Chapter 4 MATE

His beast was restless, an unfamiliar sensation for Gary. He furrowed his brows, loosening the tie around his neck as his breath quickened. Gary's eyes darted around the room, searching for some unseen threat, but everything seemed as it should be. This place was secure; he knew that. Yet the feeling gnawing at him was foreign, unsettling. It wasn’t him—it was his beast, pacing within, restless, ready to explode. But why? His usually calm, blue eyes darkened, flickering between shades of black. He shook his head, trying to clear the fog of confusion. The urge to shift was almost overwhelming, clawing at his control. It was driving him mad. He had never felt such an intense need to transform. As the alpha of the zamuda, Gary was well aware that his beast was more powerful than those of the others in his pack, but never had he struggled to maintain control. Until now. The room began to spin in Gary's mind, a dizzying blur of colors and shapes. His claws emerged, sharp and deadly, as he fought to remain in his human form. The battle was fierce, the tension within him like a storm ready to break. A low, menacing growl rumbled in his chest, escaping without his conscious intent. Every sense was heightened, every nerve on edge. "Alpha, I received a message from... Whoa! Calm down! I've been good!" Canan froze as he entered the room, instantly aware that something was terribly wrong. His alpha was on the brink of losing control, and Canan knew better than to make any sudden moves. The young shifter wore a tailored suit, indicating a formal meeting with humans was imminent. They would need to blend in, act like one of them. But the moment Canan laid eyes on Gary, his heart plummeted. He hadn’t done anything wrong recently—or at least, nothing significant enough to provoke this kind of reaction. But the fear in him grew as Gary's eyes turned a deeper shade of red. In the next heartbeat, Gary had shifted into his white beast, lunging at him with terrifying speed. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Canan dropped to his knees, covering his head with his hands, bracing for the impact that never came. He had no idea what he had done to provoke this. Or maybe he had done too many things wrong, and this was the breaking point? He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable attack. But it didn’t come. Canan opened his eyes slowly, cautiously. The room was empty. The white beast had vanished. [Where are you?!] Edward’s voice echoed in Canan’s mind through their mental link. His brother’s anxiety was palpable. [I just saw my life flash before my eyes…] Canan replied, still in shock. There was a grunt from Edward before he snapped, [Get your ass here!] [Okay, okay.] Canan grumbled as he picked himself up. Edward didn’t have to be so harsh. It wasn’t like he’d asked for this. Everyone in the building could feel that something was wrong with the alpha. The tension rippled through the pack bond they shared, a warning of the storm brewing within Gary. But no one had seen him lose control like this before. What had triggered it? And, more importantly, where had he gone? A compelling scent filled the air, calling to the white beast, leading him far from the familiar territory, stirring emotions he couldn’t name. Gary had never been driven by such an overwhelming force before. As the alpha, he prided himself on his ability to remain in control, never letting anything—or anyone—cloud his judgment. Not even his own beast, which he had tamed countless times. But now, that control was slipping through his fingers like sand. The white zamuda was a terrifying sight to behold. If any humans had been around to see him, panic would have erupted in an instant. All supernatural beings within miles gave the enraged alpha a wide berth, sensing the danger radiating from him. No one wanted to be caught in the path of his wrath. The scent led the white beast to a large house, pulling him inexorably to a particular room on the second floor, where the aroma grew stronger, more intoxicating. Gary could no longer fight the urge to follow it. His entire body tingled as he approached the bedroom, the scent flooding his senses, heightening his awareness. When he entered the room, he found her. It was already midnight, but the girl was still awake. She stood in the center of the room, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight that streamed through the open French doors leading to the balcony. Water dripped from her long, black hair, tracing a path down her jaw, neck, and collarbone. The sight captivated the beast within him. He was utterly mesmerized. There was no way she could know that a massive white zamuda was approaching her. No human could see a supernatural creature in its true form. None. But then she turned her head, and her eyes—those beautiful, gray eyes—widened in surprise. She was a vision, as if the goddess herself had taken her time crafting this masterpiece. Her eyes were the color of mist, mysterious and alluring, drawing him in like a siren’s call. They held the promise of secrets untold, adventures yet to be undertaken. The girl gasped, stepping back in fear. The towel she had wrapped around her head slipped to the floor, and her wet hair cascaded over her shoulders. But the horror in her eyes intensified when, before her very eyes, the white beast shifted back into his human form. She was speechless, her lips parted in shock, but no words came out. She swallowed hard as the man—the stranger who was both terrifying and oddly familiar—walked toward her, his steps slow, deliberate. "Mate." The word hung in the air between them, heavy with meaning and intent.