Ysabel’s POV

The storm outside raged on. The wind whipped against the cabin walls, sending a flurry of rain against the windows. I was in the middle of preparing a cup of tea, trying to shake off the remnants of the terrible meeting earlier that evening. The storm seemed to match my mood—angry, unsettled, but inevitable.

Suddenly, a loud bang echoed from the front of the house, making me jump. Startled, I rushed toward the window, my heart pounding in my chest. The shutters on one side had blown open, letting in the rain. I quickly reached out to close it but froze when I noticed something—or rather, someone—on my front porch.

Through the storm’s chaos, I saw a figure, barely moving, lying in a heap on the wooden steps. My mind raced with disbelief. No one ever came here. I lived alone at the edge of the forest for a reason. No one was supposed to be on that trail, especially not in the middle of the night, during a storm like this.

Fear gripped me for a brief second, but it quickly morphed into concern. The person on my porch was hurt badly. I could see the outline of his body, soaked from the rain, his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. He needed help.

I grabbed my coat, threw it on, and rushed out the door, bracing myself against the wind and rain. The moment I got closer, I could see the extent of his injuries. His clothes were soaked with blood. And his breathing was faint, labored.

“Hey! Are you okay?” I knelt beside him, gently shaking his shoulder, but he didn’t respond.

He was barely alive.

Without thinking twice, I hooked my arms under his and dragged him inside. It wasn’t easy since he was heavy. And the rain had made everything slick. I was gasping for breath by the time I laid him down on my couch. His clothes soaked my cushions. But I didn’t care.

I rushed to my first-aid kit and quickly began tending to his wounds. The gashes across his body were deep, like he had been mauled by something. I couldn’t imagine what had happened to him out there in the storm. He groaned as I pressed a cloth to his side. Then his eyes fluttered open.

“Who did this to you?” I asked, not expecting an answer, but to my surprise, he managed to whisper something.

“I’m Sebastian… Gregory.”

The name sent a chill down my spine. I’d heard that name before, though I couldn’t place where. I hesitated, the cloth still pressed against his wound. Sebastian Gregory… It echoed in my mind, but no matter how hard I tried to remember, the connection was lost in the fog of my thoughts.

He passed out again. I let out a shaky breath. I finished cleaning his wounds. My hands moved mechanically as my mind raced. I should call for help. I should take him to the hospital. But before I could reach for the phone, his voice, weak and hoarse, cut through the silence.

“Don’t… please,” he rasped, eyes barely open. “Whoever attacked me… They’ll find me again. They’ll finish the job.”

I froze as I was hovering over the phone. His words made me pause. Something about his voice, the fear in it, made me believe him.

Against my better judgement, I pulled my hand back from the phone and returned to his side. The idea of sending him out there, vulnerable and half-dead, seemed impossible. My instincts told me to help, even if something about this situation felt off.

Days passed, and I nursed him back to health. His wounds began to heal under my care. And despite the strangeness of it all, I found myself drawn to him. Sebastian was reserved, yet there was a certain charm in his quiet strength. The man, with his piercing gaze and commanding presence, slowly started infiltrating my once peaceful, solitary life. I could feel myself being pulled into his orbit, unable to resist.

He refused to leave, claiming it was too dangerous. And I, against my own sense of reason, let him stay. His presence filled the quiet of my cabin. And soon, I found myself looking forward to our conversations, to the way he watched me when he thought I wasn’t looking. There was something magnetic about him, something I couldn’t quite explain.

I didn’t know who he really was, not until one afternoon when Emma, one of my only friends, dropped by for a surprise visit. Her reaction when she saw Sebastian told me everything I needed to know. Her eyes widened in shock. And her mouth dropped open as she whispered, "Sebastian Gregory? The Alpha?"

My heart sank. All the stories I’d heard rushed back to me. Stories about the world’s strongest Alpha, the one with a dangerous reputation.

Summer’s POV

The phone buzzed in my hand. And the moment I answered, my worst fears were confirmed. The man I had hired to follow Sebastian told me what I already suspected. He was with another woman. Rage surged through me. And I could barely hear the man’s words over the sound of my pulse pounding in my ears.

“Are you sure it’s her?” I asked sharply as I gripped the phone tightly.

“Yes, Miss Summer,” the voice replied. “He’s been staying at her house for days now.”

I ended the call without another word, throwing the phone across the room in a fit of anger.

How could he do this to me?

After everything, he was still chasing her.

Ysabel.

The name made my blood boil.

I had been loyal and patient even when I knew I was just a placeholder. But this… this was different. This time, he’d gone too far.

My father walked in just as I let out a frustrated scream. He rushed to my side immediately. “What’s wrong, Summer?” he asked. His brows furrowed with concern. I barely registered the look on his face, too consumed by my own fury.

“It’s Sebastian,” I spat, pacing the room. “He’s with her. That stupid, lowborn girl.”

My father tried to console me, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Summer, calm down. We can figure this out.”

But his words only stoked the fire in me. “No, Dad. I’m not calming down. You have to help me. You WILL help me.”

He hesitated. I saw the worry flash in his eyes. My father was a powerful and influential man. But even he knew better than to meddle in Sebastian’s affairs. Yet, I was his only daughter. And he’d always given me everything I asked for.

I stepped closer. “Promise me, Dad. Promise me you’ll support whatever I plan next. No matter what.”

He sighed, looking conflicted. But as always, he was blinded by his love for me. “I promise, Summer,” he replied softly. “I’ll do whatever you need.”

