The Mate he couldn't have

### Chapter 1: Chapter 1

For twenty-five years, Amara waited for a heat that never came. Then she met Riven. Now her wolf wants the one Alpha who refuses to claim her. The closer the Moon Ball gets, the harder it becomes to ignore the pull between them. But some bonds are forbidden. And some desires can destroy everything.

Complete Chapters 22 Rating 4.8 ( 144 reviews ) Age Rating mature {"language":"en","storyId":1766596,"genres":[{"name":"Romance","path":"/genres/romance"}],"authorName":"B E Harmel","authorPath":"/brunaharmel","status":"complete","lastUpdatedAt":1782307801,"chaptersCount":22,"rating":4.798611111111111,"reviewsCount":144,"ageRating":"mature"} Chapter 1 POV: Amara

The gates of Oak Pack were taller than the walls surrounding my entire territory back home.

My forehead nearly pressed against the car window as we drove through the massive iron entrance carved with the ancient oak sigil—thick roots twisting around a crescent moon. Even the guards looked intimidating. Huge wolves in dark uniforms stood with silver weapons strapped across their backs, their eyes sharp as they tracked every vehicle entering the territory.

No wonder House Oak was feared.

No wonder everyone in the Northern Territories whispered the name Riven Oak like it belonged to something more myth than Alpha.

“Breathe, Amara,” Beta Leon muttered from the seat beside me.

He wasn’t about to spend the next six months working inside the most advanced silver operation in the continent while representing a pack that had almost gone to war with Oak less than a decade ago.

I straightened in my seat, smoothing invisible wrinkles from my charcoal coat. My stomach twisted harder the deeper we drove into the territory.

The training grounds filled with wolves.

Even the scent in the air felt heavier here. Rich pine, cold stone, smoke, rain-soaked earth… and beneath all of it, the sharp metallic trace of silver.

I caught my first glimpse of the mines in the distance, and my pulse kicked painfully against my ribs.

Massive steel structures stretched across the mountainside, surrounded by tracks, transport systems, extraction towers, and enough industrial equipment to make my mouth water.

Actual modern refinement systems.

Back home, I practically had to beg for functioning filtration equipment.

I leaned forward slightly, unable to stop staring.

“They really have all four extraction sectors running at once?” I asked quietly.

Leon snorted. “You sound more excited about the mines than the Alpha.”

Until my body started acting strangely the closer we got to the packhouse.

A nervous flutter moved low in my stomach.

I frowned, shifting slightly in my seat.

I’d barely slept the last two nights preparing for this trip, and crossing territory lines always messed with my senses for a while.

By the time the car stopped in front of the main house, my heartbeat felt oddly uneven.

The packhouse looked less like a home and more like a fortress built for kings.

Dark stone walls climbed toward the sky, wrapped in ivy and ancient oak branches. Large windows reflected the gray afternoon clouds overhead while armed guards stood stationed near every entrance.

Maybe I should’ve been a little intimidated by the Alpha.

Leon stepped out first, and I followed after him, my boots crunching softly against the gravel.

Cold wind swept across the courtyard, carrying that same metallic scent again.

My wolf stirred faintly beneath my skin.

My wolf was quiet by nature. Calm. Logical. More interested in calculations and formulas than instincts. Sometimes I genuinely thought there was something wrong with me compared to other wolves my age.

I’d spent most of my adult life buried in research while everyone else paired off, dated, or chased mating bonds like they were born craving them.

The strange warmth spread again as we climbed the stairs toward the entrance.

And for the first time in my life, I became painfully aware of my own body.

The doors opened before we reached them.

A tall woman with dark curls and intelligent amber eyes greeted us first.

“Beta Leon,” she said warmly before her gaze shifted to me. “Dr. Vale.”

Her smile widened slightly. “Dr Lyra Oak.”

Beta Leon cleared his throat beside me. “Our Beta was supposed to receive Doctor Vale personally, but the council meeting regarding the eastern border conflict ran longer than expected.”

Lyra rolled her eyes lightly. “Which means every important male in this pack is currently trapped in a room arguing over territory lines.”

