I attempted my famous pout, she glared at me and said that I still needed a dress.

Before we found the perfect one, she had managed to take me to five more stores and push me to try on several gowns. It was a gorgeous dress, a very soft pink that fell off the shoulders and trailed softly behind me as I moved. It was really gorgeous, but not overly bold or ostentatious-my goal was to blend in-and this garment was ideal-covering, delicate colors, just right.

During supper and the drive home, Marina raved about all the boys who would be at the ball and mocked my lack of interest.

My friend stated, "Amara, you should try to be excited about guys."

"Hey, I am interested in guys." Defensively, I replied, "I knew I was a prude, but I didn't like to hear it."

"Yeah, fictional ones." Aggressively biting into her side order of celery, my companion bit back.

"Really, you need to start dating. Who knows, maybe you will find a mate soon and never get the chance again." When Marina mentioned that there was a 30% chance that a psychotically possessive wolf was waiting to tie me down for all time and prevent me from living my life as I had always intended, I shuddered in realization.

With incredibly encouraging parents, I had lofty goals: traveling the world as a psychiatrist, working at orphanages-none of those things entailed being chained to a giant mutt.

Before I knew it, the evening had passed; I had returned home, shown my parents my outfit, and then, worn out from my shopping, I went to bed. My parents came in to give me a good-night kiss, as usual.

I dozed off to unsettling nightmares of giant mutts snatching my airline ticket in half and taking me as their own.

I had never been good at waking up, but knowing that I would have to go to the mating ball today, the only thing I wanted to do was stay in my warm bed and hide under the covers, safe from any monsters. Naturally, however, that was not feasible, and in order to make sure of this, Alaricus Knight had guards visit the homes of the attendants in order to personally collect them and their families.

After what seemed like a haze of a day, my mom threw me into my bathroom and told me to get ready. I took my time in the shower, enjoying the warmth of the hot water and blow-drying my hair. Even though I detested applying makeup, I just didn't have the face for it. If I didn't, though, my mother would definitely kill me, and I wasn't mean enough to let the guards who were coming to take us away be met with my mutilated corpse. The satin of my dress felt sinfully silky on my flesh as I slid into it.

The family bracelet had been passed down through the centuries and was now mine, something my dad had always wished he had done for me. Some may not find the thin white gold chain with our family's W charm, set with a single diamond, very striking, but I found it to be the most exquisite item I had ever seen.

When my dad glanced up at me and I saw the tears in his eyes, my heart began to swell. I had always been a daddy's girl, but tonight I felt like I might lose him, so I threw myself into his arms and pretended that my father had me covered. My dad kissed my forehead and gently let me go as soon as I heard my mother enter the room. My mother informed me that our designated guard had arrived and exclaimed over how gorgeous the dress looked.

Two other human families were already seated in the vehicle that the guard had come to pick us up in. It was an overly brief and silent ride. It was over before I could even try to slow down my heartbeat, and the guard, trying not to be too rude, was insisting that we get out of the car in a rough voice.

I had never been to the Alaricus Knight residence before; if you could even call it that, it was a stunning castle. However, the more I looked at it, the more I realized something was missing-I wasn't even sure what.

My mom's arm squeezed into my dad's as they walked a little ahead of me, and I couldn't help but feel sad that I would never get to experience that. I never had a partner with me when I walked in tune because I never knew when I would be claimed by some monster who would drag me everywhere he went for eternity. The results of human-wolf matings have never been good; the human is constantly treated with deference, and the wolf's protectiveness is almost offensive. It was disgusting to witness, and it happened more often in public than I or most of my human companions would have liked to recall. The wolf would always make a scene wherever the human went.

The inside of the castle was beyond compare, even if I had found the exterior to be stunning. The castle had an unexplainable strength, or, despite its ageless beauty, a kind of eternity that seemed to be carved into the very walls. I always imagined the beast's abode to be dreary and empty, but this was breathtakingly gorgeous.

I glanced around, expecting to recognize someone, and soon I saw Marina standing beside a lovely girl, waving passionately at me. I cautiously approached her, trying not to draw any more attention than her frenzied waving already had. Even with my clumsiness, I still managed to trip and fall against a couch's edge. When I did eventually make it over to Marina, I waited quietly off to the side as they spoke, following the awkward introductions and the exchange of admiring looks that Marina and her companion most certainly deserved. My inherently awkward disposition didn't help much, and I was never totally incapable of striking up a conversation.

I frowned as I surveyed the area. The poor girl had genuinely been hoping to find her mate; the romance novels about werewolf matings had clearly led her to believe that there was anything romantic about the long-standing custom. I pray she never discovers the true extent of her misperception about mates. She didn't have someone to tell her the truth or how I felt, but I knew better than to disparage them in front of thousands of others.

I therefore managed to keep my mouth shut despite my worry that the effort might cause me to become purple. However, I would undoubtedly blow out if Ana continued to talk about how great it would be to have a partner or to be allowed to pick the curtains for her home.

While searching for something to divert our conversation, I spotted the strange warrior who lived a few homes down staring at me. He took his job seriously and stood in his spot, his eyes shining with admiration. Perhaps he assumed I would leave before the ball. He began to move toward me, and my eyes grew wide as I screamed in an attempt to get away from him. I hurriedly left Marina, asking her to divert his attention, and dashed down the hallway in the hopes of coming upon a restroom to hide in.

I could still feel his eyes on me, so I quickly sought the exit to the enormous party buffet and ran out. My eyes sprang wide at the stunning castle as soon as I was able to get outside and gather my thoughts. The inside of it was much more exquisite than the exterior.

