1 Chapter 1

Pain. It's all her body could really process. Not only her physical wounds but her broken heart as well. The betrayal of the one she loved hurt far worse than when he sunk his dagger into her stomach, his smile that she loved so much was filled with greed and deception. It was like he was a different person, one she didn't know. As the rain pelts her body like shards of glass, she can feel the ground shaking. Her mind screams at her to move, to run away, but why?

Hopelessness. It's a danger when you're on death's doorstep. Her body trembles with pain and she chokes on a sob filled with blood. Why did he do this? Why couldn't she see beyond his lies? Beyond his fallacy? If she dies here and now, what would it matter? Her kingdom is already in ruins, war-torn and impoverished from the Veredans. She was headed back to restore it, with her lover by her side. Together, they were to bring life back to the kingdom she loved.

Was it greed? Was it anger? Why did he do this? Why would he hurt her like this?

Her gaze flickers with blackness and a coldness washes over her. Is this death? Her head feels light, her body numb as the rain continues to belt her broken body. Just take me already, she thinks to the higher power. There is nothing here for me now.

The Enforcers find the girl bleeding, and broken on the riverbank. A human girl no less. They look to each other, confused. What is a human girl doing out here, in Were territory? There's a lingering scent of other humans and horses, but this girl is all that remains. The Enforcers quickly shift and approach the girl.

"We have to take her in," Enforcer Niven says worriedly as he kneels in the mud beside her. Her green gaze is lifeless, but he can still feel her heartbeat as he pushes a couple of his fingers against her throat.

"Agreed." His comrade, Enforcer Len, nods. Niven doffs his cloak, wrapping it around the girl's wound and he scoops her up.

"Look," Niven looks over at Len to see him pull something out of the mud. A small sapphire pendant necklace.

"Bring that too, it could be important." Len shifts, crouching down and allowing Niven to climb onto his back. Niven does his best to wipe the mud and grime from her face as she peers at him through hooded eyes.

"You're going to be alright now, okay? Just hang in there." Just leave me, she wants to say to him. To the kind man that is trying to save her. Let me...

Die.

The ride back is short, only because Len is going as quickly as he can. Even he can feel her drifting away. Niven stares into her face as her eyes roll back into her head, tears streaking down her face. He knows this girl isn't his mate, so why does he suddenly feel like this? Like… Like she's all that he has ever needed. They skid to a stop in front of the healing mage's cabin and she comes out in a furry. Niven jumps down, careful of the injured girl in his arms.

"What happened?" Lady Willa demands as her apprentice preps the cot.

"We found her by the river," he says, laying her down, shocked by how soaked his cloak is with her blood.

"Just in time, too," Willa remarks, kneeling beside the girl and placing her hands over the girl's wound. Her eyes close and Len joins them inside, both the Enforcers watching in awe as the healing mage does her duty. That familiar pressure builds in Willa's chest, pushing down her arms and leaving her hands in a cold breeze. The girl groans and cries out in pain and Willa's jaw clenches. Niven holds himself back from going to her side, hands fisting by his side, her cry of pain making his heart ache.

"I know you're hurting, girl," Willa says through her teeth. "But you deserve to live."

"We better tell Beta Felix," Len whispers into Niven's ear. He stares at the girl, her face contorted in pain and his heart aches at the sight. What is the matter with him? "Niven."

"I heard you, I heard you." Niven hesitates, eyes glued to the girl. Len looks at his comrade, confused. He didn't say anything about the girl being his mate...

"It's alright, sir," the healing mage's young apprentice says, a reassuring smile on her face. "Lady Willa will take good care of her." Niven nods solemnly, knowing this to be true. His wolf doesn't respond to the girl, so why does his chest ache as he leaves the cabin?

"She's your mate?" Len asks and Niven shakes his head.

"No." His response is flat and hard, signifying he wasn't going to talk anymore about it. Niven and Len hurry to the main house, the alpha's sister giving them a death glare as they enter the kitchen with their muddy and soaked clothes.

"This better be for a good reason," she growls and the two quickly stop in their tracks, her hazel eyes darkening.

"Apologies, Vanessa," Len explains. "But we must speak with Beta Felix. It's very important." Vanessa rolls her eyes.

"Be my guest, but I expect you two to come back and clean this up!" Her words fall on deaf ears as they hurry to the beta's room, knocking quickly on his door. The door swings open and Beta Felix looks between his two Enforcers with confusion before his eyes scan their muddy appearance. He chuckles.

"Vanessa will have your head," but his smile falls at the worried and confused looks on his men's faces. "What's going on?"

"We found a human girl by the riverbank," Niven explains hastily before Len could explain. "She has a knife wound in her stomach and," he pulls the necklace out of his pocket. "Len found this near her body in the mud." Felix takes the necklace from him, wiping some of the mud off of the priceless gem.

"Was she talking?" Felix closes his door, leading his men out of the hallway and back out the door where Vanessa shoots them an angry gaze.

"No," Niven says. They hurry to the cabin, trying not to get soaked even further, just in time to see the mage finishing up.

