Chapter 2

Alpha Brentwood had heard stories of wolves hiding their pup in the human world due to crimes they've committed in the pack. Their pups sometimes grow up not knowing what they are, and the wolf inside of them becomes dormant, unable to connect and become one with them.

He prepares to find out now if his fated mate truly didn't have a clue what she was—a wolf shifter, like him—for if she doesn't, then he clearly understands why she wouldn't recognize him as her fated mate.

He'd have to help her become one with her wolf by teaching her what she is once he finds out. Then she would know that they are destined to be together.

"I need this all with gas," Alpha Brentwood said, giving her his money.

As she took it from him and started to program the amount of gas he should dispense from pump number 7, Alpha Brentwood asked, "Are you from around here?"

Billburry was known by many wolfshifters as a human land, so his kind never bothered to stop here—that is, until his gas ran out and he had to.

If his fated mate says yes, then Alpha Brentwood will know that she truly doesn't know what she is, for she doesn't belong here. No wolves do.

"Why do you ask?" she asked instead of answering his question.

Her voice was so soft and sweet that Alpha Brentwood thought of how pleasantly she'd say his name. He wished she could hear her say his name now.

"I'm looking for an apartment around here to rent," he responded smoothly, using his deep voice that is so powerful and attractive it could make every female go weak.

And of course, he'd need a place to stay. There is no way he would leave his fated mate after finding her, especially since she seems clueless that she is a wolf shifter like him; he'd have to stay close to help her know what she is, or better—another idea came to mind. He could kidnap her and take her to his pack, where he could teach her what she is.

As Alpha Brentwood prepares to snatch her tiny body from over the counter and ride with her back to his pack—that is, of course, after he'd filled up the tank—"Yes, I'm from around here. There's a large grey building less than thirty minutes away; you can check for an apartment," she spoke.

She then began to write a number on the back of a receipt that a customer hadn't bothered to take. "This is the contact of the landlady who owns the building." She handed it to him.

Alpha Brentwood didn't need the landlady's contact anymore; he needed one thing, and that was her.

As he again prepared to knock her over the head unconscious, but not too severely to give her a headache when she got up, a buzz-cut-haired male came in and stood at his side.

"Giving out your number to men while you're at work?" The buzz-cut-haired male said to his fated mate, having a straight face.

Alpha Brentwood heard his fated mate's heart start beating quickly in the presence of this unknown male at his side. He could also now smell how extremely terrified she was of him.

At that moment, Alpha Brentwood didn't care who this man was to his fated mate—he had been waiting for her since he was 18 and had now finally found her after turning 42.

All he could think was that his fated mate felt unsafe around this unknown man, and he must play his part to protect her; that was his responsibility as her fated mate. To keep her safe.