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✧ Raj Malhotra’s POV ✧

In my 26 years of life, I’ve never been this impatient for a weekend. But these past four days have felt like an eternity. I find myself eagerly anticipating tonight, unable to get her out of my mind. Each night, I dream about Lavanya, and during the day, I find myself stealing glances at her from afar—though in my wolf form, it's hard to avoid coming across as a creep.

My wolf, Rudra, is equally restless. It’s a unique challenge when you have found your mate but are kept apart. We’re supposed to mark our mates and complete the mating process soon after meeting them, but here I am, just waiting. My desire for her is overwhelming, and I’ve had to resort to cold showers just to maintain my composure.

Rudra growled softly in my head, his impatience bleeding into my own. "Why are we waiting? She is ours. Claim her." I could feel his frustration, the primal instinct to protect and possess our mate consuming us both. But I couldn’t just rush this—Lavanya wasn’t ready, and I didn’t want to scare her off. She needed time, and I’d give her that, even if every second without her felt like torture.

Today, I decided to finish up my pack duties. As an alpha king, I have a significant amount of work to get through. But as soon as I could, I texted her:

Me: Are you ready for tonight’s dinner?

After a moment, she replied:

Mate ❤️: Boss??

I chuckled at her reply, picturing her adorable confused face.

Me: No, Raj.

Mate ❤️: Ohh, sorry, I mean Raj.

Me: Yes. Why? Are you planning to have dinner with someone else?

Mate ❤️: No, no. Just asked for clarification. And yeah, I’m ready for dinner.

Me: I’ll pick you up at 7 from your apartment.

Mate ❤️: Okay, done. Bye, I’m busy.

Me: Bye.

I smiled at my phone before returning to my work. Her texts always made me smile. The way she was formal yet sweet—she didn’t know how much power she held over me.

As the hours ticked by, I wrapped up my tasks and prepared to leave. I told my beta and gamma that I was heading out.

“Okay, guys, I’m off. Take care of everything,” I said as I stood up.

Both looked at me in confusion.

“Where are you going, Bro?” Naman asked.

I couldn’t help but grin like a fool. “I have a date tonight with my mate.”

Their eyes widened in surprise, and Varun smirked. “Ah, like jatin's son said, someone’s got a puss....”

Naman playfully punched Varun, and I chuckled. “Good luck, bro,” Naman said with a smile. I nodded and left.

I took a long shower and dressed in black, checking my watch to see that it was already 6:30. I grabbed my car keys and headed out, ready for tonight.

As I drove, I thought about Lavanya. She had this innocence about her, but there was something else, something wild and untamed deep within. It called to me and my wolf. Rudra was constantly alert when she was near, ready to step in if needed. I wanted her in every sense, but I needed her trust first. I wanted her to come to me willingly, to feel the same pull I did.

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✧ Lavanya’s POV ✧

I’m getting ready for my dinner tonight—well, my apology dinner. When I told Dhruv about it, he teased me about it being a date. I tried to play it cool, insisting it was just a dinner to apologize.

But deep down, I know it's more than that. As I look in the mirror, checking my black dress one last time, I can’t help but feel a flutter of excitement and nerves. Why do I care so much about how I look for him?

“You look hot, Lavanya,” I told myself with a chuckle. I’m not entirely sure why this is affecting me so much. Maybe it's because it’s my first date, or maybe because it feels like more. The way Raj looked at me during work, like I was the only woman in the room, stirred something deep inside me. I wanted his attention, and I wasn’t sure how to handle that.

I left my room and saw Tanu, who was also dressed up.

“Are you going somewhere special?” she asked, looking me over.

Blushing, I nodded. “Yeah, I have a date... I mean, an apology dinner.”

She looked confused but smiled. “Okay then, best of luck.”

I watched her leave and checked my watch again. It was 6:48. Why was I so nervous? I muttered to myself to calm down.

"What if he doesn't like me? Or worse, what if he thinks this is just a casual dinner and I’m the one overthinking?" My mind raced with worries, but I forced myself to take a deep breath. It’s just dinner. Right?

“What if he has a girlfriend, and she shows up? She might rip my hair out,” I said aloud, trying to soothe my nerves. “Don’t worry, Lavanya. Just enjoy it. Maybe it’s the last time you’ll get to eat with a hot boss.”

The doorbell rang, and I eagerly opened it, only to find a man who wasn’t Raj. He wasn’t bad-looking, but he wasn’t Raj either.

“Excuse me, is Tanu here?” he asked.

“Oh no, she left a few minutes ago,” I replied. He bowed slightly and left, leaving me alone again.

I sighed and looked at my watch—it was 6:58. When would Raj arrive?

Then, exactly at 7:01, the doorbell rang again. I opened it, and this time, it was my Greek god. I shamelessly checked him out, and he returned the look with a smirk.

He was dressed in black, just like me, and we looked like we were stepping straight out of a fashion magazine. Raj held out a bouquet, and I accepted it with a happy “thank you.”

“You’re looking breathtaking, Lavanya,” he said as he handed me the flowers, his voice deep and laced with admiration. There was a certain intensity in his gaze that made my heart race.

“You’re also looking handsome,” I replied, causing him to smirk even more.

“Ready to go?” he asked, his voice smooth and commanding.

I nodded, locking the door behind me as we left.

In the car, there was a comfortable silence between us until I broke it. “Where are we going?”

He kept his eyes on the road as he replied, “I’ve booked us a table at an Italian restaurant. I hope you like it.”

I nodded enthusiastically. “I love Italian food.”

When we arrived, he opened the door for me like a true gentleman and offered me his hand. I felt a spark as I touched him, a sensation I’d felt before when he touched my chin at the office. The connection between us was undeniable, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he felt it too.

We entered the restaurant, and the manager greeted us and led us to our table. It was elegant and expensive. As we sat down, Raj ordered wine, and I was fine with that.

“So, Lavanya, tell me about yourself,” Raj said suddenly, his voice low but curious.

I wasn’t prepared for this, and I avoided eye contact. Taking a deep breath, I finally made eye contact and answered, “There’s not much to tell. My favorite color is black, I love to sleep and eat, and I want to be independent, which is why I work. I’m an only child; my mother is a teacher, and my father is a writer. My best friend is Dhruv, that’s it.”

He smiled, his smile being both adorable and charming. “Wow, that’s cool. I’m glad you love to eat.”

We looked over the menu, and everything was so expensive and difficult to pronounce. I decided to go with something simple.

“Okay, I’ll have the faro salad,” I told the waiter.

Raj gave me a look that said, “Are you serious?” I smiled awkwardly, and he signaled something to the waiter, who left.

“Lavanya, if you don’t like the menu here, we can go somewhere else,” he offered.

I shook my head. “Actually, I’ve never been to such an expensive restaurant before, and the names of the dishes are really hard to pronounce. I’ve only heard of pasta and pizza.”

Raj laughed lightly, the sound sending shivers down my spine. “I understand. Let me order something for you.”

We enjoyed the meal—it was delicious. I asked Raj about himself, and he told me he was an only child with friends, focusing on work and never really dating. It was surprising to hear that someone like him had never dated before.

I hoped this night would never end.

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