"It was the Silver Crescent Pack," a man among the group replied. He was the oldest and acted as leader. His answer didn't need any additional explanation. Silver Crescent was notorious for its bad reputation. They were cruel, vicious, and unreasonable. It hadn't been that way from the beginning. It started about five years ago. Their leader turned evil and inflicted pain on anyone who went against him. Several good men tried to beat him, but none succeeded. He was ruthless. Just last year, a piece of news said he killed his mate. It was terrible. The Alpha's name was Walter, and everyone had been wary of him and his attacks on neighboring packs.

The allied packs had yet to make any decision on attacking them. In a way, Silver Crescent was the biggest pack in the northern territory. It would take many resources to attack it and ensure a win. Coordination between the allied packs was the biggest challenge. If they didn't act like a unified pack, they couldn't triumph over Silver Crescent.

What madness ruined that pack? It remains unanswered to this day. Only insiders knew the story. There were several theories; the latest one was that the Alpha's mate was unfaithful. That's why he killed her. It was only a theory but the most plausible out of everything from the vine.

"How did you piss off Silver Crescent? Are you from there?" the Beta asked.

Most of them shook their head in response.

"It was the girl they were after. Alice." The man sighed deeply.

The middle-aged woman threw him a dirty look. But, of course, she understood his sentiments. They probably wouldn't be haunted if Alice weren't with them.

"She has this bottle of potion to hide her scent. It ran out a few days ago, and they found us quickly." He was tempted to blame her, but the woman wouldn't let Alice go alone.

Conrad looked at his father and talked to him through the mind link. It turned out it was his mate that caused them trouble.

"Do you know why they were after her?"

"She's the one which originated from their pack. She said she escaped death and has been on the run for months. You haven't talked to the gal yet?" The same man replied. Why were they the ones answering questions about her? Wouldn't speaking with the class and getting direct answers to be more convenient?

"She hasn't told us everything she knows. She's timid, just following us around. She doesn't talk much. We only heard limited information from her." Someone else added.

"She's still young. Only nineteen. To be hunted so young . . . a few times, she offered to leave the group and go on her own. We met her a couple of months ago. That poor child," the woman defended her.

Conrad was now getting a better picture of his mate. Her situation seemed dangerous.

'We will protect her, right?' He couldn't help asking his father through the link.

'Of course. It is your fate to have her as a mate. This must be your trial. Protect her, and you will be more able to protect the pack. With her experience, she should be able to stand next to you as a Luna.'

'That's a good way of putting it. But aren't we going to endanger the pack if we keep her with us? ' Conrad replied. Those mad wolves could return with more numbers and wreak havoc. He's not feeling too good about it. They hadn't had any severe problems in the last few years. It had been peaceful, with only the occasional minor disturbances from rogues. No attacks. Today was the first in a long time.

The Alpha replied to his question. 'Then, it must be time you prove yourself. Are you saying you would turn her away to ensure the pack's safety?'

"No!" The moment his father asked that question, he replied loudly. He wouldn't do that. Never. He'd been searching for his mate for so long. Nothing would take her away from him. The Alpha's right. This had to be a trial for him. How would he keep his mate safe while also protecting the pack?

The others in the room stared at his outburst. He calmed himself quickly.

"I will let you speak with her, but I must emphasize the importance of getting as much information as possible to understand the situation better. The soonest you can. As for the others, I'll let Marco ask about their particular situation." The Alpha also gave his instructions to the others, and everyone reacted accordingly.

Conrad would check with the Beta later.

"Understood, Father." He nodded before leaving the room. The others soon followed, leaving only the Beta's team in the room.

"Let's make ourselves comfortable, shall we?" He frowned as he turned to one of his men.

"Where's the food I asked earlier?"

"The kitchen is still preparing them. It coincided with their dinner preparation," someone answered.

"What nonsense? It's only a dozen more meals. Quickly get the food and some warm drinks." Marco wasn't the type to intimidate weakened rogues. His approach was more rational than most. He's not entirely trusting of the newcomers, but his way lowers their guard. It allowed them to talk more freely, seeing he was acting approachable and friendly.

He asked them the usual. Their names, where they're from, why they have left their packs, how long have they been wandering around, what are their plans . . .? Those kinds of things. The next day, he planned to talk to them individually. They might not have been willing to talk about some things with others listening in.

As for Conrad, he dropped by the kitchen to get food for two. Afterward, he returned to his room. He breathed in relief seeing her still sleeping soundly in his bed. He had her scent etched into his mind now. He sat on the bed for quite some time, staring at her. When his stomach rumbled, he moved to the table to eat his share of the meal.

