Chapter 3 Never Seeing Him Again

Chapter 3

[Alstorin]

I was wrapped in a thick, heavy warmth. Shifting slowly, my face brushed against soft hair and a warm neck. I let out a quiet breath and settled in.

Was I dreaming?

I felt weirdly at peace, like I’d finally found a quiet corner of the world where nothing could hurt me.

Strong arms were wrapped around my waist, pulling me against a solid chest. The grip wasn’t tight enough to bruise, but it felt like they were never going to let me go. It felt good.

Why hadn’t I let someone hold me like this before?

I knew the answer. I’d spent a decade running from touch, building walls to keep everyone out.

A frantic tug at my elbow broke through the haze. Someone was shaking my shoulder.

“I’m about to lose my damn mind. Wake up, please,” a quiet voice whispered in my ear.

The words hit me like ice water. The memories crashed over me—the sudden heat, the bathtub full of ice, the smell of new books, and the masked stranger.

I snapped my eyes open.

Sunlight streamed through the blinds. Unbelievably, the stranger was still in bed with me, asleep on his stomach. The black mask was still strapped firmly across his face.

I gasped and touched my face. My mask was gone, lying on the carpet beside the bed.

Panic surged in my chest, but for a split second, I just froze. The stranger’s comforting scent filled my lungs, and I almost got lost in it again.

I forced myself to snap out of it. I carefully lifted the heavy arm off my waist and slid toward the edge of the bed. But I stopped midway.

The blanket had slipped down, exposing his mid-back.

Right along his spine was a tattoo—the only mark on his body. A small blue star sat just above a melting ice cream cone, followed by a line of elegant text. It looked like Greek, though I had no idea what it meant.

“Rin, please,” Mercy whispered from the doorway, sounding panicked.

That broke my trance. I tore my gaze away, scrambled off the bed, and pulled my clothes on with trembling hands.

The walk to the car was a blur. Once inside, absolute silence fell over us. Mercy gripped the steering wheel, staring straight ahead, while I stared at my hands in my lap.

My mind was spinning. Thirty years of fierce self-preservation, guarding myself like a fortress, gone in a single night to a total stranger. How had my walls fallen so easily?

I glanced at Mercy. What was he thinking about me right now? Did I look like a hypocrite?

And what about the stranger? Did the alpha see my face while I was sleeping? I had the kind of face people remembered after seeing it just once.

When we finally got home, the quiet in the living room was suffocating. I opened my mouth to tell Mercy that I hadn’t been in control, that the heat had completely hijacked my mind.

“Mercy, I…”

I stopped. Mercy wasn’t glaring at me. He was standing near the door with a teasing smile.

“You finally did it, Rin,” he said playfully. “You had a one-night stand and broke your rules about alphas. I bet…”

“Jarl!” I barked, using his real name.

He instantly zipped his mouth shut and held his hands up in defeat.

“But it’s good you tried something new,” he offered after a quiet moment, dropping the act.

“It’s not,” I said flatly. “I just put us both at risk.”

Mercy frowned. “What do you mean?”

“He’s my mate,” I said. “And he’s definitely going to look for me.”

Mercy let out a disbelieving laugh. “Are you sure? Rin, you were in heat, it could just be…”

I didn’t bother arguing. I just turned my right palm toward him. Swollen into the skin was a fresh mark, the permanent symbol of a bonded mate.

Mercy’s smile vanished. He stared at my hand, his jaw dropping.

“Oh my god,” he breathed, stepping back. He shook his head, trying to pull himself together. “It’s okay. We’re two towns away from Masks and Tales. He can’t find you here, especially since you don’t even go out.”

“You think so?” I asked.

“I know so,” Mercy insisted, sounding like he was trying to convince us both. “Besides, you two don’t know each other. Most alphas don't care anyway. He probably doesn’t even know you're his mate and is already planning who he’s taking to bed tonight.”

A tightness seized my chest, and I hated myself for it. Why did that hurt? Was it just because he was my alpha? The thought of that stranger touching someone else made my throat close up with an ugly wave of jealousy.

Mercy watched me closely, catching the shift in my mood.

“If you’re that worried,” he said softly, “why don’t you dye your hair back to its natural color?”

I touched the dark strands near my forehead. “Blonde?”

“Yep,” Mercy nodded. “Just in case. Not that it matters, because you aren't seeing him again.”

I stared at the floor. I’d totally screwed up. How did this happen? Not only had I put myself and Mercy in danger, but if we drew any attention, my father and brother might finally catch up to us.

“Go take a shower,” Mercy said, nudging my shoulder. “You reek of him.”

I didn’t argue. I went into the small bathroom and shut the door.

Standing by the sink, I caught the stranger’s scent again. That heavy, comforting smell. Strangely, I didn’t want to wash it away. I wanted to stay wrapped up in it. But I had to. For protection. For survival.

I turned on the shower, letting the steam fill the cold room.

Mercy was right. I’d dye my hair, lay low, and go back to my quiet life. I was never going to see that alpha again.

I reached under the sink and pulled out a box of blonde hair dye I kept for emergencies. I tore it open, mixed the developer, and smeared the cold cream into my hair.

Steam fogged the mirror. I wiped away a patch of condensation and stared at my blue eyes.

Beside me, my phone lit up. A routine university alert popped up on the lock screen.

NOTICE: Fall Semester Schedule Update

Professor Ren – Monday 9:00 AM Lecture Hall B

Note: Varsity Hockey Team roster added to your mandatory class attendance sheet.

I stared at the glowing notification, my heart skipping a beat, before I flipped the phone face down.

I looked back at my reflection, washing the dark dye down the drain as my bright blonde hair emerged.

I convinced myself that Monday morning at Hillbrain University would be just like every other day.

And that my path would never cross with that masked alpha again.