Flash Marriage Husband is an Alpha-Chapter 22: A human mate?

Adrian’s POV

The office was quiet by the time I finally pushed back from my desk, standing to my full height—tired and exhausted.

Another fourteen-hour day, another series of deals closed, another set of people who either feared me or wanted something from me, another round of handling reports and issues related to the pack and the council.

I stepped out of the elevator, my gaze flickering around the quiet offices.

The moon hung high over the skyline, silver and cold—a clear reflection of the emptiness I’d been carrying for years.

On paper, I had everything an Alpha could want.

And yet, I felt nothing. My life seemed to revolve around work, work, and work. I must say success had a strange aftertaste—bitter, metallic, and lonely.

"You work too much," my wolf growled, but I ignored him. That voice had been easier to silence lately.

Work, control, and routine were the only things that actually kept me sane.

But then, what else could I possibly live for?

I was supposed to find my mate during my coming-of-age ceremony,

but it seemed I wasn’t in the plans of the Moon Goddess.

Even when I took over the leadership of the pack, I was still left without a mate.

I’ve searched, waited, and prayed to the Moon Goddess.

At some point, I had to let it all be—maybe I was meant to live a lonely and solitary life. A fate I have come to accept grudgingly.

I loosened my tie and stepped into the night air, letting the wind brush against my skin. My wolf stirred, restless beneath the surface.

He felt caged, irritated, hungry for something I couldn’t name—yet I didn’t have the strength to bother about what he felt.

Besides, he had learned to make do with himself over the years—silent when I was working, happy when we went running in the woods, restless when others howled "mate."

I loosened my tie again and made my way to the car already waiting. With a soft click, the door slid shut.

I could feel the gaze of my driver as he waited for instructions, but I wasn’t sure where to go.

The thought of returning to that silent penthouse made my chest feel tighter.

Seeing I wasn’t ready to speak, he had to ask. I suspected he was clearly afraid of my fiery temper, which seemed to worsen lately.

"Where are we heading to, Alpha?" he asked. I paused. My thoughts raced for the best choice to make.

Home meant silence...lonely and solitary.

The club? Practically meant for noise...meaningless, intoxicating noise that drowned thought.

My wolf stirred briefly but offered no comment.

After a silence that felt like ages, I threw out a simple name...Albor.

He sighed with visible relief. My wolf sighed helplessly with resignation.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing, just thinking... Another noisy night. Better to run in the woods."

"Bear with it. Maybe something good might happen." I smirked.

"After searching for years?"

I shrugged lightly. He was right. We had searched for years and found nothing good... what then could a simple club do?

As the car coursed through the traffic, I had my gaze glued to the window... maybe I could come across someone who’d fill that emptiness within me.

The city pulsed with life in a way I no longer did. People walked the streets in pairs and groups—laughing, touching, and living.

And me? I was just existing...signing papers and building walls. All empty.

After an hour’s drive, the car pulled up outside Albor Lunaris Club. Its bright red signpost throbbed with life.

Though the vicinity bubbled with excitement and beautiful nightlife, it was another world, different from what Crown City knew.

As a club practically meant, established, and managed by werewolves, it was secluded far from the city, never attended by humans.

Behind the club was a path that led into the woods—an opportunity for anyone who wanted to set his wolf free.

And the sounds of howls were usually heard, though their distinct tones could only be heard by werewolves.

"We’re here," the driver said.

I took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and stepped down. My wolf stirred anxiously.

"Didn’t you object to coming to the club? What now?"

"She is here," my wolf growled.

I chuckled softly. "Karl, don’t let your imagination run wild."

"I let my imagination run wild? Who had his gaze glued to the street in search of her?"

I kept mute. I wasn’t ready to argue.

With a soft push, I stepped into the club. The doorman bowed lightly. "Alpha Carter," he greeted calmly.

I paused at the door to take in the scene—the club was a blur of low, colorful lights swirling around.

On the dance floor, several ladies twirled their bodies to the rhythm of the noisy song.

Karl was still anxious. "Aren’t you going to find her?" he growled.

"Find her in the sea of people?" I asked.

"Of course. I know she’s here. If you aren’t going, then let me out."

I chuckled. "Be careful you don’t close down the club before you find her."

"Adrian Carter."

"Karl Carter."

"Humph! I won’t talk to you again."

I sighed. "Then no need to go in. We can go back."

"You dare!" he snarled.

"Better be good," I smirked as I walked further into the club.

