Leila's POV:
"Amity!!" I scream through our pack link, my voice trembling with a mixture of panic and anger. My heart is racing, and my blood is boiling.
"What the hell, Le?! What are you screaming about?" Amity's voice is annoyed but laced with concern.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you threw the beta of another pack into the dungeon?!" I yell, my frustration boiling over. Without another word, I take off running toward the dungeon, my feet pounding against the cold stone floor.
"Oh, come on," Amity responds with a tone so indifferent it almost infuriates me more. "I just wanted to mess with them a little since they woke me up."
My mind is clouded with frustration and a sense of urgency as I reach the dungeon. The air is thick with tension, and suddenly, I catch the most intoxicating scent. It's sharp and wild, like rain on earth, mixed with a hint of something familiar yet unknown. My heart stutters in my chest, and without thinking, my feet move on their own, leading me straight toward the source.
I burst through the door to the torture room, my breath catching in my throat.
There he stands—tall, rugged, his dark hair falling in messy strands over his forehead. But it's his eyes that hit me like a bolt of lightning. Dark green, the color of ancient forests, deep and endless like the night sky. They pierce through me with an intensity I've never felt before, and for a moment, I forget to breathe. Everything else fades away. The room, the noise, the reason I'm here—all of it disappears in those eyes.
My heartbeat picks up, and before I can process anything, I hear Amity's voice, cutting through the silence with her usual sharp grin.
"Oh my god!" she exclaims, her voice full of excitement. "My baby girl found one of her mates!"
I snap out of my trance, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. "Am, please stop."
"Stop what?" she teases, the grin never leaving her face. "I'm just excited for you!"
Demetria, my demon side, scoffs inside my head, clearly enjoying this far too much. I can feel the heat in my face, and before I know it, I'm shifting uncomfortably. Amity leans closer to the beta, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
"You hurt her, and I'll chop off your dick and feed it to you. Am I understood?" She warns, her alpha voice dripping with authority.
The beta, shaking in fear, nods frantically, clearly terrified of her.
"Good," Amity says, her voice still carrying that chilling finality. Then, as if nothing happened, she teleports away, leaving me alone with him.
Leila's POV (Continued):
Okay, this is... strange. I know he's my mate, but it feels so foreign. The air between us is thick, electric. It's like the room is charged with energy, and the mere thought of touching him makes my skin tingle.
He's still staring at me, his gaze unwavering. And it's not just curiosity I see in his eyes; it's something deeper, something more. I feel my heart race again, and I realize I'm frozen in place, caught in the storm of his gaze.
Finally, he speaks, his voice low, deep—almost too soothing. "Hello, I'm Devin. What's your name?"
I try to focus. I try to calm my nerves, but the warmth in the air, the heat that radiates from him, is making it impossible. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Devin," I say, trying to sound composed. "I am Leila, Head Beta of this pack."
The moment the words leave my mouth, I want to slap myself. 'Sir'? Really? I'm mentally cursing myself, feeling like I've made a fool of myself.
But Devin just smiles—soft and kind—and it makes my heart flutter. "That is the loveliest name ever, my fair madam," he says with a playful bow.
The tension that has been building between us finally breaks. A laugh escapes my lips, and before I know it, Devin joins in. His laugh is like music, deep and rich, and it eases some of the unease in my chest.
We stare at each other for a moment longer, and then it happens. His hand, trembling slightly, reaches out toward mine. My breath hitches as his fingers graze my skin. The contact is electric, as if the world itself shifts. There's a warmth that spreads through me, a spark that seems to ignite something deep inside me. It's like my soul recognizes him, feels him, even before I fully can.
I swear I can hear the sound of my heartbeat, the rush of blood in my ears. For a split second, everything feels right. He feels right.
I pull my hand back, not ready for the full force of what just happened, but the heat in my chest lingers. He doesn't seem to mind. If anything, he looks at me like he's waiting, like he's ready for whatever comes next.
Beryl's POV:
After what felt like forever, Leila finally returned. But when I saw Devin, his face lit up like he'd just found the one thing he'd been searching for his entire life. His eyes were glued to Leila, like she was the center of his universe, and his lips were stretched into a grin that looked a little... lovesick.
I watched him, eyebrow raised in curiosity, before I couldn't help but ask through the pack link, "Dude, why do you look like a lovesick pup?"
Devin's gaze never wavered from Leila. His voice was barely a whisper, but I heard it loud and clear. "Mate."
And just like that, he turned back to her, completely ignoring everyone else.
Well, that's a first. I can't say I'm not happy for them, but the guy's already whipped. It's almost comical.
I share a look with Emile, who's been quiet throughout this whole thing. He raises an eyebrow, and we both chuckle. Sometimes, it's funny to watch the chaos unfold around us.
But one thing's for sure—the dynamic of this pack is about to change. And not just because of the alliance with the other packs... Leila's got her mate. And Devin? Well, he's about to get a whole lot more interesting.