A smile tugged at her mouth as she looked back at me.

“So I volunteered instead. I was excited to finally meet Oak’s new silver specialist.” Her amber eyes flickered knowingly over me. “And I’ll admit… I’m relieved you’re a woman.”

“You’d be surprised how exhausting it is being the only female department head in this place.”

That actually made me smile a little.

For the first time since arriving at Oak territory, some of the tension in my shoulders eased.

I tried not to react to that information, but something tightened unexpectedly in my chest.

“Welcome to Oak territory,” she continued. “The Alpha is waiting for you.”

That strange nervous heat inside me pulsed harder.

I followed Lyra through the enormous hallways of the packhouse, trying—and failing—not to stare at everything around me.

Ancient oak carvings covered the walls alongside modern architecture and security systems. Wolves moved efficiently through the halls, all of them carrying themselves with the same disciplined confidence.

Like a military empire pretending to be a pack.

“He’s in a meeting room right now,” Lyra explained casually. “Don’t take his mood personally. We’ve had border issues all week.”

That earned me a quick amused glance.

Before I could ask what that meant, she stopped in front of large double doors.

And my entire body forgot how to function.

A man stood near the far window overlooking the mountains.

Tall wasn’t enough to describe him.

Broad shoulders stretched beneath a black dress shirt rolled to his forearms, revealing tan skin marked faintly with old scars. Dark hair brushed the collar of his shirt, slightly messy like he’d dragged his hands through it recently.

Sharp enough to cut through skin.

The moment they landed on me, something deep inside me snapped awake.

A violent rush of heat spread through my bloodstream so suddenly my knees nearly locked.

Every instinct in my body surged forward at once, confusing and overwhelming and terrifying.

My pulse stumbled so hard it hurt.

For one horrifying second, I genuinely forgot how to speak.

And judging by the way his expression hardened, he noticed.

Alpha Riven Oak stared at me like I was a problem he already regretted agreeing to.

His gaze moved slowly over my face before lowering briefly toward my hands, my coat, my body.

“I was expecting Doctor Vale,” he said finally.

I blinked once. “You are looking at her.”

Then, without a trace of apology, “I was informed the council’s leading silver specialist had ten years of field experience.”

“I started university at fifteen.”

I hated the tiny flicker of surprise that crossed his face.

I’d spent years fighting for respect inside laboratories filled with older men who assumed I was someone’s assistant until I started speaking.

Alpha Riven Oak didn’t look impressed.

If anything, he looked irritated.

And I had absolutely no idea why.

“I assure you,” I said coolly, lifting my chin, “my qualifications are more than sufficient.”

The Alpha stepped away from the window slowly.

Every movement he made felt controlled.

The closer he got, the worse that strange heat inside me became.

I could actually feel my heartbeat in my throat now.

His eyes locked on mine again, and for one impossible second, I swore something dark flashed across his expression.

“The contract is already signed,” he said flatly. “Your accommodations have been prepared. You’ll begin work tomorrow.”

I narrowed my eyes slightly. “You don’t seem pleased I’m here.”

Lyra made the faintest choking sound somewhere behind me.

But Riven never looked away from me.

“Well,” I replied tightly, “fortunately, Alpha, I wasn’t sent here to please you.”

For the first time since entering the room, something shifted in his expression.

But something dangerously close to interest.

His eyes lowered briefly to my mouth.

Then he stepped back again like he regretted it instantly.

“You should rest from your journey, Doctor Vale.”

I should’ve been relieved to leave.

Instead, irritation burned beneath my skin as Lyra guided me back toward the door.

But just before I crossed the threshold, I felt it again.

His hand was clenched so tightly at his side that I could see the veins beneath his skin.

