Alpha Samson.

Anger surged through my veins, and when I couldn't withstand it, I smacked the glass I held on the wall before me. My eyes enlarged, and blood drained from my face. "How long are you people going to be incompetent? Over two weeks, and this is the feedback you are getting for me?"

My beta, Berg, got on one of his knees, his head lowered, "We searched the whole pack, in the whole werewolf packs and the human lands, yet didn't find her. The lycans refused us passing their border because we weren't there for business, but I doubted she would be there."

He doubted she would be there? What kinda sense does he even have?

I scoffed and began unbuttoning my shirt. For someone who didn't want to be found, she would head to a place where it would be hard to find her, so the lycan clan could welcome her as one of the masses because she was wolfless and wouldn't be a threat to them.

I flung my shirt to the sofa and walked to the window. The view outside wasn't as fun as before. Her disappearance had caused me more sadness than I thought.

"Berg, you will have to put things together. We should have something to offer the lycans in exchange for searching their clan for my mate. I want her back here, and I will stop at nothing to have her back." I ordered, my voice cold and low.

He stood up, "Yes, alpha!"

I heard the sound of the door shut behind him, then I sighed heavily. I ran my fingers through my hair, panting helplessly and trying so much not to spill those tears I had held back all these days.

Annette was my mate, and losing her was the worst thing to ever happen to me. I thought, as wolfless as she was, she would be grateful that I made her my mistress, but she escaped. I heard that her father arranged a marriage with the prime minister for her since she refused to be my mistress, and that was the reason she escaped from the pack.

I had already told them how much they would lose if I didn't find Annette. They had no right to sell off my mate behind me and scare her away from my pack. I owned her and would do with her what I wanted.

If only she knew my mind and my plans with her, she wouldn't have left. I hadn't ever thought she wouldn't be my luna until nine days before the coronation day, and having her as my mistress was the only option I had to keep us together.

My wolf taunted me for her escape, and he blamed me for what happened, even though he knew the reason behind everything. I refused to reject her, and I had my reasons. But now, she was nowhere to be found, and I felt my world was crumbling.

Soon, the pack ministers would begin pressuring me to produce an heir for the pack. This was one of the reasons I didn't want to reject her and let her go. I needed my mate to give me an heir, and now this was it.

After standing there for quite some time with no alternative to bring her back to myself, I walked back into the room and grabbed the bottle of brandy. I fixed it on my lips until the bottle was empty, then I walked out of the office.

-

I had emptied two bottles of brandy, yet I wasn't drunk enough to sleep off. Recalling that there were no positive outcomes about my mate's whereabouts was giving me a headache, and I had thought drinking myself to a stupor would make me forget it all and doze off.

But it was 2 am at midnight, and I was yet to feel sleepy. My eyes were wide open, and I felt nothing but regret. If I had known this would occur, I would have ordered the guards to lock her up in my bedroom after the coronation. But I thought she would show up by herself, and if she didn't, I would take her the next day...only to get the news of her disappearance.

I grabbed the glass of wine and downed it, then refilled it again.

The door creaked, and when I looked up, it was Isobel, my mate's sister, dressed in her lingerie, and putting on a smile that awakened the demon in me that was asleep.

It was a pity, but she was just a substitute. She was only here to bear the luna title for the sake of my rule, and my mate was the one who was going to give me a pup. Maybe, if my mate were here, I wouldn't hate her as much as I do now.

She strode closer to where I sat, each of her steps made my palm tighten the more around the glass I had grabbed. "Alpha, you hadn't slept, so I thought to stay with you. Mind sharing what the problem is? You've never stayed with me since the day of my coronation."

I didn't even spend that night with her, as the tradition said. I had lodged in a hotel that night, waiting to hear that Annette had shown up at the palace, so I would return and spend the night with her.

When I felt her hand on my shoulder, I gave her a sharp glare, and she took it off instantly, then lowered her face.

"Alpha, did I offend you? I'm your Luna, yet you treat me like I am nothing. It's been over a week since our wedding, but you haven't spent a minute with me. You even ordered that I do not show up in your bedroom...."

I ignored her and sipped from the glass I held.

Did I owe her an explanation? I didn't think so.

In the same way, her father told me that he owed no one an explanation on why they treated my mate like an outsider; this was the case here. If I hadn't met them privately, they wouldn't spill that secret to me. And she expected me to regard her? I had far more important things to take care of than giving her my time.

