Bound by the Alpha’s Vengeance

MIRA'S POV Up until that night, my life had been almost perfect. I had grown up surrounded and protected by the safety of my family that I felt loved, trusted. I was going to be the pack doctor. Everyone knew it. I had the patience, the steady hands, the heart for it. I dreamed of healing, of helping my people and building a life within the pack with my fated mate. On my eighteenth birthday, I felt my wolf for the first time. I was still in the infirmary, wiping down the long wooden table when Judy, my sister , burst through the door. “Happy birthday Mira!” she squealed. “Drop everything. You’re coming with us tonight.” I blinked at her. “Coming where?” She grinned, eyes sparkling with mischief. “A party. But we're going to be celebrating your birthday.” I laughed softly. “Judy, you know I don’t like parties.” “It’s your eighteenth birthday. You should have some fun today.” She said, grabbing my hand. Before I could protest, two more of my friends appeared, Nell and Calla wearing identical smiles. “Happy birthday Mira!” They chorused. “What are you plotting?” I asked, looking at all of them. Calla linked her arm with mine. “Celebrating you, obviously.” Judy leaned closer, practically vibrating with excitement. “You might meet your mate tonight.” My heart stuttered hearing that. Finding your mate was the wish of every werewolf and I had turned Eighteen. My heart raced and I could feel my wolf stir hearing the word mate. “There’ll be a lot of people. Tonight’s one of those nights where young Werewolves found their mate. I swallowed. I had tried not to think about it my mate. The invisible thread tied to someone had probably never met but somehow already trusted with my life. The idea both thrilled and terrified me. “What if I don’t meet him?” I asked quietly. Nell shrugged gently. “Then you still get cake, music and so much fun with us.” They all looked at me with expectations in their eyes and I finally agreed. I went back to my room and changed into a soft blue dress my sister had laid out earlier. I went out with them dressed and groomed to look my best and they were right. The party was indeed very fun and I didn't even realize when I was caught up in it. All around me were young wolves finding their mate while I stood there amongst my friends chattering and laughing as I wondered how meeting my mate for the first time would be. The music thumped through the clearing. Lanterns swung gently from the trees, casting flickering shadows on the crowd of dancing wolves. Judy had dragged me out here, Isaac and Calla were already dancing near the center, their hands full of fruit punch and laughter. I took a small sip from my cup, eyes scanning the crowd. Then I felt it. A sudden pressure in the air. It felt like a pull from inside my soul. It was subtle at first, then unmistakable. My wolf stirred violently, restless. I froze mid-step. “Mira…” The voice was low, deep, familiar in a way that made my stomach tighten and I turned around. Issac Steele the beta of the pack stood there, just a few feet away, his eyes fixed on me. He stepped closer, and I felt the pull again, stronger, like an invisible thread yanking me toward him. My heart raced and my pulse thundered as I came to a realization. Then he stopped, right in front of me, and tilted his head slightly. He sniffed the air around me. “You’re my mate,” he murmured. My wolf screamed inside me with recognition along with a rush of heat. Mate. The word hit me like fire and my hands shook. My chest felt like it might burst. He was my mate. I looked around for my friends and I only saw Judy. Judy. When she saw me stare at her. Her smile faltered ever so slightly, just for a heartbeat, but I saw it. The dark flash in her eyes when she laid eyes on Isacc and I with curiosity. She knew already. Issac’s gaze locked on mine, and the pull between us hummed like electricity. My knees went weak and I felt heat rush through my body. “You…” I whispered, barely able to form the words. “You’re… my mate.” I felt warmth surge through me, and my wolf leapt forward inside me, coiling and twisting with excitement. I couldn’t look away from him. Issac’s hand hovered near mine and my wolf howled softly, urging me closer. Judy came between us all of a sudden then let out a soft laughter. “Sorry for interrupting but come join the others.” Judy pulled me towards the dance floor. I continued on that evening having fun with my friends and lost track of time. I didn't even know when I fell asleep and where. Early the next morning I woke up to a nightmare! My eyes fluttered open to a gruesome scene in front of me. Before I even realized what was wrong the room smelled wrong. My nose sniffed a strong metallic smell and my first thought was that something had spilled. My second thought was that I wasn’t in my room. Panic crawled up my spine as I pushed myself upright. The bed was unfamiliar, larger than mine, the sheets were twisted and then I laid my eyes on the body beside me. My heart began to pound, each beat louder than the last He lay beside me, unmoving, his skin unnaturally pale, his chest still and for a second just a second my mind refused to understand what my eyes were seeing. I stared, frozen looking at the body that just laid there. My heart jumped to my chest as I stared at the lifeless body in front of me. Blood had stained the sheets around him sinking deep into the bed and caused the sheets to have a dark red coloring showing that the body had been like this for a while. I looked down at my clothing. It stained the sheets, my hands, my clothes. My breath hitched as I moved back slowly and a broken sound came out of my throat. “No,” I whispered. “No, no, no…” I scrambled backward, nearly falling off the bed, my hands shaking so badly I could barely support myself. My wolf stirred beneath my skin not with strength, but with confusion and fear, mirroring my panic. As I moved back I tried to make sense of who he was. Although I didn’t know him and I was sure of that. I felt he was oddly familiar. Even when lifeless he had this majestic aura around his body. His body was pale white, he had sharp features, dark hair and a firm gaze. I had to come up with something to come out of this situation. How do I explain I didn't know what happened here? I could feel my heart pounding against my chest and suddenly his looks flickered something in my memory. “No…how? How's this possible?” My jaw dropped and I covered my mouth with my hands in realization. This was Alpha Killian Moonshine. The realization slammed into me and I felt it against my chest just like a physical blow. My stomach twisted violently, and I gagged, I felt sick. He was very powerful and I had only heard of his name and how terrifying he was but here he was lying dead on a bed with me. A lot of things weren't adding up so I searched my mind desperately, clawing through the hours before I fell asleep. I had been so tired from my birthday celebration and a night of celebrating and I didn't remember ever running into this man dead in my bed. “I didn’t do this,” I said aloud, my voice trembling. Saying it felt necessary, like I was trying to assure myself I had no involvement in this. “I didn’t… I don’t even know how I got here.” I needed to get out of here. I looked at the blood on my hands and tried to wipe them off while I looked around for my foot wear. If I was discovered to be involved in Alpha Killian's death, nothing I said will matter. I staggered on my feet, ignoring the sticky feeling on my hands, and took a step toward the door. As I just touched the handle of the door I heard footsteps just outside the room and just immediately it burst open. “What's going on here? Who are you?” The one that kicked the door open asked while others rushed into the room.