The Alpha's Midnight Moon

Chapter 20: The Rogue’s Bargain

Kaelen didn't hesitate. In a blur of motion, he shifted—not fully into his wolf, but into a lethal hybrid form, his claws extending and his eyes glowing like twin suns. "Stay with the guard, Aria. Do not leave this hall," his voice commanded in my mind before he leaped over the balcony into the snowy darkness below.

But I couldn't just wait. The sight of Mark hadn't just brought back fear; it had brought back questions. How could a human track me to a hidden mountain sanctuary?

I slipped past the distracted guards and followed a narrow servant's staircase that led to the outer courtyard. The cold bit into my skin, but my internal bond with Kaelen kept me warm. I followed the scent of pine and something metallic—the smell of Silas's dark magic.

I found them near the ancient gate: Mark was standing there, looking terrified yet smug, while Silas loomed behind him like a hungry shadow.

"Aria, honey, you look... different," Mark said, his voice trembling as he looked at my silver crown and the glowing pendant. "You've joined a cult? Running away from me was one thing, but this?"

"How did you find me, Mark?" I hissed, my voice echoing with a power I didn't know I possessed.

"He didn't find you, little Luna," Silas stepped forward, his eyes fixed on my necklace. "I found him. A human heart filled with bitterness and rejection is a beacon for my kind. He gave me the blood-link I needed to bypass the Alpha's wards."

My heart sank. Mark had betrayed me again—not with another woman this time, but by selling my location to a monster.

"I just want you back, Aria," Mark pleaded, though his eyes were darting toward Silas. "Come home. These things... they aren't your people."

Suddenly, a terrifying growl shook the ground. Kaelen emerged from the trees, his massive form silhouetted against the moon. He didn't look at Mark; he looked at Silas.

"You brought a human into my home to die, Silas?" Kaelen’s mental roar was so loud it made Mark fall to his knees, clutching his ears.

"I brought a distraction," Silas smirked, and before anyone could react, he grabbed Mark and vanished into a whirlwind of black snow.

Kaelen was at my side in an instant, his hands checking me for injuries. "They’re gone," I whispered, leaning into his chest. "But Kaelen... if Silas has Mark, he has a key to my past. He’s going to use him to break me."

"He will try," Kaelen growled, his grip on me tightening. "And he will fail. I will hunt them both to the ends of the earth."