A Love Unseen

Tags: short story , werewolf , romance , free story , alpha king , wolf , love , rejection , paranormal romance 

Synopsis: Nikita has werewolf abilities. She decides to live in the human world after being rejected by her mate, where she thrives as an entrepreneur. What happens when she meets Maximus, a potential investor in her initiative, and realises he is a werewolf who has come for her? Things become even more confusing when Nikita's secret is revealed, and they both discover this is not the first time Maximus has looked for her. 

Disclaimer:   This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is entirely coincidental.

Copyright:      © R.C. Kray 2023. All rights reserved.

She even gave Ryan precise instructions. The meeting room should be spotless by 17:00, with the computer turned on and the presentation on display. The paperwork she had prepared for Mr. Drake should be ready and waiting for him on the table. Her personal assistant should greet them at the building's door and accompany them to the meeting room, notifying her of their presence. Freshly baked snacks and afternoon tea would be provided promptly, followed by a premium quality three course supper at 19:30. Ryan should accompany her to the meeting to assist and take notes. She had planned all of the follow-up emails ahead of time, along with any additional information she could think of.

Nikita picked up the phone after confirming that everything was in order.

'Hello, Julie. May I talk to Anton or Alexei?'

'Oh sure, Ms. Thorne,' she replied swiftly. 'Anton, your mother is on the phone,' the nanny said to her eldest boy, and then she heard footsteps coming. Anton chuckled as he picked up the phone.

'You called, Mummy! When are you coming home?'. Nikita's heart was flooded with delight and happiness as she heard her son's excitement in his words and chuckle. Every trace of stress she had felt as a result of the meeting was vanished.

'I have a crucial meeting today, darling. Mummy will be a little late. I'll be home in time to read you a bedtime story.’ She could tell her son was disappointed by his negative response, so she added, 'Mummy will spend her afternoon with you tomorrow, OK? I'll take you to your favourite park, the one near the candy shop. Don't be sad, okay?'

'Only if you promise to buy me a lot of candy tomorrow,' Anton tried to make a deal. Such a clever boy he was.

'Only if you wish me luck,' she laughed heartily. 

‘Deal. Good luck, mummy!’ Before she could speak with Alexei, she received word from her secretary that her visitors had arrived.

'I have to go, baby. I love you'.

Nikita turned off her phone and looked at herself in the mirror. Her blue suit complemented her beautiful electric blue eyes and pure white complexion. Her outward appearance was that of a wealthy entrepreneur. She stepped out of her office and into the lift slowly.

Her heart rate increased as she entered the conference room. The smell she had avoided like the plague for the last seven years filled the room. She moved carefully to her desk and halted, trying to keep her cool. She was convinced the three guys could hear her heart racing and so validate her suspicions that they were werewolves. They were also aware that she was a werewolf herself. She politely requested that Ryan remain outside until further notice. Ryan had found this unusual, but there was nothing he could do but obey his boss's directions. 

'Won't you bow down to your King, rogue?' One of them questioned Nikita. The severity in his voice surprised her, and she gasped at the new information. The King of the Alphas. Maximus Drake was the King of all werewolves as well as a werewolf. Without responding, she took a moment to examine the three men intently. All three of them exuded enormous power, with the man in the centre standing out the most. The scar above his left eye made his face appear harsh, but his demeanour, stance, and whole appearance emanated elegance. He was wearing a custom-made suit and was holding a Rolex. His phone alone cost more than an average person would earn in their lifetime. He was undeniably attractive, but that was not what drew Nikita's attention to him. It was his gaze. Not the shape or colour of his eyes, but the feelings that go with them. The eyes are the soul's window. His eyes were filled with energy, mischief, intelligence, and if she was brave enough, a touch of intrigue in them. Maximus had known Nikita was a werewolf long before contacting her for business, Nikita was confident.

Nikita, hesitant to respond, switched her glance to the man to her right. He'd most likely be the Royal Pack's Beta. He was muscular and had a serious expression on his face. Nikita assumed he was the one who had just questioned her. The third man, whom Nikita thought was the Gamma or the Royal Pack's Head Warrior, appeared more relaxed and humorous. They were graceful and sophisticated without losing their distinct personal touch in their demeanour.

Nikita tried to calm herself down and extended her hand to shake their hands.

'That is not the appropriate manner to welcome your King,' snarled the Beta.

'I make no bows.' The King roared as Nikita's words left her mouth. Beta stood up, ready to punish her with his King's instruction.