I didn't want to order her out, so I simply sealed the bottle of wine that was about half, then stood and began leaving the room.

"Alpha, it's midnight and....

I walked away and slammed the door with a thud behind me, then went down to the garage and drove off the pack house. I went back to the lodge where I always stayed to sort out lots of things with my men, and it was far better than the bedroom I had just left.

Although I couldn't sleep too well, not perceiving the scent of a female that wasn't my mate made me feel better.

The next morning, Berg showed up and showed me the acceptance letter I got from the lycan clan. I felt a little relieved, because at least there would be a way to search the lycan clan. If this time she wasn't found, I would have no mercy for her parents and that prime minister.

I looked at my beta, putting a long face, "Make sure to search every nook and cranny..."

The door was flung wide open, and my parents barged in. How did they get the passcode of my lodge? Their expression showed that I messed up big time, but I seriously wasn't in the mood to listen to them.

Berg exited the room immediately, and I stood immobile, with my arms crossed against my chest, and my eyes affixed on my parents standing some feet away from me.

My mother walked to the sofa and got seated, then asked me, "I would love you to explain why you did not bond with Isobel on the night of the coronation, and why you are searching for the wolfless thing when she already left the pack."

"Didn't we agree that she would be banished? Why then did you make her your mistress, and is even searching for her after she left?" my father raged in anger.

I bit my lower lip and turned my back on them. They had gone for their treatment in the human land and couldn't make it on the coronation day with my siblings. When I even arranged a to-and-fro flight for them, they insisted their presence wasn't needed that much since it was just crowning my Luna.

But they had the guts to show up and ask questions, then expecting a detailed explanation from the puppet alpha king that they had installed on the throne, right?

Maybe it was time to show them that I wasn't a puppet any longer and would rule with my command, whether they liked it or not.

Annette.

SIX YEARS LATER.

I sat at the corner, watching as others were walking around, gisting and doing all sorts of things with their friends. I'd stayed in this clan for six years, yet hardly made a friend, because every one of them could backstab me like my sister, Isobel, always did.

It was better I stayed alone, without a male or female friend and just focused on my career.

The whole recently graduated healers of the Summit Clan had just gathered for a get-together before each of us left for the various clans that we would work in. In these six years, I had already made a name for myself and was well known all over the Summit Clan.

Aunt Penelope was like a parent to me. She had trained me singlehandedly until I graduated as she had promised, and being famous among the others also made it possible for her to get so much attention from people who hadn't neared her club for once.

While I was studying, I was already a healer, and my patients came to my home to take treatments. Aunt Penelope rented an apartment for me once she was sure of what I was capable of, and since then, I had made more money than I thought, yet she didn't let me spend a dime to train myself in school.

I grabbed the glass of juice I had poured for myself, which I emptied, would go home because I needed a rest. But two ladies walked to where I sat and took a seat too, yet chatting all to themselves.

I pretended not to even see them, not knowing that they really wanted to be seen by me.

"Hey, I'm talking to you..." came the voice of the first lady, drawing my attention away from the couples dancing. When I met her eyes, I made an expression that asked what it was. I do not make a show amid them, because I was a werewolf and don't even have a wolf. "Aren't you the one hitting on Prince Dylan?"

My brows drew together. Are they being serious or what?

"Prince Dylan is finally ignoring his mate because of you. So why do all the high-ranking men not get their eyes off you once they see you? Care to share the kinda spell you're using on them?" the other lady said, and with her looks, it really tasted funny on her tongue.

I stared at them for so long and looked away, pretending I didn't hear any of them.

But as I got my hand on the glass again, it was snatched away from me...and the next was a liquid rushing down my face, down to my body.

"Why should a wolfless thing like you ignore a beta lycan like me? Are you nuts? You think being a healer makes us of the same rank?" the first lady burst, her eyes shining with rage. "Oh, I even forgot that the lycan king had just appointed you the healer personally for the royal family. So with that, you think no one is of your grade in this clan, huh?"

I didn't even find my words and simply stood up after I had dried up the juices the way I could.

"Trying to leave because I just mentioned how you are using spells in treating patients? There's no way a wolfless thing like you will have that ability, so you're probably using some spells to make a living. But could you just let go of Prince Dylan? Thats the lycan prince of this clan and should have nothing to do with you." Her voice rose so high that the attention of others was drawn to us, which was what I was avoiding.

