The Human Girl Who Tamed Alpha King Chapter 184

AURORA

I sat in the back seat of the werewolf father and daughter's pickup truck as we headed toward Cremona. My mind kept circling back to that strange pulling sensation I'd felt at the Casalpusterlengo market. What the hell was that? I'd scanned every face, trying to find the source, but came up empty.

Whatever. No point dwelling on it. I had more important things to focus on—like finding my birth mother who'd abandoned me over twenty years ago. Real prize of a woman, from everything I'd heard.

At a crossroad, the werewolf man pulled over. "This is where we part ways," he said, helping me unload my backpack. He pointed to a spot on my map. "We're here. Follow this road straight ahead for about three and a half hours, and you'll reach Cremona."

"Thank you both for the ride," I said, truly grateful. Who knew how long that stretch would have taken on foot.

They drove away, leaving me alone on the dusty road. As I adjusted my backpack and started walking, that weird pulling sensation tickled at my chest again. My hand went to my sternum.

Could it be... a mate bond?

I snorted at my own stupidity. Yeah, right. Been there, tried that. Romeo had made it crystal clear what he thought of a "defective" mate who couldn't shift. My soul was damaged, broken. Who would want that?

The sun beat down on my shoulders as I walked. Each step reminded me why I was here – searching for answers about why I couldn't shift, why my own mother hadn't wanted me. Dad had always been everything I needed, and then Mom—Aria—came along and completed our family. But this hole inside me, this emptiness where my wolf should be... I needed to understand why.

Three and a half hours and several tiny hamlets later, I finally reached Cremona. For a decent-sized town, it was eerily quiet. My legs ached, my shoulders burned from the weight of my backpack, and exhaustion dragged at every limb. I needed a place to crash—now.

I spotted a small inn and pushed through the door. An older woman stood behind the reception counter, her eyes widening slightly as I entered.

"Hello. I'm Aurora. I'm traveling through Italy and need a room for the night," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

The woman's expression changed to recognition. "I know who you are, Princess. I'm Anna. My mate Elias is the liaison wolf for this town, reporting to the Alpha."

Of course. Matthew didn't just send me here randomly. Small towns, small world, especially in werewolf circles. Dad always said connections kept our kind safe. One of his many lessons that stuck with me.

"Elias is out tonight and won't be back until breakfast," Anna continued. "You poor child, you must be exhausted. Let's get you settled, then I'll bring you some food."

"That's fine, thank you. I am pretty tired," I admitted. My feet were practically screaming.

"Come with me, dear." Anna grabbed a key and led me through the inn's back door. We walked to what looked like a small guest house. When she opened the door, I couldn't help but gasp. The room was gorgeous—spacious like a studio apartment with a massive bed that looked heavenly soft and... was that a sunken hot tub in the corner?

Anna pressed a button on the wall, and the tub began to fill. The scent of lavender and rose petals filled the air.

"I thought you might want to relax. You rest, and I'll prepare some food. I'll knock before I come in."

After she left, I stripped off my grimy clothes and sank into the hot water. Holy crap, that felt amazing. I grabbed my phone from the side table and sent a message to the family group chat Atlas had created.

[I love you all. I'm in Cremona now, a border town, and tomorrow I'll be entering the next territory. I'm exhausted, so I'm relaxing while waiting for food, then sleeping. I feel like I won't get much sleep in the next territory. Just wanted to let you know. Hugs.]

The replies came quickly:

Dad: [Stay safe, my sweet girl. Sleep well.]

Atlas: [Love you, sis.]

Twins: [Us too.]

Mom: [Sleep well, dear. I love you and we miss you. I'll message Leonard to let him know where you are. Alpha Charles promised me you'd be safe traveling there, or I'll make his life miserable.]

Me: [Thanks everyone. Goodnight.]

A knock came at the door. "Food delivery," Anna called out.

"Come in," I answered, making sure I was decent under the bubbles.

Anna brought in a huge plate of shrimp pasta that smelled heavenly. "Just stay there, dear. I'll leave this here and collect the plate in the morning."

After she left, I demolished the pasta, barely tasting it in my hunger. Then I dragged myself to bed, falling asleep instantly, unaware that eyes were watching me from the darkness.

LAWRENCE

I watched from the shadows as Aurora emerged from behind the curtain. God, she was beautiful. Even in simple sleep shorts and a top, her flowing hair, captivating eyes, and graceful movements took my breath away.

I'd sensed her at the Casal market earlier, but I'd kept hidden, observing from a distance. I knew she was the girl they'd said would be coming to Italy. I'd overheard her mention going to Cremona today and entering the central territory tomorrow.

My stomach twisted at the thought of Aurora traveling alone into that dangerous area. It wasn't safe, especially for a lone female. My wolf, Rocky, snarled in my mind. *We must protect her.*

I'm twenty-five, an orphan whose parents were killed and who was raised by an elderly couple with no children of their own. They died when I was seventeen, and I've been on my own since. I'm a warrior, devoted my life to combat training. I've fought in pack battles across three territories, earned scars that tell stories of survival when others didn't make it. I'd given up hope of finding my true mate, but now here she was.

I faced three problems. First, I couldn't smell any wolf scent on Aurora, though I knew she was a werewolf. Perhaps she never received her wolf, but that didn't matter—Rocky and I could protect her. Second, Aurora came from another country. The distance would be challenging, but not impossible. Third, Aurora was a princess, while I was just an orphan with nothing to offer except my strength and loyalty. Would she even want me?

The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting silver patterns across the ground. I shifted my weight silently, staying completely invisible in the darkness. I'd learned to move like this during years of solitary hunting, when I had only myself to rely on.

Rocky and I decided to stay hidden for now, but we would follow Aurora, keep an eye on her, make sure she remained safe.

I settled deeper into the shadows, my hand resting on the knife at my belt. Tonight, I would guard her sleep. Tomorrow, I would follow her path, unseen but ever-present.