FATED TO THE ALPHA WHO HATES ME

stirring chaos

Chapter 6 –

(Aria’s POV)

The morning after the storm was deceptively calm.

Golden light spilled through the cracks of the heavy curtains, painting soft lines across the cold stone floor of my room. The warmth of the sun didn’t match the chill that had settled deep in my bones. I was awake long before the sun rose, staring at the ceiling and listening to the sounds of the packhouse coming to life—footsteps on the hardwood floors, a kettle whistling in the kitchen downstairs, the thud of boots against tile.

But I didn’t move.

Because everything had changed.

Last night’s confrontation with Alpha Kael played in my mind like a broken record. His eyes, full of restrained rage, the way his jaw clenched when I dared to talk back. He hated me. I could feel it in the way he looked at me—like I was a burden, a threat, a mistake he never asked for.

Yet there was something else hidden beneath all that anger.

A flicker of something I couldn’t name.

A part of me—a dangerous part—wanted to uncover it. To push him until the mask cracked and whatever was underneath finally showed itself.

“Aria?” a soft knock on the door broke through my thoughts.

It was Mara. Her voice was gentle, but I heard the worry laced within it. She had been the only one in this pack who treated me like a person and not a problem. The only one who smiled without suspicion.

I stood slowly and crossed the room. My hand hesitated on the doorknob for a breath before I opened it.

Mara's hazel eyes searched my face. “You okay?”

I gave her a small smile. “I’ve been worse.”

She didn’t laugh.

Instead, she stepped in and closed the door behind her. “Everyone’s talking about what happened last night. You stood up to the Alpha. That’s… not exactly a safe thing to do.”

I let out a dry chuckle and turned away. “Yeah, I’m starting to notice.”

“He’s not like the others,” Mara said cautiously. “Kael is… different. He wasn’t always this cold.”

I faced her again. “Do you know what happened to him?”

She shook her head. “No one talks about it. Whatever it was, it changed him. Some say it was a betrayal. Others say it was blood. But since then, he’s never allowed himself to be close to anyone.”

Great. That’s just what I needed—an emotionally unavailable Alpha with a dark past and a grudge against the world. Including me.

“I didn’t ask to be here,” I muttered, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Mara came and sat beside me. “I know. But maybe... you're here for a reason.”

I gave her a sharp look. “What kind of reason?”

She hesitated. “Maybe you’re supposed to help him heal.”

I stood abruptly. “Heal him? He nearly growled my face off last night, Mara.”

“He didn’t hurt you,” she said quietly. “He could have, but he didn’t.”

That stopped me. My heart beat just a little faster at the memory. The way his hand had twitched at his side, how his breath had hitched when I met his eyes. He was holding himself back.

But from what?

Me?

Or himself?

Before I could answer, a sharp knock rang out again. But this time, it wasn’t gentle. It was firm. Cold. Authority in every rap.

Mara and I both froze.

Then the door opened.

Alpha Kael stood there like a shadow, broad-shouldered and fierce in black. His eyes—those stormy silver eyes—swept over the room and landed on me.

“You’re to report to the training grounds. Now,” he said. His voice was deep and flat, void of emotion.

“For what?” I asked, unable to help the challenge in my tone.

His jaw tightened. “You want to prove you belong in this pack, don’t you? Then earn it.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but he was already gone.

Mara touched my arm gently. “I’ll walk with you.”

---

The training grounds were already bustling with movement by the time we arrived. Warriors sparred in tight circles, their grunts and growls filling the crisp morning air. The scent of sweat and aggression clung to the wind.

Kael stood near the center, his arms crossed, eyes scanning the field like a predator watching his territory.

My stomach twisted.

“You’ll pair with him,” he barked, pointing at a tall, broad-shouldered wolf named Jarek who looked like he’d been carved from mountain stone. Great. My first opponent was a tank.

I squared my shoulders.

I wouldn’t let them break me.

Jarek smirked as he approached. “No hard feelings, pup,” he said, cracking his knuckles.

I didn’t answer.

I just let the fire build inside me.

The moment Kael gave the signal, Jarek lunged. He was fast for his size, but I ducked under his swing and rolled to the side. Years of fending for myself in the human world had taught me to move quick, think quicker.

He came at me again, this time grabbing for my waist, but I twisted and slammed my elbow into his ribs.

He grunted.

I didn’t let up.

I moved like a blur—dodging, striking, slipping past his defenses. The crowd began to murmur, surprised.

Jarek growled, his pride wounded. He charged with more force, more fury. He caught me with a glancing blow that sent me sprawling into the dirt, pain slicing through my side.

I groaned but pushed up.

I wasn’t done.

Not yet.

“Enough,” Kael’s voice rang out like thunder. “That’s enough.”

I wiped the blood from my lip and looked at him. He stared back, unreadable.

“You’re done for today,” he said.

Jarek gave me a respectful nod and stepped back.