I had gotten tired of explaining that I had nothing to do with Prince Dylan and had even warned the prince to reconcile with his mate instead of using me as a refugee and confusing people.

A lot of people thought we were dating, and even though his family heard of it, they didn't care.

"It takes years for one to be capable of seeing the lycan king as a healer, yet you did that after a year of stepping your feet into this clan. What exactly are you if not a witch?"

I got fed up and wanted to leave, so I stretched my hand to take my handbag from the table...but the lady was fast enough to grab it, and she flung it against my face, causing me to lose balance.

"You fool! Want to leave when I'm not done talking to you?" she cussed and threw my handbag at me. "I will make you regret ever stepping your feet into this clan at first if you don't let the clan know how you spellbound men, including the prince...and must let him go now."

I squatted and picked up my handbag from the ground. Only the moon goddess knew how long they had been planning to do this, because I did well to dodge such a thing happening, even though I knew how much they gossiped behind me.

At that moment, I noticed how the others were beginning to gather around us. I was so scared of what they would do to me, because aside from my healing power, I had no other strength for a werewolf.

"Start talking already!! Olivia had always been in tears because of you diverting her mate's attention, and here you are flaunting your fake skills. I swear you won't bewitch me like you did others who believed that your ability is real. How many lycans have such, that a wolfless thing like you have one?" The lady kept ranting, and the others picked up interest to hear me speak, which was the last thing I would do.

One of the men said from the crowd, "If she doesn't, then she will learn her lessons here and have no reason to stay behind in this clan. My dad's a healer, and now I am. Neither of us is as famous as you are, and you're the one who stole my dad's spotlight," the man said, pointing fingers at my face.

They found it all fun, some laughing while the others whispered.

The gathering that was supposed to be merry was one they turned into bullying.

I was trembling deep down, holding myself together with my head lowered. If I weren't present, they would tag me proud. But now that I did, I regretted not being tagged as proud instead of this.

Someone yanked my hair from the back, sending chills down my spine as I screamed out in pain. "Talk already and stop wasting our time..." the lady growled and pushed me to my knees.

My chest was on the verge of exploding. I felt as though my soul had already left my body.

"What's going on here?" I heard someone ask, but my head was beginning to throb already to recognise who the person was.

When I tried to look up, I saw that the circle formed by them had been ditched to both sides, and walking towards me was the lycan prince.

I should have rejected his help, too, but I was so weak and helpless at that moment that I needed someone to take me away.

"My prince, you shouldn't be here when Olivia is hospitalised," I heard the voice of that first lady, sounding all sweet, that one wouldn't believe she started all those. "We were just trying to help the clan by exposing her...

"What right do you have to tell me where to be?" Prince Dylan scolded her while helping me stand. "And do you all realise you could lose your five years of intensive training because of this?"

They all got to their knees, all heads lowered.

He turned around to me, "An emergency just came up in the clan's infirmary, and the whole healers there are all useless. He's an alpha king and would give up if you don't follow me now."

I bit my lower lip. Why would he call healers useless? They must have tried their best, too.

So I could become useless too if the alpha was just destined not to be saved, huh?

"My prince...

"Just follow me!" he ordered and began leaving, so I had no choice but to trail behind him.

Once I was out in the compound, the prince's beta opened the door for me, and I stepped in. The prince entered as well, and the door was slammed shut. "Your Highness, what about your mate?" I asked him because that was the sole cause of my issue back there.

He made a long face and still responded, "Is there an issue? She's in the hospital for what she caused herself."

"She really didn't cause that herself. If you've truly been away from her, then she could be broken by your actions. Why not draw closer to her? Did she commit an unforgivable crime? Then you two should sort it out so people will stop misunderstanding me." I said further, but he didn't even spare me a glance.

If he had feelings for me, he should have said it out already.

He hadn't been in the clan until two years ago, when his father appointed me the royal healer. That was when I came to be close to them, and also knew that he went to the Academy of Alpha Elites for his training as the future lycan king of the clan.

When the car had ridden far away from the clubhouse where I had been, he finally turned around and whispered to me, "Let's not talk about my mate. We look forward to that alpha king getting better."

I sighed and nodded, then averted my gaze through the window.

We reached the clan's infirmary and alighted, then I was taken straight to the ICU, which was locked up as they said surgeons were in there.

One of the healers I was familiar with passed by, and I called for his attention, "What is wrong with the alpha? Any idea?"

