The Alpha's BREEDER

chapter 3

Chapter 3: Mine to Protect

Lyria

The hooded man's words echoed through the Moon Temple.

For one terrifying second, no one moved. Then chaos erupted immediately everywhere.

"Protect the Alpha!"

"Seal the doors!"

"Capture him!"

The palace guards charged toward the stranger, swords flashing beneath the temple lights.

I stood frozen.

The black mist surrounding the intruder twisted like living shadows. I couldn't see his face beneath the hood, but I could feel his eyes on me.

Not on Alpha Cassian.

On me.

"Kill her!" he roared.

"Before the prophecy can be fulfilled!"

The words had barely left his mouth when dozens of black arrows shot from the darkness.

"Down!" someone shouted.

The temple exploded into screams.

The first arrow struck a stone pillar, shattering it into pieces.

Another narrowly missed one of the Elders.

The guards raised their shields, but more arrows rained from every direction.

This wasn't one man.

It was an ambush.

Someone had planned this.

"Lyria!"

Before I realized what was happening, a powerful arm wrapped around my waist making the world spun.

A second later, an arrow buried itself exactly where I had been standing.

I stared in horror.

If I hadn't moved...

It would have pierced my heart.

I looked up.

Alpha Cassian was holding me.

His grip was firm, one arm around my waist while the other drew a gleaming black sword from his side.

Its silver blade glowed beneath the moonlight.

The entire temple seemed to fall silent.

The Alpha King had drawn his weapon.

"Stay behind me," he ordered.

His voice was calm.

Cold.

Commanding.

I blinked.

Was he...

Protecting me?

"But—"

"I said behind me."

Something in his tone made

me obey without another word.

The next second, three masked assassins burst through the shattered windows. Their eyes burned crimson which showed they were not wolves.

Rogues.

One lunged toward me with twin daggers but Cassian moved before I could even scream.

Clang!

His sword collided with the assassin's blade. The impact echoed through the temple.

The rogue flew backward, crashing through a marble bench.

Another attacked from the side.

Cassian didn't even turn.

He spun, driving his elbow into the man's chest before kicking him across the room.

The assassin coughed blood and collapsed.

I had never seen anyone move so fast.

No wonder they called him the strongest Alpha.

"Protect Lady Lyria!" the Moon Priest shouted.

Lady?

Only hours ago, I had been nothing more than the Alpha's breeder.

Now everyone was risking their lives for me.

Nothing made sense anymore.

The hooded man laughed.

"You still don't understand, Cassian."

His voice echoed unnaturally.

"It isn't the girl we fear. It's what she's carrying."

My heart skipped.

Carrying?

I wasn't even pregnant yet.

Cassian's expression darkened.

"Enough."

The Alpha disappeared.

No...

He moved so quickly that my eyes couldn't follow all I heard next was a loud explosion that shook the entire temple.

The hooded man was thrown backward, smashing through the enormous wooden doors.

Dust filled the air.

When it settled, Cassian stood with his sword against the stranger's throat.

"Who sent you?"

Silence.

"I'll ask only once."

The hooded man chuckled.

"You think this ends with me?"

Cassian pressed the blade harder. Blood trickled down the assassin's neck.

"You have ten seconds."

Instead of answering... the stranger smiled. Then his body suddenly burst into black flames.

"No!" one of the Elders shouted.

The fire consumed him in seconds. Nothing remained not even his ashes.

The entire temple fell silent.

"He..." I whispered.

"He killed himself."

The Moon Priest slowly closed his eyes.

"No."

His voice was heavy.

"That wasn't suicide. It was f*******n shadow magic."

A murmur spread through the temple.

"Shadow magic?"

"I thought it disappeared centuries ago."

The priest looked directly at Cassian.

"This is far worse than we imagined."

Cassian sheathed his sword.

"Explain."

"The prophecy has already awakened enemies who should never have known about the girl."

"The moment the Moon Mark appeared...... they had began hunting her."

A chill crawled down my spine.

Hunting...

Me?

Why?

I was just an omega.

I had never hurt anyone.

The priest turned toward me.

"Lyria."

I swallowed.

"Yes?"

"From this moment onward..."

"You cannot leave the Alpha's side."

The words stunned the room.

One Elder immediately objected.

"That's impossible!"

"The contract clearly states she will remain in the eastern wing until conception."

The priest shook his head.

"The contract no longer matters."

"The Moon Goddess has spoken. The girl must remain under the Alpha King's personal protection."

Every eye shifted toward Cassian.

His jaw tightened which means he clearly didn't like the idea.

Neither did I.

Living beside the man who saw me as nothing more than a breeder?

That sounded like another prison.

Cassian finally spoke.

"I'll do my duty."

Duty.

Not concern.

Not kindness.

Duty.

The word stung more than I expected.

Just then, another guard rushed into the temple, his face drained of color.

"Alpha!"

Cassian turned sharply.

"What now?"

"The eastern wing..."

The guard struggled to catch his breath.

"It's on fire."

My heart dropped.

"My room?"

The guard nodded.

"It wasn't an accident."

His next words froze the blood in my veins.

"They found a woman's body inside..."

"...wearing your clothes."