Alpha Derrick's Unknown Mate

It all started three years ago -

~Sophia~

Under the scorching sun, with an inevitable heat, I swirled around the evergreen garden, trying to figure out what path exactly I came from.

My obsession with gardens or nature itself has left me lost in between organized flowers and bushes.

I know I shouldn't have left my grandmother's comfortable yet weird home but her environment always gave me the chicken skin and left knots in my stomach for days.

Now I'm lost.

Still, in a maze of bushes, I heard someone, a sob rather.

I looked around but there was no one. I paid no attention to it, I was in the middle of nature, and hearing any kind of sound was not far from possible.

I heard it again. It didn't sound like a random sound from nature. I trusted my instincts, they told me someone was around, very close.

This time, I scanned the whole place as far as my eyes could see, carefully.

Under a tree, I hadn't noticed, stood a boy whose face hung down like he had lost all hopes and maybe life. He looked a year or two older than I am-

Even though I was scared, I felt pity. The sight alone made me draw in an inaudible gasp, like I just saw a ghost.

I approached him cautiously in order not to scare him to death. When I stood at a friendly distance, I cleared my throat, announcing my presence.

He faced me.

I saw the blank yet the dead expression on his face. His eyes were swollen and his shoulders were sunken as they could ever be.

My eyes bulged out but I quickly replaced my terrified look with a gentle smile.

"Can I help you?", He asked and I shook in place. I didn't expect him to say a word, I only came to brighten him up and ask for a way out of this d*mn place.

"Uh.., I ..", there I was, making a fool out of myself by stuttering.

"You are lost", he pointed.

Then I realized how much of a child I was acting, chewing on my own words like I was learning how to speak. I didn't want to be selfish or less sensitive by ignoring his depressed mood" Actually... I heard your sob and I decided to see if you were ok", I explained. Well, it was part of the truth.

His face remained blank but I saw him gulp harshly, which I couldn't quite explain.

"Oh, don't worry, my mood was changed by some annoying people"

I was not blinded, I could see lies written all over him but I didn't want to further the conversation. Besides, interrogating a total stranger about his own feelings was a bit suspicious, not that I had an interior motive towards him but still... It will seem SUSPICIOUS.

"Nothing on Earth is worth your current mood, cheer up and look for your inner peace. Don't let anyone take that from you", I said. I didn't know when I became good with words but It just felt like the right thing to say.

"Thank you...", He raised a brow, as if trying to ask for something.

Embarrassingly, it took me fifteen seconds to realize he was asking for my name.

"Sophia, I'm Sophia"

"Thank you Sophia", he said with the same blank face.

He looked at me from head to toe and I felt small under his intense stare. "You are lost", he pointed out again.

I smiled but deep down I just hoped he could help me out of here.

"What gave it away?"

He gave a deep sigh.

"No one comes here for a reason besides being lost. This garden is the center of the town, it connects every street and small village. If you manage to find it, then you can be lucky to find your way back" "Mmmm-- Are...you also lost?", I asked.

"No. I just wanted to have some alone time", he looked at me again, "where do you stay? I could take you back. See it as me appreciating your kind gesture"

"Er... I'm not so good with descriptions but if you know Madam Clara's home, then that would be my destination", I said and I saw a frown settle on his face, "it's fine if you don't know who she is ", I said as quickly as I could.

"The florist?", He questioned me.

My face gleamed in excitement, "yes! She's my grandma", I nodded.

"Well, the way to her house is tricky and very confusing, she stays in the outskirts", he became thoughtful.

That gleam that shone on my face became as dark as night as I felt the worry of my mother in my guts.

"But...", He sniffed in the air severally, "I still remember her scent. Follow me", he ordered and walked ahead.

"Her... scent?", I asked myself, a bit confused.

I trailed behind him like a puppy, until I saw a familiar figure-

"Mom?"

My mom heard my call and ran in my direction. She opened her arms and I ran into them.

She placed a light kiss on my head, "I was so worried"

"I'm sorry, I got lost, I tried to find my way back home but I couldn't. He helped me", I pointed to the guy who was smiling as my grandma bowed before him and rained praises upon him like he was a god.

"What in the world -", I freed myself from my mom and punched his shoulder, "what do you think you are doing Mr? It's very rude not to greet people, especially when they are older than you are ", I shouted at him in anger.

My mom and grandma looked at me in surprise. I was expecting a 'thank you for putting this disrespectful b*st*rd in his place' expression, but no, they looked disappointed. My shoulders dropped as I couldn't shake away the look on their faces.

"I'm sorry for her bad behavior, Alpha Derrick, she's new here", my grandma apologized and so did my mom.

"Just because I couldn't find my way back doesn't mean I'm new here grandma", I defended.

Grandma glared at me, "Shut your mouth!"

I looked at the whole scene unfolding before my bulged eyes, with so many questions popping into my head.

Is Alpha his surname? Who is he?

Why are they apologizing for his rudeness? Why are they worshiping him?

"Apologize!", My mom commanded firmly.

"Wh-what? No", I retorted.

My grandma crossed the distance between us and pulled my ear harshly, "Apologize! Now!". If I thought my mom's command was scary, then this one was more than frightening.

"I'm sorry", I apologized. Obviously, it wasn't from my heart.

He looked deep into my eyes as if he could see through me, "there was no need for that florist, I'll be on my way now", he said without tearing his eyes from my eyes.

"Thank you for the advice princess", he whispered into my ears.

I balled my fists, restraining myself from leaving my fingerprints on his face.

~Derrick~

No one has ever spoken to me in such a manner the way she did.

I'd have shown her the darker side of me but somehow I enjoyed her courage mixed with innocence.

I can't get her face or her soft voice out of my head. The way she had approached me, her advice, her smile, and her fury, I found her attractive. Maybe she is the one.

No... I need to stop overthinking this. Why do I always feel like every young girl I meet was my mate?

I sighed in frustration. Being 14 wasn't nice on me at all. Growing comes with a lot of responsibilities, especially being an Alpha.

"I must definitely be desperate for a Luna"

I took a walk back to the garden, right under the tree where we met was where I stood. Leaning my head against the tree, I tried to forget about her. Everything within me kept doing the opposite of what I was trying to do. Mostly my wolf was craving her.

"Shut up!", I yelled at my wolf.

"I want her", it said back to me.

Not again, my wolf was crawling out of that hole in which I had buried it. I hated hurting people and my wolf took pleasure in it.

It always took over me revealing the darkest part of me.

I had to control myself and my wolf this time, I couldn't afford to hurt anyone anymore, especially Sophia, there was something about her.

~Sophia~

I walked under the warm afternoon sun, allowing its rays to reflect against my skin and the cool breeze blew my hair backwards. Outside was refreshing but my mood wasn't aligned with the warm afternoon.

Unconsciously, I kept sighing, not because of tiredness but a little bit of sadness-

Sadness that came from the absence of my father. He had left my mom and me for no reason, even before I was born. I didn't even get the chance to know him and be with him or even see him.

His action felt as though I was a mistake who didn't deserve to be born or maybe he didn't love mom enough. I never thought that the absence of a father could make me feel dead inside and be against love not until I was thirteen- to me love was fiction, unreal, extinct, I had so many words for love, words I held onto that explained why my father left us. If not for my best friend Olivia, I would have been in a worse state than this. I've know