He knitted his brows and shook his head, "The clan councils are even pondering on sending them out of the clan, as a werewolf has no reason to be given intensive care in the clan....even though several healers had tried, but there was no positive result." he explained and patted my shoulder, leaving already before I could find my words.

Why would they want to send away the alpha when it was their pride to treat him?

The prince's beta came forward soon and announced that the clan councils were seeking an audience with me because of the issue at hand. It seemed that because of the alpha, the healer's attentions were all shifted from other patients. Then it meant that his condition was so terrible to be overlooked.

I reached the room where they were and took a seat, "Greetings, councils..." I bowed to them and crossed my legs together.

"We are discussing that you begin leaving, as the alpha should be taken away from here. The werewolves are too proud of themselves and wouldn't obey the lycans, so they should have nothing to earn from us," the chief council chairman said, and I didn't understand if they wanted me to discard a werewolf when I was one.

Another cleared his throat, "All the healers in this infirmary have tried their best, and even the surgeons in there are trying their best. We don't need such, because they would still pay us back with a war. If we had known that the lycan prince was going to pick you up, we wouldn't have allowed that."

"I have to do it..." I said to them, and they all glanced at themselves. "I'm very sorry, but if I don't save that life, I would be taunted by the moon goddess who gave me the ability. You could stop such from happening again, but that is after this time."

They kept whispering to themselves, and I still added, "You know, I was having my time with others when the prince brought me out. I shouldn't be here in vain, please. This isn't a matter of being a werewolf or not, I just have to save his life...even if his treatments will continue elsewhere."

While they were still murmuring among themselves, the lycan prince walked into the room and took his seats.

"The surgeons are out, and nothing has changed. He has a limited time, and I will feel so guilty if he dies here. So even if it isn't allowed, they are already here and were let in by the border warriors," the prince stated and then shifted his gaze to me. "We have to go in there, Annette. There's not much time left. We could discuss this again when you are done, and my father must be there."

I stood, and looking at their faces, they didn't seem to have any choice as I walked out with the prince.

Before we entered the ICU, one of the surgeons pulled out his mask and asked me, "Are you the famous healer they talked about here? I'd like to speak with you..."

I bowed lightly to him, "If that's the case, then it should be after I am done."

"No problem!" He watched until I locked the door of the room.

The prince went closer to the bed and raised the surgical drape, "Do you need any help? He's so unconscious..."

I walked closer to see where the patient had been wounded, and it wasn't a small one. His thighs were almost shattered with a weapon, and the side of his belly was still bleeding.

"He's an alpha, or he would have died already from the position of this," I muttered and reached closer to where the prince was, wanting to catch a glimpse of his face.

I narrowed my gaze once I turned his head to face the ceiling. I couldn't be dreaming, right?

"Is everything okay? He isn't dead, right?" The prince drew my attention, and I quickly checked his pulse to see how faint it was. "He's the alpha king of the Infinite Pride Pack..."

I turned around to him, "What happened to him? This is so brutal..."

"Their pack was attacked unexpectedly by rogues, and so while trying to save his people, ended up this way. The pack healers couldn't save him, and neither could all the healers in the werewolves' pack. I think they heard of the famous healer here and decided to bring him forth, so please save him."

Tears already gathered in my eyes. I just didn't like how I was feeling for someone who didn't care about me.

Who could believe he would be my patient one day?

I sniffed and said to the prince, "I will try my best. But could you try to awaken his wolf?"

He walked closer and touched his forehead, "Without his wolf...

"His wolf would help a lot. I think he's also unconscious." I said, and he nodded and then bit his index finger, which he began dropping his blood into his mouth.

This is my calling, and I would just walk away like in the past once I was done with him.

Alpha Samson did me dirty, but I couldn't watch him die because of the past.

"His wolf is awakened..." the prince said to me, and I nodded. "Would he help keep him alive?"

I nodded, "I'll have to change up." I said and left the ICU.

While I was putting on my surgical scrubs, the tears I'd held for a long time rolled down my cheek, and I quickly wiped them off. I shouldn't be doing this when I have already gotten rid of him from my life. I was still wolfless, so he wouldn't even regard me if he woke up...and I would have no reason to even give him my time.

I tied my hair into a knot, slid my gloves into my palms and then put on my mask.

For the last six years, I was his wolfless mate, and now, I was the famous healer he came for. I hoped he wouldn't cuss himself when he realised that I saved his life. So help me, moon goddess!