THE ALPHA WHO COULDN'T RECOGNIZE ME

"Stop."

Elena froze halfway across the dining hall, the tray balanced carefully in both hands as the glass in its center trembled from the sudden movement.

"I said stop."

She turned slowly and found Victoria Blackwood standing at the entrance, her expression cold enough to make the servants nearby lower their eyes.

Elena immediately lowered hers.

"Yes, Luna?"

"Where did you get that?"

Elena glanced down at the tray, confused by the question. "From the kitchen."

Victoria's expression hardened.

"That wasn't what I asked."

Elena tightened her fingers around the edge of the tray, trying to understand what she had done wrong. "I don't understand."

"The silver necklace that was in my room is missing."

A murmur moved through the servants around them, and Elena felt her stomach twist.

"I didn't take it."

Victoria's eyes narrowed.

"You didn't even wait for me to accuse you."

S

Elena's lips parted, but no answer came immediately. "I-"

"Enough."

Victoria's voice cut through the room, and Elena fell silent.

She had learned that arguing with people above her only made things worse. Apologizing was safer. Staying quiet was safer. Making herself small enough to be overlooked was safest of all.

"I understand," she whispered.

Victoria studied her for a moment before turning toward the guards standing near the doorway.

"Search her."

Elena's face burned.

Two guards approached, and she forced herself to remain still while they searched the pockets of her apron and checked beneath the folds of her simple dress. When they found nothing, one of them went to search the small servant's room Elena shared with two other girls.

Minutes later, the guard returned empty-handed.

"Nothing, Luna."

For the briefest moment, uncertainty crossed Victoria's face.

Then it disappeared.

"You may have hidden it somewhere else."

Elena looked at her,something inside her tightened,normally, she would have apologized again, even for something she had not done. Normally, she would have lowered her head and accepted the humiliation because that was what servants were expected to do,but this time, the words refused to come.

"I didn't take it."

The dining hall fell silent.

Victoria's eyes narrowed.

"What did you say?"

Elena's heart began pounding, but she forced herself not to look away."I said I didn't take it."

Before Victoria could respond, the large doors at the far end of the dining hall opened,every conversation died instantly.the servants straightened,the guards stepped aside.

And Alpha Adrian Blackwood walked into the room.

Elena lowered her gaze at once.she had seen him from a distance before, but never this close. He carried the quiet authority of someone who had never needed to demand respect because everyone around him already knew he possessed it.

He took only a few steps before suddenly stopping,something inside Adrian went rigid,his wolf had awakened,not gradually,not gently.

The force of the recognition struck through him so violently that for a moment, he could barely think.

"Mate".

The word thundered through his mind,Adrian lifted his eyes.

Across the room stood a servant he had never noticed before, her head lowered and her hands still wrapped tightly around the tray.

Then Elena looked up,their eyes met.

Adrian's breath caught,for several seconds, neither of them moved.

Elena could not understand why the Alpha was staring at her. His expression was unreadable, but there was something strange in his eyes, something that made her chest tighten despite herself. She quickly lowered her gaze again, wondering whether she had somehow offended him.

Adrian barely noticed the movement,his wolf was no longer interested in reason.

"Mate_.

The certainty ran through him again, leaving no room for doubt.

He had heard stories of wolves recognizing their mates, but he had never imagined the bond would feel like this, immediate and undeniable, as though some part of him had recognized her long before his mind could even begin to understand why.

And of all people, his mate was a servant.his jaw tightened.

"Alpha?"

Marcus's voice pulled him back.

His Beta stood a few steps behind him, watching him with a puzzled expression.

"Are you all right?"

Adrian did not answer immediately,his gaze moved back to Elena,she was still standing beside the table, holding the tray so tightly that her knuckles had turned pale.

Victoria noticed where he was looking.

"Alpha," she said carefully, "this girl has been accused of stealing from me."

Adrian's eyes shifted to his mother.

"What did she steal?"

"A silver necklace."

"Did you find it on her?"

Victoria hesitated. "No."

"Then why is she being searched?"

The question was calm, but something in his tone made the room even quieter.

Victoria's jaw tightened."We have reason to believe she took it."

Adrian looked at Elena again.

She seemed nervous now, but she was not trying to manipulate anyone. There was no calculated innocence in her expression, only embarrassment and a quiet determination not to cry in front of everyone.

His wolf pushed against him again.

"Mate_.

Adrian's fingers curled at his sides,he did not know her,not even her name,yet every instinct in him was demanding that he move closer.

Elena finally looked at him again,their eyes met for the second time.This time, Adrian noticed something he could not explain.

Recognition.

Not from her mind. Not from her memories.

Something deeper.

Something that made his wolf fall completely still.

Then Elena's tray slipped from her trembling hands.the glass struck the floor and shattered.

Everyone flinched.

Elena stared at the broken pieces in horror.

"I'am sorry," she whispered.