‘I do not tolerate insolence’ the King declared coldly, his tone tinged with fury.

Nikita immediately looked down and continued to explain herself.

'Please do not misunderstand, Mr. Drake. I do not want to offend you or the Royal Pack. But I have not sensed my wolf's presence in seven years, ever since I was ruthlessly rejected by my mate. I guess I am no longer a wolf. As a result, I respect you, but I am no longer a part of your world'.

Nikita raised her head to look at the King once more, but he was already staring at her.  

'If your wolf was dead, you'd be dead as well, Ms. Thorne,' said the third in command.

'I have no idea whether your remark is true or not, Gamma. Because no one cared to educate me anything about mates, my knowledge on the subject is minimal. When my mate deceived and rejected me, he extinguished any interest I had in the topic. When this happened, my wolf was enraged. The only time I was able to shift was during an attack by rogues who were attempting to cut off my limbs in their attempt to gang rape me. My wolf, Ewe, assisted us in escaping. She spent the entire night fleeing from them. To live, I took over in the morning and went to the next human city. That was the last time I heard from her. She could be sleeping, despondent, or feeble. Whatever the truth is, she has not shared it with me’.

For a few moments, the three men observed Nikita. The intensity was too much and she felt embarrassed in the face of their attention. The Alpha King's expression relaxed. He cautiously rose up and approached Nikita. Although oblivious, she was never far from his mesmerising gaze. Not since the first time he met her. Even if Nikita did not sense a connection between them, his wolf recognised a Lycan, one of their own. The King knew Nikita was unaware of their history, legacy, her power, and future. The Lycan inside the King howled with joy at meeting one of their own, Ewe.

'King,' Nikita continued cautiously, unable to endure his piercing glare, 'are you here to capture me, punish me, kill me or conduct business with me? I…’

A knock on the door cut her off before she could complete her sentence.

'Boss, may I offer some tea?' Ryan's words could barely be heard through the door.

Maximus coughed and sat back down.

Ryan walked into the room, followed by an employee. She was carrying a tray of afternoon tea and nibbles. He approached Nikita and asked, ‘Are you all right, boss? Why did you request that I wait outside? That was not according to our arrangement. Are you in jeopardy? Would you like me to contact security?’

The King was followed by Nikita's glaze. He was smirking and challenging her with his eyes to ask for Ryan’s help. Nikita's face was crimson and flushed as a result of his scrutiny, which she felt strange. After being rejected, no man has ever piqued her interest. So why was she so fascinated with the man in front of her? She coughed and denied Ryan's invitation, emphasising that she and Mr. Drake were old acquaintances.

She resisted the urge to flee or call for help. She was fully aware of the huge influence wielded by the man in front of her. He would be able to capture her before she even reached the door handle. Not to mention there was nowhere on Earth where she could be hidden from him. Despite the tumult of emotions this man elicited in Nikita, she liked the sensation of being in his presence. Was it his dominant nature and powerful position that drew her in, or was it something deeper? She dared not to daydream.

‘King, if you're here to capture me, you can rest confident that I know nothing,' Nikita resumed as soon as she was alone with the three men again. ‘For the previous seven years, I have had no contact with any wolves. If you're looking for justice because I'm a rogue or a reject, and thus undeserving, then please punish the Alpha who destroyed my life first. Then I shall kneel in front of you and allow you to take my last breath. I will even thank you before you kill me. If you've come to take me back, please understand that I have no reason to return. During my time as a human, I have developed bonds that I cherish and want to protect. Not to add that I see no need for your Highness to engage with someone as insignificant as myself'.

'What I do is entirely up to me’. His forceful voice boomed around the room. While the king continued to speak, Nikita whimpered and displayed her neck in surrender. What if the king thought she was too defiant? Would she face repercussions for speaking up? ‘You have no control over the situation. I will be here if I want to be with you. I will take you back if I decide to. If I believe you should be punished - even by death - I will have my men squeeze your life out in front of me, and I will not even bother with the sight. You have no right to demand retribution or justice from me. This meeting's outcome will be decided by me and me alone. And you and your wolf will follow my orders. Do you understand, Ms Thorne?'

When Nikita heard his comments, something in her broke. Even though she knew they were true, his harsh and vile words wounded her heart. This world has not been kind to her and over the years she learned to hide her emotions and stay strong. However, she was hopeful enough to receive kindness from this man in front of her. How wrong was she. Without a mate or a pack power position, she was nothing but a filthy rogue in his eyes. The truth stung and Nikita barely held the tears from falling. It took a couple of seconds before she was able to find her self-composure and respond.  

