Chapter 2 1

Chapter 1

Laviñia's P.O.V.

'Well, I'll be the strongest that he'll ever know, and I'll be there when he needs a love strong enough...'

I raised one hand in the air, swaying to the rhythm and singing along with the music blasting from my car speakers. I've been playing this song nonstop.

'Let's talk about family, let's talk about family...

Let's talk of the ties and the lies and the love we have in this family...'

My gaze shifted from the road to the enormous archway ahead. Because of my speed, I barely managed to read the words written across it.

WELCOME TO TYNE.

I slowed down slightly when I noticed two men standing a few meters beyond the archway. They were wearing some kind of uniform, which made me assume they belonged to the local police force. Perhaps they were patrolling the area, but what exactly were they looking for?

I stopped in front of one of them, turned off the radio, and rolled down my window.

I'd been driving for more or less seven hours now. My back was killing me, and I was practically starving.

"Hi," I greeted him with a smile.

The man gave me a suspicious and rather unwelcoming look, but I chose to ignore it.

"Is there any fast-food restaurant or diner nearby?"

His eyes lingered on my face longer than I would have liked. I was just about to switch to bitch mode when he gestured toward the road ahead.

"There's a diner up ahead. Just three kilometers from here," he answered flatly.

"Thank you..."

I flashed him my sweetest smile before rolling up my window and speeding off in the direction he had indicated.

Through my side mirror, I noticed the other man approaching him. Perhaps he wanted to know what I had asked his companion. One of them even pulled out a walkie-talkie and began speaking to someone on the other end.

I could only shake my head before focusing my attention on the road again.

They looked awfully alarmed by my presence.

What the hell was their problem?

A few moments later, I pulled over beside what I assumed was the diner the man had mentioned. I stepped out of my car and glanced at its exterior.

I nodded in approval.

The place looked nice. I just hoped the food was equally good.

I was about to enter the diner when something caught my attention. A massive figure, resembling an enormous dog, stood not too far from where I was.

It was standing in the middle of an open meadow, staring directly at me.

Wow.

They actually had wolves in this area?

A gentle breeze blew in my direction, and that's when I caught a sweet scent that was almost enough to make me lightheaded.

Pine and mint.

Damn. I never thought a scent could be this intoxicating.

I quickly pulled my attention away from the strange animal and focused on my growling stomach instead. I opened the diner's door, and a little bell chimed above me.

The sound immediately caught everyone's attention. Almost every head inside turned in my direction.

A few people gave me curious looks, but I was far too distracted by the delicious aroma of steak and mashed potatoes.

Damn!

I swear I could hear my stomach growling.

I took a seat in front of the marble countertop. Judging by the number of customers eating inside, this place seemed quite popular. And it wasn't even dinner time yet.

"Hi."

I looked up when a waitress placed a glass of water in front of me. She wore a friendly smile.

"What can I get you?"

I glanced at the menu in front of me and smiled.

Damn. Everything looked delicious. I practically wanted to order everything on it.

Instead of choosing an item from the menu, I looked up at the woman.

"Can you give me your bestseller?"

She smiled and began writing on her order slip.

"Sure. And would you like a glass of wine to accompany your steak?"

"Sure. That would be great. Thank you."

The woman gave me another friendly smile before turning around to process my order.

Almost ten minutes later, she returned with a tray in her hands. She carefully placed everything in front of me.

I nearly drooled at the delicious aroma wafting from the food.

This diner was definitely a stairway to heaven.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" she politely asked.

I shook my head before digging into the steak.

Every bite tasted like a little piece of heaven. The meat was incredibly tender, cooked to perfection, and seasoned with spices that practically exploded across my tongue with every chew.

I was already halfway through my meal when I heard the bell above the door chime again.

I lifted my head to see who had just entered.

And immediately, my eyes widened.

Standing by the entrance was a ridiculously handsome man who was practically half-naked.

A mischievous smile slowly spread across my lips.

Good food, beautiful scenery, and handsome men.

The longer I stayed here, the more I found myself falling in love with this place.

The man glanced around as though searching for someone before his eyes finally landed on me.

He smirked when he noticed me practically feasting my eyes on him.

My breath hitched slightly as he began walking in my direction, his deep brown eyes never leaving my face.

His muscles flexed with every step he took. My gaze traveled from his handsome face down to his well-defined six-pack abs, then further to the V-line disappearing beneath the waistband of his pants.

I picked up my wineglass and took a slow sip, savoring its sweetness on my tongue.

