******CHAPTER 14

MAE'S POV

I noticed how the man's body instantly softened, and his eyes stared at me, every hard emotion in them gone. But I did not waste any time trying to process why he suddenly went weak. Instead, I grabbed the rare opportunity and pulled my hand away from him quickly, and with speed as fast as lightning, I ran away from the mob as fast as I could, ignoring the frenzied commotion behind me.
 
I ran as fast as I could to save my life without sparing a second to look behind me. When I had run very far away from the market and was hidden behind the maze-like walls of the streets, I slowed down my pace and rested my back against a wall to catch my breath. As I caught my breath, I laughed at my successful escape. I guessed the gods were listening to me after all. Who would have ever thought I would escape a situation like this? In my head, I had already lost an arm. But look at me now, all complete and safe.
 
I laughed again and finally straightened my frame. I reminded myself that I wasn't completely safe until I got home, and at this reminder, I wasted no time turning my back to leave, but as soon as I lifted my foot, I stopped instantly. My body went cold and numb, and my feet remained stuck to the ground.
 
The man I had tried to steal from was standing in front of me. It wasn't the fact that he had traced and found me that bothered me, not the fact that he could drag me back to the angry mob in the market. It was his fingers that were lifted in midair so that I might view it properly. It was the black and red ruby ring that adorned his index finger, crafted from the most precious stones. The ring of power The ring of the Alpha.
 
This man was the alpha of our pack. The man I had tried to steal from was the Alpha and Lycan king!

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ALCOT'S POV
 
I had imagined several ways that I would finally get to meet Mae if ever we were fated to meet. And never in those imaginations, had I ever thought we would meet this way. Mae is trying to pickpocket me. Mae almost lost an arm because she tried to steal from me.
 
It was both unbelievable and hilarious.
 
As I stood a few steps before her and watched how her body shook with fear as she stared wide eyed at me in shock, I tried to replay the contents of the letters we had exchanged in the past few weeks since we met. I tried to recall any part where she had mentioned being a thief, but none of them connected to this. She had mentioned how messed up her family was. And she had mentioned how she had to work hard every single day to ensure her family never went to bed hungry.
 
Was this how she handled her unfair responsibility? through stealing from others? I wondered what would have become of her if she had stolen from someone else that wasn't me and gotten caught in the process. Would a pretty girl like her still get to lose an arm as a price for stealing?
 
"S–sir…" Her lips quivered and more tears fell from her beautiful, dark hazel eyes as she stared at the ring on my finger in recognition. It broke my heart to see her in this pathetic state. A part of me wanted to blame her for turning into a petty thief, but another part of me reminded me that this was the life she was subjected to because of her useless father. That moment, the hatred I felt for her father only grew, and more than ever, I wanted to find him and cut off his stupid head.
 
"Mae." I called out her name. It did not come out as I intended it to. Instead of coming out cold and terrifying, it came out soft and cradling, as if I were playing with the name of a long lost friend. I did not want her to notice that, so I immediately covered it up by deepening my tone and making it more intimidating than ever.
 
"You dared to steal from the Alpha of the Black Wolf pack." "You are pretty ambitious for a poor street girl."
 
She immediately went on her knees and folded her hands together in a plea.
 
"My Lord.  Please have mercy on me. I had no idea it was you.
 
"You do know the punishment for stealing, don't you?" I cut her off and asked. She cried even harder.
 
"Forgive me, sir. Please let me go, and I promise I will never return to my ways. "Please, I beg of you."
 
"Why did you try to steal from me?" I took slow, steady strides toward her, and she kept her knees to the ground, shaky and waiting like a sacrificial lamb, waiting to be slaughtered.
 
"My Lord. Please…"
 
I leaned closer to her until we were at the same eye level, and from this close, even with her eyes downcast, I admired her beautiful features again and how beautifully freckles bathed her nose and cheeks. Her sharp nose and fox eyes were strikingly attractive, and I wondered how a beautiful girl like this turned into a thief because of her own family.
 
"Mae." I called her name again. "Look at me."
 
At first, she hesitated and shook with fright, but I repeated my command.
 
"Look at me, Mae."
 
Sniffing back tears, she raised her eyes to meet mine, and again, my heart melts at the beauty that dwells in those eyes. It felt like a dream. That this was the same girl who I had exchanged letters with at a small bridge. It was the same girl I felt a weird kind of connection with, my eyes traveling down to the fullness of her pouty lips, and I reminded myself again that these were the same lips I had promised to kiss whenever I finally got to meet her.
 
But I couldn't kiss her this way. Not in this situation.
 
"I shall give you two options to choose from." Whatever you choose will become your destiny. "Do you understand?" I told her, and she stared at me expectantly and frightfully.
 
I could kiss her right now if I could but I knew it would be a wrong move. She would think I was a freak. I tightened my jaws to get a hold of my emotions.

How could someone be this beautiful and appealing? How could this same person be the girl from the bridge?