"She'll be alright, boys," she says and relief washes over Niven, more than he expected. "A nasty stab, alright, but my magic does wonders."

"Did she wake at all?" Niven asks quickly a hint of worry in his voice. Felix looks at him, perplexed. Is this human his mate?

"Not exactly," Willa says, eyeing the Enforcer. "She's in a lot of pain so I had to give her a tea to get her to sleep, she was so restless."

"Will she be alright?" Willa looks at him, intrigued by his interest.

"If I didn't know any better, you act as if she's your mate," Niven's face heats up and he shakes his head.

"N-no, I just..." he trails off, embarrassed in front of his commander and comrade as his unexplainable attachment to the girl is now surfaced full force.

"I understand," Felix explains and relief washes over Niven. "Finding someone, anyone, in a condition like this is worrisome. You're a kind man, Niven." Niven nods solemnly, but he knows that isn't true. There's something else...

"You boys go get cleaned up or something, you're tracking mud in my house!" Willa exclaims, pushing Len and Niven out the door.

"Let me know if she wakes?" Felix asks the mage who rolls her eyes.

"Of course, now be gone, all of you! Your dog scent is stinking up the place and I have a patient here!" Felix chuckles as she closes the door behind them. He turns to his men.

"Get cleaned up, fed, and get some rest," Felix instructs Len and Niven. "I'll report to the alpha."

~*~

He hated it. He really, really did. He didn't want this. He didn't want this responsibility. It wasn't ever supposed to be his anyway, but fate had another thing in mind. War. It made no sense. All because a couple of people disagreed with each other. All this pain and suffering, just for that? A disagreement?

Alpha Isaac Ward sighs and rests his head on his arms on his desk. He wasn't even the one actively at war anymore, but he had to monitor it because if it came back to his territory, he needed to be ready. His members hated him for pulling out of the war shortly after his brother, the previous alpha, died while in battle. It isn't their fight anyway and he didn't want any more bloodshed from his people.

To him, it was the right thing to do. And that, he would always stand by.

There's a knock at the door and he sits up, groaning and rubbing the ache out of his neck.

"Yeah?" The door opens and his beta appears. A childhood friend and a close confidant.

"Sorry to bother you," Felix says as he enters the room, closing the door behind him.

"Nonsense," Isaac sighs, giving him a quick smile as his friend approaches.

"A couple of Enforcers found a human girl stabbed and bleeding by the river," Isaac raises an eyebrow in surprise.

"Oh? What is a human doing out this far from the kingdom?" Felix shakes his head.

"That we're not sure of. The men reported that the scent of horses and men still lingered when they arrived, but due to the rain, it was masking where the scent went. And," he pulls something out of his pocket. "They found this near her." Felix hands his alpha the necklace. Isaac stares at the sapphire pendent, perplexed.

"No common girl would have this," he says, meeting his friend's gaze. "Unless she's a thief, this would only belong to the nobility." Felix nods.

"Exactly. Her past is unknown until she wakes and then we can question her about it," Isaac lays the necklace on the desk.

"Let's hope she's only a common thief and not some lost nobleman's daughter. I don't need that kind of attention right now," Felix nods solemnly. Ever since his pack pulled out of the war nearly five years ago, the people at war have left them alone, but they are prone to pulling them back in by any means necessary.

"Let's keep this closed knit," Isaac states. "Until we can figure out who she is and where she came from, she might just be a danger to us."

"I'll let the men who found her know not to speak with anyone about this," Isaac nods, happy with that statement.

"What should we do when she wakes?" Felix asks and Isaac rubs the back of his neck in thought.

"Bring her to me."

~*~

Niven knows he shouldn't be anxious. This girl isn't his mate, then why is he so nervous? His wolf keeps telling him to just leave her alone because if she isn't his mate, then what's the point? But the way she looked at him, so lifeless and hopeless... It hurt him. And it hurt him deeply.

"Enforcer Niven," Lady Willa sighs as she exits the cabin and he stops his pacing and dips his head respectfully towards her.

"Lady Willa," she puts her hands on her hips and eyes him carefully, her wise grey eyes studying him.

"If the girl isn't your mate, why are you so invested in her?" Willa asks and Niven swallows hard.

"I... I really couldn't tell you why, Lady Willa," he says and she gives him a pointed look. "I'm just... Concerned."

"Concerned? Boy, I am the best healing mage in this province, you think I can't take care of a simple stab wound?" He quickly shakes his head.

"N-No, no, you misunderstand," her eyebrows raise again as his cheek flush. He's a handsome young thing, she thinks to herself. So concerned about the wellbeing of a girl who isn't even his mate.

"The Moon Goddess works in mysterious ways," she chides, shaking her head before walking off towards the main house. He sighs and rubs his neck. He opens the door to the cabin and her apprentice smiles at him.

"She's still sleeping, so be quiet," he nods and takes a seat by the cot, watching her sleep peacefully. Her hair, now washed thanks to the apprentice, is a light blonde with a red tint to it. Her skin is pale with a dash of freckles lining her nose. She's small and couldn't be any older than him. Niven looks at her hand and hesitantly reaches for it.

