FOUREVER YOU: FATED {Book One: Hill × Easter}
Author: RED ROSE 🌹
Chapter 1 — The Scent of My Mate
Hill
There were three things I knew with absolute certainty about being a True Blood Alpha.
The first was that people were afraid of us.
Not necessarily because we were dangerous.
Although, admittedly, we could be.
True Blood Alphas came from the oldest wolf bloodlines. Our wolves were stronger than ordinary Alphas. Our senses were sharper. Our pheromones could overpower a room if we lost control.
And when we became protective of something—or someone—it was almost impossible to make us back down.
The second thing I knew was that finding a mate was rare.
Not everyone had one.
Some Alphas and Omegas spent their entire lives without ever meeting the person the Moon had supposedly chosen for them.
Others fell in love without a mate bond at all.
There was nothing wrong with that.
At least, that was what I had always believed.
Which brought me to the third thing I knew.
I didn't care if I ever found mine.
"Hill."
I ignored the voice calling my name.
"Hill."
Still ignored it.
"Hill!"
"What?"
I finally looked up from my phone.
Arthit was glaring at me from across the table.
Beside him, Johan was calmly drinking his coffee, completely uninterested in whatever nonsense Arthit was about to start.
Tonfah looked equally tired.
The five of us had known one another for years.
Johan.
Tonfah.
Tiger.
Arthit.
And me.
Five True Blood Alphas.
It was rare enough to have one True Blood Alpha in a family.
Having five of us as close friends had caused more than a few problems over the years.
Technically, Johan and Tiger were cousins, so their similar bloodlines explained why both of them had presented as True Bloods.
The rest of us had simply found one another.
Or, as Tonfah liked to say, fate had decided putting five powerful Alphas together would be entertaining.
Personally, I thought fate had a terrible sense of humour.
Especially because it had given us Arthit.
"Why are you staring at your phone?" Arthit demanded.
"Because I was reading something."
"What?"
"Something more interesting than you."
Tiger snorted.
Johan's lips twitched behind his coffee cup.
Arthit looked offended.
"You know, for a doctor, you have a terrible personality."
"And yet you still call me whenever you are sick."
"Because you're free."
"I charge you."
"You've never charged me."
"Maybe I should start."
"Children."
Tonfah's calm voice interrupted us.
Arthit immediately pointed at me.
"He started it."
"I didn't."
"You insulted me."
"I stated a fact."
Tiger laughed.
I shook my head and returned my attention to my phone.
This was normal for us.
Chaos.
Arguments.
Threats that no one meant.
And somehow, loyalty stronger than blood.
We had been together long enough to consider ourselves a pack, even if none of us had officially taken the role of Pack Alpha.
No one wanted the responsibility.
More importantly, no one wanted to deal with Arthit.
Unfortunately, Arthit came with another complication.
His younger brother.
North.
An Omega.
A very spoiled Omega.
At least, according to Arthit.
I had only met North a few times because he was several years younger than us.
But every time I did, Arthit hovered around him like an overprotective guard dog.
No Alpha was allowed within five metres of North without receiving what Johan had affectionately named the Arthit Death Stare.
Which was ironic.
Because North wasn't afraid of Alphas.
If anything, he enjoyed annoying his brother by deliberately befriending them.
"You all remember North is starting university this year, right?"
As if summoned by my thoughts, Arthit suddenly brought him up.
Johan sighed.
"You have mentioned it fourteen times."
"Fifteen," Tiger corrected.
Arthit ignored them.
"He is an Omega."
"We know," Tonfah said.
"He's young."
"We know."
"He is innocent."
Tiger nearly choked on his drink.
Johan slowly placed his coffee cup down.
"Arthit."
"What?"
"Your brother once stole your car and drove three hours away because you told him he couldn't attend a concert."
"He was going through a rebellious phase."
"That happened four months ago."
"Exactly. A phase."
I couldn't help laughing.
Arthit glared at all of us.
"I'm serious. If any Alpha bothers North—"
"You're going to kill them," I finished.
"Exactly."
"We know."
He nodded, satisfied.
I should have known then that our peaceful lives were about to change.
Not because of North.
Not yet.
But because, less than an hour later, I found my mate.
---
I had agreed to visit the university hospital that afternoon.
One of my former professors had invited me to speak to a group of medical students about specialist training.
It wasn't something I particularly enjoyed doing.
But I owed him a favour.
So there I was.
Standing outside the medical faculty building, answering a message from Tonfah, when my entire world stopped.
It began with a scent.
Soft.
Warm.
Sweet.
My fingers froze above my phone.
For one strange second, I couldn't breathe.