1 Chapter 1 2 Chapter 2 3 Chapter 3 4 Chapter 4 5 Chapter 5 6 Chapter 6 7 Chapter 7 8 Chapter 8 9 Chapter 9 10 Chapter 10 11 Chapter 11 12 Chapter 12 13 Chapter 13 14 Chapter 14 15 Chapter 15 16 Chapter 16 17 Chapter 17 18 Chapter 18 19 Chapter 19 20 Chapter 20 21 Chapter 21 22 Epilogue {"language":"en","current_chapter_number":1,"chapters":[{"number":1,"name":"Chapter 1","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/1","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":2,"name":"Chapter 2","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/2","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":3,"name":"Chapter 3","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/3","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":4,"name":"Chapter 4","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/4","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":5,"name":"Chapter 5","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/5","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":6,"name":"Chapter 6","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/6","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":7,"name":"Chapter 7","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/7","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":8,"name":"Chapter 8","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/8","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":9,"name":"Chapter 9","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/9","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":10,"name":"Chapter 10","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/10","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":11,"name":"Chapter 11","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/11","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":12,"name":"Chapter 12","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/12","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":13,"name":"Chapter 13","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/13","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":14,"name":"Chapter 14","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/14","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":15,"name":"Chapter 15","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/15","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":16,"name":"Chapter 16","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/16","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":17,"name":"Chapter 17","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/17","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":18,"name":"Chapter 18","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/18","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":19,"name":"Chapter 19","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/19","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":20,"name":"Chapter 20","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/20","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":21,"name":"Chapter 21","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/21","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":22,"name":"Epilogue","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/22","patron_icon":"no_icon"}]} Read it. Hear it. Feel it.

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### Chapter 2: Chapter 2

I gave him a stiff nod. “Thank you for your hospitality, Alpha.”

But those impossible blue eyes followed me the entire way out of the room. Beta Leon gave me a nod before staying to talk to Riven.

The second the doors closed behind us, I exhaled sharply.

“What was that?” I muttered under my breath.

Lyra laughed softly beside me as we walked down the long corridor. “I was wondering the same thing.”

I glanced at her. “Is he always like that?”

She hummed thoughtfully. “Riven has never exactly been warm. Especially with strangers.”

Somehow that didn’t make me feel better.

Because it hadn’t felt like simple coldness in there.

“He usually hides it better,” Lyra admitted after a moment.

I frowned slightly. “That’s comforting.”

A grin pulled at her lips. “Don’t take it to heart. My brother was practically born forty years old.”

That startled a laugh out of me before I could stop it.

The tension inside me loosened a little more as we descended the large staircase toward the lower levels of the packhouse.

“And since I officially stole you from the Beta’s schedule,” Lyra continued, “I can either show you your rooms… or I can show you the laboratories.”

My head snapped toward her immediately.

Her grin widened. “I had a feeling you’d say that.”

By the time we reached the research wing, the strange heat beneath my skin had dulled into a faint simmer instead of the overwhelming pressure I’d felt upstairs.

Almost told Lyra that standing near Riven Oak had made my entire body feel like it was malfunctioning.

But the thought sounded ridiculous the second it formed.

As Lyra opened the doors leading toward the silver laboratories, I couldn’t stop remembering the look in Riven Oak’s eyes when he’d stared at me.

Or the way his fist had clenched like he was holding himself back from something.

The laboratories were bigger than my entire university department back home.

I genuinely stopped walking when Lyra pushed the glass doors open.

Rows of advanced refinement equipment stretched across the massive room, silver filtration systems humming softly beneath bright overhead lights. Digital monitors covered entire walls while workers in dark uniforms moved efficiently between stations carrying mineral samples and data tablets.

Lyra laughed beside me. “That’s usually the reaction.”

I moved farther inside automatically, my eyes scanning the machinery with growing disbelief.

They had triple-stage purification chambers.

Actual industrial molecular separators.

“No way,” I whispered, stepping closer to one of the systems. “Is that a thermal stabilization unit?”

“Imported last winter,” Lyra confirmed.

I turned toward her so fast my braid swung over my shoulder. “Do you have any idea how expensive those are?”

Her grin widened. “Apparently my brother does.”

I stared at the equipment another second before laughing softly under my breath.

Back home, I spent half my time improvising solutions because we lacked proper resources. Here?

Here they had technology I’d only read about in research journals.

For the first time since arriving at Oak territory, excitement overpowered my anxiety completely.

I walked deeper into the laboratory slowly, almost reverently.

