Page 5 of Fated to the Enemy Alpha

Chapter 2

Lina

The morning light seeped through the curtains, casting a soft glow in the room that felt surreal after the whirlwind of the night before. I lay tangled in the sheets, the scent of spice and musk clinging to the air. It was a scent that brought a rush of memories flooding back—his touch, the heat of his body against mine, the all-consuming need and want: my mate.

As I blinked the fog of sleep away, reality suffused the warmth of last night. I turned over to see him still asleep beside me, his powerful frame relaxed, morning light dancing across his strong features. For a moment, I reveled in the gorgeousness of the man beside me—his tousled ebony hair, the way his lips were slightly parted as they had been when he’d sunk into me, the memory of his low voice, mumming, “so soft, so perfect,” sent goosebumps over my skin. I squeezed my legs together as I remembered the feel of him. I’d never felt such rightness before, and I was almost tempted to climb on top of him again as I had done that the second time we’d done it, oh, and a bit the fourth time, too.

Heat cascaded through me at the thought of how amazing our nocturnal athletics had been, but I needed to face reality. I watched him, a potent blend of hope and dread knotting my stomach. Today was the day I had to face the future. I had to convince him to come back with me to Silvermoon. Presenting him as my fated mate to my father was the only thing that could save me from the arranged mate bond.

I went to open my mouth, wanting to wake him, and realized I didn’t know his name. Instead, I placed a hand on his shoulder, my hand traveling up his throat, cupping his strong jaw and then his cheek. He stirred slightly.

When his eyelids fluttered open, I felt a rush of warmth flood me as his deep green eyes locked with mine, that same impossible connection stirring in my chest.

“You’re even more beautiful in the daylight, mate,” he murmured, his voice raspy and deep, making my insides tighten. A smile tugged at my lips at the promise in his tone, even as my heart clenched with the weight of what loomed ahead.

With any other bed partner in the past, I’d have thought such a line was full of bullshit, but hadn’t I just been thinking the same thing, looking at him in the morning light?

But I had to get a grip. We couldn’t live in this bed as much as I wanted to.

“Last night…we didn’t really talk, but…there’s something I need to tell you,” I confessed, the words trembling, an edge of vulnerability creeping into my voice.

Tension settled over my mate’s face, and he edged up against the headboard. “Is this about why you’re staying here?” he asked, his gaze wandering to our surroundings briefly.

For a moment, I almost got distracted by the sheer amount of muscle on display as the sheet pooled around his waist. But snapping my eyes back to his face, I nodded. “I need you to come back to my pack, the Silvermoon. I need to tell my pack about…us.” My voice trailed off, filled with hope and vulnerability. I wouldn’t usually be pressing to move forward so quickly, but time really was of the essence here.

He reached for me, cupping my cheek as he must have seen that something was weighing on me. “The Silvermoon, that’s your pack?”

I nodded, my heart racing as I felt desperation clawing at my insides. “My father’s the alpha. You’re the only one who can get him to break off the mate bond he’s arranged for me in a week’s time.”

Unmistakable shock flashed across his face, and he drew back, his hand suddenly withdrawing from my cheek. That and the astonishment on his face told me he knew exactly who I was now. Everyone had heard of Lina Silvermoon. I wondered what pack he was from. We had business links with most packs along the East Coast. I wondered if we’d negotiated some deal with his pack that had gone south. We weren’t in the best financial position after all.

Or was he afraid of going against my father, an alpha? But that didn’t pair with the confidence I’d witnessed in him last night. I definitely didn’t get the impression my mate scared easily.

I could see the hesitation flickering in his deep green eyes, a storm of emotions swirling just below the surface. His jaw tightened as he seemed to wrestle with something, perhaps visions of his father’s wishes clashing with the pull he felt toward me.

“I can’t go with you,” he said, his voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of torment.

“What?” My voice came out sharper than intended, disbelief coursing through me. “What do you mean, you can’t?”

“I can’t go to your pack. If I’d known you were Hector Silvermoon’s daughter, I’d never…” he trailed off as my face fell.

I felt like I’d been sucker-punched. If he’d known who I was, he wouldn’t have slept with me, that’s what he’d been about to say.

I scrambled out of bed, searching for my clothes at the foot of the bed on the floor. Likewise, my mate shot out of bed, going for his own clothes as if he couldn’t be out of here fast enough.

Anger soon came to my rescue as I threw out, “What could the Silvermoons have done to your pack that would make you reject your mate?” I accused, turning a withering look as his brow knitted together.

“Your pack hasn’t done anything,” he said, sounding almost pained.

I laughed darkly. “Yeah, right. Then why are you looking like you just got burned?”

“Because I’m Magnus Blackthorn’s son,” he said, his scowl deepening as he did up his jeans.

My heart catapulted.

Stephen Blackthorn.

My fated mate was Stephen Blackthorn, Magnus’s son.

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