That was enough for now. I smiled, though I could see the unease on his face. He might not want to get involved in Sebastian’s business, but he wouldn’t deny me. I would make sure of that.

**

Ysabel’s POV

I finally mustered the courage to ask Sebastian the question that had been bothering me for days.

“Sebastian, please,” I begged him, trying to meet his eyes. “I need to know the truth. What’s really going on?”

He looked at me for a moment. I couldn’t read what he was thinking. The tension between us had been thick since the day he arrived. And though I had nursed him back to health, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to his story than he let on. I valued my peace. And the last thing I wanted was to be dragged into another wolf’s problems.

He sighed and finally spoke. “You deserve the truth, Ysabel. I’ve been searching for you for years. You’re my true mate.”

The words hung in the air. And I felt a strange pull in my chest. It was as if something deep inside me clicked into place. But before I could process it, Sebastian stepped closer. And I could feel how intense his gaze was.

“I knew it the moment I saw you again,” he continued. “You were always meant to be mine.”

Then, without warning, he kissed me. The moment our lips met, it felt like the world shifted. A warmth spread through me, so intense and all-consuming that I could hardly breathe. I didn’t understand what was happening. But I knew one thing for sure. I felt a deep, undeniable connection to him, something beyond anything I’d ever experienced.

Before things could go any further, a loud banging on the door shattered the moment. Startled, I pulled away. My heart raced. Sebastian’s jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed.

Word had apparently spread about Sebastian’s presence when a group of wolves from my pack had come to test his reputation as the strongest Alpha. I tried to reason with them, to stop the madness before it escalated.

“Please, don’t do this,” I pleaded, stepping in front of Sebastian. “He doesn’t need to prove anything.”

One of the men sneered at me. “Your opinions don’t matter, Ysabel. You’re nothing in this pack.”

The words stung. But before I could respond, Sebastian stepped forward. His voice thundered in the room. “If I win this duel, no one will ever disrespect Ysabel again. Do you understand?”

The challenge was set. I stood there as Sebastian faced them. He didn’t hesitate. And within minutes, he had defeated them all, leaving no room for doubt.

When it was over, I couldn’t help but feel something changed within me. He had stood up for me, fought for my honor in a way no one ever had. I swore to myself that if Sebastian made another move, I wouldn’t resist. I would be more than willing to accept what was meant to be.

The days that followed were like a dream I never wanted to wake from. My small, isolated home became a sanctuary for Sebastian and me, a place where time seemed to slow down. We spent every moment together. And he showed me a side of life I hadn’t known existed. Our connection deepened in ways I could never have imagined. The walls of my home became silent witnesses to our passion. And I felt alive in a way I never had before. Sebastian made me feel like a woman—desired, cherished, and wanted.

Each kiss, each touch, pulled me further into his world. And I was lost in it. He opened doors to pleasures I had never experienced. And I couldn’t help but fall deeper into him. I was on a high, completely enamored with this man who had walked into my life and turned everything upside down.

Meanwhile, I knew nothing of the outside world. Someone had been trying to reach Sebastian for days, but he had turned off his phone. I didn’t question it. I was too blinded by the feelings that consumed me.

One night, after a quiet dinner together, Sebastian proposed something that sent my heart racing. “Come back with me to my pack, Ysabel,” he said, almost commanding. “Let’s make this official.”

The idea thrilled me. I was so smitten by him, so wrapped up in the romance of it all, that I couldn’t say no. The thought of being his mate, of stepping into his world, felt like a dream. Without hesitation, I agreed. I had no idea what awaited me there.

When we arrived at his pack, I was overwhelmed by the warm welcome. The pack members seemed to adore Sebastian. And I was greeted with smiles and admiration. It felt like a fairytale. And I thought that nothing could spoil this perfect moment.

At the welcome party, I noticed Sebastian slipping away. Curious, I wandered through the house, trying to find him. It was then that I stumbled upon something I wasn’t meant to see. Hidden away in his office, I overheard a conversation that sent a chill down my spine.

A lady wolf was there, begging. “Sebastian, please. I’ll do anything. We don’t have to end this. I’ll even share you with her if that’s what you want.”

I froze. My heart immediately sank.

How could this be happening?

How could he let her say these things after everything we had shared?

Before I could process it, Sebastian dismissed her coldly. “This is over, Summer. Don’t make a fool of yourself.”

I stepped back into the shadows as he came out. When I confronted him, he explained the situation, but I could feel there were important details he was leaving out. He was too smooth, too practiced.

Still, I wanted to trust him. My heart ached because of what I had just heard. But he was my mate. And I couldn’t imagine my life without him now.

For the first time, I entered his office, feeling a little out of place. I tried to distract myself from the tension of the night by looking around. That’s when something caught my eye. A large board hung on the wall. And on it, I saw something strange. A symbol. My heart stopped. It was the same insignia as the birthmark on my back.

How was this possible?

I moved closer, studying the board. It wasn’t just a random symbol. It seemed like the entire board was dedicated to it. My mind raced with questions.

Why would Sebastian have something like this pinned in his office?

What did it mean?

Curiosity burned in me. I couldn’t let this go. The next day, while Sebastian was busy, I found a library in the house. I spent hours poring over books, searching for anything that might explain the connection between my birthmark and the insignia on the board.

The more I searched, the deeper I fell into confusion. Something wasn’t right. And I was determined to uncover the truth no matter what it took.