“You’ll have full access while you’re here,” Lyra said. “The Alpha approved it personally.”

That surprised me enough to glance back at her.

For someone who clearly didn’t want me here, Riven Oak was apparently willing to hand me millions worth of equipment access.

Lyra showed me through the rest of the research wing before leading me farther down the corridor.

“That’s the medical sector,” she explained, gesturing toward another set of secured doors. “I oversee most of the hospital operations here.”

The faint scent of antiseptic drifted through the hall.

“If you need absolutely anything while you’re in Oak territory,” she continued gently, “you come to me first. Understood?”

Something warm settled in my chest.

Her expression softened. “You’re far from home, Amara. Someone should at least pretend to take care of you.”

The further she guided me through the territory, the more impossible it became not to feel overwhelmed.

Everywhere I looked, wolves moved with purpose and confidence. Training grounds stretched across entire fields while military vehicles lined secured compounds near the eastern walls.

Even the hospital was larger than some territorial capitals I’d visited.

Massive steel structures carved directly into the mountainside towered above us while transport systems carried raw silver ore between processing sectors. Workers moved in organized groups beneath giant floodlights as machinery thundered in the distance.

I turned at the sound of the voice.

A broad man with dark blond hair approached us wearing heavy mining gear and a warm smile.

“Michael Hayes,” he introduced himself, offering his hand immediately. “Head of mining operations.”

I shook it quickly. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this partnership finalized,” he admitted.

Michael laughed at my expression. “I’ve read your work on silver stabilization ratios. Your theories about heat resistance during weapon forging?” He shook his head. “Brilliant.”

Heat rushed unexpectedly into my cheeks.

“I’m serious,” he continued enthusiastically. “You solved problems we’ve been struggling with for years.”

That… honestly meant more than I expected.

Most wolves saw silver as weapons and little else.

Very few people respected the science behind it.

“You’ve already changed the field,” Michael said. “Having you here is huge for us.”

“Well,” I said lightly, glancing back toward the massive mining sectors, “I was planning to spend today settling in, but tomorrow I’d love a full walkthrough.”

“You’ll have it,” Michael promised immediately.

Lyra smirked beside me. “Congratulations. You officially have another scientist obsessed with you.”

Michael looked entirely unapologetic. “Absolutely.”

And for the first time since entering Oak territory…

I started feeling like maybe coming here had been the right decision.

By the time Lyra finally showed me my rooms, exhaustion had started settling into my bones.

The guest suite alone was nearly the size of my apartment back home.

Large windows overlooked the forests surrounding Oak territory while dark oak furniture filled the elegant space with the same ancient richness as the rest of the packhouse.

“This wing is quieter than the others,” Lyra explained as I set my bags near the bed. “Less traffic. Easier to work.”

She leaned lightly against the doorway. “There’s a private training area behind the western gardens too. Running trails, if you prefer outdoors.”

That immediately caught my attention.

Because despite how incredible the day had been…

Like something restless had settled beneath my skin and refused to quiet.

Stress, I reminded myself again.

“I might actually take advantage of that,” I admitted.

Lyra smiled knowingly. “Thought you might.”

After she left, I unpacked slowly, organizing my notebooks, research files, and equipment with practiced precision.

The strange pressure low in my stomach returned while I folded clothes into drawers.

My pulse kept speeding up for no reason at all.

By the time I finished unpacking, I needed movement before I lost my mind.

So I changed quickly into black running leggings and a fitted long-sleeve shirt before pulling my hair into a high braid.

The evening air outside felt cool against my overheated skin.

The running trails curved through the outer sections of the territory beneath towering oak trees wrapped in golden lights. Guards stood stationed throughout the pathways exactly like Lyra promised, but the farther I ran, the quieter everything became.

My lungs expanded easier while tension slowly loosened from my muscles.

I slowed slightly, pressing a hand against my lower stomach as warmth spread sharply through my body.

What the hell was wrong with me today?

My heartbeat accelerated again.

I pushed farther down the trail, trying to ignore it.

A large figure emerged from the darker section of the trail ahead.

Because apparently the universe hated me.

