The Alpha Return
746 Words
The palace gates groaned open.
Dust swirled beneath the hooves of hundreds of mounted warriors as Alpha Kael rode into the courtyard.
His once-pristine armor was scratched, his face drawn with exhaustion. Yet his emerald eyes never left Nysera.
She stood beside Draven at the top of the marble staircase, wearing a silver battle cloak embroidered with the Moonborn crest.
For a heartbeat, Kael forgot to breathe.
She looked nothing like the frightened omega he had rejected.
She looked every inch a queen.
Draven stepped forward, placing himself between Kael and Nysera.
“You have one minute,” the Lycan King said coldly. “Say what you came to say.”
Kael climbed down from his horse.
“I didn’t come to fight.”
Draven raised an eyebrow.
“That’s difficult to believe when you arrive with an army.”
“They’re here to protect the border,” Kael replied. “Not to attack.”
The courtyard fell silent.
Kael slowly approached but stopped several feet away from Nysera.
“I owe you an apology.”
Nysera’s expression remained unreadable.
“An apology?”
“I judged you by your rank instead of your heart.”
His voice cracked with regret.
“I believed strength came from bloodline and status.”
“I was wrong.”
Nysera folded her arms.
“You didn’t just reject me, Kael.”
“You humiliated me before the entire pack.”
“You watched while everyone laughed.”
Each word struck him like a blade.
“I know.”
“I’ve regretted it every day.”
Draven watched silently, but his jaw tightened.
Kael took another careful step.
“I’ve learned the truth.”
“The Moonborn bloodline.”
“The prophecy.”
“And…” He swallowed. “The ancient records.”
Nysera’s heart skipped.
“What records?”
Kael lowered his head.
“The records say our broken mate bond wasn’t destroyed.”
“It can still be restored.”
A murmur swept through the gathered warriors.
Draven’s golden eyes flashed.
“Impossible.”
“The Moon Goddess doesn’t restore a rejected bond.”
“The scroll says she can,” Kael insisted.
“If both mates are willing.”
Nysera stared at him in disbelief.
“So that’s why you’re here?”
“You suddenly want me because I’m a queen?”
“No.”
Kael shook his head desperately.
“I want you because I finally realized I loved you long before I knew who you really were.”
Nysera felt a brief sting in her chest.
Months ago, those words would have meant everything.
Now…
They felt too late.
She looked toward Draven.
He hadn’t spoken a single word.
Yet somehow, standing beside him felt… safe.
Reliable.
Real.
Kael noticed the glance.
His expression darkened.
“You’ve fallen for him.”
Nysera didn’t answer.
She didn’t need to.
The silence was answer enough.
Kael clenched his fists.
“I won’t give up.”
Before anyone could respond—
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion rocked the palace walls.
The ground shook violently.
Soldiers stumbled as screams echoed from the northern watchtower.
“The barrier!” a guard shouted.
“The magical barrier has been breached!”
Draven drew his sword instantly.
“Battle positions!”
From beyond the broken gates emerged dozens…
Then hundreds…
Then thousands of black-armored wolves.
At their head rode a warrior cloaked in crimson.
His face was hidden behind a silver mask.
He raised one hand.
The entire army stopped.
Then, in a voice that carried across the battlefield, he declared,
“I come with an offer.”
“I have no interest in slaughtering innocent wolves.”
“I only want one person.”
His masked gaze settled on Nysera.
“Hand over the Moonborn Queen…”
“…and I will spare everyone else.”
The courtyard descended into stunned silence.
Draven stepped in front of Nysera, his sword gleaming in the moonlight.
“You’ll have to go through me first.”
The masked warrior laughed.
“You still don’t understand, Lycan King.”
He slowly removed his mask.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Nysera’s blood ran cold.
Standing before them was a man with the same silver hair…
The same sapphire-blue eyes…
The same Moonborn crest.
He smiled.
“Little sister…”
“I’ve finally found you.”
Nysera’s world tilted.
Her father had told her she was the last surviving Moonborn.
So who was the man calling himself her brother?
- Writer
