I Can't Control My Wolf Right Now

Clara's POV

The car had been climbing rough mountain roads for hours before finally stopping in front of an imposing estate built from black stone.

A stern-faced man in his forties stood waiting beside the vehicle. "Clara, you can get out now. I'm Thomas, Beta of this wolf pack."

As I stepped into the manor, the great hall was already filled with pack members, their eyes fixed on me in unison.

"I can't believe Mooncrest pack would stoop this low just to curry favor with us," a young she-wolf sneered at me, her tone dripping with contempt. "The sister runs away from the wedding, so they send a half-breed Omega as replacement?"

The wolves around her murmured in agreement, their whispers reaching my ears.

"I heard she's just a useless pawn."

"Kyle may be ruined now, but even he shouldn't have to settle for something like her..."

I drew a deep breath. Facing those cutting taunts, I lifted my head calmly and met the gaze of the imposing elderly woman who had remained silent on the main seat—Agnes, the formidable matriarch of Silvermoon pack, Kyle's mother, and soon to be my mother-in-law.

"I came of my own free will," I said clearly. "I've admired Kyle for years. It's my privilege to care for him. I don't regret this decision now, and I never will."

At my words, the matriarch raised her eyes slightly, her sharp gaze sweeping across the murmuring crowd. The noisy hall fell silent instantly.

"Enough. Shut your mouths." Agnes's voice cut through the room like a blade. "From this day forward, Clara is Kyle's bonded mate. You will keep your useless gossip to yourselves and mind your own business. Anyone I catch spreading rumors again will be expelled from Silvermoon directly."

The hall went dead silent. The wolves who had been sneering moments ago lowered their heads, not daring to utter another word.

She turned to look at me, the coldness in her eyes softening slightly as she studied me with an appraising gaze. "You do have some courage. Since you claim you came willingly, remember your duty. Kyle is suffering from silver poisoning. You will care for him diligently and, more importantly, bear him an heir as soon as possible. As long as you treat him well, Silvermoon will not mistreat you."

Hearing the words about bearing an heir, I felt my cheeks flush under the scrutiny of so many eyes, but I still bowed my head obediently. "I understand. I will take good care of him."

She nodded slightly, a trace of approval in her eyes.

Afterward, Thomas led me to a large room at the end of the third-floor corridor.

"This is Kyle's room. It's yours now too. He's inside waiting for you. Go on in, Clara."

I stepped inside. The room was spacious but dimly lit, heavy curtains drawn tightly shut, a weak fire flickering in the fireplace, and the air thick with the pungent smell of medicinal herbs.

"You shouldn't have come here."

A hoarse, low voice emerged from the shadows.

I stood in the doorway without moving.

"My name is Clara," I said softly. "I came from Mooncrest..."

The man turned his wheelchair around. In the faint light, I saw his face—the left side breathtakingly handsome, the right side twisted and deformed by silver burns—his legs covered with a blanket. Instinctively, I took half a step back.

Kyle looked at me, his voice unexpectedly gentle. "Did I frighten you?"

I froze, unable to speak.

"I know what I look like now." Kyle's jaw tightened, a warning glint in his eyes. "You don't need to force yourself to stay. If you want to go back to Mooncrest, I won't stop you. You're whole. You shouldn't waste your life on a broken Alpha who can't even shift."

Seeing him—ravaged by silver poison yet still concerned for me—I felt a tightness in my chest.

"I'm not leaving," I stepped forward and set my suitcase aside. "I signed the bonding contract. I'm your mate now."

"Mate?" Kyle repeated the word quietly, an unreadable emotion flickering in his eyes. "An Alpha who can't shift can't give you a normal life. Staying with me will only bring you suffering."

The door suddenly swung open. The pack's Moon Elder entered, accompanied by attendants carrying two ornate silver chalices filled with deep crimson liquid.

"Kyle. Clara." The elder bowed slightly, his voice gravelly as stone. "Pack tradition dictates that on the mating night, the bonded pair must drink from the Moon Cup to seal their bond, seeking the Moon Goddess's witness and her blessing for strong offspring."

Not wanting to make things difficult for Kyle, I stepped forward without hesitation.

"I'll drink," I said, taking one of the chalices.

Seeing this, Kyle also took the other chalice and drained it in one gulp. The elder, satisfied, finished reciting the blessing in the ancient language, then withdrew with his attendants, pulling the door firmly shut behind them.

Before long, a scorching heat spread rapidly through my body. My heart pounded wildly in my chest, my breathing growing labored.

"Damn it..." I bit down hard on my lip, my knees buckling.

This was a powerful aphrodisiac—likely something designed to trigger heat! Kyle was also drenched in sweat, low sounds rumbling from his throat as his wolf nature clashed violently with the silver curse inside him.

"Clara... stay away from me..." Kyle gripped the wheelchair armrests so tightly his knuckles turned white, using every ounce of strength to push himself backward. Though his consciousness was rapidly clouding, he was still fighting his instincts desperately, refusing to hurt me.

My mind was scorched into chaos by desire. I stumbled toward the door, only to discover it had been locked from the outside.

"Water... bathroom..." I mumbled incoherently, staggering into the bathroom and turning on the cold tap, trying desperately to clear my head.

The cold water had no effect on the drug burning through my veins. Trembling, I crawled back into the bedroom to find Kyle collapsed on the floor beside the bed, his wheelchair overturned nearby.

By now, my body was releasing that sweet, intoxicating scent all Omegas emit during heat. Kyle's entire body went rigid. He raised his head, those stormy gray eyes blazing with something wild and dangerous. His wolf was reacting violently to my pheromones while the human part of him still fought desperately to maintain control.

"Your scent..." Kyle ground out the words through clenched teeth, his arms shaking as he tried to drag himself away from me. "Don't come any closer... I can't control my wolf right now..."

But the heat was unbearable. Delirious and desperate, I crawled toward him and collapsed against his chest, pressing my burning face to him and shuddering with relief.

"You stubborn woman..." Kyle's voice was strained, trembling on the edge of collapse, but in the end he didn't push me away. Instead, he pulled me tightly into his arms with his uninjured arm, his palm cradling the back of my head...

The overwhelming effect of the drug and the bone-deep exhaustion finally shattered what remained of my consciousness. Surrounded by Kyle's arms, enveloped in his scent, I fell into darkness.