Untaught

This novel contains mature themes, including: Explicit sexual content, violence and strong language, emotional manipulation and psychological tension, supernatural elements and dominant/submissive dynamics.

It is intended for mature audiences (18+) only.

Reader discretion is strongly advised.

Elsa

I glance at my watch—10:07 a.m.—just as I locate the conference room. Only three weeks into my new role, I’m still lost in this maze of hallways, and my cheeks burn at being late. Summoning courage, I knock softly, slip inside, and whisper an apology.

My manager sits between two men I’ve never met: one distinguished, salt-and-pepper-haired and sharply dressed, the other younger, also in a suit, but... oh my God.

He is ridiculously good-looking. My eyes betray me with a double take, and I have to force myself to look away before making a fool of myself. There’s an incredible scent in the room, something intoxicating, and I’m pretty sure it’s coming from him.

My manager briefly introduces me, and I mumble an apology for my lateness, still trying to avoid Mr. Perfect Face’s gaze.

“I’m sorry for being late. The training session got delayed.”

The older gentleman waves it off politely.

“No problem. Happens to the best of us.”

He then proceeds to introduce himself, but I find it difficult to concentrate as I feel another pair of eyes burning into me.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Elsa Evans, the new business analyst,” I reply politely before daring to glance at the younger man.

The moment my eyes meet his strikingly intense yellow-green gaze, a shiver runs down my spine. An inexplicable warmth coils in my stomach. Mate. What? The word echoes in my mind, foreign yet familiar, sending my thoughts into chaos. I barely register as the man leans forward slightly, his deep, velvet voice vibrating through me.

“Lucas Hayes. Branch Manager. Nice to meet you, Elsa.”

Of course, his voice has to be just as devastating as the rest of him—low, rich, and undeniably seductive. Something about the way he says my name makes chills spread across my skin. His stare is intense, almost unsettling, yet strangely magnetic. My heartbeat stumbles, and for some reason, I can’t look away. I try my best to focus on the meeting, but it’s nearly impossible with Lucas sitting across from me, exuding an overwhelming presence. The moment the discussion ends, I stand quickly, eager to escape the strange tension, but my manager is still deep in conversation with the older man. Lucas moves toward me, leaning in close. His scent—woodsy and spiced—fills my senses.

“Would you like to grab a coffee, Elsa? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the company so far.”

What? Seriously? I blink at him, momentarily stunned.

“Go ahead, Elsa,” my manager says without looking up.

“You’ll learn a lot from Lucas.”

I swallow hard and force myself to nod.

“Well... okay. Sure.”

What is wrong with me? I never get flustered this easily. Lucas smirks, guiding me toward the elevators.

“Shall we?”

I don’t trust my voice, so I simply follow him. As we wait for the elevator, I sneak a glance at him.

Tall—easily 6′6"—with broad shoulders, lean muscle, and a suit that fits way too perfectly. He looks like he stepped off a runway, but there’s something predatory about him. The way he watches me—it’s like he sees something I don’t. The elevator arrives, empty. I step in first, strangely nervous. The moment the doors slide shut, he moves. Before I can process what’s happening, Lucas pins me against the wall, one hand on my waist, the other curling around my neck. My breath hitches. My mind screams at me to protest, but my body betrays me. I want this. His mouth crashes onto mine, his tongue sliding between my lips, and for some reason, I let him. The moment our tongues meet, a current of electricity rushes through me. His hands roam, gripping me possessively, and a moan escapes my lips before I can stop it. My entire body ignites, an unfamiliar heat pooling low in my stomach. This is insane.

But then—a siren blares in my mind. Colin. Oh God. I have a boyfriend. Reality slams into me like a wrecking ball. I shove him away, ignoring the pure shock on his face, and dart out the moment the doors open.

Lucas

I watch her run, completely stunned. Pain claws at my chest. What the actual fuck?! I’ve waited twenty-eight years for this moment, only to be rejected? Clenching my fists, I struggle to control my breathing. She kissed me back. Her scent, the way her body reacted—I know she felt it too. So why the hell did she run? Grinding my teeth, I storm into the nearest restroom, desperately needing to regain my composure. My wolf is raging, demanding to claim her, to make her understand what she is to us. Mine.

But something feels off. This isn’t the typical reaction from mates. She should be as attracted to me as I am to her. Why did she distance herself? I reach for my phone and call Raph, my Beta.

“Raph, I need you to get me everything on Elsa Evans.” Raph lets out a frustrated sigh.

“Lucas, I’m in the middle of something—”

“Drop it,” I snap. “This is urgent, I need it immediately.”

There’s a pause.

“Alright. Who is she?”

“She works at the company. New hire. Business analyst.”

Raph sounds confused.

“Why are you investigating an employee?”

I pause for a moment.