I didn’t expect what came next.

Kael walked toward me slowly, every step deliberate.

“You held your own,” he said quietly. “Better than I expected.”

I blinked. “Is that a compliment?”

He didn’t answer.

Instead, he reached out.

For a moment, I thought he was going to touch my cheek. But then his hand dropped, and he turned away.

“Get cleaned up. We’re not done.”

Not done?

With what?

He didn’t say. He just disappeared into the shadows, as always.

---

That evening, I sat on the edge of my bed, muscles aching, heart even more so.

What was I doing here?

What did he want from me?

And why… why did I care?

I should hate him. I wanted to hate him.

But something inside me pulled toward him like gravity, like fate.

And I was terrified it would destroy me.

---

---

The moon hung low in the night sky, casting a silvery glow through the tall trees that surrounded the pack house. I stood at the edge of the forest, my breath coming out in soft clouds as the cold air brushed against my skin. The forest was silent, but my mind was screaming.

I could still feel his touch on my wrist from earlier. Kade.

He hadn’t said a word to me since the incident in the training grounds, where he’d caught me staring—again. And as always, his eyes held the same storm of anger and mystery. I didn’t know why I kept hoping that one day he’d look at me with something other than contempt.

But tonight, something had shifted. I felt it in the way his gaze lingered just a little too long, and in the way his fingers twitched when they brushed mine—like he was restraining himself from doing more.

Why did he hate me so much? Why did I care?

“Ari?” a voice called softly behind me.

I turned quickly. It was Leah, my closest friend, holding two mugs of hot cocoa. She wore that knowing smile of hers, the one she always used when she could tell I was spiraling.

“You’re out here again,” she said, handing me a mug.

I took it gratefully and nodded, wrapping my fingers around the warmth. “I needed air.”

“You mean you needed to get away from him.”

I didn’t respond, because we both knew she was right.

She sat beside me on the cold stone bench, the one I always came to when I needed to think. “He’s been acting weird lately.”

“That’s not new,” I muttered.

“No, but this is different. You haven’t noticed the way he’s been… watching you? Like really watching you.”

A bitter laugh escaped me. “Yeah, like a wolf sizing up his next meal.”

Leah nudged me gently. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

I sighed and took a sip of the cocoa. “Even if it were true, it doesn’t matter. He’s made it clear he wants nothing to do with me.”

“But you’re his mate, Aria.”

“Yeah,” I whispered. “Unfortunately.”

Silence settled between us, only broken by the occasional hoot of an owl and the rustle of wind through the branches. My mind replayed everything that had happened since the moment I shifted and the bond awakened. Kade had rejected it. Denied it. Fought it.

But I felt it every second of every day. The pain, the yearning, the magnetic pull that made it impossible to breathe when he wasn’t near. The way my wolf whimpered at night, aching for the one person who seemed to want me least.

“You ever wonder,” I said quietly, “why the Moon Goddess fated people together who don’t even like each other?”

Leah tilted her head. “Maybe it's not about liking. Maybe it’s about healing.”

I frowned. “Healing?”

“Yeah. Maybe he’s broken in ways you don’t understand yet. And maybe you’re the only one who can fix that.”

I looked away. “I don’t want to fix someone who doesn’t want to be fixed.”

“But you care,” she said softly.

And there it was—the truth.

I did care.

Despite everything. Despite how cruel he could be. Despite the pain.

I didn’t want to. But I did.

---

Later that night, I found myself tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep. My thoughts were full of Kade—his voice, his stare, the way his jaw clenched when he was trying to stay composed.

Then I heard it. The soft creak of my window.

I sat up sharply, heart racing. My wolf stirred.

“Kade?” I whispered into the darkness.

A shadow moved silently across the room, and then he stepped into the moonlight. Kade.

He looked wild, like he had run here without stopping. His shirt was slightly torn, his eyes glowing faintly silver.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice trembling.

He didn’t answer at first. He just stared at me like he was seeing something he’d been trying to avoid.

“I couldn’t sleep,” he finally said.

“So you climbed into my window?”

He stepped closer. “I needed to talk to you.”

I scooted back on the bed, unsure of what to expect. “About what?”

“The bond,” he said, voice raw. “It’s getting stronger. I can feel everything you feel. Even when you try to hide it.”

I froze.

“It’s not supposed to be like this,” he muttered. “I didn’t want this.”

That stung.

“You think I did?” I asked, standing up. “You think I asked for this bond? For you to be cruel to me? To treat me like I’m nothing?”

He looked pained. “I don’t know how to deal with this, Aria.”

“Then learn,” I snapped. “Because I’m tired of being punished for something I didn’t choose.”

Silence.

Then, quietly, he said, “You make me feel things I’m not supposed to feel.”

I blinked, unsure if I’d heard right.

“What?”