The man stopped right in front of me.

"Like what you see?" he teased before taking the empty seat beside me.

I smiled flirtatiously, biting my lower lip.

"Sure I do," I admitted.

I didn't even bother hiding the lust in my voice.

Why should I?

I was a woman, and the man sitting beside me was absolutely ravishing. There was nothing wrong with appreciating a beautiful man.

He chuckled at my response, and I swear, it was the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard coming from a man's mouth.

His attention shifted to the waitress when she approached to take his order.

That gave me the perfect opportunity to examine him more closely.

Now that he was only inches away, I could clearly see the tattoo of a wolf on his back.

A black wolf.

Just like the one I'd seen outside the diner earlier.

After ordering an iced tea and steak, his attention returned to me.

"So, what would a beautiful woman like you be doing in a place like this?" he casually asked.

I stopped eating as memories of what had happened two nights ago came rushing back.

Those bitches who had forced me to pack my things and leave my hometown.

I swear, once Rylan figured out who was behind the attempt on my life, I would be the one to kill him with my own hands.

He would be the first to have his blood stain my hands.

"So?"

His voice pulled me back to reality.

I looked at him and noticed his eyes fixed on my hands, which were gripping my fork and knife tightly.

I immediately loosened my grip before putting on my most charming smile again.

"Let's just say I got lost and am looking for a temporary place to stay," I answered.

The man studied me curiously.

"Is that so?"

A moment later, however, his expression shifted back to its playful state.

"If you're looking for a place to spend the night, my bedroom can certainly accommodate the two of us."

That was smooth.

I smirked at his offer.

"That sounds tempting, but I'd rather spend the night alone. If you could recommend a nearby inn, that would be helpful."

He shrugged.

"I know an inn near my house. You can spend the night there. And, of course, if you find the place boring, you're always welcome to knock on my door."

He winked at me.

My grin widened.

This man was definitely a playboy, but somehow, I could sense that he was a good person.

When his order arrived, our conversation briefly came to a halt. We continued chatting while finishing our meals.

I learned that his name was Greyson and that he owned one of the most famous wineries in Tyne.

As it turned out, the wine I was drinking was one of their bestsellers.

Wow.

I've always been a wine lover, but it had never occurred to me that one of my favorite wines actually came from this part of the countryside.

I'd always assumed Lafeti wine was imported from another country.

I couldn't help but laugh at my own ignorance.

If I hadn't almost been killed, I probably wouldn't have thought about stepping outside my little bubble and traveling somewhere new.

❤️❤️❤️

"So, are you really sure you don't want to spend the night at my house?" he asked with a smile.

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're handsome, gentlemanly, and all that, but sorry, Mr. Stranger. I don't trust you enough to spend the night in your bed just yet."

He frowned at my answer, making me laugh softly.

"What do I need to do to earn your trust, then?"

My eyes sparkled at his question.

"How about giving me a tour of your winery tomorrow?"

A wide smile spread across his face.

"Sure!" he readily agreed. "See you tomorrow, then."

I smiled back at him.

He opened the passenger-side door and got out of the car.

I had asked him to accompany me to the inn. He hadn't brought his own vehicle, and since I was the one who requested his company, he simply rode along with me.

I guess it was a good thing that his house was only within walking distance.

He remained standing by the roadside, watching as I maneuvered my car toward the inn's entrance.

Once I got out, I couldn't help but look around the place.

It had a rustic theme that gave it a mystical yet homey atmosphere.

It wasn't particularly large compared to the inns in the city, but I could say it was spacious enough to accommodate around thirty people.

The signboard read:

TYNE INN.

It was rather amusing how the name rhymed, but I guessed this was the perfect place for me to hide.

❤️❤️❤️

This place feels like a home away from home.

That was what crossed my mind as I enjoyed the warm water against my skin.

This was the life!

I'd been so consumed by my work and business that I'd completely forgotten there was an entire world beyond the four walls of my room, which also happened to serve as my office.

I wanted to stay and enjoy the water a little longer, but unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to.

My wound hadn't completely healed, and the last thing I wanted was for it to become infected because I'd soaked it in water for too long.

The bathtub looked equally tempting, but I couldn't enjoy that just yet either.

I turned off the shower and wrapped myself in a large towel.

Afterward, I sat on the bed and rummaged through my first-aid kit to get the medication I needed for my wound.

Since I was alone, I had no choice but to clean my wounds myself.