He wore dark athletic clothes this time, the sleeves pushed to his forearms while sweat lightly dampened the collar of his shirt.

And somehow that looked even worse.

His eyes landed on me immediately.

And just like earlier, my body reacted before my brain did.

Heat flooded through me so suddenly I nearly stumbled.

I stopped a few feet away from him, trying very hard not to visibly malfunction.

“You run too?” I asked before realizing how stupid that sounded.

One dark eyebrow lifted slightly.

The pressure low in my stomach tightened painfully while his scent wrapped around me like smoke.

Something about him made my wolf restless in ways I couldn’t understand.

I forced myself to smile politely despite it.

I shifted awkwardly. “Your sister recommended them.”

At the mention of Lyra, something unreadable flickered briefly across his face.

Heat exploded through my bloodstream.

His jaw tightened instantly afterward.

That strange tension inside him.

Like he was forcing himself to stay perfectly still.

“I should continue my run,” he said abruptly.

The rejection irritated me far more than it should have.

“Right,” I replied tightly. “Wouldn’t want to interrupt your evening, Alpha.”

His eyes snapped back to mine at my tone.

For one dangerous second, neither of us moved.

Then his hand curled slowly into a fist at his side.

And without another word, he stepped around me and disappeared farther down the trail.

Leaving me standing there breathless.

And burning alive from the inside out.

By the time I returned to my rooms, the strange pressure inside my body had become unbearable.

I stripped out of my damp clothes immediately before stepping beneath the cold spray of the shower.

The water slid down overheated skin while I pressed both hands against the tiled wall, breathing slowly.

Aching in ways I didn’t understand.

My mind betrayed me briefly with the memory of Riven’s voice.

The way he’d looked at my body before dragging his attention away like it physically hurt him.

Heat curled low in my stomach again.

Instinctively, my hand brushed lower—

I jerked my hand away immediately, horrified with myself.

I wasn’t some hormonal teenager.

By the time I dressed for dinner, my skin still felt too warm.

And standing outside the dining hall doors, one horrifying realization suddenly hit me.

Riven Oak was probably inside waiting.

1 Chapter 1 2 Chapter 2 3 Chapter 3 4 Chapter 4 5 Chapter 5 6 Chapter 6 7 Chapter 7 8 Chapter 8 9 Chapter 9 10 Chapter 10 11 Chapter 11 12 Chapter 12 13 Chapter 13 14 Chapter 14 15 Chapter 15 16 Chapter 16 17 Chapter 17 18 Chapter 18 19 Chapter 19 20 Chapter 20 21 Chapter 21 22 Epilogue {"language":"en","current_chapter_number":2,"chapters":[{"number":1,"name":"Chapter 1","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/1","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":2,"name":"Chapter 2","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/2","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":3,"name":"Chapter 3","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/3","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":4,"name":"Chapter 4","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/4","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":5,"name":"Chapter 5","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/5","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":6,"name":"Chapter 6","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/6","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":7,"name":"Chapter 7","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/7","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":8,"name":"Chapter 8","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/8","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":9,"name":"Chapter 9","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/9","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":10,"name":"Chapter 10","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/10","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":11,"name":"Chapter 11","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/11","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":12,"name":"Chapter 12","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/12","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":13,"name":"Chapter 13","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/13","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":14,"name":"Chapter 14","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/14","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":15,"name":"Chapter 15","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/15","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":16,"name":"Chapter 16","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/16","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":17,"name":"Chapter 17","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/17","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":18,"name":"Chapter 18","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/18","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":19,"name":"Chapter 19","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/19","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":20,"name":"Chapter 20","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/20","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":21,"name":"Chapter 21","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/21","patron_icon":"no_icon"},{"number":22,"name":"Epilogue","path":"/stories/1766596/chapters/22","patron_icon":"no_icon"}]} Read it. Hear it. Feel it.

Experience this story in a whole new way. Available on the Inkitt app.

Authors can write and upload their manuscripts on Inkit for free and writers retain 100% of their copyrights while writing on Inkitt

Readers can read all books for free, without any ads and give the authors feedback.

Books that perform well based on their reader engagement are published on our Galatea app.

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