CLAIMED BY THE ROGUE ALPHA

3

ELOWEN

It caught me off guard, and I found myself staring longer into his amber eyes. Draven pulled me closer by the waist, dragging my attention back to him, a possessive gesture that made my skin crawl. He tried to maintain his composure, but I could feel the tension radiating off him.

Kael extended a handshake to Draven, who reluctantly let go of me to accept it.

“Good to see you again, Beta Draven,” Kael said, his voice steady. He had always been one to remind Draven that he was a Beta despite his marriage to me. I used to hate it when he would address him that way but now for the first time I didn’t.

“Likewise,” Draven replied, his smile tight. I knew without a doubt he despised Kael more than any of the other Alphas. After all he was a rogue, yet the Alpha king had favoured him by always inviting him to meetings like this.

Kael then turned to me, his expression still emotionless. “Our Luna,” he said, offering his hand. “It’s a pleasure.”

As I took his hand, a strange sensation washed over me. His grip was firm yet gentle, his eyes locked on mine with such intensity that I found myself swallowing nervously.

Suddenly, a sweet scent hit my nose…a vanilla-like scent and it was coming from him. Why did he smell like vanilla? That didn’t make sense.

My wolf stirred inside me, and I heard her voice in my head for the first time in ages. Mate.

~

KAEL

I watched her reaction closely as she took my hand. Her eyes widened, and a subtle shiver ran through her. Her wolf must have told her the same thing mine did mate. The realization was as shocking to her as it had been to me. Elowen Thorne, the Luna of the Silver Crescent Pack, and I, the Rogue Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, were fated mates.

The irony was not lost on me.

Her scent was intoxicating, a mix of wildflowers and something uniquely hers. It was a scent I had always found appealing, even when we had been enemies. But now, it felt like a lifeline, a connection I hadn’t known I needed.

The truth was, I had known Elowen was my mate for a long time. The moment I had first laid eyes on her, the bond had been undeniable. But when I heard she had married Draven, I had kept my distance.

It had been the hardest thing I had ever done to watch her with someone else, to see her suffer under his control. But I had respected her choice, hoping she would find happiness, even if it wasn’t with me.

What had puzzled me was how Elowen had never recognized our bond. Most wolves felt the pull of the mate connection immediately, but she had remained oblivious. I had often wondered if Draven had done something to suppress her wolf, to keep her from realizing the truth.

Seeing her reaction now, I knew for certain that something had prevented her from recognizing me as her mate before.

Draven’s presence was a dark cloud over the moment. He released my hand with a barely concealed scowl. He had never liked me, and I couldn’t say the feeling hadn’t been mutual. But now, knowing what I did, my disdain for him only deepened.

Draven’s grip on Elowen tightened as he tried to maintain his composure, but I could see the irritation in his eyes. He forced a laugh, his attempt at humour falling flat.

“Maybe when you find your mate, Alpha Kael, you can shake her up like that,” he joked, his tone dripping with forced joviality.

I didn’t miss the way Elowen’s face paled at his words, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features. It was a small but significant reaction. She had always doted on Draven, but now she looked tense under his grasp.

My voice was calm but firm as I responded. “Actually, Beta Draven, I think I had found my mate.”

The room seemed to hold its breath for a moment, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Draven’s eyes narrowed, suspicion and confusion mingling in his gaze. Elowen looked as though she had been struck in the head, her expression a mix of shock and something else…fear, perhaps.

She quickly recovered, coughing lightly to break the tension. “We should head into the meeting,” she said, her voice steady but strained. “The Alpha King and the other Alphas are waiting.”

Draven’s eyes darted between us, but he nodded reluctantly. “Of course. Let’s not keep them waiting.”

As we walked toward the meeting room, I couldn’t help but steal a glance at Elowen.

The sight of her took my breath away. She had always been beautiful to me, but today, there was something different about her. Her usual attire consisted of clothes that were more functional than fashionable, a stark contrast to the elegant red dress she was wearing now.

It hugged her curves in all the right places, accentuating her beauty in a way that was impossible to ignore.

I noticed that she was wearing makeup, a rarity for her. Her features were subtly enhanced, bringing out the natural beauty that had always captivated me. Her hair was styled in loose waves that cascaded down her back, adding to her allure.

It was a stark difference from the subdued and almost lifeless appearance she had taken on after she married Draven.

I couldn’t help but wonder what had changed. Was she trying to impress us at the meeting? Or was there something more to this sudden transformation?

As we entered the meeting room, all eyes turned to us. The Alpha King nodded in acknowledgment, and the other Alphas greeted us with varying degrees of respect.

The meeting began with the usual formalities, each Alpha giving their report and discussing the matters at hand. I tried to keep my attention on the discussions, but my mind kept drifting back to Elowen.

Her presence was a constant distraction, her scent and the bond between us pulling at my senses.

At one point, the Alpha King addressed Elowen directly. “Luna Elowen, your insights have always been valuable. What are your thoughts on the proposed alliance between our packs?”

Elowen stood, her poise and grace commanding respect. She spoke with confidence. “I believe an alliance could be beneficial for all our packs,” she said, her voice clear and unwavering. “But it must be built on mutual trust and respect. We must ensure that any agreements we make are in the best interests of all parties involved.”

Her words were met with nods of agreement and murmurs of approval. I could see why she was so well-regarded among the Alphas. Her strength and wisdom shone through, even in the face of adversity.

“That’s my wife,” Draven smiled, pulling her closer to him and planting a kiss on her forehead.

The sight of him touching her sent a surge of possessiveness through me and my wolf, but I forced myself to remain calm.

She is ours, yet you let him touch her, Onyx my wolf growled inside my head. If I allowed him even for a second, he would rip Draven to shreds, and I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t enjoy every single bit of it…but at what cost?