I hurried to my car and sped off, desperate to put as much distance between myself and her building as possible. My hands trembled on the steering wheel, blood rushing in my ears as the realization burned through me like wildfire.
She's really mine. She's really my mate.
And fuck, I was such a fool to think I could restrain my beast from taking and devouring her right there at that moment. The beast inside me raged, clawing beneath my skin, demanding I turn around and claim what was rightfully mine.
I pulled over in a secluded area, tires screeching against the pavement. Cutting the engine, I slammed my fist against the dashboard, breathing heavily as sweat beaded on my forehead. The beast snarled and paced, furious at being denied.
"Control," I growled to myself, fingers digging into the leather of the steering wheel until it creaked in protest.
My mind replayed every excruciating detail of our encounter—how I'd struggled to keep my hands to myself, to appear human when everything in me screamed to claim her. Her bare legs had looked impossibly smooth in those sleep shorts, and that visible tattoo on her thigh... The partial glimpse of ink disappearing beneath fabric had nearly shattered my restraint. I wanted to tear those shorts from her body, to trace every line of that tattoo with my tongue, to mark that delicate skin as mine.
But I knew better. If I moved too quickly, I'd frighten her away for good.
"Slow and steady," I reminded myself, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. "She'll be mine eventually."
I was still lost in fantasies of all the ways I wanted to worship her body when my phone rang, the shrill sound cutting through my heated thoughts. My secretary's name flashed on the screen. I exhaled sharply before answering.
"What's the problem, Britney?" The words came out harsher than intended, my voice rough with the effort of containing the beast.
I could hear her breath catch on the other end of the line. Even after years of working for me, she still tensed at my stern tone. "S-sir, I wanted to inform you that the owner of Malcolm's bar finally signed the agreement form. The bar now legally belongs to you."
"Is that all?" I pressed, struggling to focus on business when all I could think about was golden eyes and sleep-tousled hair.
"Yes sir, that's all."
"Do I have anything on schedule?" I asked, forcing my brain back to the present, to responsibilities that couldn't wait just because I'd found my mate.
"No sir, just a lunch date with Caroline, your father's friend's daughter."
My jaw clenched at the mention of Caroline. The thought of sitting across from any woman who wasn't Seraphina made my skin crawl. "Cancel that date," I commanded, my voice sharp enough to cut glass.
"B-but sir, your dad said—"
"Who's your boss, me or my dad?" The beast leaked into my voice, turning it into something barely human.
She responded immediately, years of self-preservation kicking in. "Y-you sir."
"And as your boss, you obey what I say, don't you?"
"Yes sir."
"Now call Caroline and tell her that the date has been cancelled because I have some business to deal with." The business of figuring out how to court a woman who looked at me like I was the last person she wanted to see.
"Yes sir, I will."
I ended the call and leaned back in my seat, staring unseeing at the canopy of trees above my car. The tension in my muscles refused to ease, coiled tight like a spring ready to snap.
The ancestors had warned of this—how even the strongest alphas were brought to their knees when they found their mates. I'd always scoffed at the notion, believing myself above such weakness. Now here I was, barely able to function after spending mere minutes in her presence.
Her scent lingered in my nostrils despite the distance I'd put between us—vanilla with hints of coffee and something uniquely her, something that called to my most primal instincts. The more I thought about it, the stronger it seemed to grow, as if it had imprinted itself on my very soul.
I needed rest, needed to regain some semblance of control. I started the car again and headed home, suddenly aware that my condo wasn't far from hers. The proximity was both torturous and thrilling—knowing she was so close yet forcing myself to stay away.
"I think I need to move," I chuckled darkly to myself, the sound hollow in the confines of my car.
The moment I approached my door, I knew someone was inside. A familiar scent drifted through the crack beneath my door—expensive perfume masking natural musk. Caroline Sanchez. The daughter of my father's friend and sister to Alpha Leonardo of the Lunenza pack—one of my biggest enemies.
My father's persistent attempts to push us together never ceased to irritate me. He knew damn well I didn't do relationships—I fucked women and left them, simple as that. I'd avoided taking Caroline to bed precisely because I had zero interest in her, and doubted she could handle me even if I had been inclined.