'I sincerely apologise, King. I am to blame here. You are correct. Only you have the power to decide what happens to me'. Her heart was racing like mad. She had no choice but to defend Anton and Alexei. Her children must live in this world regardless of what happens to her.

The three men chatted for what seemed like hours via their pack link. Maximus continued to stare at Nikita, his enticing eyes piercing into her soul, while his subordinates gazed down sceptically. Maximus was pondering the best approach to tell Nikita that her life would never be the same again.

'I need to speak to your wolf,' the King said, his voice tinged with eagerness. Nikita had no choice but to obey.

'Ewe,' he said, referring to Nikita's wolf. She felt her wolf stir for the first time in seven years. Nikita was soon out of control of her own body. 'You feel the connection, don't you?'

'Yes, my King,' her wolf responded, barely audible.

'Do you know what this means?' said the King. This was his wolf's first encounter with Ewe, and he was overjoyed.

'We have to come to you,' she whispered, and Maximus nodded contentedly. 'Never leave you,' the wolf added. 'Protect you’. 

'Just that?' murmured the King, his voice husky and sensual and brimming with anticipation. 

'I dare not continue on'. Ewe understood exactly the situation she and her human found themselves into. She would be able to thrive again with his assistance. He had come to her rescue. She was bound to him. 

‘Such a wise and humble wolf. You are flawless. Return control to Nikita’.

Nikita, unlike her wolf, was baffled by the circumstances. Why did the King find her? What made her wolf so devoted to the King?

'I have chosen your fate, Ms. Thorne,' the King replied calmly, drawing her attention back to him. Nikita gulped and clenched her fists in dread, unable to bear the electrified air. She had to be brave. Power rolled off of him in waves, compelling her to straighten her back visibly in response to the intensity. Maximus smirked, noting his effect on Nikita.

'You should be grateful to our King,' said the Beta. 'Regardless of the outcome'.

She bowed slightly and thanked the King for his kindness in a quivering voice.

'I will grant you a wish. You request for vengeance, and you shall receive it. Wealth? No worries. Position? Sure. Ask me the one thing you want the most and I shall swear a blood oath to satisfy your wish'. 

She was taken aback. What is this man's ultimate goal? She was still perplexed. But there was one thing she would never forget. Nothing comes cheap.

'And in return?' she inquired, bewildered.

'You surrender yourself to me. Everything about you will be mine. Your knowledge, body, soul, you, and your wolf will all be mine'.

Nikita had long realised there was no escape. This was her king. Whatever he desired from her, he would ultimately obtain. Her primary worry as a mother was the protection of her children. They needed to be safeguarded. If she defied the King, she would be punished, leaving her boys exposed and unprotected. What about escaping? Based on her wolf's behaviour, she would never betray or abandon Maximus. She was never going to be free again. She attempted to keep her cool whilst trying to think of a way to make the best of the situation. She responded cautiously.

'My greatest wish is for my...' she paused a while. Her heart sank as humiliation crept in. She believed she was betraying the man in front of her by admitting to being a mother. 'All I want is for my pups to be protected,' she declared.

‘Pups?’ He yelled and crushed the cup in front of him. 'Do you have children with anoth... with a human?'

Nikita took a few steps back. She was terrified and baffled. Why would the King care if she had a family or not? Why did he become enraged?

'No, no. My mate... We...had spent the night together before he rejected me. He wasn't there when I awoke. He just left me in a hotel room like some cheap whore he spent the night with'. Nikita looked down in shame.

Maximus came to realise something. Life couldn't be that harsh, could it? Was this some kind of twisted fate's game? Could the parallels between the two stories be due to chance? He, on the other hand, did not believe in coincidences. Was Nikita the long-lost mate he had been looking for? For the first time today, his feelings could be seen on his face. The woman in front of him was inadvertently the cause of his family's fate. He was King because of her. She was held responsible for his brother's misfortune and death. At the same time, she was his. She belonged to him. Did he want to punish her? Yes, but not in the way that a prisoner would be punished. He wanted to punish her in his bed.

'Did you keep waiting for him? Perhaps he was summoned, or some pressing situation demanded his utmost attention'. His voice trembled and was filled with emotion. 

