Alpha of Alphas - The Lycan's Impossible Mate
Chapter 2

I stare at Kane, my mouth hanging open. “The what?" I ask, just to make sure I heard him right thefirst time.

“My mate.” The massive man only needs to take one giant step to stand right in front of me, his tallframe towering over my much shorter one. He grabs my hand and brings it to his chest, holding it inplace. His touch is fire, nothing but pure lust courses through my body, only to settle between mylegs with a throbbing need. “You are human, a witch sure, but essentially a human, you can't feel itas deeply as I can, but surely you sense it?”

So that's what it is. Why I don't fear him as I should. Good. I'm not going crazy. “I do,” I whisper.“What is it?"

“The mate bond...The Goddess's gift to werewolves. You can smell it too. Here--" he leans over,grabs me by the hips, and lifts me on the counter. Gripping the back of my head, he pulls metowards him --"tell me what you smell.”

I inhale deeply; his scent combined with the sensation of our bodies touching makes me nearlyincoherent. “Honeysuckle,” I say, noticing the way Kane's eyes darken and how his breathing goesfrom deep and even to fast and erratic. I like this game. “Cinnamon--" I inhale again --"...and I'm notsure...something musky,” the smell definitely triggers some kind of pleasant memory, but I can't pinit down. “I'm not sure...something special. Something important to me. But I can't place it.”"Hm-hm,” he grunts.

Without thinking, I bury my face in his neck, desperate to replace the memory. A deep rumble vibratesin his chest, sending shivers down my spine, but I am helpless now, and can't pull myself away fromhim, not even if I use the strongest magic I know.

Kane wraps his hand around my ponytail, roughly pulling me away. His eyes burn into mine. Theworld around us closes in, stop existing. All that remains are the two of us. “It will cause you nothingbut pain,” he says in a gruff voice.

Will it? Then why do I feel so happy? Content for the first time in...ever. I raise my eyebrows at him,scooting down the counter towards. It is pure torture feeling these waves and waves of dizzypleasure surging through my body, and not acting on it. Then I remember what he is. What I am."Well, this can’t be right. A werewolf and a witch? What kind of fucked up Goddess do you have thatwill pair you with--"

"Hey!" he growls. “I don't ridicule your gods, I'll ask you to do the same.”

“You're right. I'm sorry.”

Finally, he lets me go, steps back, giving me some space to breathe in the process and turns back tothe stove. “Besides, your gods aren't much better. They must have approved our match.”

“Do you think our gods communicate with yours?” I'm not even sure I believe in the gods, but thisLycan king clearly does, and the ever-present voice in the back of my head warns me to shut the hellup about it.

He lifts and drops one shoulder. “I don’t know, I'm not a soothsayer. Your gods don't choose yourdestiny for you?”

I snort loudly. “I don't think the gods care much one way or the other what we do.”

“Take the wine to the dining room.”

Does he ever ask anyone nicely when he wants something, or does he just order everyone around? Iopen my mouth to tell him what I think of his behaviour, but my strong intuition warns me now isn'tthe time. Instead, I take the wine to the dining room as he ordered. “Glasses are in the cabinet bythe wall,” he calls from the kitchen.

This room, like everything else, is tastefully decorated with the most expensive furniture and artmoney can buy. It contrasts sharply with Aunt Mildred's pink palace next door. Her idea of fine art isa picture of a cat painted in a vampire’s blood.

The table is already set, so all I have to do is get the glasses. By the time I replace them, Kane walks in,carrying two plates. “I know it's rude,” he says, putting one plate in front of me, “but I just dished upfor you.”

“It's okay.”

"Hm," he grunts and takes his seat opposite me. “Your aunt would have given me a lecture onetiquette and manners.”

I smile. “Yeah. You liked her huh?"

Kane picks up his utensils and viciously starts cutting into his chicken fillet. “I did. Very much. Shewas my friend.”

I ache to touch him, want to comfort him, kiss him until the sadness leaves his eyes. Appalled by mydesires, I grab my utensils and, like Kane, attack the chicken. I hate these feelings, but welcomethem at the same time. I've never had them before. Not that I'm an angel, chastity isn't exactlyencouraged in our coven, but I never wanted nor needed, men for anything more than sex — andeven those occasions are rare. “How did she die?” I ask, trying to divert my thoughts.

