Alpha King Reagan was in his chambers when Amoux, his Beta, entered with a pretty brunette.

Reagan looked her over.

She was petite, with a full set of lips that he found attractive in a girl. She also had the graceful aura of a lady.

But she was frightened.

She kept her head lowered, barely looking at him.

Reagan immediately suspected she was a virgin.

He mind-linked Amoux while putting on his robe.

‘Are you sure she's not a virgin?’

Amoux glanced at the girl.

‘She's not. I made sure.’

Reagan looked at him.

‘You did?’

‘Yes. You know I never bring you virgins.’

Reagan turned his attention back to the brunette.

‘If you say so.’

But Amoux still hadn't left.

Reagan raised an eyebrow.

‘Do you want to join us?’

Amoux quickly left the chambers. Reagan almost smiled. He looked at the girl again.

She knew why she was there.

He normally only slept with attractive she-wolves. But after his recent disappointment, he had barely left his chambers.

The last girl hadn't been his mate.

Again.

Instead, he had buried himself in pack matters.

It was easier that way.

Reagan had ruled Deep Water Pack since he was twenty, and being its Alpha came with responsibilities he couldn't ignore.

Deepwater was an Alpha pack.

He had other Alphas beneath him, and he couldn't afford to be soft with them. He had to be ruthless.

After all these years, that was the kind of Alpha he had become. But even with all his power, there was one thing he still hadn't been able to get.

His mate.

He had slept with hundreds of women over the past four centuries, hoping that one of them would be the woman his soul had chosen. None of them had been.

He looked at the brunette.

“Why are you here?”

The girl finally raised her head.

“To have sex with you, my Alpha.”

Reagan stared at her for a moment.

He liked her answer.

At least she hadn't added the usual nonsense.

Because I may be your mate.

Because I could become your future Luna.

Those girls were annoying.

They were more interested in the title of Luna than in actually being his mate.

Reagan gestured for the girl to come closer.

She slowly approached him.

When she was close enough, he pulled her onto his lap.

“My name is Abigail,” she said quietly.

“Abigail.”

He repeated her name.

She was still nervous.

Reagan stroked her hair.

“Calm down.”

He lifted her face toward his.

“I'm not gonna eat you up.” He paused. “Yet.”

Abigail's eyes widened.

Reagan knew the stories people told about him.

He was over 400 years old. He had ruled his pack for centuries. And with the reputation he had built, he wasn't surprised that women were afraid of him.

But Abigail was pretty.

And docile.

Reagan liked that.

He didn't want a rebellious mate.

He wanted a woman who would understand him. A woman he could actually rule beside without constantly fighting for control.

For a moment, he wished Abigail would be his mate.

He leaned closer.

Their faces were inches apart.

Reagan licked his bottom lip before pressing his lips against hers.

The softness of her lips caught him off guard.

His body reacted instantly

He kissed her again.

Maybe she was the one.

Maybe after four hundred years, his search was finally over.

But Reagan knew better than to get his hopes up.

He had thought that before.

Too many times.

So he pushed the thought away.

He would just enjoy the sex like always.

And not raise his expectations.

It was the harsh rays of the sun and Amoux’s voice in his mind that woke Reagan up the next day.

‘Is she your mate?’

Reagan groaned as the sun persisted in beaming into his eyes, and he reluctantly fluttered them open.

The next thing he heard was Amoux's voice in his head again.

‘Are you awake? Is she your mate?’

Reagan turned around slowly to the right side to check on Abigail, but he saw that her side was empty.

‘Where's she?’

Reagan mind-linked Amoux in return while he waited for the sizzling bond and desperate urge between mates to draw him to Abigail.

But there was none.

His cold heart was bare and void.

It was only the usual discomfort and depression he could feel, and he felt disappointed again.

‘She left with the maids to dress up. You haven't responded to my question. Is she your mate? Or nothing happened last night?’ Amoux asked anxiously again.

Is he dumb? Reagan thought. How could he bring a girl as hot as that and expect nothing to happen? Ah, he must think I am a stick.

‘Nothing happened. I just put the tip inside her.’ He mind-linked sarcastically before scoffing out loud.

‘Just the tip? How will you know if she’s your mate if—’

‘You are disappointing me with your low IQ, Amoux. We did it, okay? Till we were exhausted! But yeah, she’s not my mate, and I'm sure she realized that when she woke up too.’

Even though Reagan had expected that outcome, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

It would have been great if they were mates because…

That tight fold… ugh!

‘Since she's not your mate and the next full moon is near, hope you've prepared for your usual quarantine?’

‘Can you bring me a bottle of wine from the cellar? I'm too heartbroken.’ Reagan completely disregarded Amoux's question, making sure he sounded as heartbroken as he could be.

‘Heartbroken my ass. This is like the millionth girl you will be having sex with whilst in search of your mate, and you dare talk about heartbreak. You heartless sex addict.’ Amoux mindlinked, not buying his fake despair.

He was right, though.

Not about the sex addict part.

Well, that too.

But he was right about how easily Reagan accepted that the girls weren't his mate after having sex with them.

Reagan felt he couldn't do anything about it, so why should he be depressed about it?

At a point, he knew the Moon goddess was playing with his destiny for a reason.

Maybe she wanted him to die a miserable death for all his intentional and unintentional crimes.