The sight that greeted me when I unlocked my door sent my already foul mood plummeting further. Caroline sat on my couch, legs crossed primly, looking around my living room like she was mentally redecorating it. Like she belonged there. Like she was already my wife.
Before, I might have tolerated her presence. She wasn't a threat, just an annoyance. But now, with my mate's scent still clinging to my clothes, with the beast so close to the surface, her presence felt like a violation.
"What are you doing here, Caroline?" I demanded, not bothering to hide my displeasure. "And how did you know my house passcode?"
She startled at my tone, jumping to her feet before composing herself. She lifted her chin, a gesture meant to appear confident but only highlighting the nervous flutter of her pulse at her throat.
"What do you mean what am I doing here?" she asked, as if I were the one out of place in my own home. "You're the one who cancelled our date. I tried calling you, but you wouldn't pick up, so I called your dad. He said I could wait here. He also gave me the passcode so I—"
"Wait," I cut her off, a dangerous edge creeping into my voice. "If I understand correctly, you got the message that I cancelled the date, and you still came to my house?"
I felt my lips pull back from my teeth in what was more snarl than smile, and she paled visibly, taking an instinctive step backward.
"W-well, I—I—why—why would you cancel the date? I had already—"
"Already what?" I stepped closer, watching her shrink back from the cold fury in my expression. "I cancelled the date because I wasn't interested in going anymore. Wasn't that supposed to send a message to your skull?" My voice rose with each word. "You say you called my dad—were you going on a date with me or with my dad? Answer me, Caroline!"
She squeezed her eyes shut, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You."
I took a deep breath, reining in my temper. It wasn't entirely her fault—she was just a pawn in my father's games, like I had been before I took control of my own life.
"Now you listen to me," I said, my voice low but clear. "The only reason I went on dates with you was because my father asked me to. But he didn't force me, and I can decide to end it now—which I am definitely going to do."
She tried to step toward me, her hand reaching out before dropping back to her side when she saw my expression.
"Also," I continued, needing her to understand there was no possibility of a future between us, "I think if you like a guy, you should act like yourself around him rather than throwing yourself at him every chance you get. If he didn't know any better, he'd think you only wanted sex—which is something I can never have with you. You don't look like a woman who could take all of me."
The brutal honesty made her flinch, tears welling in her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. I felt no remorse. Better to hurt her with truth now than lead her on with lies.
Her shoulders slumped, a gasp escaping her lips as words failed her.
I pointed at the door. "Now get out, Caroline, and never assume there could be anything between us. I can't see myself with a weak woman like you. Learn to become more independent—maybe then you'll find someone who loves you better."
She gasped as the tears fell harder, grabbing her designer bag from the couch. "You'll pay for this, Lucian," she hissed, her voice thick with emotion.
I scoffed, meeting her gaze directly. "Out!" The single word carried all the authority of my position.
She stormed out, sobbing all the way. For a brief moment, I wondered if people might see her and assume I'd fucked her and tossed her aside. The thought almost made me laugh—if I had taken her to bed, she wouldn't be walking out of my condo. She'd be crawling, her skin flushed red, bearing the marks of my possession.
I locked the door behind her and immediately changed my passcode. The new combination came to me without thought: Seraphinasmine.
Where that idea came from, I couldn't say, but it felt right—as inevitable as gravity. Because believe it or not, I was going to make her mine. But I wouldn't let her make me weak like my father, whose devotion to my mother had nearly gotten her and my sister killed. Love was a luxury alphas couldn't afford, a vulnerability our enemies were all too eager to exploit.
I remained home until evening, restless energy keeping me pacing like a caged animal. Finally, I decided to visit my newest acquisition. I dressed in tailored dress pants and a black round-neck shirt that hugged my torso, showcasing the results of countless hours in the gym. I threw on a denim jacket and white sneakers, grabbed my phone and keys, and headed out with only one destination in mind: Malcolm's bar—now my bar.
As I drove through the city, the beast inside me settled somewhat, appeased by the knowledge that soon everything I touched—including Seraphina—would be mine.