Adrian stepped forward before he could stop himself.

His wolf spoke again inside his mind.

Mate.

And suddenly, the servant standing before him was no longer just a servant.

She was the woman his wolf had chosen.

Adrian remained still long after the broken glass had stopped moving, his eyes staying on Elena as she crouched down and carefully gathered the larger pieces with trembling fingers.

"Leave it."

His voice made her stop, and Elena looked up.

Adrian stood several feet away, his expression unreadable. For a moment, she thought he was angry.

Of course he was. She had already caused enough trouble that morning. First, Victoria had accused her of stealing, and then she had dropped a glass in front of the entire household.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Adrian's jaw tightened.

There it was again, that strange pull inside him.

Mate.

He tried to push the word away, but it refused to disappear.

He had never experienced anything like this. His wolf had always been controlled, disciplined, obedient to his command, yet the moment Elena had looked at him, something inside him had awakened with an intensity he could not explain.

And it made no sense.

She was a servant. He had seen hundreds of servants pass through these halls without giving them a second glance, so why her?

"Take care of the glass," he ordered one of the guards.

The guard immediately stepped forward, while Elena rose and lowered her head.

"Yes, Alpha."

Adrian should have walked away, but instead, his gaze remained on her.

There was nothing remarkable about what she was doing. She simply stood there with her hands clasped in front of her, waiting for permission to leave, yet his wolf remained alert, watching and waiting.

Adrian turned sharply and walked out of the dining hall, with Marcus following him.

Neither spoke until they reached the corridor. Then Marcus glanced at him.

"That's twice now."

Adrian's expression hardened. "Twice what?"

"Twice you've forgotten I was standing next to you the moment she walked in."

Adrian ignored him.

Marcus raised an eyebrow.

Adrian ignored him.

He needed distance. Whatever was happening between him and his wolf would settle if he stayed away from the servant.

At least, that was what he told himself.

The next morning, Adrian went to the training grounds earlier than usual because he needed something that would occupy his mind.

He trained harder than he normally did, striking the practice post with enough force to make his knuckles ache. Every movement was controlled, precise, deliberate, yet his wolf remained restless.

Adrian stopped and clenched his fists.

"What is wrong with you?"

No answer came, only that same inexplicable awareness.

Then he caught a familiar scent, and his entire body went still.

Elena.

His head turned toward the entrance.

She was walking across the far side of the courtyard with a basket of folded clothes in her arms. She did not look toward him and seemed completely unaware that he was watching.

His wolf stirred immediately, and Adrian's jaw tightened as he looked away.

Why was he noticing her now?

Yesterday, she had been invisible to him. Today, he could recognize her scent among dozens of others.

He hated the feeling.

"Alpha?"

Marcus's voice came from behind him, and Adrian turned.

"Nothing."

Marcus followed his gaze toward Elena, but Adrian gave him a warning look.

Marcus said nothing.

Elena disappeared through the doorway, and only then did Adrian realize he had been watching until she was gone.

He exhaled slowly and turned back toward the training grounds.

This had to stop.

Later that afternoon, Elena was carrying a basket of freshly washed linens down the servants' corridor when she heard footsteps behind her.

She immediately moved closer to the wall as the Alpha passed, her heart jumping as she lowered her head.

Adrian should have continued walking, but instead, he slowed.

He had not intended to stop. His mind had been occupied with council matters, but the moment he saw her, his attention shifted.

Elena.

Again.

He stopped.

She sensed him behind her but did not turn around.

"Are you always this nervous around me?"

The question startled her, and she turned slowly.

"I'm not nervous."

Adrian studied her. She was. He could see it in the way her fingers tightened around the basket.

"Then why do you avoid looking at me?"

Elena lowered her eyes.

Because you keep looking at me as though I have done something wrong.

The thought remained unspoken.

"I thought you were angry with me."

Adrian frowned.

"Why would I be angry with you?"

"Because of yesterday."

His expression changed slightly. She was still thinking about the accusation, the necklace, the broken glass, and the way he had looked at her.

"You did nothing wrong," he said.

Elena looked up.

For a brief moment, neither spoke. Something about the way she looked at him made the strange pull inside his chest return.

Adrian stepped back, and Elena noticed. Confusion crossed her face.

He had just told her she had done nothing wrong, yet he looked as though standing near her was difficult.

"Alpha?"

Adrian forced his expression back into its usual calm.

"Go."

Elena nodded quickly.

"Yes, Alpha."

She walked away, and Adrian watched her leave.

He hated that he did. He hated that his eyes followed her until she disappeared around the corner.

Only then did he turn away.

For the first time in his life, Adrian found himself facing something he could not command into silence.

His wolf was trying to tell him something, and no matter how hard he resisted, the feeling was becoming impossible to ignore.

By the third day, Adrian had begun avoiding the eastern wing of the estate. He knew how absurd that was. He was the alpha of the Blackwood Pack, yet he had started changing his routines because of a servant he had barely noticed before.

