The Alpha Prince's Forbidden Mate.

‎ ‎Lena ‎ ‎I used to believe that my life would always remain the same. ‎A small town. A small house. A simple routine. ‎That was the kind of life I knew. ‎The kind of life where everyone knew everyone, where the sound of birds waking up in the morning was louder than the noise of cars, and where my biggest problem was deciding whether I should spend my weekend reading a book or helping my mother in the garden. ‎It was ordinary. ‎But ordinary had always been enough for me. ‎My name is Lena Whitmore, and before everything changed, I was just a normal girl living a normal life with the only family I had left. ‎My mother. ‎For as long as I could remember, it had always been the two of us. ‎After my father died, my mother became a different person. ‎She never stopped loving him. I knew that. ‎Even years later, I would sometimes find her standing in front of their old wedding picture, quietly staring at it with a smile that looked both happy and painful at the same time. ‎My father had been her first love. ‎Her greatest love. ‎And for a long time, I believed he would be her only love. ‎My mother was the kind of woman who gave everything she had to the people she cared about. She worked hard, smiled even when she was tired, and always made sure I never felt like I was missing anything. ‎Even though we didn't have much money, our home was filled with warmth. ‎The walls were old, the furniture was simple, and the garden was smaller than our neighbor's, but it was home. ‎It was where I felt safe. ‎So when my mother started changing, I noticed. ‎At first, it was small things. ‎She smiled more. ‎She hummed while cooking. ‎She started buying new dresses instead of wearing the same few outfits she had owned for years. ‎I remember watching her one morning while she prepared breakfast, a soft smile on her face as she looked at her phone. ‎I leaned against the kitchen doorway. ‎"Mom." ‎She looked up. ‎"Yes?" ‎I crossed my arms, pretending to be suspicious. ‎"Who are you texting?" ‎Her cheeks immediately turned slightly pink. ‎That was the moment I knew something was different. ‎My mother was blushing. ‎My mother. ‎The woman who had spent years telling me romance only existed in movies was actually blushing over a message. ‎I couldn't stop myself from smiling. ‎"Wait... are you hiding something from me?" ‎She laughed and shook her head. ‎"Lena, you're too curious." ‎"I learned from the best." ‎She smiled, but there was something else in her eyes. ‎Happiness. ‎Real happiness. ‎And honestly, seeing that made me happy too. ‎Because after losing my father, I had always worried that my mother had forgotten how to live for herself. ‎I didn't know who this person was at first. ‎The man who had brought that smile back. ‎His name was Alexander. ‎My mother met him several months before she finally introduced us. ‎She told me he was a good man. ‎A kind man. ‎Someone who understood her and made her feel like she wasn't alone anymore. ‎I wanted to be happy for her. ‎I really did. ‎But a small part of me was scared. ‎Because change had never been easy for me. ‎Especially when that change meant leaving behind everything I knew. ‎The day my mother finally sat me down to talk, I already knew something important was coming. ‎She looked nervous. ‎That alone made me nervous. ‎"Lena," she said softly. ‎I put down the book I was reading. ‎"What's wrong?" ‎She reached across the table and held my hand. ‎"There is someone I want you to meet." ‎I raised an eyebrow. ‎"Someone?" ‎She smiled. ‎"Someone important to me." ‎I didn't know why, but my heart tightened a little. ‎Not because I was angry. ‎Not because I didn't want her to be happy. ‎But because I suddenly realized that my simple little world was about to change. ‎When I met Alexander, I understood why my mother had fallen for him. ‎There was something different about him. ‎He was calm, confident, and carried himself like someone who was used to being respected. ‎But despite his powerful presence, he was gentle with my mother. ‎And that was what mattered. ‎Because when he looked at her, I didn't see someone pretending. ‎I saw someone who truly cared. ‎So when my mother told me they were getting married, I forced myself to smile. ‎Because she deserved happiness. ‎Even if it meant my life was about to become something completely different. ‎A few weeks later, boxes filled our small house. ‎My room slowly disappeared. ‎The shelves that held my favorite books were empty. ‎The walls that carried years of memories looked strangely unfamiliar. ‎I stood in the middle of my room for a moment, taking everything in. ‎This was where I had grown up. ‎Where I had laughed. ‎Where I had cried. ‎Where I had dreamed about the future. ‎And now I was leaving it behind. ‎"Are you ready?" ‎My mother's voice came from the doorway. ‎I turned around and smiled. ‎"Yeah." ‎It wasn't completely true. ‎But sometimes, you had to be brave even when you weren't ready. ‎I grabbed my bag. ‎"Let's go." ‎The journey to Alexander's home felt like I was traveling into another world. ‎The further we drove, the more different everything became. ‎The roads became wider. ‎The buildings became bigger. ‎The world became unfamiliar. ‎And when we finally arrived, I couldn't hide my surprise. ‎The mansion in front of me was enormous. ‎It wasn't just a house. ‎It looked like a place that