Episode 04
1066 Words
ADIRA
I knew the moment I poured the wine into his cup. That familiar, unmistakable pull—an invisible force tightening around my chest, sending warmth and tingles rushing through my veins.
Mate.
I bit the inside of my cheek, keeping my expression blank as I moved to pour the next drink. I couldn't acknowledge it. Not here, not now. But before I could take another step, a firm hand covered mine, steadying the bottle.
"You're shaking," the deep voice murmured.
I froze, staring at the broad hand atop mine. Slowly, I lifted my gaze, only to be met with piercing dark eyes and an unreadable smirk.
He's also an Alpha. Alpha Kael.
Rumors had it that, despite being an Alpha of another pack, he was also the stepbrother of Alpha Kai but that hasn't been confirmed.
I believe it isn't true until it is confirmed.
The room fell into hushed silence as his gaze roamed my face, and then, to my horror, he announced to everyone, "She's mine."
A murmur rippled through the hall. Some of the Alphas exchanged looks of intrigue, while others, including the one man I didn’t dare turn to, remained silent. My heart hammered in my chest.
No, this wasn't happening.
"I accept you, Adira," Kael continued, his voice firm. "You're my mate."
His acceptance should have made me happy, but instead, fear gripped me. I wasn't sure if it was because I was still processing the rejection I had suffered, or because of the storm that I could feel brewing in the air.
Slowly, I turned my head, locking eyes with Kai.
His stare was unrelenting, jaw clenched so tight I thought it might snap. Something dark flickered behind his eyes. Possessiveness? No. That couldn’t be right. He had thrown me away. He had severed our bond. So why was he looking at me like he was about to tear Kael apart?
The tension between them was suffocating.
"You dare claim her?" Kai’s voice was deathly calm, yet beneath it, I could hear the storm brewing.
Kael’s lips curved. "That’s how mates work, brother." She was yours once, but you rejected her. Now, she belongs to me."
Brother? Are they really related?
A low growl rumbled from Kai's chest, and something in his expression shifted. "I never gave her up."
My breath caught. A cold sense of dread spread through my limbs.
"That's not how it works, Kai." Kael stepped forward, eyes flashing red. "You made your choice." Now she’s mine."
I didn't see Kai move. One second, he was across the room; The next—
Swords clashed. The hall erupted in chaos.
The guards barely had time to react as the two Alphas lunged at each other, tearing through tables and chairs like they were nothing. Kael was fast, but Kai was faster. Blades clanged, growls filled the air, and guests scrambled away, leaving a ring around the fight.
I had seen fights before, but nothing like this. This wasn’t just about me. There was something deeper here, something raw and unspoken.
A brother's feud.
I had to stop this. I couldn’t stand by while another person got hurt because of me.
I took a step forward, but a firm grip stopped me. "Don’t." It was an elder Alpha, shaking his head. "This isn’t your fight."
"I won't let them kill each other!" I snapped, but he merely tightened his hold.
"Interfering will only make things worse for you."
Worse? How could things possibly get worse?
Then I saw it.
Kai’s sword found its mark. A deep s***h across Kael’s side. Blood spurted from the wound, staining his shirt. Kael staggered back, his lips pulling into a grin despite the pain.
"That all you got?" He taunted, gripping his sword tighter.
Kai didn’t respond, only lunged again.
Enough!
"STOP!" My voice rang through the hall, louder than I thought possible.
Both Alphas froze, their chests heaving, their eyes snapping to me. Kael’s softened. Kai’s darkened.
I stepped forward. "This fight is pointless. You don’t own me, Kai. You never did. You made your choice." I turned to Kael, my voice gentler now. "And you… you don’t have to do this for me."
Kael wiped blood from his mouth and smirked. "You think I’m doing this for you?" He scoffed, shaking his head. "This has been a long time coming."
Kai didn’t speak, but his grip on the sword tightened.
I exhaled sharply. "I won’t be a prize to be fought over. If either of you think otherwise, then maybe neither of you deserve me."
A muscle ticked in Kai’s jaw, but he said nothing. Kael’s smirk faltered, but he remained composed.
Then, Kai’s voice came, low and controlled. "You don’t get to walk away so easily."
My brows furrowed. "What?"
"You belong to my pack, whether you like it or not. "Until I decide otherwise, you’re not going anywhere." My blood ran cold. Out of anger, out of spite, out of everything that was literally unholy. I felt like I wanted to get a voodoo doll and stab it all over his face or, even better, stab his face.
All he had was a handsome face, every other was literally stupid.
Kael stiffened beside me. "That sounds like a challenge."
Kai tilted his head, his lips curling cruelly. "Consider it an order."
Kael’s hands flexed, but he didn’t strike. Instead, he turned to me. "Do you want to stay here?" His voice was softer now, quieter. "With him?" Is that even a question? Is it? It wasn't even something to debate about. How do I debate that?
This man was standing up for me. No one had ever done that.
I swallowed hard. I knew the answer.
"No."
"Then let’s go." He stated, and I wasn't sure how to react to that.
“Adira, let's go.” This time, it was more like he was trying to pull me out of whatever trance I had launched myself into.
I barely had time to react before Kael grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the exit.
Before the guards could reach us, Kael’s warriors burst into the hall, swords drawn, ready to fight.
Chaos erupted once more, but this time, I was moving—running—toward something different. Toward something unknown.
I didn’t look back.
I couldn’t.
Because I knew if I did, I might never leave at all.
- Writer
