The Alpha's Forbidden Bride

Chapter 1 — The Man I Swore to Kill Rain poured over the city like the heavens themselves were mourning. Aria Vale stood beneath the broken neon sign of an abandoned nightclub, her black coat soaked through. A silver dagger rested against her thigh, hidden beneath the fabric. Five years. Five years of searching. Five years of pretending to be someone she wasn't. And tonight, she finally had him. Across the street stood the Blackwood Mansion. The home of the most feared family in the supernatural world. The Blackwoods weren't simply wealthy. They owned businesses, underground clubs, private armies—and half of the city's criminal empire. But that wasn't why Aria hated them. Five years ago, her parents had been murdered. And the only name left behind was— Blackwood. Aria's fingers tightened around the dagger. "Tonight," she whispered. "You die." A black car stopped in front of the mansion. The rear door opened. A man stepped out. Tall. Broad shoulders. Dressed in a perfectly fitted black suit. His dark hair was slightly wet from the rain, and his eyes scanned the surroundings with the cold precision of a predator. Aria's breath stopped. She had never met him before. But somehow... her body recognized him. A strange heat spread through her chest. Her heartbeat became painfully fast. "No." She took a step backward. The man's head suddenly turned. Their eyes met. Golden eyes. Not human. A wolf. Aria froze. The man stared directly at her as if he could see through the darkness. Then his expression changed. For the first time, the terrifying Alpha of the Blackwood family looked shocked. His hand moved to his chest. Aria felt the same burning pain. A symbol appeared on her wrist. A crescent moon surrounded by black flames. The man's eyes widened. "Impossible," he whispered. Aria couldn't hear him from across the street. But she understood one thing. He knew what the mark meant. And that terrified her more than anything. She pulled out her dagger. The man's gaze dropped toward the weapon. Then he smiled. It wasn't a friendly smile. It was the smile of a man who had just discovered his greatest enemy had walked directly into his territory. He crossed the street. Slowly. Confidently. Every instinct inside Aria screamed at her to run. She didn't. He stopped only a few feet away. "Who are you?" he asked. Aria raised the dagger. "Someone who's been waiting five years to meet you." His expression hardened. "And why exactly have you been waiting for me?" Aria stepped closer. "To kill you." Silence. Then he laughed softly. "Interesting." His golden eyes darkened. "You should know something before you try." "What?" He leaned closer. "You can't kill your mate." Aria's blood ran cold. The dagger slipped slightly in her hand. "You're lying." "I'm not." He reached for her wrist. Aria tried to pull away. Too late. The moment his fingers touched her skin, a burst of silver light exploded between them. Both of them staggered backward. The mark on Aria's wrist burned brighter. The man's eyes turned completely gold. He stared at her as if she were a ghost. "Aria..." Her heart stopped. She had never told him her name. She raised the dagger again. "How do you know my name?" His expression changed. For the first time, the arrogant Alpha looked afraid. "Because," he whispered, "I've been searching for you too." Aria's anger disappeared. Confusion replaced it. "Why?" Damon Blackwood looked toward the dark mansion behind him. Then back at her. "Because five years ago, the night your family died..." He paused. His voice dropped. "I was there." Aria's grip tightened around the dagger. "Then you really are the murderer." "No." His eyes met hers. "I was there to save them." A sudden gunshot echoed through the night. Damon immediately pulled Aria against him. Another bullet struck the wall behind them. His body shielded hers. Aria stared up at him. For one terrifying second, she forgot that she hated him. Then Damon whispered against her ear— "They've found you." "Who?" His arms tightened around her. "The people who killed your family." Aria's eyes widened. Damon looked into the darkness. And for the first time, she realized something. The man she had spent five years preparing to kill... might be the only person capable of keeping her alive. To be continued...