Chapter 4 “I Found You”

• Matthew’s Point of View
• I had one main mission as the Alpha of the Greenery Pack: to save my people and hold our pack together as it fell apart right in front of me. It’s been years since that virus wiped out all the female wolves in our pack. Every single one, including my mom.
• I stared at my hands, the same hands that held her as she took her last breath.
• “Promise me, my dear. Rebuild the pack and save our people.” Those were my mother’s final words.
• And here I was, surrounded by the dense trees, trying to figure out how to protect my people and seek justice for my parents’ deaths and the false accusations that followed.
• “Alpha,” a voice called out, low but urgent. I didn’t need to look to know it was Simon. “Why did you go out alone? With all due respect, you could’ve just asked me to check the border of the Greenery,” he said, my Beta and childhood friend.
• I turned to face my loyal companion. The moon was high, casting a silver glow on his concerned expression.
• "The Alpha has to keep everything in check. I’m okay with handling the border by myself. What about you? Why did you decide to tag along?"
• Simon looked down for a moment before speaking. “I actually came to tell you something. The wild beasts in the western part of the forest are multiplying and getting stronger. We’ve lost some hunters. Which means…” He trailed off, but I understood the implication.
• Losing comrades means our Pack is shrinking. We’re losing members because the older ones have passed, and the younger ones are under attack. If we don’t act fast, the pack my father valued so much will fade into nothing.
• “The males need mates,” I said, tightening my jaw. “Without them, we’re doomed.”
• “True. But we have restrictions,” Simon replied, and his words weighed heavily on me.
• Years back, the Greenery Pack was part of society. But after my father was wrongfully accused, we were cut off. No wolf from the Greenery Pack could return to society. And since the virus wiped out all the female wolves, we’ve had no chance to mate outside. No females mean no future. No future means we’re headed for extinction.
• However, only one person in this Pack gets to go out, and that’s me, the Alpha.
• “I’m heading out tomorrow,” I said, slipping on my leather gloves.
• Simon’s face turned serious. He watched me put on my gloves before speaking up. “But you can’t touch women, Matthew.”
• His words made me pause. I noticed he dropped the “Alpha” and just called me by my name. He was acting more like a friend than just my Beta.
• “You can’t stand the thought of a woman’s touch. It repulses you. How could you even think about being with any female out there?” he continued. “Just let me go. I’ll handle it. I don’t care what happens after that. I can…”
• “ENOUGH,” I snapped, giving him a fierce look.
• He fell silent but kept his gaze locked on me, making it clear he was serious about putting himself on the line for our Pack.
• “YOU’LL BE KILLED,” I reminded him. “If they find you, it’s over. Do you really want to make me even more miserable by losing a friend?”
• Simon didn’t respond. Eventually, he looked away, signaling he was done trying to change my mind.
• “I can handle it. I’ll find a woman and get her pregnant, even if it makes me sick,” I ordered. “Now go back and keep an eye on things while I’m out.”
• He nodded his head and stepped backward. “This is noted, Alpha Matthew. Please be safe on your way.” With that, Simon vanished into the shadows, leaving me standing alone in the forest.
• “Touching a woman,” I said to myself. Just thinking about it made my stomach churn. But this wasn’t just about me; it was about something much larger, something that overshadowed my fears. I needed to protect my Pack and seek justice for my father’s death.
• ** **
• The next morning, I was heading out of the Greenery forest. Unlike everyone else in society, we didn’t have cars or any other means of transportation. We relied solely on our wolves to get around. Shifting into my wolf form would definitely be quicker, but the trees were closing in, and the sky was getting darker. Then, the rain started pouring down heavily, making it tough to find my way through the forest’s twists and turns.
• I figured it was best to take a quick break. There was a small cabin nearby meant for anyone keeping watch at the border, but I didn’t want to waste time there. Instead, I found some shelter under a large tree.
• I was just waiting for the rain to let up when suddenly my wolf ears perked up, and I tilted my head toward a strange rumbling sound. It wasn’t thunder; it felt like the ground was shifting. My instincts were on high alert—something was definitely off.
• I straightened up and stepped back into the rain, focusing all my senses beyond the downpour. The smell of wet earth filled the air, but there was something else mixed in—
• ‘What is that sweet scent?’
• My breath caught in my throat. I didn’t recognize it, but my wolf did.
• “Follow it,” Homer urged, his voice filled with urgency.
• Before I could stop myself, my feet were already moving, pulling me deeper into the rain-soaked woods. My heart raced, a mix of excitement and a thrill that felt almost like desire coursing through me. The scent enveloped me, drawing me in, taking over my senses. It was a blend of fire and warmth, creating an ache in my chest that I couldn’t quite put into words.
• Then I saw her.
• Beneath the gnarled roots of an old tree lay a woman, curled up as if trying to escape the storm. Her black hair clung to her pale skin, and her long lashes rested softly against her cheeks. Even in the low light, she was stunning— really beautiful.
• “She is your wolf-mate, Matthew,” Homer said.
• I stood frozen, my breath caught in my throat.
• ‘I’ve found my wolf mate. Fate has finally come through for me. The Moon Goddess hasn’t abandoned me after all.’
• With shaky hands, I reached out, taking off my gloves. My whole life, I had shied away from a woman’s touch. But now… Now, I had to know.
• I took my time walking closer and plopped down on the ground. The rain was coming down hard, but honestly, I didn’t mind at all. With my hands shaking, I reached out to her. Gradually, my fingers made contact with her cheek.
• It felt warm and intense.
• There was no sense of disgust or aversion—just this raw feeling that made me feel more alive than I ever have.
• I was blown away by this emotion and desire that had suddenly hit me, and my gaze fell on her injuries. She was covered in cuts and bruises, and just seeing them made my heart ache. But then, my eyes traveled up to her lovely neck that I longed to kiss and those red lips that looked like they could be sweeter than honey.
• ‘What a fool,’ I chuckled to myself.
• I felt like the worst guy for having these feelings when she was hurt. But can I really blame myself? This whole thing is so new to me.
• I held back my intense feelings while gently stroking her cheeks. But then…
• “Regis,” she whispered a guy's name in her sleep. A tear rolled down her face.
• All the desire, thrill, and joy I had disappeared, replaced by deep-seethed anger.
• “Regis. Don’t go. Please,” she cried.
• “Who the hell is this Regis?” I growled.