She isn't my mate, he thinks and rests his hand near hers. So why do I feel like this?

His mind is racing and his heart is beating hard in his chest as he stares at her. She's beautiful, that much he knows, but is it her beauty that's capturing his attention? Is it because he was the one to find her? Or the one to look into her eyes, so full of pain and hopelessness, and tell her to hang on? He tentatively touches her fingertips, expecting to feel the touch of a mate, but instead, all he feels is her cold fingers. His jaw clenches and he pulls his hand away. He knows better. He should just leave.

"Is she your mate, sir?" The apprentice asks softly and he sighs, shaking his head.

"No," he stands and walks back towards the door. "She isn't."

~*~

It's been about a day or so since the girl arrived and every evening, Isaac looks over his lands. And every night since, he's noticed the same Enforcer entering the healing mage's cabin after sunset.

"That Enforcer visits her often," Isaac observes as he leans against the railing on his balcony that overlooks the grounds. Felix sighs. "Are they mates?"

"No," Isaac raises a surprised eyebrow at his friend.

"Interesting," Isaac mutters before chuckling. "Is she yours?" Felix rolls his eyes.

"No to that too, Isaac," he gives his friend a knowing look. "Maybe we should go see if she's yours." Isaac scoffs and rolls his eyes.

"That Enforcer has a better chance of her being his mate than mine," he chides, and Felix shrugs.

"Won't know for sure unless you go see her," Isaac sighs and stands, stretching his arms out.

"I'll just wait for her wake up," he gives his friend a wink. "I make them all come to me anyway." Isaac laughs as Felix rolls his eyes.

"Yes, such the player you are, Isaac." Isaac snickers as he looks over his territory. The thought of finding his mate makes his wolf whine. It's always something that Weres look forward to and some even spend their entire lives looking for it. But to actually find them? For Isaac, it's an idea he hasn't given much thought to. He hasn't really had the time to, honestly.

"I'm going to go by in the morning and see how she's doing," Felix says. "You're welcome to join me if you'd like." Isaac shrugs.

"I think you're more than capable of handling her on your own," he chuckles and Felix smiles at his friend.

"Well of course, but," he turns to him. "I'm curious to see if she is your mate." Isaac raises an eyebrow at him.

"I think I can tell you right now that it's going to be no," Felix smirks.

"I bet you a week's worth of patrol reports that she is your mate," Isaac gapes at his friend. He's betting a lot on something that could be false.

"What makes you so sure she is?" Felix shrugs before he grins.

"I don't," he chuckles. "I just want to see the look on your face if she is."

"I hope you're ready to do double duty this week," Isaac says with a laugh as he rubs his hands together. It's a day later and the two leaders are making their way to Lady Willa's cabin. The sun is halfway through the morning rise, the cool morning air still crisp and refreshing. Isaac knew it would be burning later today and would rather get his rounds finished before then.

"I'll be happy to do it," Felix chuckles. Isaac rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, until you see how many patrol reports there really are," Felix waves off his statement.

"If it means your eternal happiness, I'd do it until I die," Isaac smiles at his friend. They arrive outside the cabin and a wave of hesitation washes over Isaac. It's just a girl and the likelihood of her being his mate is very low, but the mere thought of her actually being his mate?

That makes him shiver.

Felix pushes the cabin door open and they step inside. Isaac is holding his breath of anticipation of her scent and his heart pounds in his chest. What is he doing? His eyes immediately land on the girl laying on the cot and his wolf whines.

Mate.

Isaac stumbles back, gasping in a breath only to be overwhelmed by her luscious scent. Roses. Felix stares bewildered at his alpha and Lady Willa emerges from her room to see what the commotion is all about.

"Isaac?" Felix asks worriedly. Isaac trips back again, reaching for the door. Fear. It grips his heart as emotions he's never felt before crash over him in a way he cannot process. Felix, quickly understanding is what's going on, grabs his alphas arm, grounding him back to reality.

"Breathe, Isaac," Felix guides his friend to a chair, but he pushes him away. He wants his mate. He needs to be near her. Felix watches, completely stunned, as Isaac goes to the girl's side.

Isaac can't believe it. His wolf can't believe it. While Isaac might question why, why her, his wolf has already accepted the girl as his mate. His eyes rake over her face and his heart skips a beat at her beauty. Her hair is a color he had never seen before, blonde with a tint of redness to it. If only she was awake to see her eyes...

Niven sighs with exhaustion as he heads to the mage's cabin. He wasn't sure why he was still doing this, going to see her. He cared about her and he had no right to, seeing as how she isn't his mate and all. He should just go back to the barracks, but... he wants to see her. As he approaches, he can tell something is off. His beta and alpha's scent linger in the air outside the door.

Did they come to see her? Does that mean she's awake?

He doesn't hesitate to push the door open only to freeze in his tracks at the image before him. No.

His alpha's hands caress the girl's face as he kneels beside her, a look of confusion yet awe in his eyes. He doesn't even notice Niven enter. Niven feels as if his heart has stopped when the alpha suddenly leans down and his lips hover over hers.

Isaac growls softly, "mate."