THE ALPHA'S UNWANTED MATE

Chapter 21: The Real Alpha

The woman didn't stop running.

"My name is Selena," she said over her shoulder.

"And I'm your aunt, Damien."

Aria stumbled. "What?"

"I'm the sister of the old Alpha. The real one."

She looked at Leo. "And you're the heir."

Damien stopped dead. "That's impossible. My uncle died 10 years ago."

Selena turned, eyes silver. "Did he? Or did the council lie to you?"

The forest went quiet. Even the council howls seemed far.

"Why now?" Damien asked. "Why reveal yourself now?"

"Because Lyra sent me," Selena said. "She knew they'd come for you."

She crouched in front of Leo. "Hey, little heir. I'm family."

Leo hid behind Aria. "Mommy said don't trust council people."

"Smart boy," Selena smiled. "I'm not council anymore. I left them."

She stood up. Her eyes were sad. "They want Leo because of his blood. Pure Alpha blood."

Aria looked at Damien. "What does that mean?"

"It means," Selena said grimly, "they want to sacrifice him to awaken the Alpha King."

"The Alpha King?" Aria whispered. "I thought he was a legend."

"He's real," Selena said. "And he's been sleeping for 200 years."

From the trees, a howl cut through the night. Closer this time.

"We have to move," Selena said. "The council is minutes away." Selena pulled out a silver pendant. It glowed faintly in the dark.

"This will hide us. But only for a while."

She looked at Damien. "There's something else you need to know."

Damien's jaw clenched. "What?"

"Your father isn't dead either."

The world stopped for Damien. "What did you say?"

"The council didn't kill him," Selena whispered. "They imprisoned him. Deep underground."

Aria grabbed Damien's arm. "Damien..."

"Why?" Damien's voice broke. "Why lie to me for 10 years?"

"Because you were too young," Selena said. "And they were scared of you."

Another howl. Closer. Much closer.

"Too late," Selena said. Her eyes turned full silver. "They found us. Run!"

She grabbed Leo's hand. "Stay with me, heir."

They bolted through the trees. Behind them, the sound of 20 wolves crashed through the forest.

But ahead of them... lights. A cabin.

"There!" Selena pointed. "Inside! Now!"

They slammed the door shut. Selena pressed the pendant to it.

The glow spread across the wood, sealing the cabin in silver light.

Outside, the howling stopped.

Dead silence.

Footsteps. Slow. Deliberate. Right outside the door.

A voice. Cold. Familiar. It made Damien's blood freeze.

"Open the door, Selena. Or we break it down."

Damien's eyes went wide. "That's... that's the Council Alpha."

The same man who told him his father was dead.

Selena looked at them. "Don't make a sound."

She whispered to the pendant. "Please hold."

A heavy knock hit the door.

Once.

Twice. Three times.

The pendant flickered.

Inside, Leo started to cry. Aria pulled him close. "Shh. I'm here."

Damien stepped in front of them. His fists clenched. "If they break in, I fight."

Selena shook her head. "No. Not yet."

Her eyes met Damien's. "Your father is alive. And I know where."

The knocking stopped.

A whisper came through the door.

"Give us the heir. And we let the rest live."

The silence was deafening.

**THE END OF CHAPTER 21**

**TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 22: IMPRISONED**