ALPHA
CHAPTER 3

- RHYS-

The first thing I noticed when I awoke was the sound of steady beeping coming from some machine next to me. The machine’s steady beeps grew more annoying by the minute. The second was the distinct chatter that came from outside of the room.

Where am I?

The last thing I could remember was hot raging flames. Screams and crying seemed to fill my head as I tried to regain some memories. I shook my head in vain. It was all too blurry as if someone put a film over my memories.

Now all I can seem to remember was her. My mate. Was it all a dream? Was I able to conjure up something that beautiful? And that kiss, was that real too? Goddess above I hope it was. Her green eyes flashed behind my eyes once more.

My head began pounding leaving a dull ache. I attempted to put a hand to my head only to realize I couldn’t move either of my arms. At my movements, a burning sensation ran across my wrists making a low hiss escape my mouth.

Silver.

After a few weak attempts to break out of the cuffs, I let out a growl and surveyed the room I was now trapped in. It was simple with pale blue walls seemed to give some life to the room. A couch laid against the wall and a bathroom door was to the right of my bed.

Looking down I could see I was in a hospital gown and my left arm had a long tube protruding out leading to an IV. Everything in me wanted the damn thing out.

Before I could attempt to get out of the cuffs, the door swung open and a woman in a lab coat walked in. There was something familiar about her but I couldn’t quite place it. The pounding in my head worsened.

“Oh.” She jumped when she noticed I was now awake. She held a clipboard against her chest and cleared her throat looking somewhat nervous. “Hello I’m Natalia, I’ve been caring for you here in the infirmary.” She greeted, her voice was soft and gentle “Can you tell me your name?”

“Where am I?” I dodged her question with my own. She was pretty, to say the least with long dark hair that held up in a ponytail and a soft round face. Her dark brown eyes were hidden underneath bangs that covered her forehead.

“You’re in the Ash Pack.” Natalia replied steadily “You stumbled onto our land earlier today malnourished and exhausted. Our Alpha had you sent here.”

“The Ash Pack?” I felt my body grow cold. The Ash Pack was located in Oregon. Across the country. My damn wolf ran me all the way across the country. What the hell is going on?

“Yes.” She confirmed before clearing her throat “So can you tell me your name?”

I was unsure about giving my full name but for some reason, I trusted this doctor even if she had me cuffed to the bed. “Rhys Carson.”

The woman nodded her head and began to write on the clipboard. My mind was racing a hundred miles an hour if it wasn’t a dream that must mean my mate....was real. Everything was real.

“Where is she?” I demand lowly.

“Who?” Natalia responds without looking up from her clipboard.

“My mate.” I all but growl out making her head snap up from her writing. I could sense the nervousness wash over her. She took a step forward once she noticed my heart bead racing on the monitor.

“Rhys, you need to calm down.” She tries to order her eyes flickering between me and the machine. My wolf was pacing in my head now, he wanted his mate and wanted her now. I felt anger surge through me.

“WHERE IS SHE!?”

I began to struggle against the burning cuffs with a roar escaping my mouth. Natalia stood watching me, a look of fear washed over her face for a moment before it was replaced with determination. The brave smaller woman used most of her weight to push my body down pinning me to the bed. Her soft voice was now hard with a twinge of annoyance.

“Calm down Rhys. If you injure yourself in any way, your mate will never forgive me. Besides, you don’t want the guards to come and take you to the dungeons. You’ve injured enough as it is.” This made me falter my movements. I couldn’t make my made upset, not before I even met her. Natalia eyed me and pulled away, pushing aside her bangs with a scowl on her face.

“Now, you’ll see your mate very soon Rhys. Just let me run some tests and make sure everything is alright. You were very weak when you got here.” She explains adjusting her lab coat.

My breathing began to even out and I leaned back against the pillows. Natalia seemed satisfied with my actions and began to examine me.

Our moment of silence was interrupted when the door was thrust opened and a sweet scent filled my nose. Mate.

“Nat are you alright?” She asked rushing into the room to look over the woman. Behind her, a taller man waltzed through the door like he didn’t have a care in the world. For some strange reason, he smiled brightly at me.

“Ad, what are you talking about? I’m fine.” Natalia questions pushing my mate away looking confused.

“We heard-” Her gaze finally landed on me and I lost my breath. She wasn’t a dream. There stood my beautiful mate. My gaze involuntary wandered up and down her body, observing and admiring. She was breathtaking.

It was like taking in a breath of fresh air. As if all the years I spent waiting for her was worth it. She was my whole life now. From just one look I knew she was mine.

She stared at me like a gaping fish unable to utter words out. The man behind her nudged her shoulder making her regain her composure. “Glad to see you’re awake. I hope you didn’t cause my sister any trouble?”

Sisters, that would explain why Natalia seemed too familiar and why I so easily trusted her. “Now can you tell me your name?” She continued.

Her voice had a slight rasp to it and it was heavenly. The wolf inside me seemed to almost purr in pleasure. What the hell? In a matter of moments, my large and dangerous wolf became an easily pleased cat.

I said nothing but merely stared at her. It seemed to be the only thing I could do. My mate and Natalia exchanged a brief look not knowing what to do.

“Rhys Carson. ” Was all I could muster out. She seemed to stare at me for a moment as if she was processing what I just said. I could see her eyes roam my body, she felt it too. The attraction. The burning need to be with each other. I really wish these cuffs weren’t on.

She seemed pleased that I responded. “I’m Adira and this is Lucas the Beta. He’s going to ask you a few questions.”

Adira.

What a beautiful name. It seemed to suit her. She was strong, that far I could tell.

I nodded my head in understanding, I was a stranger in their territory after all. I didn’t know what happened to lead me here. It was all fuzzy and the harder I tried to remember, the worse it seemed to get. Adira nodded her head over to Lucas to begin questioning me.

There was one thing I did know, I was an Alpha and something terrible happened to my pack.