The Alpha’s forbidden mate

The rain came down in angry sheets, soaking through the worn fabric of my dress as I stumbled through the forest. Each step sent jolts of pain up my bare feet, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. If I slowed down, they’d find me. And this time, they wouldn’t let me go. Lightning split the sky, illuminating the gnarled trees around me. Somewhere behind, I could still hear the howls—faint, but closing in. “Traitor!” someone had yelled as I fled the pack grounds. “You don’t belong here, mutt!” Maybe they were right. I was an orphan. No wolf, no pack, no future. I was never claimed. My wolf never came. While the others shifted under full moons and felt their bonds click into place, I remained… broken. An outsider in my own skin. So when they accused me of spying, of leading rogues to the northern border, I didn’t even bother defending myself. Why would they believe me? I had no one. Not even myself. The forest thinned just as another crack of thunder split the silence, and that’s when I saw it. A massive wolf, midnight black and monstrous in size, blocked the path ahead. His fur glistened with rain, and glowing silver eyes locked on mine. A growl rumbled from his chest, deep and territorial. I froze. Every instinct screamed run, but my body refused to move. This was no ordinary wolf. This was an Alpha. And not just any Alpha. This was Kael of the Nightfang Pack—a legend among werewolves, a warrior said to have slaughtered an entire rogue army with his bare hands. Ruthless. Unyielding. Untouchable. I’d only heard his name in whispers. Stories used to scare pups into obedience. But now, here he was—towering, real, and terrifying. He shifted without warning. One blink, and the beast vanished, replaced by a man. Tall, soaked, and furious. His voice was a low growl. “Why are you on my land?” My throat dried up. “I didn’t mean to— I was running and—” “From who?” I hesitated. “My pack. I mean… former pack.” His dark eyes scanned me. “You’re bleeding.” Only then did I notice the sting in my arm. A branch must’ve slashed me. “I’ll leave,” I said quickly. “I didn’t know this was your territory.” “You trespassed.” I flinched. “I didn’t have a choice.” His jaw tightened. Then, to my shock, he stepped closer. Close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off his bare chest despite the cold. Rain dripped down his body, clinging to muscle and scars. And then it happened. A pulse. A jolt. Right in the center of my chest. His eyes widened slightly. “You feel it too,” I whispered, stunned. He didn’t answer. Didn’t have to. The air between us crackled, hotter than any lightning strike. Every cell in my body screamed that this man—this stranger—was mine. But that wasn’t possible. I wasn’t supposed to have a mate. And Alpha Kael? He wasn’t supposed to take one. Ever. He stepped back like the bond had physically burned him. “No,” he said firmly. “This is wrong.” “I didn’t choose this.” “Neither did I.” Another rumble of thunder echoed as tension coiled tight between us. Kael turned his back on me, muscles rippling as he muttered a curse. Then, just as I thought he might leave me there in the storm, he said, “You’re coming with me.” “What?” “I won’t leave you to die out here. Mate bond or not.” I stared at him, heart pounding. “So what now?” His silver eyes met mine—stormy, tortured. “Now, we survive the consequences.