Fated To The Alpha

05

Kane's Pov

“Get her out of here, Kane.” Alec’s voice cut through the thick tension as he turned, his eyes narrowing on Viktor. His wolf was just beneath the surface, ready to tear into the enemy, but he stayed focused on the task: protecting Maya at all costs.

I didn’t waste time arguing. Maya was trembling in my arms, her body still fighting the shift, and the presence of Viktor only made things worse.

I could feel the panic radiating off her in waves, her heart racing against my chest as I lifted her to her feet.

“I’m not leaving you to face him alone, Alec,” I growled, but Alec’s jaw clenched.

“You don’t have a choice,” he snapped. “She’s your priority. We’ll handle this.”

Before I could argue further, a second figure stepped out from the trees, a massive wolf shifting back into human form.

It was Jasper, one of the most skilled fighters in the pack, my beta. His eyes flicked from me to Viktor, and in that instant, I knew they could hold him off, at least for a while.

“Go,” Jasper said, his voice like steel. “We’ll keep him busy.”

Maya’s legs wobbled beneath her as I pulled her toward the tree line. I could feel her resistance, she didn’t want to leave, but she was too weak to argue.

“Kane...” Her voice was a strained whisper, full of confusion and pain. “What... what’s happening?”

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to keep moving. “I’ll explain everything. Just trust me.”

We stumbled through the thick underbrush, Maya leaning heavily against me, her breath ragged. She hadn’t fully shifted, but her body was struggling between forms, caught in a limbo that left her vulnerable. I could feel her wolf fighting to break through, but the fear and pain were holding her back.

“I... I don’t understand,” she gasped, her voice shaking. “That man... Viktor... who is he?”

“An enemy,” I said, my voice tight as I led her deeper into the trees. “He’s been after power for years, and he sees you and our child as his way to get it.”

“Power?” Maya stumbled, and I caught her before she could fall. Her eyes, wide and glazed with pain, flicked up to mine. “What does he want with me?”

I hesitated, unsure how much she could handle in her current state. But there was no time for half-truths. She needed to understand the danger she was in.

“Your bloodline, Maya... it’s more powerful than you realize,” I said quietly. “Your wolf has been suppressed for so long, but now that it’s waking up, now that you’re carrying my child, you’re a target.”

Her breath hitched, and I could feel the fear building inside her. “Why me?”

“Because you’re not just any wolf,” I said, pulling her closer as we ducked beneath a low-hanging branch. “You’re an alpha’s daughter. That makes you and our child incredibly valuable to someone like Viktor. He’ll try to use you to consolidate power.”

Maya’s hand instinctively moved to her stomach, her brow furrowing. “He wants our baby?”

I nodded grimly. “He’ll use any leverage he can to control you and the child. That’s why we need to get you out of here, before he makes his move.”

Behind us, I could hear the growls and clashes of battle, Alec and Jasper engaging Viktor. I knew they could hold him off for now, but Viktor was clever. He wasn’t here just to fight. He was here to send a message, to rattle us. And it was working.

Maya’s legs buckled again, and I eased her down onto a fallen log, crouching in front of her. She was pale, sweat beading on her forehead, her body still trying to reconcile the half-shift. She looked at me, eyes filled with a mix of desperation and fear.

“I don’t... I don’t know how to stop it,” she whispered, her hand trembling as she gripped my arm. “It hurts, Kane. I can feel it, but I don’t know how to control it.”

Her wolf was clawing at her from the inside, but she was still clinging to her human side. She hadn’t been raised in the pack, and hadn't been taught how to manage the change. She was fighting it instead of accepting it, and that was only making it worse.

I took her hands in mine, forcing her to look at me. “Listen to me. You’re stronger than this, Maya. You have the power to control it, but you need to stop fighting it.”

“I’m scared,” she admitted, her voice breaking. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“I know,” I said softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “But you don’t have to do it alone. I’m here, and I’m not leaving you. We’re in this together.”

Her eyes were a spark of something, determination, fighting through the fear. I could feel our bond growing stronger, the connection between us deepening as she trusted me, even through the chaos.

I squeezed her hands. “Take a breath. Focus on me. Feel the change, but don’t let it control you. You have the power here, not your wolf.”

Maya nodded, her breath shaky but more controlled now. She closed her eyes, and I watched as her body slowly began to calm, the tension easing from her muscles. She wasn’t ready to fully shift, but this was progress.

The sounds of the fight were growing louder, and I knew we didn’t have much time. I helped her to her feet, wrapping my arm around her waist for support.

“Come on,” I said. “We need to keep moving.”

Maya leaned into me, her strength slowly returning. But before we could take more than a few steps, the air around us shifted again, cold, sharp, filled with a new presence.

Viktor’s laughter echoed through the trees, sending a chill down my spine. I froze, my grip on Maya tightening.

He was toying with us.

“You really think you can run from me, Kane?” Viktor’s voice slithered through the darkness, closer now. “I’m not here for games. I’m here for her. And I always get what I want.”

My blood turned to ice. I could hear Alec and Jasper fighting, holding him off, but Viktor was taunting us. He wanted to get into my head. To make me doubt.

But I wouldn’t let him have her.

“Let’s go,” I whispered to Maya, my heart pounding as I pulled her deeper into the forest, away from the fight.

But Viktor’s next words stopped me cold.

“She’s mine now, Kane. The bond is already forming. You can’t protect her forever.”