‘I think she's done with her bath. Do you want her to come upstairs? Amoux's voice rumbled in his head again.’

‘For what again? A rematch? Give her some money. Provide her with enough notes that will last her and her family for a few decades.’ Reagan replied to Amoux before getting off the bed to pick up his robe and wrap it around his tall frame.

‘Uhmm, I think she wouldn't really like that.’

‘Why? Is that not how we've been settling them?’ Reagan sent a mind-link back to him.

‘Didn't you notice her demeanor? She's not a common she-wolf. She's the daughter of your father's former Gamma.’

‘What?!’ Reagan grimaced, warning bells flaring in his head. ‘Come up right now. You sneaky ass!’

He immediately cut off the mind link after raging in Amoux's mind.

It wasn’t up to five minutes when Reagan heard a frantic knock on his door.

He instantly knew it was Amoux because he had a weird way of knocking on the door. Like a lunatic.

“Explain why the hell you brought me one of the Elders’ daughters,” Reagan growled at him as he entered.

“My Alpha, it wasn't my fault, okay? She said she wanted to give it a try. How was I supposed to say no when I knew what we were facing and I also saw that she was your type, so…”

“So, you brought her here despite knowing who her father was?”

“She said she wouldn't tell anyone if she turns out not to be your mate. I thought it was safe. Besides, if she later happens to be your mate, you will finally have an Elder as an ally…” Amoux replied helplessly, unable to meet Reagan’s icy gaze.

Reagan was about to respond to his careless action when another knock on his chamber’s door interrupted their conversation.

“Who's there?” He snapped, clearly upset at the intrusion.

“My Alpha, it's me,” Reagan heard Dolphus' voice coming from the door.

“You can come in,” He let out but now with his normal voice.

“Amoux, you are here too?” Dolphus spoke out when he entered and saw Amoux, but quickly shut up his mouth when he saw Reagan’s expression.

“So, why are you also here early in the morning? I can't even have a perfect morning in this mansion anymore without you both barging in?” Reagan drawled as he eyed his two close friends who had been with him since they were pups.

“I didn't barge in, you said I can come in,”

“I knocked before coming inside too,” Amoux said.

“You two better shut up before I send you flying out of the window,” Reagan growled at them and they both made a zip sign over their lips.

Exasperated by their silly actions, he scoffed. “And you, why are you here?” Reagan gestured at Dolphus but he didn't answer.

“I said, why are you here?” He yelled at him, just in case he was pretending to be deaf.

“B-but you said I should shut up…”

“Yes, I did, but I asked you a question after that, dummy!” Reagan retorted, frustrated with how dumb Dolphus was playing. He knew quite well that he was doing that just to frustrate him.

“Just say why you are here,” Reagan finally let out after taking huge breaths.

If my unnatural illness doesn't kill me, I will die in these two dumb asses' hands.

“I saw the pack witch downstairs. I think she’s requesting an audience. That's why I came up,” Dolphus answered.

“The pack witch? That old hag? Why is she here?” Amoux mumbled, a frown appearing on his face.

“I don't know but she said she has something to tell Reagan, so…”

Reagan attempted to think of the reason behind the pack witch's impromptu visit but he couldn't come up with any, and looking at his two clueless aides, he knew they had no idea either.

He inhaled a deep breath before speaking to them. “Fine, you too go downstairs and make sure that she's fully settled. I will be down in a few minutes.”

“Uhm, my Alpha, I have another thing to tell you,” Dolphus let out, scratching the back of his head.

Reagan knew he was about to say something outrageous, so he raised a brow at him.

Dolphus clamped his mouth shut, forcing a smile.

“Just say whatever you want to say, we can't keep the old witch waiting,” Reagan replied impatiently.

“During my last expedition, I discovered a miracle healer. She lives in the Red Moon Pack. In case we can't find your mate, can I bring her here to treat you so she can extend your life?” Dolphus said carefully.

“Are you cursing me? Why are you talking about some healer when I'm still in search of my mate? Don’t ever mention any miraculous healer before me again. Now, go downstairs and make the old witch comfortable.” Reagan retorted with a huge frown. He couldn't believe that Dolphus knew that only his mate could cure him but he still went ahead to talk about some damn healer.

I don't want an extended life, I want my MATE!

“What about the girl?” Amoux interrupted Reagan’s thoughts.

“Just settle her and make sure she keeps her pretty

mouth shut?” Reagan replied dismissively.

“What girl?” Dolphus inquired from Amoux as they made their way out.

Reagan wasn't interested in their telltale conversation. He went into the big wooden tub that was just some distance away from his majestic bed. The tub was always filled with hot water before he woke up so the temperature was always at the level that he loved most.

After taking his bath, he dressed up and made his way downstairs to see the old witch who decided to visit his home after so many years.

Is the girl gone? Reagan mindlinked Amoux the moment he got downstairs.

Yes, she already left. Amoux replied via mind link.

Reagan turned to see the old witch sitting on one of the couches in the sitting room with an untouched glass of wine in front of her.

Reagan knew that the glass of wine was Amoux's idea, he was the alcoholic among them. And he already had a glass in his hand, drinking carelessly in the morning as if he weren't the Grand Beta of their territories.

“Alpha King,” the pack witch greeted Reagan with a bow the instant she noticed his presence.

“So why are you here?” Reagan cut to the chase after sitting on his throne.