Every time he caught her scent, his wolf reacted.

At first, it had been nothing more than an uncomfortable awareness, a persistent pull that Adrian could dismiss if he concentrated hard enough. Now, however, the reaction was becoming harder to control.

During breakfast, he realized just how bad it had become.

Adrian had barely settled into his chair when a familiar scent drifted through the dining hall. His hand stopped halfway to his glass.

He knew that scent.

Elena was somewhere nearby.

His wolf immediately stirred, pressing against his control with an impatience that made Adrian's muscles tense. His eyes moved toward the entrance before he could stop them.

Marcus noticed.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

Adrian picked up his glass and took a slow drink, forcing himself to remain composed.

The doors opened.

Elena entered carrying a tray for the servants seated at the far end of the room.

Adrian's wolf reacted so violently that he nearly crushed the glass in his hand. His chair shifted against the floor as he straightened.

Several people looked in his direction.

Elena stopped for a moment, her gaze lifting in surprise.

Their eyes met.

The reaction inside him intensified.

Adrian could suddenly hear every movement around him-the scrape of cutlery, the quiet conversations, and the footsteps of servants crossing the room. Yet all of it seemed distant compared with the awareness of the woman standing several yards away.

His wolf wanted him to approach her. It wanted to know who was near her and why she was walking away.

Adrian tightened his grip on the glass. He would not give in to an instinct he did not understand.

Elena lowered her gaze and continued toward the servants' tables. Adrian watched her go, and when she disappeared through the opposite doorway, he released the breath he had been holding.

"Alpha?"

Marcus's voice was quiet.

Adrian looked at him. "I said I'm fine."

"You've said that every time I've asked."

Adrian pushed his chair back. "I have work to do."

He left the dining hall before Marcus could say anything else, but unfortunately, leaving did nothing to settle his wolf.

By the afternoon, Adrian had already changed his training schedule, skipped lunch, and remained in his study longer than necessary.

None of it helped. His wolf seemed to know exactly where Elena was, even when Adrian did not.

He was reviewing a report when Marcus entered without knocking.

"You're avoiding her."

Adrian's eyes lifted from the document. "Who?"

Marcus gave him an unimpressed look. "You know who."

Adrian closed the report. "This conversation is unnecessary."

"Then tell me why you've changed your routine three times in two days."

Adrian said nothing.

Marcus folded his arms. "You've been distracted since the night she dropped that glass."

A muscle moved in Adrian's jaw. "Leave it alone."

Marcus studied him carefully. "Is it because of Elena?"

The instant he heard her name, Adrian's wolf reacted, and a low growl formed somewhere deep inside him.

Marcus's expression changed.

Adrian turned toward the window. "You heard nothing."

"I heard enough."

"Marcus."

The warning in Adrian's voice was unmistakable.

His beta raised his hands slightly. "Fine. I won't push."

Adrian waited until Marcus left before allowing himself to breathe normally again.

He hated this. He hated that his wolf could react to a single name, and more than anything, he hated that he had no explanation for it.

That evening, Adrian remained in his study long after the household had quieted. He told himself that staying there would keep him away from Elena.

Then came a knock at the door.

"Enter."

The door opened, and Elena stepped inside.

Adrian immediately recognized her scent. She carried a neatly folded stack of clothes against her chest and looked slightly uncertain as she approached the desk.

"I was asked to bring these here, Alpha."

Adrian stared at her.

His wolf surged forward.

The reaction was stronger than before. Her presence seemed to fill the room, and Adrian suddenly became painfully aware of how close she was standing.

"Put them on the desk."

Elena obeyed. She placed the clothes down carefully and turned toward the door.

Adrian expected the feeling to lessen once she moved away.

Instead, his wolf became even more agitated; he took a breath, and then another.

Elena reached the door.

Something inside him broke through the wall of control he had built around it.

Mate.

The word struck his mind with absolute certainty.

Adrian went completely still. He had heard it before, but never with such clarity; his wolf had not been confused. It had not been reacting to something unfamiliar; it had recognized her.

His mate.

Adrian's heart began pounding.

No.

The refusal came instantly; he could not accept it.

Elena was a servant. He had barely known she existed until a few days ago, and now his wolf was claiming her as the woman destined to stand beside him.

That was impossible.

There had to be another explanation.

Elena glanced back at him. "Alpha?"

Adrian realized he had been staring.

"Nothing," he said, forcing his voice to remain steady. "You may leave."

She nodded and stepped outside, and then the door closed.

Adrian remained alone in the study for several moments; he said nothing. Then he shook his head.

"No."

His wolf answered with a quiet, unwavering certainty.

Mate.

Adrian's hands curled into fists; he refused to believe it. Whatever bond his wolf thought it had found, Adrian would not accept that Elena was his mate.

Not now.

Not ever.