Chapter 2
The night in Bayleaf City glittered like spilled gold beneath the rain.
Cars slid across wet streets. Neon signs reflected against black pavements. Music pulsed through the heart of the city like a living thing, loud enough to drown secrets, sins, and lonely hearts.
At the very center of the city stood the most luxurious club in Bayleaf.
Noctis.
A place where billionaires drank beside celebrities, where politicians whispered deals in dark corners, and where the truly dangerous smiled beautifully.
And tonight-
Every werewolf in the club stood frozen.
Because he had arrived.
Lucas King.
The immortal Alpha King.
The ruler of every werewolf pack hidden beneath the human world.
For one hundred years, no one had dared challenge him. His power was absolute. His name alone could make even ancient Alphas lower their heads.
Tall. Cold. Beautiful.
His black suit fit perfectly against his broad shoulders, silver cufflinks glinting beneath the dim lights. His dark hair fell carelessly over sharp eyes the color of winter storms.
He looked no older than twenty-six.
But his gaze carried centuries.
The moment he entered the VIP floor, conversations died instantly.
Werewolves bowed subtly.
Humans merely stared in awe, unaware why the atmosphere suddenly became heavy.
Lucas ignored everyone.
He was used to worship.
Used to fear.
Used to emptiness.
One hundred years.
One hundred years without finding his mate.
A cruel joke for the strongest Alpha alive.
Every wolf was destined to meet their other half eventually. Some found them young. Some late.
But Lucas?
Nothing.
For a century he watched others fall in love while he remained alone on his throne.
At first, he thought fate had forgotten him.
Then he stopped caring.
Or at least-
He tried to.
His beta, Ethan Vale, followed behind him carefully.
“Your Majesty,” Ethan said quietly, “the council meeting starts tomorrow morning. You shouldn’t stay out too late.”
Lucas sat at the VIP bar lazily, swirling amber whiskey in his glass.
“I know.”
Ethan sighed internally.
The Alpha King had been restless lately.
Irritated.
More violent during pack meetings.
Even his wolf had become unstable.
Something was changing.
Then suddenly-
Lucas froze.
The glass in his hand cracked.
A scent.
Soft.
Warm.
Sweet like vanilla milk and rain-soaked flowers.
Mate.
His wolf roared so violently inside him that the entire club temperature seemed to drop.
Ethan immediately stiffened.
“My king?”
Lucas stood slowly.
For the first time in a hundred years-
His heartbeat became uneven.
The scent drifted from the staircase leading to the VIP lounge.
And then he saw him.
A boy.
No-
A man.
Beautiful in the most careless way possible.
Messy dark hair.
Sleepy eyes.
An oversized cream sweater hanging off one shoulder.
He looked utterly exhausted, like someone dragged him out of bed against his will.
Yet under the lights-
He looked unreal.
Lucas felt the mate bond strike him like lightning.
The world around him vanished.
All he could see was him.
His mate.
His.
The human blinked slowly while holding onto another man for support.
“Kaiii…” he whined softly. “Why did you drag me here? I’m sleepy.”
Lucas’s wolf nearly lost control.
Even his voice sounded adorable.
The blond beside him-Kai-rolled his eyes.
“You’re twenty-four and still a virgin, Danny. Tonight you’re finally getting laid.”
The beautiful stranger looked horrified.
“But that sounds tiring.”
Ethan nearly choked.
Lucas stared silently.
Danny.
His name sounded dangerous in Lucas’s mind.
Kai pushed the sleepy human toward the bar.
“At least drink.”
Danny sighed dramatically before plopping onto the stool directly beside Lucas.
Neither Ethan nor the surrounding werewolves dared breathe.
Because no one-
Absolutely no one-
Sat beside the Alpha King casually.
Danny didn’t even look at him properly.
He waved lazily toward the bartender.
“One strawberry cocktail please. Something sweet. I hate bitter things.”
Lucas stared.
His mate smelled intoxicating up close.
Warm skin.
Rain.
Sugar.
And something uniquely his.
Danny finally turned.
Their eyes met.
For a moment-
Time stopped.
Lucas expected shock.
Recognition.
The pull of the mate bond.
Instead Danny blinked slowly and frowned.
“…You’re really handsome.”
Lucas went still.
Ethan looked ready to faint.
No one flirted with the Alpha King and survived comfortably afterward.
But Danny simply leaned against the counter tiredly.
“Actually,” he mumbled thoughtfully, “you’re exactly my type.”
Lucas’s wolf purred violently.
Mate.
Mate likes us.
The Alpha King lowered his gaze slightly.
“What is your type?”
Danny pointed at him seriously.
“Rich.”
Ethan looked away to hide his laugh.
Lucas almost smiled.
Almost.
Danny continued speaking without fear.
“And tall. You look expensive. That’s attractive.”
“You think I look expensive?”
“Yes.”
Danny nodded firmly before taking a sip of his drink.
“Like someone who can buy me food and let me sleep all day.”
Lucas stared at him in stunned silence.
For the first time in decades-
Something warm spread through his chest.
Cute.
His mate was unbelievably cute.
Kai suddenly leaned toward Danny mischievously.
“So? Want him?”
Danny glanced at Lucas again.
Then casually said-
“Yeah.”
The entire VIP section fell silent.
A werewolf dropped his glass.
Ethan covered his face.
Lucas’s wolf was ready to tear apart anyone who looked at Danny for too long.
Danny, however, looked completely unaware of the chaos he caused.
He leaned closer toward Lucas.
“You wanna leave together?”
Lucas inhaled sharply.
Mate smelled like temptation.
“I-“
Before he could finish, Danny interrupted lazily.
“If you don’t want to, it’s okay. I’ll find someone else.”
Lucas’s eyes darkened instantly.
Mine.
The possessive growl nearly escaped him.
Every werewolf nearby immediately lowered their heads in fear.
Danny blinked.
“…Why does everyone suddenly look scared?”
Lucas stood slowly.
“No one else is touching you.”
Danny stared up at him.
Then suddenly smiled.
It was small.
Sleepy.
Beautiful.
And Lucas felt his century-long loneliness crack apart completely beneath that smile.
Maybe fate had not abandoned him after all.
Maybe-
It had simply taken longer to give him something worth waiting for.
*****
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