The Alpha who was Meant to Kill Me

“CELESTE!” I slapped both hands over my mouth the second the giggle escaped—but it was too late. “You just gave yourself away, little bird.” A hand shot through the hedge, caught my wrist, and dragged me straight into the sunlight. I stumbled out laughing, and there he was. Alec. Golden in the morning light, blue eyes bright with amusement, sandy hair catching the sun like he’d been carved from it. He stood over me—tall, broad, Alpha in every sense of the word. King of Adonis. One of the strongest wolf bloodlines in the realm. And currently… the man who had just hunted me down in a bush like we were still children. “Caught me again,” I said, brushing leaves from my dress. “But I’ll beat you next time. Just you wait.” His crooked smile deepened. “It’s hard to believe you’re twenty-five and not ten.” “Get off your high horse, Alec.” I shoved his chest. It didn’t move. “You didn’t seem to mind playing along. You’re the king. You’re supposed to set an example.” “And deny myself the joy of watching you lose?” he asked lightly. I rolled my eyes—but I couldn’t stop smiling. Alec had always been my constant. My protector. My partner in chaos. The one person in this world who saw me instead of the prophecy wrapped around my name. He had once tried to be more. I had turned him down. He had stayed anyway. “When are you finally going to settle down?” he asked, watching me too closely. “Start a family. You need to be tamed.” “As if there’s a man alive who could tame me.” I snorted. “Not that I’d know. My father barely lets me breathe outside these walls. If he could lock me in a tower, he would.” Alec’s expression softened, that quiet intensity slipping through. “Maybe you’re not meant to be tamed.” I stilled slightly. “Maybe,” he continued, “you’re meant to find someone who can stand beside you… not cage you.” I met his gaze. “And have you found that person, my dear King Alec?” “Not yet.” His voice was lighter, but something flickered behind his eyes. “But I’m starting to look. The kingdom is getting impatient for an heir.” Something in my chest tightened. This—us—wouldn’t last forever. Soon there would be alliances. Marriages. Duties. And this—running, laughing, pretending the world didn’t exist—would become a memory. I pushed the thought away. Because there was something else there too. Something I tried not to think about. The empty space inside me. Every Alpha is born with their wolf. It’s not something you question. It’s not something you wait for. It just… is. Except for me. I had the blood. The lineage. The mark. But my wolf? Silent. Sleeping. Missing. Sometimes, late at night, I could feel her. A faint presence beneath my ribs—restless, distant, like something trapped behind glass. And always… There was the sword. The shadow gladius. My curse. My inheritance. The blade that had chosen me the moment I was born—and had never let me forget it. Will she save the world… or destroy it? They all wanted the answer. No one ever asked me. I forced a grin and bounced on my toes. “Well—we haven’t settled down yet.” Before he could react, I smacked his back. “Tag. You’re it.” Then I ran. Laughter burst from behind me as I sprinted through the garden gates and into the village. Alec was faster. He always would be. Because he had a wolf. And I had two very human legs. So I cheated. I darted past a fruit cart, slipped between two gossiping women, and heard a shout of laughter as a vendor rolled his cart directly into Alec’s path. “Bless you!” I called over my shoulder. The man bowed dramatically, grinning. My people loved me. They didn’t know what I was. They only knew I remembered their names, asked after their children, and made sure no one in my kingdom went hungry. That was enough for them. I ducked into a narrow alley and pressed my back to the cool stone, breath coming fast. Then— I felt it. Not heard. Felt. Alec. Alpha presence rolled through the air like a coming storm. Slow. Certain. Closing in. I stepped out to meet him. “The jig is up,” I said, trying to catch my breath. “I suppose it’s time to face my fate.” His eyes gleamed. “Oh, little bird,” he murmured, stepping closer. “The game isn’t over yet.” He tapped my nose and ran. “Yeah,” I called, grinning. “Here I come.” Then I turned… …and ran the opposite direction. Because if there was one thing I was good at ... It was not playing by the rules.