belonged in a story. ‎Tall gates surrounded the property. ‎The gardens stretched farther than I could see. ‎Everything about it screamed wealth and power. ‎I looked down at my simple clothes and suddenly felt like I didn't belong there. ‎My mother noticed. ‎She reached over and squeezed my hand. ‎"Don't worry, Lena. This is still your home too." ‎I looked at her. ‎The happiness on her face made me smile. ‎Maybe this new life wouldn't be so terrible. ‎Maybe I could find my place here. ‎At least, that was what I wanted to believe. ‎After we settled in, I walked into my new bedroom. ‎It was bigger than my old room. ‎The bed was softer. ‎The windows were wider. ‎Everything was beautiful. ‎But somehow, it didn't feel like mine yet. ‎I walked toward the window and looked outside. ‎Beyond the mansion was a huge forest stretching beneath the night sky. ‎The sight should have been peaceful. ‎But instead, something strange moved inside me. ‎A feeling I couldn't explain. ‎Like something in that forest was calling to me. ‎I frowned. ‎"What is wrong with me?" ‎I laughed quietly at myself. ‎Maybe I was just overwhelmed. ‎Maybe I was tired. ‎Then a sound echoed through the night. ‎A howl. ‎Deep. ‎Powerful. ‎And strangely familiar. ‎My entire body froze. ‎I didn't know why, but the sound sent a strange feeling through me. ‎As if some hidden part of me recognized it. ‎I stepped closer to the window, staring into the darkness. ‎I had no idea that this place was hiding secrets. ‎Secrets about my mother's new husband. ‎Secrets about my own blood. ‎And secrets that would change my life forever. ‎Because the truth was... ‎I wasn't just an ordinary girl who moved into a wealthy man's home. ‎And this was only the beginning. ‎ --- ‎ ‎Adrian ‎I hated changes. ‎Especially the kind that entered my life without my permission. ‎The Alexander estate had always been quiet. ‎Not peaceful. ‎Quiet. ‎There was a difference. ‎Peace was something people enjoyed. ‎Silence was something people feared. ‎Everyone in this house knew who I was. They knew my name, my position, and the expectations placed on my shoulders. ‎Adrian Alexander. ‎The son of Alpha Alexander. ‎The future Alpha King. ‎The heir everyone watched. ‎The person everyone wanted to impress. ‎But none of them actually knew me. ‎And honestly, I preferred it that way. ‎I sat in my room, staring at the documents on my desk without actually reading them. My mind was somewhere else, somewhere far away from the endless responsibilities that came with my bloodline. ‎Being the Alpha King's son meant there was no such thing as a normal life. ‎Every decision mattered. ‎Every mistake was remembered. ‎Every weakness could be used against me. ‎That was why I never allowed anyone close enough to see one. ‎A knock sounded on the door. ‎I didn't look up. ‎"Come in." ‎The door opened, and one of the household staff stepped inside. ‎"Young Master Adrian." ‎I finally lifted my eyes. ‎"What is it?" ‎The man hesitated slightly before speaking. ‎"Your father wanted you to know that his new wife and her daughter have arrived." ‎I stared at him for a moment. ‎Then I looked back down at the papers on my desk. ‎"Okay." ‎The man waited. ‎I raised an eyebrow. ‎"Was there something else?" ‎He seemed surprised by my lack of reaction. ‎"No, Young Master." ‎"Then you can leave." ‎After he left, I leaned back in my chair. ‎My father's new wife. ‎A new family member. ‎Another person added to this mansion. ‎I didn't understand why everyone seemed to think I should care. ‎My father was happy. ‎That was enough. ‎As long as she didn't interfere with my life, I had no reason to pay attention. ‎I had more important things to worry about. ‎Pack matters. ‎Training. ‎School. ‎The endless expectations that followed my name everywhere I went. ‎A woman marrying my father didn't change anything. ‎At least, that was what I thought. ‎Until the name reached my ears. ‎"Lena Whitmore." ‎I froze. ‎I wasn't sure why. ‎The reaction was immediate. ‎Not from me. ‎From him. ‎My wolf. ‎A sudden growl echoed inside my mind. ‎I stood up sharply. ‎"What?" ‎The room became strangely quiet. ‎My wolf, who was usually impossible to control, had reacted the moment I heard that name. ‎That had never happened before. ‎Not for anyone. ‎I closed my eyes, trying to understand what was happening. ‎Lena Whitmore. ‎A name I had never heard before. ‎A girl I had never met. ‎So why did my wolf react like he recognized her? ‎Like he had been waiting for her. ‎A strange feeling moved through my chest. ‎Curiosity. ‎Annoyance. ‎Something I couldn't identify. ‎I clenched my jaw. ‎"Impossible." ‎My wolf only responded with another low growl. ‎I had spent my entire life surrounded by powerful wolves, strong bloodlines, and people who wanted something from me. ‎I knew how the world worked. ‎I knew better than to believe in things I couldn't explain. ‎But this... ‎This was different. ‎I walked toward the window and looked down at the estate. ‎Somewhere inside this house was a girl who had just arrived. ‎A girl who was supposed to be ordinary. ‎A girl whose name had somehow awakened the strongest part of me. ‎I didn't know who she was. ‎I didn't know why my wolf reacted to her. ‎And I definitely didn't know that the moment she stepped into my world, everything I thought I understood would begin to change. ‎But one thing was certain. ‎I wanted to meet her. ‎