My Fated Mate Can Have Her-Chapter 231: Silverwood Territory

Violet

I wanted to slide off his back and put some distance between us before they arrived, but Rowan suddenly moved forward a few paces and turned his head to glance back at me.

There was a warning look in his eyes, as if he was telling me he knew what I was about to do and I shouldn’t do it.

Five large wolves emerged from the trees in front of us and I went still.

It didn’t take much to realise they were from the capital, particularly with how strong they were. But even in their wolf forms, I watched their expressions shift subtle shock.

Their gazes flicked between Rowan and me, and I could almost feel the weight of their confusion.

Their attention returned fully to Rowan and I could tell they were communicating through the mind link connecting them together.

I sat rigid on Rowan’s back, acutely aware that I was the only one excluded from the conversation. Whatever they were saying, whatever questions they were asking about the strange woman mounted on their Supreme Alpha’s back, I couldn’t hear any of it.

It was a little uncomfortable.

The wolves suddenly broke away, turning and disappearing back into the forest the way they had come.

Rowan veered in another direction entirely.

The surrounding forest was quite different from the others.

The trees rose impossibly high, though they weren’t as tall as the willow trees we had stopped at. The forest was thick, but beautiful in its own way.

I found myself staring upward as we moved, marvelling at the sheer scale of the tall trees.

Rowan ran for a while longer before the trees started to thin.

The border of the pack appeared without warning and he had just swept past when I caught a glimpse of the border markings here. Deep embedded engravings and claw marks on the barks of the nearby trees.

Within seconds, I noticed the forms weaving between the trees at our sides with practised ease. The wolves from this pack were likely patrolling the area.

Rowan slowed to a stop and they drew closer, coming out to appear in front of him.

The reactions were instant. They subtly lowered their heads in respect and once again, there were more mental communication and conversations I couldn’t hear.

Two of the wolves broke away and ran back towards the pack. The others remained, their postures alert.

Rowan nudged me gently and I slid off his back.

Then he shifted back into his human form.

"I’ll make my way in without an escort," he said, his voice carrying an authority I hadn’t heard since his visit to Fresna. "I wouldn’t want to draw unnecessary attention."

The wolves nodded, then their attention shifted to me. They offered a small gesture, a dip of the head as acknowledgment before turning and disappearing into the trees.

I watched them go, then turned back to Rowan.

He looked slightly different now... a lot more mature.

There was a subtle sternness in the set of his jaw, along with a sharpness in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. He still carried that carefree air about him, but beneath it was the heavy sense of authority.

This was the Supreme Alpha.

It was strangely alluring seeing him like this.

The thought startled me so badly that I looked away, my heart suddenly pounding against my ribs.

’What is wrong with me?’

I felt his gaze shift to me, and when I risked a glance, his expression had softened. The sternness had melted away to his usual gentleness.

I sighed, looking away as my face heated up.

"Come," he said quietly. "We’re very close to the settlement. It’s not far."

I felt his presence diminish as we walked, his energy pulling inward until he felt like any other wolf.

Then again, it made sense.

Most wolves in this pack had probably never seen their Supreme Alpha in person. Many don’t. They would only recognize him by his power, and if he concealed that... most wouldn’t be able to tell.

We passed through the last of the trees, and the pack opened up before me.

The settlement nestled into the landscape like it had grown there naturally. There were many wooden and stone houses neatly arranged and stretched out as far as I could see. Many windows seemed to glow from the warm lighting within. Smoke curled from a small opening on the roofs of a few houses and lanterns made of thin material hung from entrances and posts lighting certain dirt paths that wound between buildings. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

The structures varied in size, some were small and cozy, and others were larger, but they all shared the same aesthetic. Dark wood, sloped roofs, and wide porches.

Beyond the structures in the near distance, the land rose into rolling hills blanketed with dense forest.

A river glinted somewhere along the hills, catching the fading light of the setting sun.

People moved through the village in both human and wolf forms, going about their evening routines. Some sat on porches, talking quietly and others walked between buildings, carrying bundles or tools.

It felt peaceful.

My eyes drifted across the scene as we walked, taking in details.

I was nearly startled when I noticed a young omega woman passing nearby with a basket on her hip. A male wolf trailed after her, his expression hopeful as he lingered around.

"Come on," he was saying, a grin on his face. "Just one drink. What’s the harm?"

"The harm is your ego," she shot back, but there was no real heat in her voice. She was smiling despite herself, and then she swatted at his arm when he leaned too close. "Go bother someone else."

"You’re too stubborn."

She rolled her eyes and kept walking, and he followed like a hopeful puppy.

No one interfered. No one even looked twice.

It was just... normal, and despite what Rowan had told me before we came here, it still seemed surprising.

We drew stares as we went deeper into the pack, and I couldn’t entirely blame them. Rowan was carrying both of our bags which were battered, and our clothes looked slightly out of place.

But while some of the wolves stared with open curiosity, none of them seemed to recognize Rowan.

Except...

A wolf near one of the buildings had frozen mid-step. His eyes were locked on Rowan, and unlike the casual curiosity of the others, his expression was one of pure panic.

Before I could say anything, the wolf turned and bolted, disappearing around the corner of a building with the speed of someone who had just seen a ghost.