The Alpha King's Mate novel Chapter 16

"Where do you live?" He asks.

I don't know if I should answer or not.

"Where am I?" I instead ask.

"Near Thornwell," he says, smiling.

"Thornwell. I've never heard of it before," I say.

"You'll love Thornwell. It's a beautiful village. Everyone will be so excited to meet you," he says, grinning.

"It would be nice to meet your friends, but I need to go home."

I stand and look around, trying to figure out the way home to the cave, and decide if I follow the river in the opposite direction, it washed me in, I should find my way home.

"Thank you for helping me. It was a pleasure meeting you. We might cross paths again," I say. Damon takes my hand, igniting fuzzy warm sparks throughout my whole body when his skin touches mine.

"Maia, your home is with me now," he says. "We'll visit your old home soon," he adds sincerely. I step backward, taken aback by his words.

"I can't live with you. I don't even know you," I say, taking more steps backward, away from him. He quickly and gently takes my hand and puts it on his chest.

"You feel it too," he says, and I feel his heart beating under my hand. Warm, crackling electricity consumes me, and I wonder if he refers to his heart or the bursts of tingles and sparks.

"Your heart?" I wonder.

"No, this," he says, cupping my cheek with his hand. I instantly swoon and feel lightheaded. What is this feeling

"The Moon Goddess has chosen you as my mate," he says assuredly. I freeze. Mate? Only werewolves have mates.

My heart racing, I ponder this could not be true, that Damon could not be a... werewolf!

Alpha King Damon

Maia wilts like flower petals under my touch when I put my hand on her face but stiffens when I mention the word mate.

"My kingdom has been waiting a very long time for their Luna and their Queen," I say. Her breathing is heavy, and she is starting to panic.

She is my mate. She should be just as excited as I am. I'm struggling to restrain my wolf, and here she is, reacting unexpectedly to our connection.

I tilt her head up with my hand under her chin, forcing her to look at me. Her mesmerising violet eyes stare into my wolf eyes, and I register her fear. She screams, then runs. Forest detritus, dirt, leaves, and twigs swirl around her as she runs, and I'm knocked backward by a strong gust of wind.

I am in disbelief and awe, wondering how she could do that with the wind.

"I am not your mate! I'm going home, and you won't follow me!"

Two flame balls whoosh through the air at me and grow as they get closer. I dodge one, and the other just hit my arm.

"Argh!" I run to the river and drop to my knees, awkwardly leaning into the water to cool the burn.

Good thing werewolves heal quickly.

Maia is gone: I can't see her.

"Where are you, Maia? Please don't be afraid of me," I shout, heartbroken that I might have just lost her for good.

Shifting back into my wolf, I howl in sadness.

Maia

A werewolf? I'm mated to a werewolf? I'm not a werewolf. How is this possible? Of all the werewolves, Alpha King Damon?

Running with the river, I see the forest up ahead. Thank goodness I'm almost home. It's dark, a storm is brewing, and I'm teary.

Waiting for the storm to pass, I find a small cave and sit down on its cold stone floor, thinking about Damon. I marvel at how our skin feels when touching and pressed against each other. I want to touch him, and I want him to touch me because I know it would feel different to the way the soldier touched me. I wonder if this is how husbands and wives think about each other? How much contact do married couples make? I'll have to ask Vivian when I see her.