Mating The Dark Alpha

Naeryssa’s POV Thick smoke curled up in the air, tightening around me as I gasped for air. My eyes watered with each frantic step that I took, as I sprinted down the hallway. “Princess, wait!” My father’s elite roared out as he chased after me through the palace hall. My lips quivered when I glanced at the purple drapes that had gone up in flames. Crimson splattered across the marbled tiles. I almost stumbled forward when I saw a knight splayed on the floor, dead. “Mother!” I called out, tears rolling down my face in rivulets. “Father! Please! Please be safe. Please-” I gritted my teeth, biting on my bottom lips to stifle the anxiety coursing through me. “Naeryssa, stop!” Luceris snarled behind me when he finally closed the pace between us. He gripped my arms, his voice frigid when silver bled into his steel-blue eyes. “We need to leave now! We don’t have much time!” “No!” I snapped, tugging my arm out of his grasp but he held firmly onto me. “I’m not leaving without mother and father!” “Look around you princess! Everyone’s dead! Do you think the Drakkenfell wolves would leave the king and queen alive?” Fighting back the tears that threatened to fall as Luceris stared back at me with an impassive expression, his jaws clenched. His muscles tightened against the shirt he had on, almost like he wanted to shift, to stop me from going any further. “Until I see them with my own eyes, I won’t believe that they’re dead. So get out of my way, and don’t you dare stop me.” He growled, frustrated. “I’ve already broken the king’s order by bringing you back here. I beg you, princess. Come with me now. They know you’re missing and would be looking for you!” “Save yourself,” I said, squeezing my eyes tight. “I’m not leaving without them.” My thoughts drifted back to an hour ago as I walked away. My father had ordered Luceris, his personal elite, to take me out of the city to his sister in Veyorta. He’d never done that; have me out of the palace for no reason. His elite tried to keep it away from me until I’d threatened him into slitting my own wrist. Then I learned of the Alpha King’s attack. He’d tricked me! Reaching the courtyard, I stopped at a hallway. I shoved the large mahogany doors that barricaded the throne-room. Each step I took grew heavier when my knees caved, almost like it’d yield under my weight. “Oh, god…..No! Please no,” It didn’t take too long before I spotted two bodies sprawled on the floor, right in front of the throne. Blood seeping through their bodies and tainting the marbled tiles. I sank to the floor, oblivious to the shards of glass I’d stepped on. My skin prickled with goosebumps and I broke into cold sweat. My breath fogged. I tried to tell myself that this was a dream. A bad dream I’d wake up from and everything would be back to normal. But it was indeed real, all of this was. “Mama please. Look at me, I’m here now.” I croaked out, crawling forward. I reached for my mother, taking her face that had paled in horror, between my hands. “No..please mother! Don’t leave me! Please open—” I gasped, nearly choking on saliva as my eyes watered, blurring my vision. I let her go when I suddenly heard groaning sounds coming from my father's side. He wasn’t dead! Grabbing a hold of his hand, I heaved. “Father!” I screamed out. “I’m…..I’m so sorry for leaving.” My body shook frantically. Large claw marks tore through his face. He wheezed, choking on blood. I tried to apply pressure to the gash at his neck, channeling whatever magic that thrummed in my veins into him to aid his healing and awaken his wolf, but nothing was working. “You’re not healing! Why?! What is happening?!” “It’s useless.” His voice strained. “My wolf….died already.” “Please..” I panted, sweat beads rolling down my temples. He groaned out, tightening his grip on my hand. “We can fix this. Just hold on, please! The healers! I’ll find them. They can—” “Everyone’s dead, child.” He wheezed. “Run, Naeryssa. Run.” His eyes rolled to the back of his head, then he stilled while I watched in horror. The world seemed to come to a standstill, the violent hammering of my heart. A scream tore from me, but it was trapped in my throat, coming out silently in tremors that shook my whole body. I clung to their hands, cold, pressing my forehead desperately against my mother’s chest, trying to force my own life into her. “Naeryssa!” Luceris’ voice echoed behind me as he yanked me back to my feet. “We need to leave! I cannot fail your father and have you die here.” “They’re dead!” The words snapped me out of my denial, “Look at them, Luceris! They’re dead! Murdered in cold blood! What use is running? What do I have to live for?!” Pain rippled through me. I stumbled back in a frenzy but he quickly wrapped himself around me to keep me still, slapping a hand over my mouth to muffle the wild, animalistic sounds of agony that I made. “I know you’re hurting, princess.” Luceris began. “I am too! I know what I feel is nothing compared to yours, but if we don’t leave now, you’ll be wasting their sacrifices to keep you safe.” I thrashed once, weakly. Then the fight bled out of me. I sagged against him. “Too late, shifter.” The voice slithered from the shadows as a silhouette emerged from the darkness, slowly coming into light. A male, tall, broad, with blood streaking his black armor, cackled like a deranged maniac. His eyes glowed amber, pupils slitted when he bared his canines at us. He tilted his head and his gaze met mine. “Oh, look what the cat dragged in.” His laugh, a low, menacing sound. “The little Astraelle princess herself. Our king will be pleased with this tribute.”