3. Are you OK?
1521 Words
3. Skye’s P.O.V.
***Twenty minutes earlier***
I leaned against the cold marble pillar inside the city hall, arms crossed over my chest as I watched my oldest brother Adam sign the marriage license with Jenna, the love of his life. Koda, my other brother and Jules, his girlfriend, stood nearby, laughing and joking with the newlyweds, their excitement palpable. I tried to smile, to feel the same joy that radiated from them, but my wolf was restless, pacing back and forth in the recesses of my mind.
Something’s off, my wolf, Cooper, growled for the hundredth time that day.
You’re just being paranoid, I replied silently, trying to push the nagging feeling aside. But it wasn’t just a feeling. My wolf Cooper had been on edge ever since we had arrived at the city hall, bristling with unease. Now, inside the old building, the tension had only worsened, a low, simmering anger that I couldn’t quite explain or place.
My wolf let out a frustrated huff.
Paranoid? You think I’m paranoid? There’s something wrong here, Skye. You need to check it out.
We’re here for Adam and Jenna, I shot back at him, glancing at my brother who was now wrapping an arm around Jenna’s waist, pulling her close as they shared a soft kiss.
I’m not about to go sniffing around this place like a lunatic.
My wolf growled low in my mind, the sound sending a shiver down my spine.
If you don’t, we’re going to regret it. I can feel it in my bones.
Your bones need to chill, I muttered under my breath, earning a curious look from Jules. I gave her a quick smile, hoping she didn’t notice the tension in me. She seemed satisfied with my response and turned back to Koda, who was now trying to make Adam laugh by doing a ridiculous impersonation of our late father’s gruff voice.
Despite my efforts to remain calm, I couldn’t shake the feeling that somehow, my wolf Cooper was right. The closer we got to finishing up the paperwork, the stronger the urge to do something—to search, to hunt—became. It was like an itch I couldn’t scratch, a low-level anxiety that hummed just beneath my skin.
When the clerk finally handed Adam the completed marriage license, the group erupted into cheers, Koda clapping Adam on the back while Jules pulled Jenna into a hug. I forced myself to join in, to act normal, but my inner wolf was having none of it.
Leave them to their celebrating and check the damn place! My wolf snapped, the urgency in his voice rising.
There’s something here we’re supposed to find!
And what exactly are we supposed to be looking for? I countered, frustration leaking into my thoughts.
A ghost? A bad vibe? A creepy janitor?
I don’t know, Cooper growled back,
but you’re going to listen to me one way or another.
I sighed, raking a hand through my hair as we all headed for the exit. The moment we stepped outside, into the fresh air, my wolf surged forward, demanding my attention. I was about to tell him to knock it off when someone collided with me.
I reacted instinctively, my hands shooting out to catch the person before they could fall. The impact was light, but the scent that hit me was anything but. It was like a jolt of electricity, a surge of something ancient and powerful that shot through my body and straight to my wolf, who went from angry to full-on berserk in an instant.
MATE!
The word echoed in my mind, loud and clear, as if my wolf had just let out a triumphant howl. My breath caught in my throat as I looked down at the woman in my arms. She was beautiful—stunning, really—with fiery red hair that cascaded in some loose strands down her cheeks and striking blue eyes that were wide with shock. For a moment, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t speak. My wolf was going absolutely wild, howling and snarling in my mind, demanding me to do something, anything to claim her, to make sure she never left his sight.
She’s ours, my wolf growled, low and possessive.
Don’t you dare let her go!
My heart was pounding so hard I could barely think.
Are you sure?
Sure? Cooper barked, incredulous.
Sure? Look at her! Smell her! She’s the one!
The woman blinked up at me, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink as she realized she was still in my arms. She tried to step back, but my hands tightened around her without me even thinking about it. I wasn’t ready to let her go—I wasn’t sure if I ever would be.
"I'm so sorry!" the woman exclaimed, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
"I didn't see you there."
Perfect, my wolf Cooper sighed dreamily.
She’s perfect.
Get a grip, I hissed internally, but I couldn’t deny the truth in Cooper’s words. She was perfect. Everything about her felt right, like she was a missing piece of me that I didn’t even know I had lost.
I swallowed hard, trying to remember how to speak like a normal person.
"It's... it's okay," I stammered, my voice sounding shaky and nervous.
"Are you alright?"
The beautiful woman nodded, her gaze locked onto mine.
"Yes, I think so. Thank you for catching me."
my wolf, Cooper, growled softly, picking up on the sadness in her voice.
Someone upset her. Find out who and break them in half.
Easy, big guy, I replied, trying to keep my wolf from going full protective mode. But I couldn’t help the surge of protectiveness that rose in me, a deep, primal need to make sure that she was safe, that she would never have to feel sad or scared again.
And that’s when I saw her clothes and my mind snapped, making it impossible for me to even think or act.
White
A white dress
A wedding dress…
She’s a bride?
She is married?
"Are you OK?" Jules asked softly, stepping closer to my mate while I was unable to do anything.
"Is there anything we can do to help you, Miss...?"
The gorgeous woman with big blue eyes and long red hair seemed to snap out of her daze.
"Right, uh, Lila," she supplied, offering a tentative smile.
"Lila Monroe."
She pulled away from me, and I let her go, though every instinct screamed at me to keep her close. She glanced back at the building, her expression a mix of confusion and hurt, and my chest tightened.
A bride…
my mate is married to another man…
What the f**k am I going to do now?
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Koda asked, his voice softer than usual, more concerned.
“You look like you’ve been through something.”
Lila hesitated as if she was trying to decide whether to tell us the truth or brush us off. My wolf leaned in, urging her silently to trust us, to let us in.
Finally, she sighed, running a hand through her loose strands of hair.
“It’s just… I’m supposed to be getting married today, and…” Her voice broke off, her eyes filling with tears that she quickly blinked away.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be dumping this on a group of strangers.”
She’s not supposed to marry anyone but us! My wolf snarled, furious.
Whoever this guy is, he’s not right for her!
Well s**t, Sherlock!
My heart twisted at her words, at the raw pain in her eyes. I didn’t know what had happened, but I knew one thing for sure—I couldn’t let her walk away. Not now. Not ever.
“You’re not dumping anything,” I said softly, taking a step closer to her.
“Sometimes, it helps to talk to someone who isn’t involved. Someone who can just listen.”
She looked up at me, her gorgeous eyes searching my face as if she were trying to decide whether she could trust me or not. I held my breath, praying that she would, that she would see in me what I already knew—that I was meant to be by her side, to protect her, to love her.
After what felt like an eternity, she nodded, a small, almost shy smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“Maybe you’re right,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I just… I need to get away from here. From everything.”
I didn’t hesitate.
“Then let us help you,” I said, my voice firm, filled with the certainty I felt deep in my soul.
“I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”
Her eyes widened in surprise, but there was something else there too—relief, gratitude, and maybe, just maybe, a spark of the connection that me and my wolf had felt the moment she collided with us.
She nodded again, this time more firmly.
“OK. Let’s get out of here.”
- Writer
