The Alpha King's Human Mate by HC Dolores

“I’m not running away. I’m moving on.”

Irvine Welsh

It wasn’t the first time someone had referred to me by that title, but coming from Alessia’s mouth, it made me feel like even more of an imposter. It didn’t fit – I knew it, and given the amused expression on Alessia’s face, she knew it too.

“We could just go inside and talk, you know,” I said, taking her jacket, “That way, nobody has to stand out here with no jacket.” Although it still couldn’t compare to the Canadian cold, the jacket definitely helped me tolerate the freezing night.

Alessia rolled her eyes. “Please, there are guards everywhere,” she said, “You want the entire castle to hear our conversation?”

“Definitely not.”

“That’s what I thought,” she said, and then she gave me a teasing smile, “So, your Queen now, huh?” (3

“I’m surprised you heard,” I told her, “I didn’t see you at the meeting earlier.”

—

It was weird to think the meeting had only been a handful of hours ago it felt

more like months.

“Oh, yeah,” she shrugged, “I didn’t feel like going. A room full of territorial Alphas fighting over a pack dispute? No thanks. But the castle has been in an uproar given all the drama, I kinda wish I wouldn’t have missed it.”

“By drama,” I said dryly, “You mean Griffin recognizing me as his mate and then killing his father in the span of five minutes? I don’t know if I’d classify that as

drama.”

I guess so,” she chuckled, “So, how does it feel?”

“How does what feel?” I asked.

‘

“Being Queen, being the mate of the Alpha King – whatever you want to call it. Had I known you were going to be such a big deal when we talked last night, I would’ve kissed your ass more.”

–

I couldn’t stop the laugh from bubbling up. Although I didn’t know Alessia well at all, something about her was comforting. She wasn’t someone to be trifled with the scar on her face proved that but she wasn’t fake either. She wasn’t afraid to tell me the truth, and in turn, it made me feel like I could be honest with her.

–

“You want the truth?” I asked her, leaning against the balcony.

She nodded.

“I can’t tell what’s coming from me and what’s coming from this stupid mate bond,” I confessed, “When Griffin recognized me as his mate, I was horrified. I know mates are supposed to be a good thing, and for werewolves, I’m sure they are. But I had a life, things I wanted to do…like go to college.”

for the rest of your life,” she said, “You

will.”

”

just completely hate him…but I can’t. This mate bond or whatever it is

I’m

that’s usually how those things go. I imagine it’s more subdued for you since you’re human, but it

it.”

–

human things. I’m worried I’m going to lose myself. I’ve seen mated couples before. They pretty much revolve around each other and that’s it. But

same teasing smile, “I mean, by yourself sure. You don’t stand a chance of getting away from the King or his pack on your own. This place might be

–

you know how to navigate all that

–

which you don’t, I’m

other way you’re getting out of here is if you

did get me thinking. Alessia was right. I was smart enough to at least realize I couldn’t navigate the forest on my own. I regularly got lost on the way to school, there was no way I’d make it through a thick Canadian forest alone. If I didn’t

hitching a ride with someone who was

find me and report me to Griffin. Someone

Someone like Alessia.

I thought it, I was turning to Alessia with frantic eyes. “Alessia,” I said, “I know we don’t know each other very well but you could be my ticket out of here. You’re visiting just

I could

looked at me like I’d grown three

wasn’t trying to give you ideas, Clark!

be missing out on the complete story. Head over

my head would end up on the

out.

succeeded,” I told her. Suddenly, the gears in

to think this is through. “You would just have to

smuggle you out? You’re the

crossing her arms.

1

“Some people know about me…but

doubt word has spread that far. You could just say I’m part of

–

asked, “My pack is in California

California.

as far as I knew. It’s

in California. I just need you to

your position, and normally, I’d be all for sticking it to the

helping me was a big risk. for her, and it’s not like I had much to offer

on my

She sniffed the air with her eyes

“What do you mean?”

said, and her eyes narrowed. She walked closer to me, nostrils flared. “It’s the same scent I caught last night – it’s coming from you but it’s not

eyes gleamed