Chapter 7: My Fated Mate Might Be An Extremely Ugly Woman!

Dominic

Before I could ponder further, the tunnel ended abruptly. One step forward and we emerged into what looked like a scene from a historical reenactment.

The Blood Moon Pack spread before us—a collection of small, primitive wooden structures arranged in a rough circle around a central fire pit. People moved about in simple clothing, some carrying water, others tending to basic tasks.

"Welcome to Blood Moon," Trevor announced with pride that seemed misplaced given the primitive conditions.

Are we in a fucking time warp? Ethan's voice was incredulous in my head.

These people are living like it's the 1800s, I replied, struggling to keep my expression neutral.

Trevor gave us a brief tour, pointing out different areas with the enthusiasm of someone showing off a luxury resort rather than a collection of wooden shacks. "That's our communal dining area... over there is our training ground... those are the family dwellings..."

I nodded politely, but my hopes were rapidly diminishing. If my mate was here, she was living in conditions I couldn't have imagined. The thought that she might be here, suffering in this primitive existence, made Luca, my wolf, growl with displeasure.

After the abbreviated tour, Trevor gestured toward a slightly larger cabin set apart from the others. "My office is this way. We can discuss our potential alliance there."

As we approached Trevor's cabin, I noticed it was marginally more modern than the others—it had glass windows and a proper door, at least. But something else caught my attention: a strange, pungent odor that grew stronger with each step toward the building.

The scent was... unusual. Medicinal, but with an undertone of something I couldn't quite place. It wasn't pleasant—in fact, it was downright offensive to my enhanced senses.

Trevor pushed open the door and gestured for us to enter. The smell hit me like a physical force, making me struggle not to wrinkle my nose in disgust. It was strongest inside, as if its source was somewhere in this very building.

Do you smell that? I asked Ethan through our link.

Smell what? he replied, looking confused. Just smells like wood and dirt in here.

I frowned. How could he not detect it? The odor was overwhelming, almost making my eyes water. And then a disturbing thought struck me: what if this was my mate's scent?

The Moon Goddess was supposed to pair wolves with compatible scents—ones that would appeal to each other on a primal level. But this... this was repulsive. Like rancid herbs and chemicals mixed with something sour.

Fuck, I thought to myself. Is my mate some unwashed, sickly female they're keeping hidden away?

We settled into Trevor's office—a sparse room with a desk and a few chairs. As Trevor droned on about the benefits of an alliance, I discreetly scanned the room, looking for anything unusual. There were no hidden doors that I could see, no obvious trapdoors.

There's something under us, Ethan's voice suddenly cut through my thoughts. I think there's a basement or cellar below this building.

I gave a slight nod, acknowledging his observation without alerting our hosts. The scent was definitely stronger near the center of the room, where a worn rug covered the wooden floor.

Luca, who had been quiet until now, suddenly surged forward in my consciousness, nearly making me lose control.

MATE! he roared inside my head. OUR MATE IS HERE!

I clenched my jaw, forcing him back down. His excitement confirmed my worst fears—the source of that awful smell was indeed my true mate. Disappointment and disgust welled up inside me. After all these years of searching, my mate turned out to be someone who smelled like a walking chemistry experiment?

I must have let my displeasure show on my face because Trevor suddenly stopped mid-sentence, looking uncertain.

"Is everything alright, Alpha King?" he asked, his voice tinged with worry.

I was about to respond when I heard it—a sound so faint that for a moment I thought I'd imagined it. A girl's voice, terrified and pain-filled, coming from somewhere beneath us.

"No! Please don't! It hurts! Someone help me!"

My head snapped up, eyes locking with Trevor's. His expression hadn't changed; he continued looking at me with that same nervous smile.

Ethan, did you hear that? I mind-linked urgently. A girl screaming for help?

Ethan's brow furrowed slightly. I didn't hear anything. What's going on?

The screams continued, growing more desperate. How could Ethan not hear them? They were clear as day to me—a young woman in agony, begging for mercy. And Trevor and Kevin acted as if nothing was happening, their faces masks of polite interest.

As the screams intensified, a horrible realization dawned on me: Blood Moon wasn't just hiding something.

They were hiding someone. And they were abusing her! How dare them abuse my fated mate! Even if she might be an extremely ugly woman!