"Can you shift for me, little wolf? I'd like to speak to you," I implore calmly, ensuring it's a request, not an order. The last thing I want is for my Alpha bark to scare her.
She sniffs my throat and runs her face over me, scent-marking me. She steps away, and before I can bark at Saint to turn away so he doesn't see my mate's nude body, she shifts into a beautiful, fully clothed, young woman. If I weren't so gobsmacked by her lovely features, I might have questioned how she shifted with clothes, as that's a rare talent that hasn't been seen in centuries, but as it is, I'm simply entranced by her beauty.
Like any Omega, she is downright dainty. Barely five feet with delicate features and the lightest blonde hair. Her eyes are an icy blue that seem to penetrate right to my soul. Everything about her is ethereal. Her skin is so pale that I wouldn't be surprised if it shone in the moonlight. She's gorgeous and I'm speechless in front of her beauty.
"No one should be looking for me. I made sure I wasn't followed," she says in a quiet but sure voice.
"Where are you from?" Saint questions.
She looks from me to him and back again before shaking her head.
"It's okay. You don't have to talk about it right now. Can you tell me your name?"
"Who are you?" she counters.
I chuckle at her fire. I like that she's not just rolling over and submitting. She has a backbone, and that will suit her well in her future position as queen.
"I'm Kael Ragnor," I reply, wondering how she will react to finding out her mate is the king of all wolfkind.
She doesn't even blink in acknowledgement of my name. It's like she has no idea who I am. It's surprising because everyone in the kingdom should know me by name, if not by action. WhenI took over, the kingdom was in turmoil. I changed the laws and brought peace to the kingdom.
Abuse from Alphas is no longer tolerated. There are laws for the packs and consequences to those who break them. For her not to know who I am means she was heavily sheltered, and it makes me wonder about her pack. It's concerning. Something I will have to investigate further one day soon.
"My name is Seraphina… My parents called me Sera."
Her whole body seems to wilt at the mention of her parents. It tells me that whatever happened to them is not a happy story.
"Seraphina is a beautiful name."
A light blush covers her cheeks at my compliment. It makes me want to shower her in compliments and see what else will make her blush. She's beautiful. I could stare at her forever, but there are things I need to know in order to protect her. She's obviously running from something and is afraid. It's intolerable that my mate is so scared.
"Can you tell me how you ended up in this cave?" I ask gently.
She sighs, sadness overtaking her features. Her whole body seems to deflate in front of me. I want to pull her into my arms and let her know that all her worries are mine and that she'll never be alone.
"My parents were killed by feral Alphas yesterday while I was out for a run. My mother always told me if anything happened to climb the wall and run east. That I would be safe if I ran east."
"You were on a run alone?" Saint asks incredulously. "An Omega by herself?"
She narrows her eyes at him, but answers calmly. "No one knows I'm an Omega. I'm not sure how you can scent me."
Her words don't make sense because of course she scents as an Omega. She is Omega. There's something she's not telling me.
"Why wouldn't we be able to scent you, sweetheart?" I ask.
She sighs again and sits across from me, wrapping her arms around her legs. She looks so tiny and alone. It breaks off a piece of my heart, and my wolf is pacing in my mind to fix it, whatever it is.
"It's complicated. My wolf is encouraging me to trust you, but I'm afraid of how you might react."
"You never have to fear me. You're my Goddess-given mate. We're fated to spend this lifetime and any future lifetimes together. Our souls are tied together forever. I'd rather end my own life than harm a hair on your beautiful head."
Her lips tip into a small smile, and her cheeks pinken with another blush.
"And him?" She points to Saint, but keeps those blue, blue eyes trained on me.
"He's oathbound to protect you to his last breath. Saint will keep your secrets safe."
Saint walks into the cave, then kneels in front of Seraphina. With a lowered head and a fist over his heart, he makes his vow…
