alpha's unhinged mate

I should have listened to the silence. Followed the warning in my gut. Maybe then… maybe I could’ve done something. Maybe things wouldn’t have turned out this way. The wind had stopped. Completely. The trees stood still—frozen like they knew something I didn’t. No crickets. No soft night calls. Just silence. A silence so thick, it felt like the night itself was holding its breath. Even the candle flames on the table trembled but didn’t flicker, as if afraid. But I didn’t notice. I was too busy laughing. Dad had just finished telling the story of how he met Mom—for what had to be the hundredth time—but it still made me smile. The way his eyes lit up when he talked about her, the way his voice softened when he described her walking into the bakery that day, covered in flour and yelling at the baker for burning her pie—it never got old. It made me feel safe. Like as long as they were in love, the world outside couldn’t touch us. Mom rolled her eyes but smiled quietly, hiding the affection she felt. I always saw it. Dad reached for her hand, his calloused fingers brushing hers with a look that said everything—gratitude, admiration, devotion. That quiet love they shared… I wanted that too someday. Warm candlelight flickered against the wooden floor as the fireplace crackled softly. Mom’s stew—thick with meat and rosemary—filled the room. I broke off bread, dipping it into the bowl, my mind drifting to exams, chores, and Aunt Sera’s birthday gift. Then— A howl. Low and long, slicing through the night like a scream tearing open the sky. My spoon clattered into the bowl. Dad snapped his head toward the window and was on his feet in a flash, chair scraping back hard. “Upstairs. Now.” The command cut through me. I froze. “Go!” he barked, sharper this time. Mom grabbed my wrist and yanked me from my chair. “Hide under your bed. Don’t make a sound, Eliana. No matter what you hear. Don’t come out.” “Wait—Mom—what’s going on?!” She didn’t answer. The window behind us shattered. Glass exploded inward as something huge and dark burst through the living room. A monstrous growl thundered through the walls, shaking pictures off the shelves. And then I saw it. A rogue. Its fur matted with blood, eyes glowing like burning coals, claws digging into the floorboards as it stalked in. Snarling. Hunting. Dad didn’t hesitate. His body cracked and shifted midair. Bones snapped, skin tore—and then the white wolf inside him lunged at the intruder, slamming it back toward the fireplace in a blur of fur and rage. “Go!” Mom screamed again, shoving me toward the stairs. I ran. The house trembled—wood splintering, snarls crashing like thunder. Bare feet pounding up the stairs. I couldn’t see. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe. I dove under my bed, pulled the blanket over the edge, curled into a ball. Dust stung my lungs. Fingers dug into the floorboards. I squeezed my eyes shut and begged whatever god would listen to make me invisible. Then— A voice. “Where is she?!” A roar. Deep. Harsh. Not my dad. “Find the girl! Kill the rest!” My breath caught. More growls. Screams. I heard Mom shout—then silence. My heart stopped. Footsteps thundered through the house. Windows broke. Were there two? Three? The air thick with smoke and terror. “She’s close,” one snarled. “Check every room,” another growled. I covered my mouth to keep from sobbing. Doors creaked open. Closer. Closer. Then mine. Boots stepped onto the floor. I felt the shift as they entered. “She’s not in here.” A pause. “Check under the bed.” I bit my lip until I tasted blood. My body trembled. Shadows of legs through the blanket slit. Before they could bend— A new growl. Deeper. More powerful. Echoing like a drumbeat. Chaos erupted. Another voice. Familiar. Lucian. Dad’s best friend. The Beta. Roars shook the house. Something heavy crashed into the wall. Yelps. Snarls. Bones snapped. Flesh tore. The scent of blood filled the air. Then— A boom. Magic. Energy burst through the house, knocking books off shelves, flaring through walls like wildfire. Silence. “Eliana?” His voice gentler now. I peeked out. Lucian stood in the doorway, face smeared with blood, a long gash running down his arm. But his eyes—still kind. He crouched, reached under the bed. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.” He pulled me out, legs numb, heart racing. The hallway was unrecognizable—walls cracked, pictures shattered, smoke and blood thick in the air. Then I saw the staircase. And what lay at the bottom. Mom. Dad. Still. Unmoving. “No…” My knees buckled. Lucian caught me, arms strong, but I could barely breathe. “No, no, no…” “I’m sorry,” he whispered, voice hoarse. “We tried. We got here too late.” I fell apart. Everything inside shattered. Tears blurred my vision, sobs racked my chest. Then— Rage. It bloomed in my chest like fire. Hot. Blinding. Consuming. My hands began to glow. Lucian pulled back sharply. “Eliana—” But I couldn’t hear him. Veins felt like fire. Eyes burned with light. A storm churned beneath my skin. Then everything exploded. A pulse of energy burst out, knocking Lucian across the hall. The floor cracked beneath me. Flames licked the walls. When I woke, the house was smoke and ruin. The roof sagged. Ash floated like snow. Wooden beams creaked above. Rain drizzled through the broken ceiling. Lucian knelt beside me, breathing hard. Staring like I was a stranger. Or worse. “You… you did that.” I blinked, dazed. Palms still glowing faintly. “What’s happening to me?” I whispered. He didn’t answer. Just looked at me. Like he knew. And like it terrified him. Finally, he pulled out a small glass bottle. “Drink this.” I took it without thinking. The world tilted. “Lucian…” My knees buckled. “What did you—” Darkness claimed me.