At this point, she moved, her sleep turned restless, and she was almost thrashing on the bed. Conrad went over to check on her, concerned. Her face showed an expression of worry and fear.

He reached out to touch her face. The moment his fingers touched her cheek, her eyes flew open. She gasped upon waking and stared at what was before her in confusion.

Realizing it was a man, she scrambled backward on the bed. She quickly looked around the room and eyed the door.

Conrad was reminded of a scampering rat by how she moved so quickly.

"Did I startle you? I'm sorry. My name is Conrad." Slowly, he sat on the edge of the bed, letting her accept his presence.

"Where . . . where are the others?" She grimaced as it hurt her to speak. Her throat was dry.

"They're having a chat with our Beta. Do you want some water?" Conrad ensured his movements wouldn't scare her as he went to the table to get a glass of water.

When he turned to face her again, she looked around, seemingly searching for something. She pulled the blanket off the bed and whimpered in frustration.

When their eyes met, she asked weakly, "Where are my daggers?"

She couldn't lose them. They were a gift from her mother. The only possession that she had since she ran away from her pack.

"What daggers?" His question made her heart sink lower. Did she lose them?

Seeing her defeated expression, he remembered how she almost sliced through his flesh in their earlier encounter.

"Ah, those daggers?" He searched his mind for the memory of it. She was holding them, but he didn't notice them when he carried her.

"They're probably in the woods. I'll have someone get them."

Hearing that, she calmed down a little. Only a little. She removed herself from the bed and straightened her clothes. She dashed towards the door and looked at him expectantly.

Conrad frowned. "Where are you going?"

"The woods," she answered, worry still etched.

He sighed. "For the daggers? It's dark outside, and searching for it now would be not easy. Let's wait until morning."

Her eyes moved, and she stared at a lamp in a corner. Couldn't she mean...

Alice never wanted to lose those daggers. She couldn’t lose them. She pleaded to the man with a look.

Conrad took a moment to sigh. “Why don’t you drink first?” He gave her the glass of water, and she carefully took it. She’s really thirsty. After finishing the glass, she realized there was food on the table. She stared at them almost longingly.

“I don’t think bringing a lamp would help much. Let’s wait for morning to come. Are you hungry? You should eat first.”

When he gestured for her to move towards the table, she was slightly taken aback. The food . . . she could eat them? It’s been so long since she had a proper meal. On a table. With utensils. But her daggers . . . she hesitated to move.

“I promise we’ll get your daggers back tomorrow.” His voice seemed to be pleading.

When she stared at him, he had this calming effect on her. She frowned for a few seconds before gasping again. This man . . . his scent . . . was he her mate?

Seeing the changes in her expression, Conrad could only guess what went on in her mind.

“What’s your name?” Although he already knew, he wanted to hear it from her.

She hesitated a moment before giving him her name. “Alice. My name is Alice.”

His was Conrad, right? Was he really her mate?

He moved back and gestured for her to sit by the table. As she did so, Alice frowned. She couldn’t help staring at him some more. He was doing the same as he sat on the edge of the bed.

“Eat.” With this prompt from him, she picked up the utensils and started eating everything on a loaded plate. As she chewed, she would glance at him and stare. Her desire to see him overrode the shyness she was feeling at being stared at.

“My mother told me . . . about mates,” she spoke up, and she wondered what made her do it. She didn’t normally speak to others, especially to strangers.

“So, are you feeling the mate pull?” he asked with a small smile and leaned back on the bed.

“Aren’t you?” she asked back with a hint of worry.

“I do.” There was silence after that.

Alice continued eating and finished everything in ten minutes. It was a very delicious meal.

“Thank you for the food. Everything tasted delicious.”

“Glad you liked it.”

Alice fidgeted in her seat. What was she supposed to do now? She looked around and saw a smaller door near a corner.

“Is that the bathroom?” she asked while pointing at it.

“Yes,” Conrad replied before getting up. He asked his mother to bring clothes and supplies for her. He looked through his closet and found nothing.

He turned and walked to the bathroom. He saw a pile of clothes and a small bag on the counter. He looked at her, who had been following his movements.

“My mom brought you a change of clothes and some supplies. It’s inside. You can use them.”

Alice was glad to hear that. She was relieved and moved towards it. Conrad quickly made way for her.

She frowned, thinking his actions were akin to avoiding her proximity. Her mom said mates normally stick together, especially in the beginning. Mates were intimate and loving towards one another. They couldn’t bear to be away from each other. She had no experience with being intimate with anyone except her mother. And those were only hugs and kisses.