The wolf looks up, the surprise clear on his face. “No one told you?”

I shake my head. “Once you're banished from the coven, you're forgotten. You stop existing in theireyes. I didn't even know she died until a few days ago.”

"Damned witches,” he mumbles under his breath. “I don't know what happened. Why it happened. Ifound her...she was murdered for sure, stabbed several times--"

"By a werewolf?” I interrupt.

Gazing at me, he folds his long fingers under his chin, resting his elbows on the table. His eyes flasha warning. “No, Willow, a werewolf wouldn't bother with a knife. She was murdered by a human.”“You know this for sure?”

“Yes. Your aunt had been dead for several hours when I found her, but his scent was all over theplace.”

“A witch?”

“Wouldn't a witch just use magic?”

“Not necessarily. If they want to cover their trail, they'll use...conventional methods.”

"Who would know...if a witch used that kind of magic?”

“The council...a spell as powerful and dark as a killing spell will register with the spell trackers.” Whyam I giving all our secrets away to this man? This wolf? It's like I have no control over the wordscoming out of my mouth.

“They'd investigate immediately. We need special permission to use that kind of magic. Killing spellsattract the wrong kind of attention. A witch that uses one without permission will be punishedseverely.”

He nods, his eyes thoughtful. “How did you replace out she died?”

“I have the power of projection. A few weeks ago, I came here. I had a vision," I shudder at thememory, "I wanted to make sure she was okay...I looked everywhere--" tears flood my eyes, andgrabbing a napkin I quickly wipe them away --“in the end, I started searching the internet...I foundher obituary.”

"Yes, I wrote it. I had some hope that her family would show up to claim her body.”

“I'm the only family she had. She died alone.”

Kane leans over, resting his fingers on the top of my hand. “I'm sorry. Her penthouse is yours if youwant it, and I found her will. Everything she owned is yours now.”

I expected as much. I have no idea how Aunt Mildred supported herself after the coven ejected her,and she never told me. “I didn't know the penthouse belonged to her?”

“It didn't, but she asked me to give it to you in case something happened to her...she said you'dneed it. I think she knew she'd die soon.”

“How did she pay for it?"

“She earned it...in return for her services.”

She worked for werewolves? That must have been so humiliating. Like so many times before, I feelthe deep revulsion for my father pulse like an infected boil inside my chest. He forced her into thislife. “She must have hated it,” I whisper aloud, more to myself than the werewolf, but he hears everyword. Damn werewolf senses.

"She offered, Willow. She was happy here, and we liked her...loved her even.” Blushing I stare intohis light blue eyes. Gods, he's hot. I wonder what it would be like to bring him to my bed. Hegroans, closes his eyes, and squeezes the orbs with his thumb and forefinger. “Please don't look atme like that.”

“Like what?"

"Hmm," he growls, “like you want to have your way with me.”

I have no idea what comes over me. I'm not usually sexually forward with unknown men, let alone awerewolf, but I throw all caution to the wind. “So what if I do...try to have my way with you? Will youstop me?”

He shakes his head, opens his eyes, and stares at me like he can't believe I exist. All the darkness ofhis lust and desires swim in those bright, intelligent orbs. He grabs the edge of the table, hisknuckles turning white with the strain, “I'm begging you...my wolf is not what you'd call...civilised..when you tease me like that, you're making it very difficult for me to control him.”

I want to keep playing with him a little, but the poor man looks like he's in hell. “Okay, I'll stop,” Iagree.

"You have to understand something...the mate bond is...it's like a magnet. No matter how difficult itis, you have to resist it. It can destroy your life. I have seen good, strong Alphas piss their whole lifeaway just to make their mates happy. It's a ridiculous arrangement if you ask me.”

I didn't, but okay. “So what do we do about it?"

