THE FORBIDDEN BOND

Chapter 3

Alpha Nathan’s POV

Chaos, destruction, pain, death. I could only think of that while my eyes darted around, taking in everything that was in front of me. The once-dry ground is now filled with blood; bodies of both wolves and humans litter all around me. Animals are running around looking for safety as they recognize the predators around them. Luckily for them, we were out for blood but not theirs. With every member of my pack that died, I could feel their bond severed from mine, leaving a gaping hole in my heart. I was sure without any doubt that their families and the pack could fill the severing bond.

Standing over a fallen hunter, I looked at him with so much anger that it could make even the bravest of soldiers hide in fear. Hatred, pure and unadulterated, flowed through my veins, fueling the fires of vengeance that have been burning inside me for so long.

Anger and hatred were visible in the hunter's eyes as he looked up at me, despite the pain on his face. He was wounded, bleeding, and utterly at my mercy. It was a sight that should have filled me with satisfaction, but rather, I felt a cold emptiness within me.

"You see what your kind has caused," I growled, my voice low but filled with venom. "You thought you could attack my pack and go unpunished. You were wrong."

The hunter coughed, blood spattering from his lips as he attempted to speak. "We... we had our reasons," he managed to choke out, his voice weak but defiant.

I looked at his battered and bloodied face as he struggled to lift himself from the ground. He was wounded and weak. It was obvious that he wouldn’t survive the night unless he received medical help immediately, but even with death staring at his face, the fight didn’t leave his eyes. I must say I admire his courage, a trait I would have welcomed among my warriors. Too bad he was on the wrong side of the fight.

"Reasons?" I scoffed, my lip curling in disgust. "Your reasons led to the deaths of innocent members of my pack, including my parents."

The hunter's shoulders sagged in defeat as the weight of my words set in. He knew the consequences of his choices, and now he had to face them.

"You wolves have terrorized us for too long," he muttered, his voice growing weaker. "We had to protect our kind."

I leaned in closer, my eyes narrowing in anger. "Protect your kind?" I sneered. "You were the aggressor. You attacked first."

He coughed again, his strength fading rapidly. "It doesn't matter now. I won't beg for mercy."

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. "Mercy, you say?” I chuckled darkly, “I have no intention of showing you or any of your family members mercy."

I could smell the fear radiating off him as soon as the words left my lips. He stared at me in fear. “Please spare my family; it’s me you want.”

“Your kind didn’t spare the women and children during your raids, so expect no sympathy from me.

Just as I was about to deliver the final blow, a piercing scream echoed through the night, cutting through the tension like a knife. The sound startled me, making my ears twitch, and my focus drifted from the fallen hunter to the source.

I smelt her before I saw her—a figure emerging from the shadows and running towards us. Her hair moves in all directions as tears stream down her face.

My heart quickened as my eyes widened in shock and confusion as I stared at her. It was as if time had slowed. “Mate,” my wolf growled, pulling me back from the shock.

My mind was filled with so many thoughts; this couldn't be real. How could a human be my mate? Such a union was unheard of and was considered impossible in our world. Doubt and confusion swirled within me as I questioned my wolf's claim.

“How can that be?” I said to my wolf, my voice filled with confusion and disbelief. “It’s impossible she’s a human, and such a union is unheard of; perhaps you are mistaken.

“I’m not mistaken,” my wolf replied, growling at me. “She’s our mate. You need to claim her now.”

The possessiveness in my wolf's voice was unmistakable, but my rational mind fought back. I can’t afford any distractions right now; it could prove costly.

“We can't afford any distractions,” I argued back. “It could be a trick from the hunters, for all I know.”

But my wolf would not be silenced, growling persistently in my mind. “It’s not a trick,” he said. “She’s...”

I pushed him to the back of my mind and blocked him before he could complete that statement.

My mind screamed at me to walk away, to let her go, but I couldn’t stop staring at her. She fell on her knees beside her parents, her nightgown lying on the blood-stained ground, her face filled with fear and her voice trembling with worry. Her parents lay on the ground, battered and wounded. And even in her pain, she was breathtaking. I felt the sudden urge to reach out and claim her, but I knew I couldn’t. Not without losing control, without losing everything.

But damn it, I couldn’t stop looking.

She moved her hands gently over her father's body as she assessed his injuries. Her mother, tears in her eyes, watched her daughter with relief and pain.

But as I observed the scene before me, I couldn't find it in myself to regret what I had done. My wolf's recognition of her as our mate was undeniable, yet I didn’t let it get to me. They had it coming.

Since I lost my parents, the safety of my pack and their survival has always been my number one priority. It was a responsibility I bore with unwavering determination, a duty that left little to no room for emotions. I was ready to put them before anyone or anything, and not even the pull of the mate bond could change that.