The Wolf Who Saved Me

The engine’s sound died as gravel crunched beneath Yannis’ boots when he stepped off his motorcycle. He instantly noticed the heavy silence enveloping the Gray Pack’s territory, broken only by the rustle of the wind through pine trees.

The Gray Pack had always been a second home to him, it’s where he could let his guard down, especially his funny moments with Reule. Yannis’ gaze swept over the dense forest that circled the territory. As a warlock, his senses could easily pick up the subtle change of the place’s atmosphere. He had been here, maybe five years ago. And as far as he could remember, it should not be this quiet.

Yannis adjusted the strap of his black leather jacket and made his way to the big gate. He smirked because he could feel sharp eyes watching him from the shadows. The Gray Pack was known for its wariness toward outsiders, as they were very protective of what was theirs. They couldn’t help it as they were one of the smallest packs, but because of their Alpha and their unity, they were among the strongest. But damn! Have they forgotten who I am? Or was this sort of a prank?

A tall, broad-shouldered man with graying hair and a scar tracing his left eye appeared suddenly at the gate. His posture was rigid, his expression unreadable as he opened the gate to meet Yannis. This must be Mikhail, one of the warriors. He recognized him because of the small scar on his face.

“Yannis,” Mikhail greeted with a deep voice but without extending his hand to welcome Yannis. His amber eyes assessed Yannis from head to toe without blinking. Then, he added, “I don’t think Alpha Reule was expecting a visit from the Black Pack.”

Yannis only smiled despite feeling that Mikhail wanted to shoo him away. It was rude and disrespectful. But he didn’t mention to Reule the exact date of his visit. The last conversation they had, he knew Reule was having a problem. And besides, Yannis wanted his arrival to be a surprise.

“Alpha Reule knew I would visit him one of these days, and I wanted to surprise him,” Yannis reasoned.

Before Mikhail could respond, Reule mind link Mikhail. Reule could hear Yannis’s voice even from the living room. He ordered Mikhail to let Yannis in and take him to the living room.

“My apologies, Yannis. I didn’t mean to be rude. Alpha Reule is stressed these days due to a problem. We have someone missing. But follow me, I will take you to Alpha Reule,” Mikhail said.

Yannis’ eyebrow raised out of curiosity. He never expected that the problem Reule was facing was this serious. How could someone of their own go missing? Not one of the pack members would just decide to leave the pack. This was one of the things he was sure of. Yannis had a lot of questions but decided it was best to ask Reule.

“Reule,” Yannis greeted, clasping his friend’s arm.

Reule smiled at him, but Yannis could tell that it was forced. Who went missing? He couldn’t ask. It must have been someone important that Reule looked like he hadn’t slept or taken a shower in days.

“You look like hell. What shit had happened here?”

Reule let out a low chuckle, but it lacked its usual warmth. He knew he couldn’t hide from Yannis. He could see through him – one of the several capabilities of a warlock.

“Well… You’re not wrong. Things have… escalated since we last spoke.” Reule replied, but his thoughts about Wren’s safety and health condition were bothering him.

Yannis’ eyes furrowed. He felt a little alarm, thinking of the ways this pack could be destroyed. But he didn’t ask why. He just let Reule ushered him to sit at the nearby sofa. Then, Reule started telling him his problems, about Wren and why she ended with him.

“She sounded more than a friend. Is she your mate?” Yannis teased.

Reule face turned red, but he fought the feeling. He decided that he would tell Yannis about Wren and what she meant to Reule.

Suddenly, Lila barged in without knocking. She wanted to talk to Reule. But her steps were halted. Yannis’ eyes were on her. She had interrupted a conversation that he didn’t mean.

Yannis didn’t know how he knew, but the moment his eyes landed on her, he felt a jolt of recognition so intense it nearly knocked the breath out of him. She was tall and beautiful, her dark hair cascading down her back in loose waves. He could sense the magic radiating off her, wild and untamed, like a storm waiting to break.

Lila was shocked to find Reule talking to someone she don’t recognize. Yannis’ pulse thundered as his gaze locked on her. And the moment their gazes locked, Yannis felt the ground shift beneath him. He knew right away that he found her. The main reason why he had to come here was because he was meant to meet her.

Mate.

The word echoed through his mind, sharp and clear. Yannis’ magic flared in response, pulsing through his veins like fire. He had heard stories of the mate bond. He had even seen it happen to others, but nothing could have prepared him for this.

Lila’s eyes widened as she stared at him, her expression was of shock and confusion. She felt it too-he could see it in the way her breath hitched, the way her hands trembled. But there was something else in her gaze as well. Fear.

Yannis’ heart pounded as he stood and extended his arms to Lila. Every instinct screamed at him to claim her, to close the distance between them. But he held himself back, sensing the disbelief radiating on Lila’s face.

Lila shook her head slightly as if trying to make sense of what she was feeling.

“No,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “This… this can’t be right.”

Yannis clenched his fists, fighting against the overwhelming urge to reach out to her. He could feel the mate bond pulling at him, demanding acknowledgment, but he knew he couldn’t force it. Not when she was so clearly conflicted.

“I don’t know what this is,” Lila said, her voice trembling. “But I can’t-”

Then, Lila turned and rushed to go outside.