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.”

chained to the King for the rest of

will.”

”

“And every part of me wishes I could just completely hate him…but I can’t. This mate bond or whatever it is it’s like my feelings only

more I’m around

that’s the mate bond for you,” Alessia said, “Not that I would know from firsthand experience or anything, but that’s usually how those things go. I imagine it’s more subdued for you since you’re human, but it sounds like you’re

it.”

–

normal 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 it’s not like I

sure. You don’t stand a chance of getting away from the King or

–

how to navigate

–

which you don’t, I’m

screwed. The only other way you’re getting out of here is

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 die of hypothermia

ride with someone who was already

immediately find me and report me to Griffin. Someone I could reasonably trust more than a

Someone like Alessia.

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.

I could come with

looked at me like I’d grown

wasn’t trying to give you ideas,

might be missing out on the complete story. Head over

help you, I’m pretty sure my head would end up on

out.

her. Suddenly, the gears in my

this is through. “You would just have to smuggle me out

smuggle you

crossing her arms.

1

“Some people

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

–

going to go after that?” she asked, “My pack is in California and there’s

California.

used to live as far as I knew. It’s not like I had a current

be okay,” I said, “I have family in California. I just need

I sympathize with you, girl – I do. I wouldn’t want to be in your position, and normally, I’d

to argue with her. I knew that helping me was a big risk. for

on

suddenly asked. She sniffed the air with

“What do you mean?”

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

gleamed