Prologue
I shot up in my bed, my long caramel-colored hair flying around me. My chest was covered in a sheen of sweat underneath my black tank top. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, letting my heart calm before throwing off the covers and exiting my bedroom. The elevator was empty as I traveled from the fifth floor down to the first. I could hear the snores from my pack members as I found the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water. The nightmares had become more frequent. I couldn't let my pack see their Alpha in a state like this.
"Alpha." My back stiffened as I heard one of my border patrol guards address me. I turned my head slightly, indicating for him to continue. "We've found an intruder on the north end of the territory. What do you want us to do with him?" I turned around completely to face the guard.
"Does he seem dangerous?" I asked him.
"He wasn't carrying any weapons but he was covered in blood and it doesn't seem to be his own." I shook my head.
"I'm asking your opinion." I folded my arms over my chest. "Do you think he is dangerous?" He shook his head.
"He looked more scared than provoked." I nodded.
"Take him to the sitting room. No shackles. I want you to stay with him while I go change. Just you. I don't want to intimidate him. I'll be there in a few minutes." I rinsed out my glass and put it in the dishwasher before going back upstairs to my bedroom. The entire fifth floor belongs to the Alpha and the Alpha's family. There are several other bedrooms for my future children as well as a small living room and an even smaller kitchen. I quickly changed into a pair of soft black leggings and a turquoise button-up shirt before French braiding my hair down my back. I checked myself over in the mirror once more before traveling back down to the first floor.
I'm walking in the door. I told the guard attending to the intruder. I felt butterflies flutter around my stomach. I shook my head to clear it before pushing the door open. They had let the intruder shower quickly and his red hair was messy as if he was running his hands through it every five seconds. He was wearing a simple black t-shirt and some grey sweatpants.
Then it happened. Time stopped and it seemed like he and I were the only ones in the room. His scent hit me and I almost stopped breathing. He smelled like happiness and it took everything in me to act like I wasn't seated directly across from my mate. His eyes widened as he took me in and realized exactly who I was to him.
"Why did my guards find you on the Northern border?" I asked him, crossing my legs in front of me.
"My pack was attacked. I was the son of the Beta there. Everyone was killed but me and a few others. I don't know what happened to them. They ran in the opposite direction." His blue eyes were so intense that I almost lost myself in them.
"Until we confirm your story, you will be staying with me with me so I can keep an eye on you." I flicked my eyes to the guard standing behind him and he nodded, letting me know he got my message. I didn't even flinch as the door shut behind him. I stood, offering my hand to the intruder. "What is your name?"
"Fane." I noticed a black tattoo creeping up the back of his neck, stopping just before his hairline. "Yours?"
"Alpha Jade of the Blood Moon pack."