Back in Rouen, I had my own nurse whom Rylan had hired to look after me, so I rarely had to worry about these things.

Now, however, I needed to figure out how to do everything on my own.

I was halfway through cleaning my wound when someone knocked on my door.

My eyebrows furrowed.

I didn't remember ordering anything, so who could that be?

I placed the cotton on the bed and walked toward the door.

I was wearing nothing but a bra and cotton shorts, so I figured it would be better to know who was standing outside before opening it completely.

I unlocked the door and opened it just enough to peek outside.

"Hi? How can I help you?" I greeted the woman with a smile.

I couldn't help but look her over, along with the trolley she was pushing.

She appeared to be in her early twenties. But what caught my attention was the food trolley she had brought along.

I hadn't ordered anything yet, so why was she carrying a trolley full of food?

The woman's eyes traveled from my face down to my stomach.

My eyebrows furrowed.

Most of my body was hidden behind the door, so what made her stare at my stomach?

Perhaps she noticed my puzzled expression because she quickly lifted her gaze back to my face.

She offered me a friendly smile.

"Hi. I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you, but the Alp- I mean, Mr. Greyson, called us and ordered dinner for you."

Greyson?

How thoughtful of him.

I opened the door wider to let her in.

She looked harmless enough.

She pushed the trolley inside, and the enticing aroma of food immediately filled my room, overpowering the smell of alcohol I was using to clean my wound.

I didn't miss the way her eyes briefly wandered over my body, particularly lingering on the wound on my stomach.

I'd only covered it with a bandage because I hadn't finished cleaning it yet.

"Ahem!"

My little cough brought her attention back to me.

She winced slightly.

"Err... I don't mean to be nosy or anything, but do you need help cleaning your wound? What happened to it? It looks pretty bad."

Wow!

She was certainly honest, perhaps a little too nosy for her own good.

"Thank you for the offer, but I can manage."

She looked at me as though she wasn't entirely convinced.

"Are you sure? I can call the pack doctor-I mean, a doctor from a nearby clinic-to look at it and make sure that-"

"No, really. I'm fine. I can clean it myself," I interrupted.

Somehow, despite finding her a little irritating, I couldn't help but feel touched by her genuine concern.

Her face scrunched up at my response.

"Okay, but if you need help, don't hesitate to dial the intercom, alright?"

I nodded.

I helped her transfer the food from the trolley onto the nearby table. Once she made sure everything was properly arranged, she immediately excused herself.

Only when I was finally alone again did I let out a sigh of relief.

I quickly finished cleaning my wound before putting on an oversized T-shirt.

After packing away my first-aid kit, I eagerly turned my attention toward the table.

The food looked just as delicious as it smelled.

I smiled as I picked up a slice of cheese from the platter.

This place was heaven.

❤️❤️❤️

Greyson's P.O.V.

"Alpha, you have a phone call from the inn."

One of my pack members approached me with a telephone in his hand.

I immediately put down the documents I was holding and took the phone from him.

"Hello," I answered.

"Hi, Alpha..."

I could hear the hesitation in the woman's voice.

Whatever she was about to tell me, I was pretty sure it wasn't good news.

"What is it, Annette? Did something happen to my mate?" I asked.

"Yes... I mean, no. But I think something bad happened to her before she came here."

My eyebrows furrowed.

"Can you please clarify that?"

I rubbed my temples.

I already knew she wasn't here for a vacation. The scent of blood surrounding her was far too strong to ignore.

I just needed to know what had happened.

"She has a bullet wound in her stomach."

My grip on the telephone tightened.

A bullet wound?

I released a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm.

My wolf was already growing restless and agitated upon learning that someone had attempted to take our mate's life.

Someone had actually dared to hurt her.

"Thank you for telling me, Annette. Just keep an eye on her. I'll assign two warriors to patrol the area around the inn to ensure her safety," I instructed before ending the call.

I swiveled my chair toward the window and looked at the inn not too far from our packhouse.

A bullet wound?

Interesting.

The corner of my lips lifted into an amused smile.

My mate was a badass.

I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to bring her to this part of the country.

I couldn't sense any trauma or fear coming from her, so I hadn't expected her injury to be something as serious as a gunshot wound.

I supposed I'd have to ask her about it myself.

But first, I needed to earn her trust.

I didn't think that would be too difficult, considering we were already mates.

Soon enough, the mate bond would work its magic, and she wouldn't want to leave my side anymore.

A smile spread across my face as I playfully twirled the pen between my fingers.