“I'd say we have to reject each other, but that's not an option. I don’t know what to do. I alreadyhave a mate--" he must see the confusion on my face because he quickly goes on to explain --"Ihad a fated mate before...she rejected me.” He shakes his head, takes a sip of wine. “I needed amate, a queen for our kingdom, it's expected, so I just picked a suitable she-wolf to be my mate. Wecall them chosen mates, there's no bond, but they get the job done just as well as a fated mate,without the added disadvantage of all those...irrational emotions.” He runs out of breath, andempties his glass.

“Right,” I say, more confused than before. “So why can’t you just reject me? Get it over and donewith, and we go on with our lives?”

“Because if I do... think...I'm pretty sure that it would kill me.”

"What?" I spit the word at him. “How?”

"You are my second chance mate...there won't be another--" he runs his hand through his thick hair--“I don't think you'll understand...how do I explain it? When a werewolf is rejected, it's the deepest,most profound pain... it's like a part of your soul dies, and you can feel it dying. It's very difficult forus to recover from that. A lot of wolves just wither away and die.” He stares at me, desperation in hiseyes. It's like he's willing me to understand.

“They die because they're incomplete? They literally die of a broken heart?”

He looks relieved. “Yes, exactly.”

“What happens if someone's mate dies?”

“Their mate usually dies soon after. Unless there's a second chance mate waiting for them. And yes,it is exactly what it sounds like...a second chance at happiness. That's why I didn't die...my secondchance mate, you, were waiting for me.”

“But you chose a mate.”

ess

“If you knew you had a second chance mate, why did you take another?”

“I was getting older, and my kingdom needed a queen. I was in danger of losing my throne to mybrother, and that little prick can never rule.”

I don't ask him about his brother. “So now what? Can I reject you?”

“You can, but I won't accept it. It has to be mutual.”

I narrow my eyes at him, anger bubbling in my chest. “You selfish bastard.”

“Yes,” he says nonchalantly and gets up. “You can do whatever you like, sleep with whomever youwant, live your life however you see fit, have babies, whatever, 1 don't care, but I will not mark you.”“But that means I won't be happy with anyone else, right? You are trapping me in an unfulfilled life.”He shrugs. “Happiness is overrated. Who told you that you deserve to be happy all the time?”

“You may replace this hard to believe, Kane, but I've never been happy.”

“I am sorry, Willow.”

“For what exactly? For forcing me to live this half-ass life, or because I'm unhappy?”

“Take your pick.”

Shaking my head, I get up and follow him to the kitchen. “I..we can't live like this forever though,can we? I don't know much about mate bonds or fated mates or whatever you call it, but I have afeeling...it would tear us apart if we don't accept it. You, more than me. There must be a solution.Something we can do.”

What am I doing? Why am I trying to convince him? I don't actually want to be with a werewolf, doI? But the way he makes me feel, makes me forget about the terrible thing I am...everything justfeels right with him. Like I have a chance at a life with him.

"What do you want from me?” he asks. “Do you want to be my little piece on the side? Hm?--" henarrows his eyes at me, --"do you want my mark? Be my hidden mate? Or do you want me to abjuremy mate and take you instead?”

"What? Did I say any of that? No! I mean--"

“You don't get it do you?--" he throws the plates in the sink, shattering them --"Don’t you think Iwant my mate? That I want to feel whole for the first time in thirteen years? If I thought we couldmake it work somehow, I'd mark you in a heartbeat.

“But...you are a witch. I'm a werewolf. We can never be together. Your family will not allow it; they'djust as soon see my head mounted on their wall...and mine...well, forget about my family, mysubjects will never accept you as their queen. It's an impossible match. I don’t know why in all thehells, in all the realms The Goddess would do this to me...to you.” He turns away from me, leaningon the counter, his chest heaving, head bowed.

“Kane, I--"

“You should go, Willow. You are welcome to the penthouse. I don't have a use for it. I'm not hereoften, it should be easy enough to avoid me.”

I walk up to him, raise my hand to touch his shoulder, but then think better of it. I don't know howhe'd react. His outburst scared me — not so much that I feel the need to run or fight, but enough tomake me weary. I've heard about werewolves’ quick tempers, but I've never experienced it.

Afraid, confused, and hurt, I leave him there, even though every part of me, every cell, screams atme to turn back.