The Alpha’s Fated Choice (Alpha's Fated Encounter Trilogy #1)

“I was on a date,” I say, flustered. “Or something like it.”

“It wasn’t Noah, was it?” He seems certain of the fact.

I shake my head.

My friend gives me a concerned look. “What are you doing, Sophia? If you’re being courted by someone, you shouldn’t be seeing someone else. I know I sound out of line, but—” I don’t know what he sees in my expression, but his eyes suddenly widen. “Don’t tell me. Was it your fated mate inside your apartment with you?”

Drew already knows about the existence of my mate, although he’s never met him. I have no plans to introduce him to Alex, either. So, I simply nod.

“Does Noah know about this?” Drew asks, his face white. “Have you rejected Noah?”

“He…” I shove my hands in my pockets. I feel like I’m walking on a tightrope. “It wasn’t like that. He was looking after me because I got sick. He and I…” It’s my turn to struggle to come up with the right words. “I didn’t mean to call it a date. And Noah doesn’t know about him because there’s no reason for him to. Nothing has changed.”

“So, you haven’t rejected Noah, then?”

Is there disappointment I hear in Drew’s voice?

I give him a humorless smile. “Noah hasn’t mentioned anything about his plans, and my fated mate is already engaged to someone else, so there’s no chance of anything happening on that end.”

I know now that Julia isn’t actually Alex’s fiancée, but it’s better if I stick to that story.

“But then, you and he…”

I wonder if Drew knows that Alex and I slept together. From his reaction, it seems he suspects it. But he’s too polite to actually ask.

“You’re worrying too much, Drew,” I assure him. “I know what I’m doing.”

At least, this time I do.

It feels like I’ve woken up from a deep sleep. As I walk down the steps and out of my apartment building, I am filled with a grim sense of newfound determination.

I’ve always been a practical person. It was the only way to survive. And now, I have to keep being practical. Ever since Alex and I met, it’s been like some of my brain’s wires got crossed. I became more reckless, more emotionally driven. I started doubting myself more. I should never have doubted myself to begin with.

If I’m enough for myself, then that is all I need. I never should have associated my worth with how a man viewed me, no matter who he was.

There is no place for romance and love in my life. Noah is sweet and kind to me. He’s understanding. But when I’m with him, it doesn’t feel right. He’s not right for me. And he deserves somebody who loves him.

So, I’m going to stick to my original plan. Save up my money and escape. I don’t want to be the Alpha Successor’s mate, if that is what Noah intends. I don’t want to be with him. I can’t be with him. I don’t understand what he sees in me, but if I stay with him, I’m going to cause him nothing but trouble. And I don’t want to be a hindrance in his life.

I can’t help but recall how gentle and loving he is toward me and how I feel in those moments. But those feelings are fleeting, and I am not physically attracted to him. He’s a good person now. He deserves better. And that is something I’ll have to tell him. I’m not going to string him along.

As for Alex, he needs to leave Oakrest. And if he has to find the Silver Wolf in order to do so, then I will do everything I can to help him find her.

The library is a small building with an archives room in the basement, which requires special permission to access. The librarian on duty is an older man who is always napping, so I sneak in some sandwiches from the bakery.

However, no matter how much I research, I cannot find anything about the Silver Wolf. The information Alex gave me was very limited, and I got the feeling that even he didn’t know all that much. There’s no mention of the wolf anywhere I look.

The wolf in my dreams had silvery fur. I suddenly feel a pang of emotion in my chest.

Pushing aside my feelings, I try to think. If the wolf has silver fur, then maybe it’s related to the Central Alliance. The color of their fur is white.

I’m just using my gut here.

I first search the digital library and index, but while there are some books about the Central Alliance, there’s nothing about any silver wolf in them. I lean back against the chair, feeling the onslaught of a headache.

How mysterious can this Silver Wolf be?

Silver wolves are definitely not a common subspecies. Otherwise, there would be references to them. And Alex did mention their rarity. So, perhaps…