He stepped closer, now only inches away. “I’m supposed to be in control. Cold. Calculated. I’ve built everything on strength, and then you came along and messed it all up.”

My heart was pounding. My breath caught in my throat.

“Kade—”

He reached up like he was going to touch my face, then stopped himself. “I shouldn’t be here.”

And before I could say another word, he turned and vanished through the window again, leaving me alone with the sound of my racing heart.

---

I woke up to the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance, echoing through the dense forest like a warning. The air was thick and heavy, as though the world itself was holding its breath — waiting.

My heart raced the moment I opened my eyes. Not because I was afraid of the storm, but because I wasn’t in my room.

Again.

I was in the Alpha’s guest chambers. The unfamiliar scent of cedarwood and crushed mint surrounded me — his scent. He hadn’t been here, but his presence lingered like a shadow.

I sat up quickly, clutching the blanket to my chest. How had I gotten here? The last thing I remembered was going for air after the council meeting... and then everything blurred.

Someone had brought me here.

Or maybe… he had.

A knock on the door snapped me from my thoughts.

“Come in,” I said hesitantly, my voice barely above a whisper.

Mira stepped in, her expression unreadable. “You missed breakfast,” she said, eyes scanning the room before landing on me.

I nodded, still trying to steady myself. “What happened last night?”

“You fainted,” she said. “Too much pressure, I guess. Alpha Kael had you brought here.”

Kael.

Of course. I should’ve known. Even when he hated me, he still took responsibility for me.

I frowned. “Was he… angry?”

She hesitated. “Worried, maybe. But he didn’t say much. You know how he is.”

I bit my lip, ignoring the strange flutter in my chest. No, I didn’t know how he was — not really. He was like a locked door with no key. Just when I thought I was beginning to understand him, he slammed it shut again.

“I need to see him,” I said suddenly, swinging my legs off the bed. “Today.”

“Aria…” Mira’s voice dropped. “You should be careful.”

“Why?”

“Because the Alpha Council is questioning your bond to the pack. Some think you're a weakness.” Her voice was tight with concern. “And some think you're something else entirely.”

I paused. “What do you think I am?”

Mira met my eyes. “I think you're dangerous… but not to us. I think you're dangerous to him.”

I didn’t know what to say to that.

⚡⚡⚡

Later that day, I found Kael training near the cliffs. His shirt was off — of course — and his muscles rippled under the golden sun as he swung his sword with ruthless precision. Sweat glistened on his skin, and even though I hated how my breath caught, I couldn’t look away.

He noticed me, paused, and sheathed his blade. “You should be resting.”

“I’m fine,” I said, approaching him. “We need to talk.”

His eyes narrowed. “About?”

“Everything.”

He wiped his brow with the back of his arm. “Be specific.”

“Why did you bring me to your chambers?”

His jaw clenched. “Because you passed out and your own room was compromised. Someone tampered with your door lock.”

My stomach turned. “What? Who—”

“We don’t know yet. But you’re under my protection now. Whether I like it or not.”

“Why wouldn’t you like it?” I whispered.

Kael’s gaze darkened. “Because protection leads to attachment. And attachment leads to pain.”

His words stung more than I expected. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’m not asking you to fall in love with me, Kael. I’m asking you to trust me.”

He didn’t reply. Instead, he turned and walked away, leaving me alone with the silence — and the ache in my chest.

But as he disappeared down the trail, I heard him murmur just loud enough for me to hear:

“Maybe that’s the problem.”

🌑🌑🌑

That night, I couldn’t sleep. The wind howled outside like it was mourning something — or someone. I wrapped myself in my shawl and walked out to the training fields. The moon was full, casting a silvery glow over everything.

I thought I was alone.

Until I heard the growl.

A low, guttural snarl echoed across the field, and I froze. A shadow darted through the trees.

Wolf.

A rogue?

No. Bigger. Faster.

I backed up slowly, heart pounding, but then it stepped out into the moonlight.

Kael.

His wolf form towered over me, eyes glowing gold with raw, untamed energy. But something was wrong. His breathing was erratic, his fur on edge. He wasn’t in control.

“Kael,” I said softly. “It’s me.”

He let out a strangled growl, teeth bared.

I didn’t move.

“Come back,” I whispered. “Please…”

He lunged forward.

And stopped inches from me, teeth snapping shut just beside my neck. I didn’t scream. I didn’t flinch.

Instead, I reached up and placed my hand gently on his snout.

His whole body trembled.

And then… he shifted back.

Naked. Vulnerable. Angry.

“Why did you do that?” he hissed. “I could’ve killed you.”

“But you didn’t.”

“You’re reckless.”

“I trust you.”

His eyes burned into mine. “Don’t. I’m not who you think I am.”

“I know exactly who you are,” I whispered. “And that scares you more than anything.”

For a long time, neither of us said a word. The storm passed above us, lightning crackling across the sky — wild and unpredictable.

Just like us.

---