Free Web NovelChapter 74: Chapter 74 True Mate
Caesar’s POV
I drained my glass in one swift motion, feeling the expensive liquor burn pleasantly down my throat. When I lowered the glass, I caught her staring at me with heat in those winter-blue eyes. That look—gods above—I recognized it instantly, the primal hunger mirroring what my wolf had been howling since the moment I’d scented her across the ballroom hours ago.
Before I could second-guess myself, I reached out and slipped my arm around Sylvia’s slender waist, drawing her against me until our bodies aligned perfectly. The contact sent electricity arcing through my veins.
My True Mate. My perfect match. Three years I’d been searching, tracking rumors of the Frostfang heir who’d disappeared into Stoneclaw territory. Three years planning, maneuvering my empire into position to offer her everything she deserved when I finally found her. Now she was here, in my arms, looking at me with desire burning in her eyes.
I watched, fascinated, as Sylvia’s gaze dropped to my mouth, her throat working as she swallowed nervously. A faint blush spread across her cheeks—not just from the alcohol, but from awareness of our proximity. The slight dilation of her pupils told me everything her pride would never allow her to say.
"Sivi, you..." I began, my voice dropping to a register I barely recognized as my own.
She jerked her face away suddenly, breaking the intense connection between us. "I’m fine," she insisted, her words slightly slurred. "Just a little drunk. My head’s spinning."
The embarrassment in her voice was endearing. She remembered where we were—surrounded by the elite wolves of several territories, including her mother. Always the responsible one, my Sylvia. Even when drowning in hurt and betrayal, she maintained her composure.
I couldn’t help but notice the delicate flush spreading across her ears—that telltale sign I’d come to cherish in our brief time together. She probably didn’t realize I’d already catalogued all her little habits: how she tugged her lower lip between her teeth when thinking deeply, how her right eyebrow arched slightly higher than her left when suspicious, and yes, how her ears betrayed her emotions when she tried to hide them.
"Should we head back, then?" I offered, giving her an escape from this political circus that had brought her nothing but pain tonight.
Her gaze drifted toward Alpha Astra, who continued entertaining guests as though her daughter hadn’t just been publicly humiliated. Watching Sylvia’s eyes dim with disappointment made Orion snarl protectively inside me. My wolf had never been patient with those who hurt what was ours, and Astra Frost had failed her daughter repeatedly.
When Sylvia reached for another glass and downed it in one desperate swallow, it took all my restraint not to growl out loud. She was trying to numb herself to her mother’s rejection, to Selene’s manipulations, to years of being overlooked despite her strength and sacrifice.
"Let’s go," she finally said, her voice steady despite the alcohol flowing through her system.
Following her line of sight, I caught Alpha Astra laughing with some business associates, completely unconcerned with her daughter’s pain. Something primitive and dangerous unfurled in my chest. How many times had Sylvia been overlooked in favor of her conniving half-sister? How many times had she swallowed her pride and accepted second place in her own mother’s affections?
*Never again*, I vowed silently. *Not while I draw breath.*
Without hesitation, I swept Sylvia into my arms. Her surprised gasp was quickly followed by her arms instinctively wrapping around my neck. The weight of her against my chest felt so right that Orion howled in satisfaction. Mine to protect. Mine to cherish.
As we passed Alpha Astra, I made sure to meet her eyes directly—Alpha to Alpha, with no submission in my posture despite the territorial hierarchy at play.
"Mother, Sivi’s had a bit too much to drink. We’re heading back now," I announced, my tone making it clear this wasn’t a request for permission.
Alpha Astra’s eyes narrowed slightly at my presumption, then flickered to her daughter nestled against my chest. For a moment—just a brief flash—I caught something that looked like regret in her expression before her political mask slammed back into place.
"Drive safely," was all she said, before turning back to her guests.
The dismissal wasn’t lost on Sylvia. I felt her body tense against mine, sensed the sharp intake of breath as yet another hope for maternal concern was crushed. What had she been expecting? What small acknowledgment had she been desperate for after years of rejection?
As we walked away, I caught Alpha Astra’s lingering stare at our retreating forms. There was something troubled in her gaze—perhaps the first inkling that she’d made a grave miscalculation in how she’d treated her elder daughter. Good. Let her worry. The Wolf King of American territories had chosen his mate, and it wasn’t the daughter she’d been grooming for power. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
Back at Sylvia’s apartment, I laid her gently on the bed, my hands lingering longer than strictly necessary. Throughout the drive, she’d been quiet, contemplative, occasionally nuzzling closer to my neck in a way that made Orion practically purr with satisfaction.
Now, in the privacy of her bedroom, I could see the alcohol fully taking effect. A delicious pink flush had spread across her face and down her throat, disappearing beneath the neckline of her dress. The sight of her sprawled across the dark comforter, hair fanning out like a midnight halo, tested every ounce of my self-control.
"Sivi, I’ll get you some water," I managed to say, my voice rougher than intended.
She mumbled something incoherent in response, her fingers beginning to tug at the constraints of her formal wear. As the neckline of her dress slipped lower, revealing the gentle swell of her breasts, my blood rushed south with such force I felt lightheaded.
Orion was going wild inside me, demanding I complete the mate bond now. *She’s ours! She’s ready! Take her!*
With more restraint than I knew I possessed, I captured her wandering hands in mine. "Sivi, you know I have absolutely no resistance when it comes to you," I confessed, my voice dropping to a whisper as I added, "You’re the only weakness I’ve ever allowed myself."
She frowned adorably and pushed herself up, bringing her face mere inches from mine. The movement caused her scent to wash over me in intoxicating waves. "What are you mumbling about? Speak up," she demanded, her usual Alpha authority made endearingly petulant by alcohol.
The unexpected proximity stunned me momentarily. Her lips—those perfect, full lips I’d dreamed about for months—were so close I could feel her warm breath against my mouth.
"Well? Are you going to tell me or not?" she pressed, impatience coloring her tone.
This uninhibited, slightly demanding version of Sylvia was new to me. Without her careful barriers and strategic thinking, she was all raw emotion and impulse. I found myself utterly captivated by this glimpse of what lay beneath her meticulously controlled exterior.
A smile tugged at my lips as I gazed down at the woman who’d unknowingly captured the heart of the most feared Alpha in North America.
