Page 76 of Alpha's Hated Mate

He follows without question, his fingers laced through mine as we slip away from the celebration. The cool night breeze caresses my skin as we step outside, the music fading to a distant thrum behind us. Stars twinkle overhead like diamonds scattered across black velvet.

Aydan wraps his arms around me from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder as we gaze out over the moonlit campus grounds. I lean back against his chest, savoring his warmth.

“So, Soon-to-be Mrs. Vaultmore, are you happy with your little stunt?” His breath tickles my ear.

“Extremely.” I lean back against his chest. “Were you surprised?”

“Extremely.” He chuckles.

My gaze catches distant figures strolling through the gardens below. “I can’t believe how much has changed. Sometimes I wonder if it will last. What happens when we graduate and aren’t here to keep pushing for change?”

Aydan turns me to face him, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Real change doesn’t happen overnight, Saffron. It takes patience, effort, and consistency. Look how far we’ve come already. There’re already a ton of freshmen in the Scarlet Wolf Protection Society. When we graduate, there will be others to take our place.”

“I know. I guess I need to pack that same patience to survive a whole summer in Claymore with your sister.” I smirk.

Aydan’s expression softens, knowing that I’m teasing. “Nadia’s trying. I think her remorse is real.”

“I know. I’ve seen it.” And I have. Nadia’s change has unfolded gradually yet sincerely over the past few months,just like Aydan’s connection with her. She started by simply organizing research materials and flyers for the Scarlet Wolf Protection Society, then began sitting in on meetings when permitted. “The volunteer work seems to be helping her.”

Aydan nods. “That’s why the Alpha King and the academy agreed to her release. She’s shown genuine change.”

“Supervised redemption,” I muse, remembering Dean Fowler’s exact words when he announced that Nadia would be released to Aydan’s custody for the summer. “Do you think she’s ready?”

“I don’t know,” Aydan says honestly. “But I do know that keeping her locked away won’t heal anyone—not her, not the people she hurt. She needs to face what she’s done and make amends in a real way.”

“Yeah . . . I meant I need patience for her pretentious attitude, which I assume will eventually resurface.”

Aydan laughs. “Yes, Goddess help us all. I think if we can handle her as a Blood Lycan, we can handle her as an entitled brat again, right?”

“True. We can handle anything.”

I gaze into his beautiful eyes once more, losing myself in that strange, captivating mix of blue and green. There’s something almost hypnotic about them—like looking at the horizon where the ocean meets the sky. Even after everything we’ve been through, that small detail still makes my heart skip a beat. I have to remind myself to breathe sometimes when he looks at me this intensely, like I’m the only person in his world. It’s terrifying and thrilling all at once.

Aydan pulls me closer, his warmth enveloping me as our lips meet under the silver glow of the moon. His kiss is gentle at first, then deepens with a possessiveness that makes my lower half pulse. The familiar scent of rain-washed forests surrounds me.

As his fingers tangle in my hair, the world around me shifts—not in the terrifying way my visions usually arrive, but something softer, gentler. Like a dream, not a nightmare.

I find myself in a meadow bathed in sunlight. I recognize the landscape—it’s the valley behind the Vaultmore estate in Claymore.

Small wolf pups—red, white, black, brown, silver—run together in joyful abandon. Their laughter fills the air as they play with wanton abandon. No separation, no fear, no hatred.

As the wolves tumble together in the grass, the fiery red pup pauses to turn toward me. Its eyes—one blue and one green—bright with hope looks back at me, its smile filling my heart with pride and joy.

They aren’t just any pups. They’re the future.Ourfuture.

The vision fades as quickly as it came, leaving me breathless but not frightened. Not this time.

“Hey.” Aydan pulls back slightly to study my face. “You okay? You tensed up for a second.”

I blink, refocusing on those familiar mismatched eyes. “I’m perfect,” I whisper, tracing his jawline with my fingertip.

“What happened? Was it a vision?” His brows furrow with concern.

I consider telling him but decide to keep this one to myself—a precious treasure to hold close to my heart until the time is right. “Nothing bad,” I assure him. “Just . . . feeling overwhelmed with happiness.”

His expression softens as he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. “You’re a terrible liar, Saffron.”

“Not lying,” I say, pressing another kiss to his lips. “Just keeping a happy secret for now.”

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