Chapter Two

Alec

I have been through these damn scrolls hundreds of times and nothing. Just nothing. Nothing telling me how to end a mate curse. I wouldn't have minded having a human for a mate one day, but as an Alpha, I have a pack to think of. A human girl will only be a distraction, a frail pain in my ass. If only I haven't killed that fucking witch that cursed me.

Putting on my leather jacket, I head out to the pub. All pack members usually just hang out here but today we have a pack meeting. As I walk in, Quinn, my Beta, comes up to me and shakes my hand. Quinn and I grew up together and have been friends since we first met. I trust him with my life. His father was my father's beta and it only made sense to make Quinn my beta when our parents were killed. I cleared my throat to get everyone's attention.

"All right everyone, as you know, the Crescent Wolf pack will be traveling through our town in a few days and their trip will take about two to three days. I wish it wasn't necessary to call this meeting but as we know, some of you just can't fucking behave yourselves." I tilted my head towards the bar. "Kate and Kathy, you two will leave the mated and unmated males alone. You will not look at them nor talk to them, same goes for all of you male tigers. I do not want a repeat of the last time, am I making myself clear?" I said in a threatening tone.

"Yes, Alpha" echoed through the room.

"Then it's settled, enjoy your evening." I ended the stupid meeting and made my way to my table in the back of the pub. Kathy brought me a beer and as I settled I saw Quinn coming towards me with a concerned look on his face. I sat up straight and waited for him to take a seat. "What's up?"

"Sorry to bother you Alec, but our patrol spotted a human girl in the woods making her way to town," he said with the same worried expression.

"When she enters the town, let them bring her to my office, not here".

A human girl will just cause panic to the pack, better hear her story and get her out of town again as soon as possible. Quinn left and I took a sip of my beer, trying to relax. I smelled her before she made an appearance.

As I stood up I saw the girl falling through the door Quinn had just opened as well as two of my patrol members staring at her. Her smell was heavenly, a mix of strawberries and vanilla on a summer day. When she stood up, I couldn't stop myself. I felt a growl come out of my chest. Her dress was tore open, her cheek purple and she looked like she just had a major beating.

I felt sick to my stomach. When one of the pack members tried to touch her a loud growl ripped through my chest again. She stared at me, frightened to death, and then she fainted.

I hurried to her side and picked her up. She was thin, too thin. I carried her out of the pub and to my office with Quinn following me. Whatever reason made this woman end up here wasn't good and whoever gave her this bruises were going to die.

I laid her down on the couch and Quinn came in with a wet towel. My tiger wanted to take her home, but mate or not, we didn't know this woman and this was safer. I called the pack doctor as I tried cleaning her face and arms with the wet towel Quinn had brought along. Even with all the scars and purple bruises, she was beautiful, perfect.

It took all my self-control not to throw Sam, our pack doctor out of my office when he started to examine her. Seeing him touch my mate like that was agonizing. Quinn kept looking at me like I was some kind of fucking alien and that was just starting to piss me off even more.

Sam started cutting her torn dress to see if she had any other wounds on her body. I needed to get out of here. When her dress was cut open I couldn't stand to watch. There, on her ribcage was one huge motherfucking purple bruise along with some scrapes and cuts. I felt my control slipping away.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Alec?" Quinn asked confused.

"She… she is my mate." As I said it I slammed my fist on the desk and Sam jumped up.

"Alpha, I need to take her to the pack hospital. From what I can see, she fainted from exhaustion. Plus some of these bruises doesn't look too good." Sam stood up and waited for me to give him permission.

"Fine, but I will take her." Lifting her up carefully, I walked out of my office carrying my mate to the pack hospital. After checking her in, I made it perfectly clear to let me know as soon as she wakes up. I needed answers, and I needed them fast.