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

Although this seems like a very convenient solution, I wouldn’t put it past the Queen to be tracking Julia.

And if anything happens to her, I don’t think we’ll come out of it unscathed. While I did just threaten Julia, I really can’t touch her. I’m afraid of the consequences my pack would suffer as a result. Now that she’s here, I have to make sure she gets back safely.

But she doesn’t have to know that. As long as I can keep her away from Sophia, everything will be fine.

*** **

Feeling restless the next morning, I decide to go for a walk. Knowing that Julia is staying at the same motel makes me anxious. I don’t fear the woman anymore, but her existence repulses me.

I’m heading to the bakery to grab a cup of coffee when I see a familiar face. Sophia is walking across the street, holding the hand of a little child. The boy’s a shifter; I can smell him from across the road. I observe them for a few moments, and I catch him looking up at Sophia. His eyes are filled with adoration. And when Sophia smiles at him, I see the love in her eyes.

She doesn’t notice me, but I am unable to stop watching them.

Seeing my fated mate with a child makes my heart throb with a sense of loss. If there were nothing standing in our way and I mated her, would she look at our children in the same way? Would she smile at me when I walk over to them, kiss me when I wrap my arms around her?

I’ve always accepted my fate, the responsibilities and burdens that come along with being Alpha. I’ve always believed that I am responsible for my pack. My father was a proud, just man who put his pack first, and I have been following in his footsteps. But now, for the first time, I resent it all. While I feel an attraction to the female cage fighter, I want my fated mate. I want Sophia by my side, not the Silver Wolf.

If I were a lesser man, I would throw away all my responsibilities and leave my pack, just to be with my woman. This desire to do so is overwhelming, but I can’t. So many lives depend on me.

However, deep inside, I know that once everything is done and the dust settles, that even if I get my pack’s revenge, I will still not be happy. I’ve suffered too much loss, too much tragedy. When I look at Sophia, there is hope for a future, for happiness. I know this woman would love me unconditionally. I know I could build a home with her. I know her presence would soften the constant pain and anger thrumming within me.

But I can’t have Sophia. I can’t be with my fated mate.

My heart tightens in my chest. She probably hates me. It would make sense. But all I can think about is her. My thoughts revolve around the way she smiles, the way her nose crinkles, the endearing suspiciousness in her eyes whenever she looks at me.

I can tell that Sophia has not had an easy life, either. The way she behaves, the recklessness she displays—it all reminds me of myself. I don’t know what she’s been through, but I wish I could ask. I wish I could make it better.

Even if the Goddess chose us for each other, though, it appears that our paths were not meant to be one.

My heart is heavy as I watch her help the little boy sit on the park bench. She unwraps something that looks like a sandwich and hands it to him.

That must be her neighbor’s kid, I muse. The one she wanted to give all that food to so he could share it with his friends on his school’s beach trip. She’s babysitting him, but she doesn’t seem to treat it like a job. He takes a bite of the sandwich and then holds it out to her. Her smile lights up her face as she leans down and carefully takes a bite out of his sandwich. The boy laughs at something she says, and his little legs kick back and forth in the air.

I’ve never seen this side of her. She’s so gentle with him, so loving. One would think that she’s related to the boy.

I sigh, my heart yearning.

Suddenly, I see Sophia’s shoulders turn stiff, and she quickly looks in my direction.

Damn it. I got caught.

To my surprise, there’s no anger in her gaze, just a dull pain that makes my wolf edgy. She turns her head away from me.

The pain in my chest intensifies. But her attitude makes sense. Of course she doesn’t want to see me. Why would she? I rejected her. She thinks I have a fiancée I never told her about. Even if Sophia despises me, the pain of rejection is still going to exist. Part of me wants to go over to her and explain everything, to apologize for why I can’t be with her, to tell her the truth. But I can’t do that due to the risk of endangering my own people. It’s not easy, but I have to refrain.

I turn around and head back toward the motel. However, at the last minute, I cross the street and head into the Dancing Bear. The owner, Elsa, is still setting up, and she glances at me. “Breakfast starts at ten.”

“You think I could have a beer?”

She gives me a long look before shrugging. “Why not?”

Grabbing a mug, she warns me. “It’s not cold.”

“That’s fine.”

She pours a beer from the tap and slides it over to me.

I sit in the corner of the room and sip the beer glumly.