“Listen, just do it, alright? I need all the information about her.”

Raph exhales sharply.

“Fine. I’ll dig into her file and see if anything stands out. But Lucas, is there something you’re not telling me?”

I rake my fingers through my hair, feeling frustrated.

“I don’t know. I just... I really don’t know. Just get it done. Quickly.”

I hang up, my jaw tight. None of this makes sense. Elsa is my mate. She should feel it. She should want me just as much as I want her. And yet… she ran. What the fuck is going on?

Once I’ve had a chance to calm down and return to my top-floor corner office, I start reviewing the events of the last few weeks. My wolf had been restless for days, weeks even, and I couldn’t understand why. Now, it all makes sense. She was new to the company, so I must have picked up her scent before I even saw her. The same way I had smelled her long before she opened the door to the meeting.

At that moment, I knew I would be meeting my mate. The delicious scent that came off of her—lilies, blueberries, and something deeper, something primal—was intoxicating. Just thinking about it sends a jolt of heat through me. I force myself to take deep breaths, but my instincts keep pushing me toward her. When she lifted those perfect hazel eyes to mine, I knew. She is mine.

It had been agony to pretend to care about the damn meeting when all I wanted to do was claim her, make her mine right then and there. But I had waited, tried to stay calm, hoping she would recognise the bond.

But she didn’t. She avoided my gaze, like she was actively resisting it. That thought alone brings panic roaring back into my chest. Is she really going to reject me?

When I asked her to grab coffee, I thought she had understood. And in the elevator she had responded—Goddess, had she responded. That kiss was proof enough. She wanted me just as much as I wanted her. I could tell by the way her scent changed, by the way her body trembled against mine.

So why did she bolt?

I rake a hand through my hair again, barely containing the frustrated growl that builds in my throat. I need to talk to her again. As soon as possible. But first, I need answers.

By 1 p.m., I finally have Raph’s file. I open it in a hurry, skimming through the pages. Then, I stop. What the hell? Grabbing my phone, I call Raph. He picks up immediately.

“What is it Lucas ?”

“What the fuck is this, Raph?” I demand. “This file says she’s human.”

There’s silence before Raph exhales sharply :

“Yes, and ?”

“I can promise you she’s not. She’s 100% a she-wolf. And…she’s my mate Raph” I finally admit.

Another pause. Then Raph exhales slowly. “Lucas… are you sure? You’ve waited a long time. Maybe—”

“Of course I’m sure.” My voice is steel. “I’m not mistaken about finding my own fucking mate. Who do you take me for?”

I growl lowly, making my dominance clear. Even through the phone, I can feel Raph’s submission to my authority.

“But this doesn’t make sense,” he mutters. “Her records are clean. No history of shifter lineage, no pack ties, nothing. She’s listed as a regular human.”

I stare at the family portrait in the file. Elsa looks just like her parents. No sign of adoption, no indication that she was raised outside of a normal human life. How the fuck is this possible?

“Talk to Sab,” I order. “Get her to call me as soon as she has something.”

I hang up without waiting for a response and start pacing my office. My wolf is restless, demanding action. Three times I pass by Elsa’s department, barely resisting the urge to drag her into my arms. This is driving me insane.

Finally, at 3 p.m., my phone rings. I answer immediately.

“Sabrina, please tell me you have something.”

“I’m not sure yet, Alpha” she replies carefully. “Let me make sure I understand this right—you are certain she’s your mate?”

I grit my teeth. Why does everyone keep asking that ?

“Yes, I’m sure. It’s like my wolf is crawling out of me every time I get near her. Her scent is driving me insane. All I’m thinking about right now is getting her to the closest bed possible, you get the picture.”

“Mmm, that sounds about right.” she says. “And you’re also sure she’s one of us?”

I pause thoughtfully.

“Well, that’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? I mean, she has the scent of a she-wolf, and her response when I kissed her was... very shifter-like. But, she appears completely oblivious to the situation. When we met, I could feel her tense just as much as I did. She’s attracted to me—I know that much. But then, she simply... walked away?”

Sabrina is silent for a beat before responding. “That is… unusual.”

“What does that mean?” I press.

“I don’t want to jump to conclusions,” she says cautiously. “I need more information first. There are… possibilities.”

I frown.

“What kind of possibilities?”

“Let me do some research before I say anything definitive,” Sabrina says smoothly. “The best way to be sure is to bring her here. Let me ask her some questions, examine her if she agrees…”

I rub a hand over my face.

“That might be a problem, considering she just ran away from me.”

Sabrina chuckles softly.

“Then you’ll have to find a way to convince her.”

I sigh, the frustration weighing heavy in my chest.

“I’ll try tonight when she leaves the office. I’ll let you know.”

I don’t know what the hell is going on, but one thing is certain, I’m not letting her walk away again.