Alice stared at him for a moment before getting inside the bathroom and closing the door. She picked up the small bag and found toiletries. She sighed in relief. From what? She was not sure. She brushed her teeth and washed her face. Seeing a mirror available, she quickly checked how she looked now. She’s probably thinner. She was a little chubby when she celebrated her eighteenth birthday. Her cheeks were plump back then.

She looked around before looking through the available clothes. They were dresses. Three of them. Sets of undergarments were also included. They were soft and made of cotton. Looking at her current state, she couldn’t help the tears falling from her eyes. She looked pitiful. Dirty, tattered clothes . . . maybe that’s why he was keeping his distance. She tried sniffing herself and knew she must’ve smelled bad. When was the last time they bathed? When was the last time they had a proper change of clothes? Clean ones? She felt overwhelmed by the sudden availability of these good things.

They made her so happy she was crying happy tears. She smiled while looking at the beautiful dresses. She quickly turned on the shower and removed the rags she was wearing. She didn’t feel bad throwing them in the waste basket. As for the dirty shoes, she set them aside under the sink. She looked for slippers but didn’t see a pair. She shrugged and decided to go barefoot. The place should be cleaner than the forest.

She spent quite some time under the warm water. She scrubbed herself clean, using the body wash and shampoo about three times. When she was satisfied, she dried herself and wore the dress she liked the most. The hem of it touched her knees. It wasn’t a tight fit, and she liked that. She’s able to breathe properly.

Conrad cleaned up while she was gone. He asked someone to bring more clothes for her.

When she got out, though, and he saw her bare feet stepping on the floor . . . he sighed. He looked through his shoe cabinet for fluffy slippers. He was sure there were a couple of pairs somewhere in there.

Alice curiously watched him as he rummaged through something in a corner. Then, she looked surprised at seeing what was in his hands. He walked over to her and bent down to set the slippers by her feet.

“Thank you.” She quickly wore them. They were soft to the touch, making her smile. Such comfort . . .

She looked at him again. He was scratching the back of his neck as he stood a few feet away from her. This made her frown again. She didn’t smell bad now, did she? And the new clothes were clean. She was disheartened by his distance, and she decidedly looked down at her feet.

“You look beautiful.” His words made her look at him. He was smiling at her, and she returned it.

“Thank you.” She looked uncomfortable as she didn’t know how to proceed.

“Aren’t you tired? Why don’t you sit down? Or do you want to sleep already?”

The prospect of sleeping . . . in his room . . . she assumed this was his room. She walked towards a chair and sat while facing him.

“Where are we? What’s this place?”

“Our pack is called Snow Mountain. One side of the territory is protected by a mountainous area. It gets covered in snow during winter.”

“Your wolf is white . . . as white as snow?” Alice couldn’t remember seeing white wolves before. He was the first she’d seen. Of course, she’d seen others earlier. He seemed the whitest, though.

“That, too.” Conrad grinned.

“You have a very nice room. You must have a rank.”

Conrad was proud of his rank, so he promptly answered, “My father is the Alpha.”

Her expression showed surprise. She wasn’t expecting him to be of the Alpha’s family. But then again . . .

“I see . . .”

Silence ensued after that. He didn’t like how she seemed unimpressed.

“Why . . . why are you distancing yourself from me?” She’s curious about this.

Conrad frowned at her question. “I thought you would feel uncomfortable. I’m giving you space and time to get used to my presence. I don’t want to startle you.”

“I see.”

His explanation satisfied her, and they stared at each other again. Conrad was finding it more and more difficult to stay put with each passing minute, maybe even seconds.

As minutes went by, Conrad watched as her expression darkened.

Alice couldn’t believe her luck. Her mate came from the family of the Alpha. But would he want her as a mate? She knew mates could be rejected. All she would bring to this pack was trouble. They might want to avoid that. She dashed her own hope. No way would they want her here. She was glad for this brief reprieve, though. It was nice to feel comfortable once in a while after so many months of discomfort.

“What’s wrong?” he finally asked, not liking how her face paled. It was rosy when she got out of the shower, and he liked seeing her with color. He could almost feel how soft her cheeks would be. The dress also looked good on her.

She gave him a sad smile, “You’re going to reject me, aren’t you?”

His heart skipped a beat at hearing her question.

“What made you think that?” His expression showed agitation. That would never happen.

“You’re avoiding me.”

He frowned at her answer. “I already told you. I don’t want to startle you. If you weren’t jumpy, I would have touched you already.”

Her eyes turned round at his admission. So, he did want to get close to her.