Then I smelled it again.
Peaches.
Something creamy beneath it.
Milk, perhaps.
It was faint.
Barely there.
But my wolf—
My wolf went insane.
Mate.
My head snapped up.
Students moved around me.
Alphas.
Betas.
Omegas.
Hundreds of scents mixed together beneath the afternoon sun.
But I couldn't smell any of them anymore.
Only him.
Mate.
My wolf pushed against my control.
Hard.
So violently that my eyes flashed for a moment.
I immediately forced it back.
What the hell?
I had never experienced anything like this before.
My heart was pounding.
Every instinct inside me screamed at once.
Find him.
Find our Omega.
I turned slowly.
Nothing.
Then—
Someone crashed directly into me.
"Ah!"
My hands moved automatically.
One arm caught a small waist.
The other grabbed a shoulder.
A camera bag slipped from the stranger's arm and fell to the ground.
For several seconds, neither of us moved.
Then the scent hit me.
Peaches.
Milk.
My wolf roared.
Mate.
Oh.
Oh, shit.
I looked down.
The person in my arms was an Omega.
Male.
Small.
Much smaller than me.
Soft brown hair had fallen messily across his forehead, and large eyes stared up at me in shock.
Beautiful.
That was my first thought.
My second was—
Mine.
I immediately crushed that thought.
No.
Not mine.
Mate or not, he was a stranger.
And judging by the way his face suddenly lost all colour, I was terrifying him.
"I'm sorry."
His voice was barely a whisper.
Then his eyes changed.
Shock became recognition.
Recognition became something else.
Fear.
Pure fear.
The sweet scent surrounding us turned bitter.
My wolf immediately became restless.
Danger.
I stiffened.
There was no danger.
No one was threatening him.
Then I realised.
It was me.
He was afraid of me.
I immediately released him.
The Omega stumbled backward.
"I'm sorry," he repeated.
"You don't need to apologise."
He flinched.
I stopped.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
I hadn't released any pheromones.
I hadn't used an Alpha command.
I hadn't even raised my voice.
Yet the Omega was staring at me as though he expected me to hurt him.
My wolf whined.
It was an unfamiliar sound.
A True Blood Alpha's wolf didn't whine.
Mine apparently did when our mate looked terrified.
"Are you hurt?"
He shook his head quickly.
"No."
His gaze dropped to the ground.
That was when he noticed his bag.
He crouched down immediately.
I moved to help him.
He recoiled.
I froze.
"Don't."
The word came out before he could stop it.
Silence.
His eyes widened.
"I—I mean..."
He looked horrified.
"I'm sorry."
Again.
Why did he keep apologising?
"I can do it myself."
I slowly straightened.
"Okay."
He seemed surprised.
I took one step backward.
Then another.
Giving him space.
His shoulders relaxed slightly.
Good.
My wolf hated the distance.
I ignored it.
The Omega hurriedly collected the things that had fallen from his bag.
A notebook.
Pens.
A small packet of tissues.
A veterinary medicine textbook.
So he was a veterinary student.
Interesting.
He shoved everything back inside.
Then he stood.
His eyes briefly met mine again.
There was something there.
Something strange.
For one second, his pupils widened.
His Omega recognised me.
I knew it.
His scent changed.
The fear was still there.
But beneath it was something warmer.
Recognition.
Longing.
His Omega knew exactly what I was.
Mate.
Then it disappeared.
The Omega stepped backward.
"No."
My chest tightened.
He hadn't said it to me.
It sounded more like he was speaking to himself.
"No..."
He shook his head.
His breathing became uneven.
"Hey."
I kept my voice gentle.
"Are you okay?"
"No."
His eyes suddenly filled with tears.
My wolf went wild.
Protect.
I clenched my hands.
"Do you need me to call someone?"
"No."
"An Omega friend?"
He froze.
I had guessed correctly.
"I can call them for you."
"No!"
His voice cracked.
Several students looked toward us.
The Omega noticed.
His face turned red.
Then he did the last thing I expected.
He ran.
"Wait—"
I stopped myself.
Don't chase him.
Every instinct screamed at me to follow.
My wolf demanded it.
But he was already terrified.
A True Blood Alpha chasing him across campus would hardly improve the situation.
So I stood there.
And watched my mate disappear.
---
Easter
Mate.
No.
No.
Absolutely not.
I pushed open the bathroom door so quickly that it slammed against the wall.
Thankfully, no one was inside.
I rushed toward the sink.
My hands were shaking.
I turned on the tap.
Cold water.
I needed cold water.
Anything.
I splashed it against my face.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
It didn't help.
Peaches and milk filled the room.
My scent.
