Alpha's Forbidden Mate

Episode 2

Aria's world narrowed to a single point: Damon, bleeding on the ballroom floor. Her mate. In danger. Her mind reeled, struggling to process the sudden shift from elegant party to violent chaos. Just moments ago, she'd been admiring the chandeliers. Now, the crystal decorations swayed ominously above a scene of panic.

She barely registered the chaos around her as she sprinted towards him, her heart pounding in sync with her footsteps. Guests screamed and pushed past her, their faces blurred in her peripheral vision. The scent of fear and blood filled the air.

Security guards moved to intercept her, but a snarl from Zane sent them scattering. One guard hesitated, reaching for Aria's arm. "Miss, you can't-"

Aria growled, her eyes flashing with a hint of wolf. The guard backed off, hands raised.

"Don't touch him!" Damon's fiancée – no, his attacker – shrieked as Aria approached. The woman brandished the bloody knife, her eyes wild with a manic gleam.

Aria didn't hesitate. She launched herself at the woman, her wolf lending her strength and speed. They went down in a tangle of limbs and snarls, rolling across the polished marble floor. Aria could feel her dress tearing, but she didn't care.

The knife slashed across Aria's arm, drawing blood, but she barely felt the pain. Her focus was singular: neutralize the threat to her mate. With a growl, she pinned the woman's knife hand to the ground, squeezing until the weapon clattered free. The attacker's nails raked across Aria's face, but she held on.

"Aria, stop!" Zane's voice cut through the haze of her rage. "We need her alive for questioning."

Aria's wolf wanted to kill Damon's fiancé. She was set on it. It took every ounce of willpower Aria possessed to release her hold on the woman's throat. As soon as she did, Zane was there, restraining the attacker with practiced ease.

Aria scrambled back to Damon's side. He was pale, his breathing labored, but his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that stole her breath. She flashed back to earlier in the evening, remembering how those same eyes had coldly dismissed her. Now they clung to her like a lifeline.

"You shouldn't be here," he rasped, even as his hand reached for hers.

"Tough," Aria replied, lacing their fingers together. The contact sent a jolt through her system, their mate bond flaring to life despite his earlier rejection. "I'm not going anywhere."

A ghost of a smile touched Damon's lips before pain contorted his features. He coughed, blood speckling his lips.

Fear clawed at Aria's heart. "We need to get him to a hospital!"

From across the room, Aria heard Lydia's panicked voice. "Aria! What's happening? Are you okay?"

"Stay back!" Aria called out, not wanting her friend to get caught in the danger.

"No hospitals," Zane commanded, hauling the still-struggling attacker to her feet. "The pack's medical team is on their way. We need to move him somewhere secure."

As if on cue, a group of werewolves in tactical gear burst into the ballroom, led by a petite woman with a medical bag.

"What happened?" the woman demanded, kneeling beside Damon.

"Stabbed," Aria explained, reluctant to release Damon's hand even as the medical team swarmed around him. "The blade... it might have been poisoned. She's not just any wolf."

The medic's eyes widened, and she barked orders to her team. "Possible silver poisoning. We need to move fast."

They worked quickly, transferring Damon onto a stretcher. Aria noticed the attacker watching the proceedings with an unsettling smirk. Something about the woman's confidence made Aria's skin crawl.

As they prepared to move him, Damon's grip on Aria's hand tightened. His eyes fluttered, consciousness clearly fading. "Don't trust anyone," he whispered, his voice so low she had to strain to hear it. "Not even Zane. The attack... it's bigger than you know. Silver Crescent..."

He trailed off, his eyes rolling back. The medical team rushed him away before Aria could ask what he meant, leaving her standing alone in the middle of the destroyed ballroom.

Zane appeared at her side, his expression grim. "We need to go. It's not safe here."

Aria hesitated, Damon's warning ringing in her ears. But what choice did she have? She glanced around the ballroom, taking in the overturned tables and scattered glasses. How quickly everything had fallen apart.

As Zane led her out of the ballroom, Aria couldn't shake the feeling that she had just stepped into something far more dangerous than a simple mate rejection.

Little did she know, her entire world was about to be turned upside down.