'I waited for him despite my pain. For three whole days. On the fourth day, I simply left. He was not going to return for me. Even so, I left a letter and paid for the room for another five days before leaving. If he came back, he'd find my note and contact me. He never did." 

Maximus' heart pounded with guilt.

'If you are interested, I can tell you who your mate was. I can also tell you why he left. This story is well known to me because I was one of those who witnessed it'.

'Was? Is my mate dead?'

'You did not feel it because your wolf kept herself weak to protect you and the pups. It is a miracle you are still alive'. My miracle, he whispered to himself. 'You were never turned down, Nikita. Your mate did leave the room, but only because the former King, my father, ordered him to’.

‘What? Why?’ Nikita could not handle the new information. Everything she has suffered through in the last seven years, all her humiliation, regret, sorrow, and hatred, has been founded on a lie. A flash of the life she may have had with her partner flashed across her thoughts, and tears began to flow.

'Our pack was being attacked. He had to defend us', the King said.  

'So he was a member of your pack? I did not even know that much'. Her sobbing hung in the air.

'He was a Lycan, like you and me, and the pack's most important member. Maximus stood up and approached Nikita. Nikita gazed at him, puzzled. What did Maximus mean when he said that? What member could possibly be more significant than him? Maximus proceeded despite her confusion.

'Our father had instructed us to return to the pack and guard it', he explained.

‘Our?’ Nikita raised her head in surprise.

'As the rightful heir to the throne, Jonathan had to leave you for a short while to defend his pack and title. Although the attack only lasted two days, I was gravely hurt. My older brother stayed by my side for three days while my life was on the line, then left to find you. Jonathan was a different man when he returned without you. Eventually he became the shell of a man he was when you met him'. Maximus reflected on the past with sadness. His feet drew him closer to Nikita unconsciously.

‘I swear I left a note. I waited for him. He should have found my contact information. Why? Why?’. Was she wrong to doubt her mate and leave? How could she possibly have known? She had no idea! She had left! Goddess, she was the sole person responsible for her misfortune.

‘You have no idea how long I looked for you before to his suicide. Fate can be a cruel mistress at times. The person I had obsessively sought out back then has been delivered to me now that he is no longer alive, and nothing can change the outcome of your story’.   

‘Suicide?’ Her sobs filled up the room. ‘I… I can’t stay here any longer. I have to go. Please let me go’. She desired nothing more than to be alone, to mourn once more, and then to find solace in the presence of her children.

‘Never! You are not to leave my side unless I say so’.

Nikita began pacing rapidly from one side of the room to the other. Her soul was aflame with the fires of remorse and regret. Her being in the presence of the King tormented her. Her mate was no longer alive, and all she could think about was how much she yearned for the king's soothing touch. Maximus appeared in front of her in seconds, as if acknowledging her longing for contact. He took her hair and gently pulled it down so she could look at him. His voice was sorrowful with a trace of excitement.

'To whom do you belong?

'You, my King,' Nikita cried.

'Say it again,' he urged. His voice was authoritative.

'I am yours, my King,' she said. Although Nikita was terrified, Ewe was ecstatic with pride and accomplishment.

‘Always. Say it'.

'I shall always be yours'.

‘Forever’.

‘Forever’. She showed her bare neck out of respect and devotion. 

Maximus asked his Beta and Gamma to wait for him outside. They heard the door open as quickly as they heard it close. Maximus moved his face closer to Nikita’s. Nikita could feel Maximus' breath on her, which send chills all over her body.  

'Tell me, Nikita, how come you can stand all sane in front of me, even though you just found out your mate is dead?'

Nikita was caught by surprise. Her wolf reappeared, confirming her status as a werewolf. Normally, her mate's death should have devastated her. Yet she was still alive and healthy.

Maximus slowly moved his hand and touched Nikita's face. The touch was soft, but it had a cascading impact on Nikita. Sparks jolted her entire body. Maximus's enticing aroma entered her nostrils as abruptly as the contact. It was beckoning to her.

She exclaimed as she realised what was going on. She was given a second chance mate.

This fresh piece of knowledge could explain everything. She mentally chastised herself for failing to recognise the obvious until now. She was aware of the emotions Maximus elicited in her. Her soul yearned for him. Her heart ached for him. Her body longed for his touch. Before she could respond more, her wolf confirmed her suspicions. 

'Mine', Maximus reacted quickly.

'Mate,' Nikita thought as she felt his canines mark her, making her his forever.