Fated To The Reluctant Alpha

Elisa paced the small living room, her thoughts racing. Cael's kiss still lingered on her lips, and she couldn't shake the feeling it stirred inside her—a feeling she wasn't ready to face. It wasn't just the kiss; it was how Cael had looked at her, calling her his with just one word: Mine.

Her parents' warnings echoed in her mind: Hide your nature, control your wolf, never get close to anyone. But those few seconds in Cael's arms, felt like heaven. She had never felt like that with anyone.

A soft whimper broke through her thoughts. Tilly sat on the bed, clutching her stuffed cat. Elisa went into the room and sat beside her, pulling her into a tight hug. "It's going to be okay, Tilly," she whispered.

"E, something's buzzing," Tilly said, her voice muffled against Elisa's chest.

Elisa froze, remembering the instructions Jason had given her. She quickly grabbed Cael's phone from the jacket on the table. The screen lit up with a name: Jason Rivers.

Elisa hesitated before answering, her heart pounding. "Hello?"

"Who is this?" Jason's voice was sharp. "Where's Cael?"

"My name is Elisa. Cael's with me. He got hurt helping us, but he's alive," Elisa said, glancing at the couch where Cael lay unconscious.

Jason's tone softened. "Is he safe? Where are you?"

Elisa gave him the address, her voice steady despite the panic bubbling inside.

"That's about thirty minutes from here. Stay there. I'll be there soon," Jason said before hanging up.

Tilly wandered into the living room, her big eyes fixed on Cael. "He's so big and strong. He'll break the couch," she whispered.

Elisa smiled despite the tension in the room. Cael did look too big for the small couch. His gunshot wound was healing quickly, the scab already fading. Occasionally, Cael muttered in his sleep, his face tense, as if he was still fighting even in his dreams.

Tilly climbed onto the table next to Cael and gently brushed his frowning brow. Elisa tensed but relaxed when Cael's face softened under her touch.

"Tilly, let him rest," Elisa said gently.

"But he's not scary," Tilly insisted. "He's nice. He helped us."

Tilly's trust in Cael was strange. After everything they had been through, she rarely warmed up to strangers.

Elisa tried to redirect her attention. "How about we tidy up a bit and make some noodles while we wait?"

They cleaned the small apartment and themselves then Elisa took her potion. She has been taking it since she could remember, every 12 hours, and she was 20mins late today. Till she doesn't actually know what it does only that her parents never failed to give her and they said it will protect her from a deadly illness. See, Elisa has always been kept away from anything werewolf related, yes she knows her parents were wolves but she was wolf less.

 Afterwards they ate in silence, the weight of their situation heavy on the air. Tilly picked at her food, her hands trembling. Elisa tried to smile but couldn't. "We'll be okay, Tilly," she said, her voice a little shaky.

A loud knock at the door made Elisa jump. She walked cautiously to the door and peeked through the peephole. A tall man with piercing gray eyes stood outside.

"It's Jason," the man said.

Elisa opened the door slightly. "Jason?"

Jason nodded and stepped inside, his eyes scanning the room. "Where's Cael?"

Elisa pointed to the couch. "He was shot."

Jason's jaw tightened. "We need to move. Some men were asking questions a block from here. It's not safe."

"But Cael—" Elisa began, but she was interrupted.

"I'm fine," Cael's rough voice cut in.

Elisa turned to see Cael sitting up, wincing slightly. "You shouldn't be moving," Elisa protested.

"I've rested enough," Cael said firmly. "Jason's right. We need to leave."

Jason's voice softened. "I know it's a lot to take in, but we don't have time to argue."

Elisa hesitated, glancing at Tilly. The thought of uprooting her again made her stomach churn, but she nodded. Grabbing a small bag, she packed a few essentials.

Jason helped Cael into a sleek, heavily tinted SUV parked outside. The cool night air chilled her skin as she followed them.

The drive was silent, broken only by the sound of tires against the pavement. Eli's eyes darted to every shadow, every passing car, and her nerves on edge. Tilly clung to her, her stuffed cat pressed tightly to her chest.

Jason broke the silence. "Calm down, they won't be looking for this car" he said as he looked at her through the rearview mirror, his tone calming. "You are safe now besides if anything happens, this car is bulletproof."

Eli's cheeks flushed as she looked around the car, "what kind of people rode around in bulletproof cars?" He thought to herself but said nothing.

He looked up at the rearview mirror in time to see Cael looking at him with an odd look on his face. As he opened his mouth to ask what the matter was he looked away quickly and started staring ahead his face a blank and closed off.

Eli turned and stared out the window, the city lights blurring as they sped past. Was he thinking about what happened between them before he passed out? She was too tired and confused to try to figure out anything right now.

Elisa flushed as she looked around, stunned by the car's luxury. She caught Cael's intense gaze in the rearview mirror but quickly looked away.

They arrived at a five-star hotel. Jason led them to a penthouse, brushing past the staff who tried to assist them. Inside, he pointed to a door. "You and Tilly take that bedroom. Rest. we'll talk in the morning."

Elisa nodded and settled Tilly into bed, tucking her in with her stuffed cat. "Try to sleep, sweetheart," Elisa whispered.

"Will the bad men find us here?" Tilly asked softly.

Elisa kissed her forehead. "No. The strong men outside won't let them hurt us."

Once Tilly drifted off, Elisa slumped onto a sofa by the window, staring out at the city lights. Her mind was a mess of questions: Who were those men? What would have happened if Cael hadn't come?

She didn't realize when she drifted off to sleep, restless and troubled.

Across the room, Jason leaned against the counter, his arms crossed as he watched Cael lower himself into a chair.

"How did going out for a drink turn into this?" Jason asked with a smirk.

Cael waved him off. "I will tell you everything later. Right now, we need to know our next move."

Jason's phone buzzed. He answered quickly, his expression darkening. "Repeat that."

Cael's eyes narrowed. "What did they say?"

Jason hesitated. "The team found the warehouse where your phone was last tracked. It wasn't abandoned. People were there, and they caught the scent of another Alpha."

The room went cold.

"An Alpha?" Cael asked his voice sharp and low.

Jason nodded grimly. "They're watching the warehouse now."

Cael grabbed Jason's phone, his tone firm. "Stay hidden. Find out everything—that they are, what they want, and why there's another Alpha. Report back immediately."

Ending the call, Cael turned to Jason. "Elisa and Tilly need to come back with us to the pack. It's the only way to keep them safe until we figure out what's going on."