Aroha's POV

We just stand there gazing into each other's eyes for what feels like an eternity before I finally snap out of my shock. I mentally scold myself... Your an idiot Aroha, you should have already made a break for it, not stayed ogling this stranger like he was a piece of meat... hmmmm but what a juicy.... Wait!!! No, down girl!! Stop acting like a bitch in heat wanting to jump his bones and pull yourself together!! Breathe, deep breaths keep your cool and we can get out of here without any issues..

He must have sensed my inner conflict as he backs away a few steps with his hand raised in front of him. "I'm sorry for startling you, I saw you while I was out for a walk and couldn't help but introduce myself when I saw you. Also I didn't think it was wise for one as gorgeous as yourself to be asleep out in the open like that while anyone could chance upon you, some of whole may now be as nice as myself. Like I said my name is Sebastian"

The whole time he spoke, I can only guess that I looked like a fish out of water with my mouth hanging open. Even his voice was sexy and I'd be happy to just stand here listening to him talk. Wait a minute... Did the sex god just call me gorgeous? And what was the question again?

"W-what?"

He chuckles at my inability to hide that I was distracted checking him out. "I said my name is Sebastian, and you are?"

"Oh right, um A-Aroha?"

"Well um Aroha, is that your actual name or was that a last second choice?"

I straighten my back to try looked confident when I'm anything but. "Aroha. My name is Aroha"

"Well Aroha, it's a pleasure to meet you, but may I ask what are you doing out all by yourself? It's not safe for your ki... someone such as yourself in these mountains all alone at night"

He pulled himself up quickly but I caught his slip up, knowing he was about to say 'my kind'. Since shifters were rarely seen outside of there packs and rarely interacted with humans unless absolutely necessary, it was obvious he assumed I knew nothing about them and didn't want to tell me what he was. Ok well I'll play along for now and pretend to be ignorant of his heritage.

"If by someone such as yourself you mean a girl, than I'll have you know I've been coming here for years by myself without any issue, so I doubt I will stop now just because some man I've never met before told me it's not safe. An while we're on that subject, why are you out here?"

He's smiling now clearly amused by my attempt to stand up to him. "I meant no disrespect Aroha, but these mountains aren't safe right now, I suggest you stay clear for a while"

"And why are these mountains no longer safe?"

"I can't explain it to you, but just trust that you shouldn't return here for a while. I'd suggest you head back to your home now."

Is this guy for real? "My apologies your highness but you don't have any say in what I do and don't do. So if I want to return here I will".

"Nothing I say will change your mind will it?

"Nope". And with that I turn and walk away. But not before catching a muttered "fuck" leave Sebastian's mouth no doubt thinking I wouldn't hear it. I have every intention of returning in the hopes of seeing Sebastian again. I wonder how long it will take him to tell me he's a shifter? Hmmm this might end up being fun.

Sebastian's pov

I've been living in these mountains for little over a month now. I moved from interstate to become beta in the dire pack as they had no beta family. The dire pack if legends are anything to go buy was once run by dire wolves. Mighty warriors whose wolves were meant to be at least 5 times the size of an alpha wolf, able to withstand near killing blows and fight like nothing happened to them and heal nearly instantly, shy of ripping their heart out or taking off there head they were meant to be near invincible. No one knows what happened to cause these legendary wolves to disappear, the legends say the goddess sent the dire wolves to protect the packs but they became corrupted by power, the goddess then changed them into normal wolves to live out there days, all that is but one family. This family had not let power corrupt them, so the goddess changed them into normal werewolves so they would not become hunted for being the only dire wolves. Rumours say that those last dire wolves still have the dire wolf gene running through there blood, so that one day, when the goddess deems it time, dire wolves will once again walk the earth. But I'm not to convinced that dire wolves ever existed, the last recorded sighting of one was in this very pack well over 500yrs ago. As far as I'm concerned, unless I see undeniable evidence they are just silly legends.

The one thing that makes this pack stand out is that it's full of mixed shifters. The alpha is a werewolf, while the rest of the pack is made up of mainly wolves and bears, but also a few of the rarer species like tigers and panters.

