The alpha’s forbidden mate

Episode2

Kaelie’s POV

Tonight, I was going to the Boundary Forest. Tonight, I was going to steal from the wolves.

I ran as fast as I could, my lungs burning and my legs aching. The cold wind cut at my face, but I did not stop. I had to get home. When I finally saw our small, broken shack at the edge of the slums, I ran the last few steps and threw the door open with all my strength.

"Papa!" I called, my voice shaking. "Papa, I’m home!”

The room was very cold. The fire in the small hearth had gone out, leaving only gray ashes. My grandfather, Elias, lay on his thin bed. His skin was pale, almost like old ashes, and he was breathing in short, wet gasps. Each time he took a breath, his whole chest moved up and down, shaking with every sigh.

"Pa?" I whispered, kneeling by his side.

He didn’t open his eyes. His skin felt ice-cold, but his forehead was burning hot. The colors around him were light green, and that confused me the most. I could see colors and know their meaning… how could he be so sick when his colors showed so much energy and life? But that didn’t matter now. All I cared about was that he was slipping away into the dark, and I couldn't let that happen.

"Kaelie, wait!"

I turned and saw Mira standing in the doorway. She was still shaking and her eyes were wide with worry. She watched me grab my heavy coat and a small garden knife. I tucked the knife into my belt and lifted a small leather pouch, ready for the journey ahead.

‘My mind is made up!’

"What are you doing?" Mira asked. Her voice was trembling. "The doctor said he needs rest."

"The doctor is a liar who wants money we don't have," I said. My voice was flat and hard. "Pa Elias needs the Lunar Lily. I’m going to the Boundary Forest."

Mira’s face went white. She stepped forward and grabbed my arm, her fingers digging into my coat. "No! Kaelie, are you crazy? That’s a death sentence! Nobody goes past the iron fence. The Iron Claws... they don't take prisoners. They tear people apart!"

"I don't care," I said, pulling my arm away. "If I stay here, he dies. If I go, he might live. That’s not a choice, Mira. That’s a chance."

"Please," Mira begged. She was crying now. "Think about what happens if you get caught. They won't just kill you. They might punish the whole street! You know how Alpha Jaxen is. He is a monster. He has no mercy."

I looked at my grandfather one last time. He looked so small under the thin blankets. He had spent his whole life protecting me. He was the only one who loved me for who I was.

"Stay with him," I told Mira. "Keep him warm. I’ll be back before the sun rises."

I didn't wait for her to answer. I ran out into the night.

The Grey City was quiet and scary after dark. The streetlamps were broken, so I had to follow the glow of the Obsidian Spire. It sat on the mountain like a giant, angry tooth. The red lights at the top looked like a monster's eye watching the city.

I walked for an hour, leaving the houses behind. The ground turned from stone to dirt, and then to thick, tall grass. Soon, I saw it.

The Boundary.

It was a giant fence made of black iron, ten feet tall with sharp, jagged spikes on top, and beyond it the trees were thick and dark, the home of the wolves, the air heavy and smelling of pine needles and something else, something wild and dangerous

My heart was thumping against my ribs like a trapped bird. I followed the fence line, looking for a way in. I knew the wolves used sensors, so I stayed low in the grass.

I found a spot where a heavy tree branch had fallen months ago, bending two of the iron bars just enough for a small girl to squeeze through. I took a deep breath. My hands were shaking so much I had to ball them into fists.

"For Pa," I whispered.

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.

The forest was silent… It was so quiet it made my ears ring. The trees were massive, their branches reaching out like long, bony fingers. I stepped onto the mossy ground, trying to be silent. Every snap of a twig sounded like a gunshot in the stillness.

I walked deeper into the woods, heading toward the sound of a distant, bubbling stream. That’s where the flowers grew. The blue light Robert talked about—I needed to find it.

Suddenly, the wind changed.

A new smell hit me. It was the smell of wet fur and raw meat. It was a heavy, musk scent that made the hair on my arms stand up.

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 didn’t breathe, slowly turning my head.

In the dark between two giant oak trees, I saw them. Two glowing blue eyes staring right at me. Then a low growl started, deep and loud, so I could feel it in my bones.

The wolf was huge… much bigger than a normal animal. Its fur was blacker than the night, and its teeth stayed bared in a snarl.

I dropped to the ground and crawled behind a thick bush, my heart failing me. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying the shadows would hide me. But I knew.

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

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

They sounded like boots.