I was strolling around the magnificent castle, not in the slightest rush to return to the meal, when I was noticed by a staff member who was rustling around. She gently asked me to return to the banquet. The woman sighed wearily at me before turning around, and my cheeks grew hot with shame. Apparently, she thought I was one of those annoying people. I stammered to myself as I stumbled about the vast palace, utterly lost.

After navigating a lengthy, winding hallway, I came to a staircase. Even though I knew that was not the way back to dinner, I felt my curiosity peak and began to climb the staircase. I carefully ascended the steps, aware that doing so might land me in a dungeon, but my curiosity always got the better of me. When I eventually made it to the top, I was greeted by a lengthy hallway with numerous doors and a stunning old chandelier. Fortunately, the first door I carefully unlocked didn't lead back to the feast. Big, dark couches were pushed up against the walls, with an opulent-looking glass table in the middle. However, the grand piano at the rear of the room was what really drew my attention. We didn't have the money to buy one for my dad, who used to love to play.

Before I could even think, my feet carried me there while my fingertips lightly traced over the keys. Though I had no idea how to play, I could still recall my father's joy as he tried to teach me as a four-year-old. I was startled out of my daydream by the sound of the door opening, and I froze, closing my eyes tightly. I carefully turned around, keeping my eyes tightly shut, counting to 10 in my mind in the hopes that it was only assistance and not a wolf from a higher class. I shuddered as I saw someone's sharp gaze on my face. When I slowly opened my eyes, I saw two eyes that were burning honey in color with a noticeable hint of gold. thick black lashes framing them, which makes them even more alluring. The one thing I had been dreading my entire life was spoken, and it made my heart stop.

"Mine"

A quiet gasp emerged from my wide lips as I felt powerful arms around my waist pull me, sending me crashing into the solid chest of the man in front of me. His eyes, which had been fixed on mine so intensely, now let go of me and dropped to my open lips. He grasped me more tightly, drawing me inescapably closer.

"Meum miraculum." The man spoke quietly, pressing his lips against my neck and smelling me. His silky hair caressed my skin, but I was too numb to care about it. I was trembling with fear. Even though he talked gently, there was a harsh, almost primitive edge to his voice that made me want to run away.

He growled low and menacingly, making me even more afraid and making it harder for me to escape his clutches as I strained to do so. But my efforts were in vain since the man was so strong that it didn't appear like my movements had any effect at all.

"Calm down, love; I won't hurt you." The man spoke clearly while attempting to minimize the harshness of his loud voice. I gave up trying in the hopes that he would simply let me go. His big, soft arms continued to hug my waist tightly before shifting to my lower back. letting me stoop low enough to see his face.

"What's your name?" The man questioned me, his golden eyes so focused that it took me longer than it should have to comprehend what he was saying.

Finally, I stammered out, "A-Amara.".

"Amara," he said, teasingly feeling my name with his tongue.

"Excellent," he growled in agreement, and I felt myself blush a little.

"My parents are downstairs." I succeeded in stammering out.

"Lead the way, love." The man spoke softly while softly putting his big palm over my face and looking at me.

I almost hurried out the door, pulling away from him, but he kept up with me without any trouble, and he gently took my hand in his.

We are down the staircase. He kept his soft grasp on my hand while his intense gaze continued to pierce the side of my face. The immediate alarm subsided and was replaced by a sense of dread. Everything that I had ever dreamed to achieve and aspired to be was lost. This was an all-too-frequent story: humans always had to let go of their dreams and leave everything behind because they were now the property of their lover. The mates were too possessive to ever let the human do as they wanted, so they would always have what their mate chose for them. The human could not reach it if it entailed being apart from them or in another person's presence. Since wolves were stronger than humans and we were weaker than them, the wolves' innate protective tendencies were enhanced, leading to an obsession. It has never been documented that a wolf will permit a human to work, receive an education, or even see their family without the wolf's presence.

His embraces would keep me permanently apart from everything I'd sought up until this point. All because of this one man who believed that, simply by virtue of our relationship, he was entitled to claim and own me. Alaricus Night had concluded that this mate link was sufficient for this man to maintain me as a prized possession for the remainder of my life. When I understood that's what I was now, I felt my eyes start to water. I was a prisoner of the deep-rooted infatuation of this man.

I turned to look at him, returning his admiration with a look filled with my own contempt. His head cocked to one side, his brows furrowing in perplexity. Before he realized that I was crying, he was staring at me and trying to figure out why I was glaring at him. He appeared to be instantly terrified and attempted to grasp me, but fortunately we had already arrived at the feast, so I was able to quickly avoid his arms. As I stammered into the hallway, everyone turned to stare at me inquiringly. And in spite of everything, I could feel the shame flushing down my cheeks. I saw my parents reaching out to touch them, wanting to feel the comfort of their close proximity.

As I prepared to sprint towards them, I pulled my dress up a little. I guess the man sensed what I was going to do because he swiftly put an arm around my waist and pulled me back into his muscular chest.

"Where do you think you're going, love?" My breath caught at the obvious power in the man's voice as he asked in a deep, silky voice. The man was definitely attractive, and his voice reflected it. It was genuinely captivating. Something so smooth and sinister that it seduces the listener to follow this man's instructions. For a brief while, my head raced, but I shook it in an attempt to calm myself down.

I tried to fight my way out of his arms once more, but he held me tightly in place with his arm around my waist. I wondered why everyone was still staring at us. It was not unusual for wolves to be carrying their mate, and we frequently had to ignore human suffering while the wolves foolishly showered them with love. It appeared as though the wolves were blind to the situation involving their partner, or they may have believed that providing for them would improve things, or they may not have known what was causing the problems.

After a while, a standing alpha approached and asked what must have been on everyone's mind. However, his words cause my breath to catch in my throat and my limbs to become numb.

"Sire Knight, is this young lady your mate?"