But . . . she didn’t want to cause them trouble. If she didn’t leave soon, those haunting her would probably attack this place. Remembering this was a pack, and maybe they had supplies? Maybe she could ask for some before she left?

“Do you . . . does your pack have potions? One that can conceal a wolf’s scent?”

Her question made him remember her situation. She was running away from her pack, a hostile pack at that.

“The borders alone can conceal your scent. They won’t be able to tell if you’re here or not.”

“But they already know I’m here. Just to be safe, I should also use potions.”

“I’ll check with the doctor tomorrow. They have a lot of potions in their storage, all kinds of them.”

This made her relieved. One problem is solved.

“You’re worried about masking your scent? How long have you been running?”

Alice knew what he was actually asking. “It’s been a few months.”

“How long have you been on your own? How did you survive?”

She didn’t want to be reminded of her nightmares but thought it would be rude not to answer his questions.

“A few months. Potions helped me a lot.”

Conrad could make out the trembling of her hands and her lips. He should stop asking these questions that reminded her of her terrifying ordeal. He should comfort her at this point.

Conrad stood up and walked near her.

“Are you afraid? Don’t be. I’ll protect you.” He kneeled in front of her so he could see her face. His hands were itching to touch her. He couldn’t move his gaze away from her eyes and her lips.

Alice heard his soft voice, and it soothed her heart. Suddenly, as if on impulse, her body moved. She was thrown into his arms, and he stumbled backward. Hearing him grunt in pain and the position they were in, she quickly apologized to him.

Her wolf purred in contentment.

“It was my wolf . . .” She weakly explained. She didn’t know how she’d get up without squashing him further. She put one hand on his shoulder so she could push herself up. Before she could do so, his hand wrapped around her waist and trapped her in his embrace. His breathing slowed down as her scent invaded his senses.

“You smell like apples.” They both said at the same time.

Their eyes widened slightly at this coincidence. Conrad moved closer to her and sniffed near her shoulder. She visibly shivered.

“What are you doing?” Despite asking, she was actually tempted to do the same. She quietly inhaled his scent. She inched closer and closer. The wonderful scent made her close her eyes. She was startled when the tip of her nose touched something. Her face heated up at realizing what she’d done. The warmth from his body enveloped her, and she didn’t want to move.

Alice yelped and grabbed his shoulder when she felt him licking her neck. It was only one stroke of his tongue, and then he was pressing kisses on it and her shoulder. She could feel some wetness on her skin. She was feeling light-headed, and her body seemed to be seeking something. She pushed herself closer to him, eventually laying her head on his other shoulder. She heard him groan. His kisses were now making noises she could hear, his lips smacking against her skin. She felt hot. ‘Is this how it feels to be so close to your mate? It feels good.’ She wanted to savor it.

Conrad was barely controlling himself. She was such a temptress. His own wolf howled inside his head. Her body, cradled in his, felt light. He needed to take this slow. She was only nineteen if what the middle-aged woman said was true. She was too young compared to his twenty-eight years.

He adjusted his position on the floor before getting up and carrying her. The movement did startle her, and she moved her head away, looking at him.

“Can I kiss you?” His muscles tightened in anticipation. This was only their first day. They didn’t know each other yet. He sat on the bed and maintained her position in his lap.

She looked lost and nervous, but she nodded her pretty head. Alice caught her breath when his hand moved up her nape and held her in place. His face slowly approached hers. When his gaze dropped to her lips, she did the same. Was she supposed to breathe? It would be difficult if she didn’t, right? It’s good that she brushed her teeth. Eventually, she closed her eyes. The first touch of his lips on hers made her feel a fluttering of wings in her stomach. Butterflies. ‘Is this the feeling they’re describing with that phrase?’ It started with just a pressing of lips together. When Alice started feeling that it seemed lacking, she gasped when she felt him licking her lips. As they parted, Conrad suckled on each lip. This made her squirm. It felt good. His lips were soft, and his breath smelled like mint, too. However, the scent of apples remained the strongest in her senses. Her hands gripped his clothes when his tongue delved inside her mouth, making her moan in helplessness. She didn’t want him to stop. It slightly felt like drowning, but she could feel his strong hand supporting her back. She noticed a throbbing sensation between her legs and didn’t know what to do with it. Something seemed to be pulling at her insides.

He explored every inch of her mouth and only tasted sweetness. Hearing her moan spurred him on, and soon, he was hard for her. He couldn’t touch her tonight, though. He wanted her to trust him first, to get close, to understand each other, to rely on him, and to love him.

Soon, she mimicked his actions, and her tongue slowly met his. Good. She was a fast learner. Alice could feel something hard and large beneath her. She was sure it wasn’t there earlier.