In the month I've been here I've been exploring the territory on nightly runs to get to know the layout, it was on one of these runs while exploring a new area that I picked up the most amazing scent, it smelled of wild flowers and drove my inner animal crazy with need. Following the trail I came across a clearing filled with wild flowers and a small pond. I became disheartened thinking It was just the flowers I smelt, until I sensed a heart beat. Stalking through the bushes on the edge of the clearing a saw the most beautiful girl I've ever seen asleep amongst the flowers.

Suddenly as of aware of my presence she stires and crouches, causing her hair to cover her eyes to hide the fact that she's searching the bushes.... "hmmm our mate is smart". My tiger trey says in my head. "wait what do you mean mate? She can't be our mate she's human. I cant have a human as a mate" "Well why the hell not Sebastian? I want her you want her, seems fine to me?" "No trey it's not fucking fine, I refuse to take a defenceless human as my mate, as beta I need a strong female to lead with me". Trey is roaring in my head and snarling at me as I push him back and silence him.

I take the time to watch my mate, from her auburn hair that cascading down her back to rocking curves in all the right places... I wonder why the hell she couldn't have been a shifter.. if only she wasn't a human. I was about to turn and leave when Her voice captures my attention. "Whoever's there show yourself".

Try as I might to walk away I can't, the mate bond is pulling me to her and before I know it I'm stepping from the shadows and words flow from my mouth before I can stop them. "Fear not I mean you no harm, my name is Sebastian".

She seems almost as shocked as I am as we just stare at each Other without saying a word. I can believe the perfect person created just for me is standing right in front of me, and I can't have her as my mate, the dread of rejecting her setting in. Hmmm maybe if I can get her to not come back I will be able to ignore the pull of the mate bond as long as we don't go near each other. "Your an idiot if you think". "Not now trey"!!! And I push him back silencing him.

"I'm sorry for startling you, I saw you while I was out for a walk and couldn't help but introduce myself when I saw you. Also I didn't think it was wise for one as gorgeous as yourself to be asleep out in the open like that while anyone could chance upon you, some of whom may not be as nice as myself. Like I said my name is Sebastian". Shit why did I call her gorgeous. She almost seems as surprised as I am.

"W-what?" So caught up in checking me out she is started by my words. I chuckle at her innocence as she blushes. "I said my name is Sebastian, and you are?"

"Oh right, um A-Aroha?"

"Such a beautiful name for a beautiful mate" "trey... I told you before shut it!!!" "Fine I'm shutting it, I'll just sit back and watch while you ruin our lives". Stupid annoying animal... "Well um Aroha, is that your actual name or was that a last second choice?" Wait why am I joking with her?

She straightens her back in a attempt to look confident. "Aroha. My name is Aroha"

"Well Aroha, it's a pleasure to meet you, but may I ask what are you doing out all by yourself? It's not safe for your ki... someone such as yourself in these mountains all alone at night" shit I nearly said kind..... I can let her know what I am.

Her next words surprised me, being a beta only the alpha tells me off. "If by someone such as yourself you mean a girl, than I'll have you know I've been coming here for years by myself without any issue, so I doubt I will stop now just because some man I've never met before told me it's not safe. An while we're on that subject, why are you out here?" Shit she's feisty, why do I have to find that so damn sexy.. well I guess getting her to stay away is out of the question.

"I meant no disrespect Aroha, but these mountains aren't safe right now, I suggest you stay clear for a while"

"And why are these mountains no longer safe?"

Fuck... I can't tell her that a war is about to start with the packs "I can't explain it to you, but just trust me that you shouldn't return here for a while. I'd suggest you head back to your home now."

"My apologies your highness but you don't have any say in what I do and don't do. So if I want to return here I will".

"Nothing I say will change your mind will it?

"Nope". And with that she turns and walks away. "fuck" I mutter under my breath too soft for any human to hear. Try as I might I can't help but shift and follow her in the shadows, I need to make sure she doesn't go to close to the packs land. "You keep telling yourself that, I'm sure it has nothing to with the fact you want to make sure she gets home safe and sound cause you want her"..... "I hate it when your right trey". I can hear his laughter in my head. Staying away is going to be harder than I thought....