Familiar faces paused their actions and greeted; waiters straightened up and bowed, but I didn’t care for any of it.

I wasn’t there to be seen.

I just needed the noise—the illusion of life to drown out the loneliness and maybe locate her if she was really here.

Karl became more restless. "Can’t you feel her?" he asked in frustration.

"With so..."

"Cut the crap. I know you can."

I took a seat at my usual corner on a sofa in the dark corner of the club.

I usually sat there, my gaze trailing around the club like a king overseeing the affairs of his subordinates.

The waiter stepped forward to set my drink on the table, my gaze unconsciously falling on a figure at the bar as she downed glass after glass.

My eyes narrowed; her hair fell behind her in soft, dark waves, her makeup seemed smudged, her red wine mermaid dress hugged her curves perfectly.

"Was she treating a club like a banquet?" I mused.

Just then, she tucked her hair behind her ears, her gaze unconsciously falling toward me, though I was sure she didn’t notice me.

My heart rippled with excitement. Heat coursed through my body.

"That’s her," Karl growled.

My brow furrowed. No doubt she was new here... and wait...she is human.

"What the fuck?"

Was the Moon Goddess mocking me?

Karl stirred. "What human?"

"Haven’t you noticed it? She doesn’t have any scent on her."

"This is a club, and she might have concealed her scent," Karl argued.

"She doesn’t feel your presence. If she was our kind, she would have felt it and possibly met your gaze by now."

"Not necessarily true."

"Karl, why do I feel you’re becoming overprotective now?"

"You won’t mess it up. You aren’t going to reject her."

"But she’s human, you know."

Karl sighed. "Whatever, but she’s better than none."

"Better than none?"

"How many years has it been since we’ve been this way?" he said.

Several emotions swirled through my mind. He wasn’t wrong, but then having a human mate was much more than I bargained for.

What’s the difference between her and an omega?

I couldn’t feel the excitement I expected when I met her. But then, what could I do?

I had to convince myself she concealed her scent...or maybe she was just human.

I exhaled, watching as she continuously downed glass after glass of Luna’s Kiss. I got worried.

If she was human, taking Luna’s Kiss came with dire consequences.

And if she was a wolf, the consequences weren’t any lesser. Beings like us could only take a glass or two if they really wanted to stay in control.

"Aren’t you going to stop her?" Karl asked anxiously.

"Calm down." I smirked.

I downed a glass of my drink, my gaze not leaving her. Stephen’s jaw clenched as he pushed another glass toward her.

She accepted and smiled lightly, and like the others, she downed the glass.

The next moment, she stepped down from her seat, her steps unsteady as she made her way to me.

My breath caught. "Did she finally notice our presence?" But then her gaze was glued to the dance floor.

My fist clenched lightly. "Dance? In this club? My own mate? Impossible."

Coincidentally, she took the path closer to me. I pulled her hand gently, careful not to hurt her.

With a yelp, she fell into my arms. My breath caught, my heart thumping harder. I felt a scent on her but faintly.

Karl came to the surface, he wanted to see her face up close.

"What? Are you okay now?"

"Much better," he smirked. "Though human, she’s still beautiful."

"Oh!"

But then her voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Your smell?"

Karl stirred happily. "She could perceive the scent?"

"I don’t know yet."

The next moment, her hand lifted to trace the features of my face, her gaze dreamy and unsteady, her lids threatening to close, yet she seemed to fight to stay awake.

Surprisingly, she wasn’t making any effort to leave; she only adjusted herself into a comfortable position in my arms.

Heat crawled through my body. My instinct was to roam my hands over her body, but then...she was human. I had to keep myself in check.

With how much she had drunk, I must say she was quite exceptional at controlling that wine... maybe she wasn’t human after all.

"Your eyes?"

"They are natural." I smirked.

Karl almost tore through to the surface at the mention of the eyes.

"Could you take it easy? Or do you want her scared?" I warned him.

"Can she see me?" he asked happily.

"Maybe imagination from the drink," I said. Otherwise, how could she not feel fear but be even more reluctant to leave my arms?

"Time up," I said.

"What do you want to do?"

"What do you think?" I snickered.

Without waiting for him to understand, I lifted her into my arms. Her arms instinctively wrapped around my neck, her head resting on my shoulder.

Karl’s growl rumbled through me, deep and possessive. The sound rolled across the room like thunder.

The hall fell into silence.

The music died.

Wolves froze.

Heads bowed, some dropping to their knees in acknowledgment as we made our way toward the door.