KIDNAPPED BY MY FORBIDDEN MATE

Winterfang Royal Palace had never looked more magnificent. Gold chandeliers illuminated the enormous ballroom, casting golden light across the polished glass floor. Crystal lanterns hung from the enormous gate down to the entrance of the ballroom hall. Silver banners bearing the royal wolf crest hung from the towering walls. Tonight was not an ordinary celebration. It was Elara's coming-of-age ceremony, the day she officially became an adult and got to meet her wolf for the first time since birth. Every powerful werewolf ruler in the world had been invited. In terms of rankings, Winterfang Pack came third to the Dark Moon Pack and the Crimson Moon Pack. Alphas and their Lunas occupied the front rows, surrounded by their heirs, warriors, and trusted advisers. Powerful Beta families sat after the Alphas and Lunas. The grand hall was filled with people, including the members of the Winterfang Pack. Elara stood at the top of the grand staircase, staring at the sea of people below. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she stared on. Tonight was the night she officially became an adult and got to meet her mate. Elara smiled as she thought of Lucian. He had been her crush since forever. It had been her devout prayer to the Moon Goddess that he would eventually turn out to be her mate. His calm, composed, and thoughtful character had always drawn her to him. As she continued thinking of Lucian, with the smile still plastered on her face, her elder brother Ryan sneaked up on her and grabbed her. Elara screamed out loud in fright, which made Ryan explode in laughter. "Still a scared cat, Elara. What's that on your face? Oh, is that anger I see?" Elara chased after him in the long hallway and nearly bumped into her parents, who were walking towards her room to get her. "Hey, young lads. No running around today," Elara's father, Lucius, said, which made the two stop running around. "Elara, dear. You look so beautiful," Celeste, Elara's mum, said as she walked towards Elara and cupped her face in her palms. "Thank you, Mother," Elara said, smiling nervously. She took a slow breath as she looked towards the end of the hallway. Her eldest brother, Zayden, was walking towards her. Then she saw him. Lucian. Her crush. He was walking behind Zayden, a tablet in his hands. He was dressed in a stylish, perfectly fitted black suit that emphasized his broad shoulders. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his frames rested comfortably on his nose. His gaze was fixed on the screen of the tablet as he gave his report to Zayden. Elara had known him for years. He had grown up alongside her brother, which meant he had practically grown up around her too. Somewhere along the way, Elara's feelings for him had changed, and whatever the reason, she knew she was in love with him. As though sensing Elara's gaze, he suddenly looked up from the tablet. Their eyes met, and for a moment, everything else disappeared. Elara could only see him. Then his lips turned into a small smile. Elara returned the smile before quickly looking away. Heat spread across her cheeks as she lowered her gaze, trying to hide her happiness. Maybe tonight was the night the Moon Goddess finally answered her prayers. "You look so pretty, Elara," Zayden, her usually restrained and cold brother, said. Everyone looked at him in shock. "Who just said that?" Ryan asked, which made everyone laugh out loud. "Thank you, Zayden," Elara replied as she returned her gaze to Lucian, expecting him to say something. "You look beautiful, Elara. Congratulations on your coming of age." "Thank you, Lucian," Elara replied shyly before shifting her gaze towards the end of the hallway. Arwen, Elara's cousin, was staring at her, but unlike everyone else, she wasn't smiling. There was something strange in her expression which Elara couldn't understand. Her eyes moved briefly towards Lucian before returning to Elara. Before Elara could figure out why she was looking at her like that, Celeste told Elara that it was time for her to walk down to the ceremony. Elara's stomach tightened as she heard her mother's words. Ryan walked up to her and raised her chin up high. "Don't worry, my little baby. We've got you. You don't need to be nervous, okay?" "Alright," Elara said as she elbowed Ryan's stomach. "Ouch. You've got some nerve, this girl." Zayden gave a small silent chuckle as he watched the interaction between the two. Elara's father took her right arm while her mother held her left. The music gradually faded, and conversations died down as everyone's eyes turned towards the staircase. The announcer stepped forward and announced Elara's name. Applause erupted throughout the ballroom. Elara straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin high as her parents walked her down the grand staircase. Everyone was watching her, but Elara's eyes instinctively searched for Lucian. She couldn't find him in the ballroom. Maybe he was still upstairs, she thought to herself as she continued walking. When she got to the centre of the ballroom, she bowed to everyone and gave her small speech. "I, Elara, the daughter of Alpha Lucius and Luna Celeste, am happy to be in your presence. I appreciate every