The Alpha King’s Proposal
773 Words
Chapter Two: The Alpha King’s Proposal
The following week passed in uneasy silence.
No one spoke openly about the Alpha King’s interest in Elara, but everyone knew.
The whispers followed her wherever she went.
At the market.
In the healing house.
Even in the forest.
Every glance made her more uncomfortable.
And every day she hoped Kael would leave and forget about her.
Unfortunately, powerful men rarely forgot what they wanted.
Especially Alpha Kings.
⸻
One evening, the village bell rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The signal for a pack gathering.
Villagers poured toward the central square.
Curious voices filled the air.
Elara joined the crowd, her stomach twisting with anxiety.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
At the center of the square stood Alpha Gareth.
Beside him was Kael Draven.
The sight alone made the crowd fall silent.
The Alpha King’s expression was unreadable.
His silver eyes swept across the gathering.
Then settled on Elara.
As always.
A cold chill ran through her.
⸻
Alpha Gareth cleared his throat.
“Tonight, we have received an important announcement from Alpha King Kael.”
The crowd exchanged nervous glances.
Nobody dared speak.
Kael stepped forward.
His powerful voice carried across the square.
“I have chosen a mate.”
Gasps erupted instantly.
A mate?
The Alpha King had rejected countless noble daughters over the years.
Entire kingdoms had tried arranging marriages with him.
Yet he had refused them all.
Now he had finally chosen.
Every unmarried woman in the crowd seemed unable to breathe.
Then Kael spoke again.
“Her name is Elara.”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Nobody even blinked.
Elara felt the ground disappear beneath her feet.
No.
No.
No.
This couldn’t be happening.
Hundreds of eyes turned toward her.
Shock.
Envy.
Fear.
Disbelief.
She felt all of it crashing down at once.
⸻
Her mother nearly collapsed.
Mara’s mouth fell open.
Even Alpha Gareth looked uncomfortable.
Kael ignored everyone.
His attention remained solely on Elara.
“You will stand beside me.”
The words felt less like a proposal and more like a declaration.
A decision already made.
Elara’s pulse thundered.
She forced herself to speak.
“My King…”
The crowd held its breath.
Nobody interrupted an Alpha King.
Ever.
“I am not a Luna.”
A murmur spread through the square.
Kael remained calm.
“You are.”
“No.”
His gaze hardened slightly.
“You are now.”
The statement sent another wave of whispers through the crowd.
Elara’s hands trembled.
This wasn’t a choice.
It wasn’t even a question.
It felt like destiny being forced upon her.
⸻
Later that night, she sat alone in her cottage.
Rain tapped softly against the windows.
Her mother paced the floor.
“You should accept.”
Elara stared into the fireplace.
“You sound afraid.”
Her mother stopped walking.
“Because I am.”
The honesty surprised her.
“We’re talking about the Alpha King.”
Silence settled between them.
“He could give you everything.”
Elara shook her head.
“What if I don’t want everything?”
Her mother looked away.
“Sometimes wanting doesn’t matter.”
The answer broke her heart.
Because she knew it was true.
⸻
Across the village, Kael stood on the balcony of the packhouse.
The moon illuminated the forest below.
His Beta approached cautiously.
Darius had served him for over ten years.
He knew when to speak.
And when to remain silent.
Tonight was dangerous territory.
“You frightened her.”
Kael didn’t look away from the horizon.
“I know.”
“She doesn’t love you.”
A muscle tightened in Kael’s jaw.
“I know.”
Darius hesitated.
“Then why push this?”
The question lingered.
For a long moment, Kael said nothing.
Then finally—
“Because every time I think about leaving, I can’t.”
His voice was unusually quiet.
“I’ve fought wars.”
Silence.
“I’ve faced armies.”
More silence.
“I’ve watched kingdoms fall.”
Darius waited.
Kael finally turned.
For the first time, uncertainty appeared in the eyes of the most feared Alpha alive.
“And yet one ordinary woman has become the only thing I cannot ignore.”
⸻
Meanwhile, Elara sat awake long after midnight.
Unable to sleep.
Unable to think.
Unable to breathe.
Something deep inside her warned that accepting Kael would change everything.
But rejecting him could destroy her family.
Her pack.
Everyone she loved.
She felt trapped between two impossible choices.
Outside her window, thunder rolled across the sky.
The storm was coming.
And she feared it had only just begun.
- Writer