Too strong.
Too sweet.
Too excited.
"Stop."
I gripped the sink.
"Stop it."
My Omega wouldn't listen.
For years, I had barely felt him.
I had learned how to silence that part of myself.
Suppress it.
Ignore it.
Pretend it didn't exist.
But now—
Mate.
"No."
My reflection stared back at me.
Terrified.
Pale.
Pathetic.
"No."
I said it louder.
"I don't have a mate."
My Omega disagreed.
He had recognised the Alpha instantly.
Cedar.
Eucalyptus.
Strong.
Clean.
Warm.
The moment the Alpha caught me, something inside me had awakened.
Something I thought I had buried years ago.
My Omega had pushed forward.
Not in fear.
In happiness.
He had wanted to move closer.
Wanted to bury his face against the Alpha's chest.
Wanted to breathe him in.
Wanted—
I squeezed my eyes shut.
"No."
I couldn't.
I couldn't have an Alpha.
Especially not a True Blood.
I had recognised what he was immediately.
Any Omega would.
The power surrounding him was unmistakable.
He hadn't released pheromones.
He didn't need to.
True Blood Alphas carried authority in their blood.
And the Moon had decided that one of them was my mate.
A laugh escaped me.
Broken.
Bitter.
Of course.
Of course fate would do this to me.
My phone started ringing.
I flinched.
Then I looked at the screen.
Dao.
I answered immediately.
"Hello?"
"Easter?"
His voice changed instantly.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Ter."
I closed my eyes.
Dao always knew.
Perhaps because he was an Omega too.
Perhaps because he had been my friend for too long.
"I'm fine."
"Your voice is shaking."
I didn't answer.
"Where are you?"
"Veterinary building."
"Where?"
"Bathroom."
"I'm coming."
"Dao—"
The call ended.
I sighed.
Of course.
I sat down on the small bench near the wall.
My hands were still shaking.
Mate.
The word wouldn't leave me.
I hated it.
Because once, a long time ago, I had dreamed of finding mine.
Before everything happened.
Before I learned what an Alpha could do to an Omega who couldn't fight back.
Before I learned that words like love and protection could become excuses for control.
Before—
I stopped the memory.
No.
I wouldn't think about it.
Not now.
Not ever.
The door opened.
"Ter?"
Dao rushed inside.
The moment he saw me, his expression changed.
"Easter."
He came toward me.
I stood and immediately wrapped my arms around him.
Dao froze for half a second before hugging me back.
"What happened?"
I buried my face against his shoulder.
"I met him."
"Who?"
I swallowed.
"My mate."
Dao became completely still.
"What?"
"My mate."
The words hurt.
"The Moon gave me an Alpha."
Dao pulled back.
His eyes searched mine.
"Ter..."
"A True Blood Alpha."
His expression changed.
Shock.
Concern.
"Are you sure?"
I laughed weakly.
"My Omega practically woke up from the dead, Dao."
His face softened.
"Ter."
"I don't want him."
It came out too quickly.
Too desperately.
Dao said nothing.
"I don't."
I repeated it.
But my Omega whimpered inside me.
Liar.
I hated him for it.
I hated the part of myself that still wanted something I had spent years teaching myself to fear.
"He didn't do anything," I whispered.
Dao frowned.
"What?"
"The Alpha."
I looked down.
"He didn't hurt me."
For some reason, admitting that made everything worse.
"He caught me when I fell."
I remembered his hands.
Strong.
But the second he realised I was afraid—
He let go.
"He asked if I was hurt."
My throat tightened.
"When I told him not to touch my things, he stopped."
Dao remained silent.
"He gave me space."
I hated that too.
Because monsters were easier to hate when they acted like monsters.
But that Alpha hadn't.
He had looked at me as though my fear hurt him.
And my Omega—
My stupid Omega—
had wanted to go back.
"What was his name?" Dao asked quietly.
I froze.
"I don't know."
I had run before asking.
Dao sighed softly.
"Then maybe that's for the best."
I looked at him.
He squeezed my hand.
"You don't have to do anything you're not ready for."
Relief filled me.
"You don't have to accept him because your Omega recognised him."
I nodded.
"You don't have to become his mate."
Another nod.
"And you definitely don't have to let him mark you."
My body tensed.
Mark.
The word alone made something cold crawl beneath my skin.
Dao noticed.
He immediately changed the subject.
"Come on."
He pulled me to my feet.
"We're leaving."
"I have class."
"Not anymore."
"Dao."
"I'll tell the professor you were sick."
"That's lying."
"You look like you're about to pass out. Technically, you're not well."
Despite everything, I smiled faintly.
