ALESSANDRO’S POV

I hadn’t seen Bianca all day. My chest was starting to hurt, and I got tempted to go find her, but my ego as an alpha wouldn’t allow me. I’d rather bear the pain than ask for help from her. Lately, I have found myself more drawn to her even with her God-awful appearance.

A sigh escaped as I rose from my chair. Tonight, under the full moon, duty called for me to lead a chase. Alpha responsibilities weighed heavily, and the partner the goddess had chosen for me faced rejection from both me and my pack. Despite her unwavering loyalty, hard work, and care, she lacked the physical prowess to manage a pack this size. I found her unappealing, even though my wolf thought otherwise. The mate bond influenced him more than it did me.

Bianca, a plump she-wolf, displayed surprising agility. Though her rounded cheeks resembled a swelling bread, a hint of beauty shone through. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for me to fully accept her. To my wolf, however, she was the most beautiful she-wolf he had ever seen, and I blamed that reasoning on the mate bond that had more effect on him than on me.

Outside the pack mansion, the members gathered for the moonlit hunt. My beta, Elias, addressed them, reiterating the rules. As I waited, my eyes unconsciously scanned the crowd for Bianca. Spotting her sneaking away, my gaze narrowed. It was her habit to avoid the hunts, likely due to the rumored excessive size of her wolf.

Unconsciously, as I waited for him to finish, I searched within the crowd with my eyes in search of Bianca. Luckily, I caught her sneaking off. My eyes narrowed. It was a habit of hers to skip away during hunts probably because she was ashamed of her wolf whom I assumed was also plus-sized. No one has ever seen Bianca’s wolf only rumors go around about it being excessively fat.

Something felt off tonight. Bianca seemed distressed, and the partial connection through the mate bond heightened my concern. My wolf insisted I follow her. Initially resistant, I succumbed when the persistence became overwhelming. “Elias, help me stall the pack; I’ll be right back,” I mind-linked my beta, receiving a nod in response. He continued speaking while I quietly slipped away even though I could feel the eyes of some packies on me.

I entered into the forest without my guard wolves, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before they would come after me, even though I was very much capable of caring for myself. I inhaled the air sharply, taking in the scents mingling with the soft breeze of the night. My special wolf snort helped me filter the scent so I easily snuffed out Bianca’s own.

Grounding my jaws, I silently cursed at my wolf under my breath as I began my search. But Bianca was nowhere nearby. I furrowed my brows, confusion etched in my forehead. The path that Bianca’s scent was strongest was the path that led to the forest opening deep in the forest where the pack gathered after the hunt to atone for all the game that was caught. It was the last place I expected to find a person like Bianca who was hiding from the hunt.

I hid behind the trees nearby and watched her. She was standing under the moonlight, scratching her skin like she had the plague. I narrowed. What was going on with her? I wondered. Was she about to shift? But if that was the case, hers was coming in a very strange way.

As I questioned myself, something bizarre began to occur. The moonlight brightened on Bianca, becoming a blue ray spotlight. Jaw dropped as the light brightened so much I had to shield my eyes from its ray. But as I opened them, my breath was instantly stolen.

Under the moonlight, on the spot Bianca formerly stood was the most beautiful maiden I had ever seen in my life. Her skin pale and flawless glowed under moonlight, she was wearing a flowing white dress that danced behind her like the waves of the sea. Her face was a petite oval shape. Her lips were rosy and heart-shaped. Her eyes were hazel but had a beady moist look.

Those eyes… they were not foreign. I could always identify the owner even if I were to be awakened from a deep slumber. They belonged to her. My mate, Bianca Saldana.

Heart pounded against my ribs as my legs developed a mind of their own. Out of the shadows of the forest emerged, stalking towards Bianca, eyes wide-eyed. “Bianca?” I called out to her with uncertainty in my tone. My voice a lower version of its original, showing my shock.

Like a mystic creature, Bianca turned her head to me. Long lashes batting alluringly. I blinked. My mind reeling. “Is it really you, Bianca?”

The sound of her soft chuckle reached my ears causing my heart to skip a beat. “Yes, it is me, Alpha Alessandro.”

A stutter caught my tongue. “But…But how is this possible? How did my mate turn into this gorgeous demigoddess?”

She chuckled, twirling and admiring her new form. “I don’t know how it happened. The goddess might be rewarding me or giving me a birthday gift. I just know I haven’t felt this alive in years.”

I crossed the distance between us and held up her chin. Her plump, rosy lips called out to mine, and I couldn’t resist the urge so I leaned in to kiss her, but instead, my lips met her cheek. I furrowed slightly but decided to try again only for Bianca to turn her face away again.

But this time, she took a step back, using strength that I never knew she had to break free from my embrace.

Her beautiful face welcomed a frown as she looked in my eyes. “Please keep your distance from me, Alpha Alessandro. You already rejected me remember? And you warned me never to near you again because you are disgusted by me.”