Although confused, Queen obediently followed them to the head healer's space. She knew of Alpha Malakai—everyone did—but he rarely summoned her. Their conversations over the years had been few and far between.
Malakai sat slouched on the sofa, his tall frame imposing even in rest. His posture was straight, his aura sharp and storm-hardened. Only a careful eye would catch the faint paleness on his lips, a hint that it had been sucked on.
The sharp antiseptic air of the hospital masked the subtle scent of blood clinging to him.
Dressed in a striking red suit, Malakai radiated command. One look from him could make lesser wolves cower.
His beta circled behind the sofa, leaned down, and whispered close to his ear, "All surveillance footage from last night was destroyed deliberately. It had to be those after you—no doubt an attempt to erase evidence. This woman, Queen Dupont, is the only female healer who was on duty. The healer confirmed it, and I cross-checked the duty roster. She's the only possibility."
Malakai's eyes lifted.
Queen froze, her heart lurching. Alpha Malakai. The legendary unifier of four packs—Blood Hound Pack, Iron Pine Pack, Echo Fang Pack, and Nightstride Pack. Seeing him now, so close, made her feel small.
"Miss Dupont. Back from the border trip?" he asked, his voice low but laced with recognition. "Was it you who helped me last night?"
His gaze was searching—half warm, and half testing.
Queen lowered her eyes, heart racing. "Y-yes... yes, it was me. Why not me?"
She wasn't sure what happened last night. But she knew she'd been the only female healer on duty.. well, except for Boris. And Boris was very much male.
Was this... a game?
A slow, ironic smile almost touched her lips. Malakai's old antics, back when they were pups, were resurfacing. He used to have a crush on her. She had rejected him, once, sharply enough that she left the packs to work with humans beyond the border. Then she heard he'd taken a mate. That news stung. Jealousy had drawn her back, but in all these months, they had never crossed paths. Until now.
So this was it—he was pretending she had been the one who saved him, just to start something again? How childish. But if this was his game... maybe she was ready to play this time.
"I can give you anything you want," Malakai said softly, "including the title of Luna to the Blood Hound Pack."
Queen blinked, stunned. That was... fast. Too fast.
"Me... I...," she faltered. Getting him to be hers wasn't supposed to be this easy and suddenly. Was he being serious?
"Think it over," Malakai said, standing. "Come to me when you've made up your mind." He gestured for his beta to hand her a slip of paper—his new private contact.
He seemed at ease now, almost relieved. Last night had left him confused. He had awoken with a vague memory of a passionate encounter, and for a brief, horrifying moment, he had thought his partner was a man.
But seeing Queen now? Everything made sense. Someone familiar. Someone his parents adored. It was perfect.
Though... she didn't smell like last night.
Could that just be a heat thing?
The head healer accompanied him to the door. "Alpha Malakai."
"No need to see me off," Malakai said, his tone back to its usual cold edge. He paused, thoughtful. "Take good care of her. She was my puphood sweetheart once."
"I will," the healer replied with a smile that was just a little too eager.
Once they were alone, Beta Ralph leaned close. "Alpha... you already have a mate. The bond has not been…."
Malakai's expression turned dark. His voice was quiet but venomous. "Tying me to some omega in a mate bond... they'll regret it."
Ralph shivered. He didn't know if Malakai was speaking of the omega… or cursing the moon goddess herself, the one who had dared to bind him against his will.