one of you, the Alphas and Lunas present, as well as the Betas, Gammas from other kingdoms, and my pack members, for taking the time to witness my coming of age ceremony. I hope you enjoy the ceremony. Thank you." After her speech, the music resumed and the ceremony continued. The pack seer then started the coming of age rituals, and after she was done with them, she declared that the final ritual was to be completed at midnight, where Elara would have her first shift. Elara was excited to meet her wolf. She walked towards her parents, and just as she finished hugging them, she noticed Lucian talking to her cousin near one of the pillars. Elara's breath caught. Not Arwen again. Arwen had always been jealous of Elara since she came to live with them two years ago. She had a suspicious character, and Elara had always made sure to steer clear of her. What were they talking about? Elara thought. Her brows furrowed as she saw them walking towards the exit of the ballroom. Elara quietly followed them, making sure no one noticed anything suspicious. She was determined to find out what the two had in common. She hid behind a pillar as she saw Lucian laughing at what Arwen said. They exchanged a few quiet words, then, before Elara could make sense of what she was seeing, Lucian reached for Arwen's waist. Elara's breath caught. What was happening? Lucian then pulled Arwen closer and kissed her. Not a hesitant or brief kiss. It was passionate. Extremely intimate. It was obvious it wasn't their first time. Elara's body went cold as she looked at the two locked in their kiss. The entire world disappeared before her. All she could see was them. Lucian. The man she had secretly loved for years and who she had always wished would turn out to be her mate. He was kissing her cousin. Elara couldn't breathe. She tried to steady herself. Then, they finally separated. Arwen lowered her gaze, smiling shyly. Lucian brushed his thumb across her cheek. "Once I'm married to Elara, her inheritance will be within my reach. I'll make sure you have everything you deserve, amore. You know I'd do anything for you," he said to her. Elara's heart cracked as she watched the two. This was the same man who had always promised to protect her and make sure she's never hurt in this life. He had promised to be her knight in shining armour, and here he was with her cousin, making out on her coming of age ceremony. Elara's vision blurred as tears threatened to fall out. So that was it. He wanted to use her. His plan was to marry her, gain access to her inheritance, and then leave her for Arwen. Elara stumbled backward, then she saw Arwen's lips curl up in an evil smile as Arwen looked at her. The next thing Elara did was run. She pushed through the palace doors and kept running until the sounds of the celebration coming from the grand ballroom faded behind her. The royal garden was empty as Elara entered it. Moonlight spilled across the flowers, but she didn't notice her surroundings. She ran until her legs gave out, then she collapsed beside a large tree. Her breathing came out in ragged gasps. "Why me, Selena? What did I do wrong?" Tears blurred Elara's vision as she screamed out in pain. She lifted her tear streaked face towards the moon as though the Moon Goddess herself might hear her desperate plea. The scene she had just witnessed replayed in her mind. Lucian's arms around Arwen's waist. His lips against hers. Arwen's victorious evil smile. His plan to use her for her inheritance. It hurt. Elara clasped her hands around her chest. It felt as though her heart had been ripped out of her. "I loved you. I loved you, Lucian," she whispered. Her voice broke as tears spilled down her cheeks. "I loved you so much. Why?" Elara screamed. She gasped as a sudden pain tore through her body. It was strange. She had never felt anything like it before. Elara's hands dug into the grass as another wave of pain struck. Elara's bones began to shift. "What the...?" The pain was excruciating. She couldn't understand what was happening. Her fingers curled painfully as her spine arched. A growl escaped her throat as the pain intensified. Elara's body felt as though it was on fire. She could feel something awakening inside her. Something she had never felt before. It was wild. Then the final wave of pain came as she felt her fingers change into claws and her skin stretch longer. "Hello, Elara. It's your wolf, Lyra," a voice whispered inside her head. It was her wolf. For years, Elara had waited for tonight. She screamed again as her wolf finally surfaced. Elara stared down at her reflection in the garden stream. She could make out the outline of a wolf. She was officially a werewolf now. The final ritual was supposed to happen at midnight, but Elara never made it that far. The overwhelming emotions had triggered her first shift early. Far from the garden, somewhere near the border of Winterfang, a powerful wolf suddenly lifted its head. Its eyes widened as a strange scent reached it. The scent was a combination of lavender and cinnamon. The wolf inhaled sharply as its claws dug into the earth. A low, possessive, vicious, and dangerous growl followed. Then a word tore from its throat. "Mate." The wolf began to run towards Winterfang.