Dao smiled back.
"There."
He poked my cheek.
"That's better."
I followed him toward the door.
But before leaving, I looked back once.
My Omega was still restless.
Searching.
Calling.
Wanting the Alpha we had left behind.
I pressed a hand against my chest.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
I wasn't sure whether I was apologising to myself.
To my Omega.
Or to the Alpha whose face I couldn't stop seeing.
---
Hill
"You're quiet."
I ignored Johan.
"Hill."
Still ignored him.
"Hill."
"What?"
Johan raised an eyebrow.
We were sitting in my apartment.
I had returned from the university three hours ago.
And apparently I had been staring at the same page of a medical journal for twenty minutes.
"I found my mate."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Then—
"What?!"
Unfortunately, Arthit had just walked into my apartment.
I closed my eyes.
Perfect.
Within seconds, Tonfah and Tiger appeared behind him.
Apparently everyone had decided my home was a public gathering place.
Arthit stared at me.
"You found your WHAT?"
"My mate."
Tiger's eyes widened.
Tonfah looked genuinely surprised.
Johan, however, simply studied me.
"Where?"
"The university."
Arthit grinned.
"Who is she?"
"He."
No one reacted.
That wasn't unusual in our world.
"Omega?" Tiger asked.
I nodded.
"Obviously."
Arthit dropped onto my sofa.
"What's his name?"
"I don't know."
Silence.
Johan blinked.
"You found your mate and didn't ask his name?"
"He ran away."
Another silence.
This one was worse.
Arthit slowly leaned forward.
"From you?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
I looked down at my hands.
"He was afraid of me."
The amusement disappeared.
All four of them became serious.
"Did your pheromones overwhelm him?" Tonfah asked.
"No."
"Alpha command?"
"No."
"Did your wolf surface?"
"Only for a second. I controlled it."
Johan frowned.
"Then why was he afraid?"
"I don't know."
That was the problem.
I couldn't forget his face.
The terror.
The constant apologies.
The way he recoiled when I tried to help.
Something had happened to him.
I knew it.
And every instinct inside me wanted to find out what.
To fix it.
To destroy whoever had caused it.
But I couldn't.
Because I didn't even know his name.
"I know one thing."
They looked at me.
"He's studying veterinary medicine."
Arthit suddenly sat up.
"Wait."
I looked at him.
"North has a friend in veterinary medicine."
Something inside me shifted.
"What?"
Arthit pulled out his phone.
"North keeps talking about his new group of Omega friends. There are five of them, I think."
My wolf stirred.
"North, Dao, Phoon, Nao..."
Arthit frowned, trying to remember.
Then he snapped his fingers.
"Easter."
My heart stopped.
Easter.
Peaches and milk.
Somehow, without even seeing him, I knew.
That was him.
"Show me."
Arthit looked surprised by my tone.
I forced myself to calm down.
"Show me a picture."
Arthit searched through his messages.
Then turned his phone toward me.
It was a group photograph.
Five young men.
North was standing in the middle.
But I didn't see North.
I saw him.
Soft brown hair.
Large eyes.
A shy smile.
My wolf surged forward.
Mate.
My fingers tightened.
"Easter."
His name left my lips before I could stop it.
Arthit's eyes widened.
"That's him?"
I nodded.
My mate had a name.
Easter.
And judging by the fear I had seen in his eyes—
he also had a past.
A past he clearly didn't want anyone to touch.
I stared at his photograph.
Every Alpha instinct inside me demanded that I go to him.
Claim him.
Protect him.
Make him mine.
But I remembered the way he had flinched.
The way he had said don't.
And I made my decision.
I wouldn't chase him.
I wouldn't corner him.
I wouldn't demand a bond simply because fate had decided we belonged together.
If Easter wanted distance, I would give him distance.
If he needed time, I would wait.
Because I didn't just want an Omega whose instincts recognised me.
I wanted Easter.
His trust.
His smile.
His heart.
Someday, if he chose it, his mark.
My wolf growled impatiently.
I ignored it.
"We wait."
Arthit frowned.
"What?"
I handed his phone back.
"I'm not approaching him."
"But he's your mate."
"Exactly."
I looked once more at Easter's smiling face before the screen disappeared.
"And right now, my mate is terrified of me."
Whatever had happened to Easter, I couldn't erase it.
I couldn't change his past.
But perhaps—
if he ever allowed me close enough—
I could show him that his future didn't have to look anything like it.
And if the day ever came when Easter stood before me and willingly tilted his neck in invitation—
when he chose me not because of fate, not because of instinct, but because he trusted me—
only then would I place my mark on him.
Until then...
I would wait.
