Ethan’s POV

​I stood in the center of the training field, sweat soaking through my shirt as I hammered the heavy bag. Every punch was a way to drown out the noise in my head. There was a sense of frustration and anger in the air today... perhaps it was because of who was arriving.

​Kev, my Beta, walked onto the field with a tablet in his hand. "Alpha," he called out, stopping a few feet away. "They are here. But Princess Rebecca hasn’t arrived yet—only her handmaidens. She sent them ahead to prepare her chambers while she arrives tomorrow."

​I stopped mid-swing and scoffed, wiping sweat from my brow. "We aren’t even married yet, and she is already acting like a queen demanding a royal welcome. Fine. No problem. Show her maids to her quarters."

​Kev nodded and left, leaving me alone in the quiet yard. I sighed, leaning my head against the cool leather of the bag. I had finally given in. A political marriage with the daughter of Alpha Corny from the Whitesnow Pack in Spain seemed like the only logical step. We hadn’t seen each other—not even a picture. It was a cold deal. I just wanted an heir and a stable pack. Love and romance? Those were for other people. In this life, I wasn’t destined for that.

​I picked up a can of water, taking a long, deep drink. Suddenly, my world tilted.

​MATE!

​My wolf, Jax, screamed the word so loudly I nearly dropped the can. I choked on the water, coughing as a scent hit me like a physical wave. Roses. Sweet, intoxicating, fresh roses. My entire body went into overdrive. My heart hammered against my ribs, and my organs felt like they were vibrating.

​Mate? A second-chance mate? Here?

​Before I could even process it, I heard soft footsteps on the grass. I turned around, and the world slowed down. Standing a few feet away was the most beautiful blonde I had ever seen. Her eyes were wide, mirroring the shock I felt.

​Mate! Jax howled again, pushing me forward.

​I took a step. She took a step. We were like magnets being pulled together. I took another step, and suddenly, she was running. She threw herself into my arms, hugging me with a desperation that stole my breath. Fuck. The feeling of her skin against mine sparked a fire I thought had died years ago. Every nerve in my body was screaming mine, mine, mine.

​I gently pulled back just enough to see her face. Her eyes were wet with tears. "I thought... I thought I would never be blessed with a mate," she choked out, her voice the most melodious sound I had ever heard.

​I took her in—sea-blue eyes, a perfectly shaped face, a cute pointed nose, and lips that I was struggling not to devour right here in the dirt. Then, I looked down, and my brow furrowed... She was wearing a maid’s uniform... not that I cared.

​I raised a brow, my voice slightly raspy. "You... you are Princess Rebecca’s maid?"

​She nodded shyly, her gaze drifting over my scarred knuckles and sweaty chest. "And you... you are a warrior?"

​I opened my mouth to tell her the truth. I wanted to tell her I was Alpha Ethan, the man who was supposed to marry her mistress tomorrow. But the words died in my throat. If I told her now, it would crush her. She would think she was a mistake or an obstacle. Besides, the second I smelled her, the marriage to Rebecca was dead. I would never touch another woman now that my mate was standing in front of me.

​"Yes," I said, a small smile playing on my lips. "I’m a warrior."

​She smiled back, a blush creeping up her neck as she checked me out. "You look... hot," she whispered, then immediately hid her face in her hands.

​I chuckled, the sound vibrating deep in my chest. I reached out, cupping her face and forcing her to look at me. "And you look like a goddess."

​She turned a deeper shade of red. Jax was leaping with joy inside me, and for the first time in my life, I felt actual butterflies in my stomach. It was a dizzying, terrifying feeling. Was it possible to fall in love this fast? One look, one scent, and I was ready to burn the world down for a girl I didn’t even know.

​I didn’t care about Spain. I didn’t care about the Whitesnow Pack. I only cared about the beautiful maid in my arms.

​"What’s your name?" I asked softly.

​She hesitated for a moment, her long lashes fluttering as she looked at me. "Casey," she whispered, her voice like a soft breeze. "My name is Casey."

​I nodded, the name repeating in my head like a holy chant. I was grateful she didn’t ask for mine. I wasn’t ready to tell her I was the Alpha she was supposed to serve. Right now, I just wanted to be the man who belonged to her.

​Casey looked around the training field, her eyes darting toward the gates as if she were afraid someone would catch us. The fear in her eyes made my protective instincts roar.

​Without a word, I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward a secluded corner of the yard, tucked behind the stone pillars of the equipment shed. The second her back hit the cool wall, I leaned in, trapping her with my arms.

​The scent of roses was making me lose my mind. I couldn’t wait another second. I leaned down and crashed my lips against hers.

​It wasn’t a gentle kiss. It was hungry, desperate, and full of the years of loneliness I had buried inside. Casey didn’t pull away. She let out a small moan into my mouth and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me even closer.

​Her hands were small but firm. She began to fumble with the buttons of my sweat-soaked shirt, her fingers brushing against my skin and sending sparks through my entire body. Fuck. I wanted her. I wanted to mark her, to claim her, and to show the whole world that she was mine.

​I kissed her deeper, my tongue dancing with hers, while my hands found her waist. She felt so perfect, so right. My wolf was screaming with victory. I had spent so long thinking I was destined to be alone, but Casey was here.

​As her hands finally pushed my shirt off my shoulders, I felt her heart beating wildly against my chest. I knew I should stop. I knew I had a princess arriving tomorrow and a pack to lead. But as Casey pulled me closer, her lips never leaving mine, I realized I would give up every crown and every kingdom just to stay in this moment with her.