My mate is the Alpha who should kill me

Chapter 2

Kaelie’s POV

I pulled on my thick shawl, tucked a pocket knife into my side, and slipped out of the apartment just after midnight, easing the door shut as quietly as I could.

No matter how carefully I stepped, I could still hear the faint crunch of my boots against the ground. Each sound tightened something in my stomach.

If anyone saw me heading toward the edge of Grey City, they would think I’d lost my mind—maybe I already had. But Grandfather’s coughing still echoed in my ears, and the dark stain of blood on his handkerchief wouldn’t let me stay home.

The streets were empty and cold as I moved. The red moon hung low, casting the cracked buildings in harsh shades of crimson.

I kept my head down, my shawl wrapped tightly around me, my leather pouch slung over my shoulder holding an old cutter and a small cloth sack. My heart pounded so fiercely I could feel it in my throat.

“Kaelie, breathe…” I muttered, drawing a slow breath in and out.

“Just find the Moon shade and get out,” I told myself. One flower—that was all I needed.

After what felt like an endless walk, the Boundary Forest finally came into view, rising ahead like a black wall against the hazy sky.

No one ever came this close unless they had a death wish.

I crouched behind an old broken cart, holding still as I scanned the area for any sign of movement… but I heard nothing, saw nothing. No guards, no glowing eyes—nothing yet.

I moved fast, staying low until I reached the rusted iron fence that marked the start of the forbidden zone.

It was old and twisted in places. Thankfully, I found a gap near the bottom where the metal had bent away from the post. I pushed my body through the gap.

The cold iron scraped against my back, and for a second, I thought I was stuck. I struggled, my breath coming in quick pants, until I finally popped through.

I was inside. I stayed still for a moment, checking myself for any cuts or injuries.

The forest was silent, so quiet it made my ears ring. The trees were massive, their branches reaching out like long, bony fingers.

I stepped onto the moss-covered ground, careful to stay silent. Every snapping twig sounded like a gunshot in the stillness.

I moved deeper into the woods, following the faint sound of a distant, bubbling stream. That was where, according to the stories, the flowers grew. The blue light Robert had described—I needed to find it.

My mind kept drifting back to Grandfather’s words in his sleep—Witch-Queens.

What did that even mean? And why did my blood feel heavier tonight, like something inside me was stirring awake?

I shook the thoughts away. Focus. Medicine first. Answers later.

The air grew thicker the deeper I went, heavy with damp earth and pine. Beneath it lingered something sharper—magic, maybe… or just fear playing tricks on my mind.

My hand stayed near the knife in my pocket, even though I knew it wouldn’t do much against wolves.

A sudden rustle of leaves snapped me around, my heart leaping into my throat.

I froze, listening, waiting. But it was only the wind shaking loose a few dead leaves from the branches above.

I pressed a hand to my chest and crouched low, breathing too fast as I tried to steady myself.

Minutes stretched into what felt like hours. I tripped over roots twice, scraping my palms on rough bark. My grey eyes adjusted slowly to the dark, catching faint colors in the trees—soft silver lights on some leaves, probably the good plants.

But I needed the blue one—the Moon shade. Rare, glowing, and worth more than my life if it could save Grandpa Elias.

A small stream finally appeared ahead, water sparkling under patches of moonlight that broke through the canopy.

My breath caught as I stepped closer, a smile tugging at my lips before I could stop it, something fragile and almost disbelieving.

Relief and joy hit me all at once, sharp enough to make my chest ache.

There, growing along the bank near a cluster of rocks, were faint blue glows. Three of them. Perfect round petals that shimmered like they held stars inside.

“I can’t believe this… I made it, Elias. I made it,” I grinned, voice low though there was no one to hear me.

I dropped to my knees, reached out with shaking hands and started digging carefully around the first one, trying not to damage the roots. The soil was cool and soft.

Hope bloomed in my chest for the first time in days. This could work. This could break his fever.

Then, suddenly, the wind shifted.

A new scent hit me—wet fur and raw meat, heavy and musky. It rolled through the air and made the hair on my arms stand on end.

CRACK!

A big branch snapped behind me, but it wasn’t just a falling branch; it sounded like something heavy had stepped on it.

I froze and held my breath. My body became rigid as I slowly turned my head.

Between two towering oak trees, swallowed by darkness, I saw them—two glowing blue eyes fixed directly on me.

A low growl followed, deep and rumbling, so heavy it seemed to vibrate through my bones.

The wolf was enormous—far larger than any normal animal. Its fur was as dark as the night itself, and its teeth were bared in a constant, threatening snarl.

I dropped to the ground and crawled behind a thick bush, my heart hammering so hard it felt like it might give out. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying the shadows would swallow me whole.

But I already knew the truth—I wasn’t hidden.

The growl suddenly stopped, and then I heard something even more terrifying.

The sound of heavy footsteps walking toward my hiding spot. And they didn't sound like four paws.

They sounded like boots.

“What could this be?” I whimpered, my body trembling uncontrollably with fear, my teeth chattering as I struggled to stay still.