The Alpha's Rejected Mate

The Blood Moon King

Episode 4: The Blood Moon King

"Hello, daughter."

The words echoed through the forest.

Elena couldn't breathe.

For twenty-two years, she had believed she had no father.

She had grown up thinking she was an ordinary girl with an ordinary life.

A weak wolf.

A forgotten daughter.

Someone who would never be important.

But the man standing between the trees had just changed everything.

The Blood Moon King.

Lucian.

Her father.

Elena stared at him.

"You're lying."

Lucian's expression didn't change.

"I knew you would say that."

He slowly stepped forward.

Adrian immediately moved between them.

"Don't come any closer."

Lucian's red eyes moved toward Adrian.

"You are the Alpha who rejected my daughter."

Adrian remained silent.

Finally, he answered.

"Yes."

Lucian's eyes became colder.

"Then you have made a very dangerous mistake."

A powerful wave of energy swept through the forest.

The trees bent.

The wolves surrounding them lowered their heads.

Elena felt the pressure but refused to step back.

Lucian looked at her again.

"Come with me."

Elena shook her head.

"No."

Something painful flashed across Lucian's face.

"You don't know me."

"Exactly."

Elena's voice trembled.

"I don't know you. I don't know my mother. I don't know why everyone has been lying to me."

She pointed at her glowing mark.

"And I don't even know what I am."

Lucian remained silent.

Elena's eyes filled with tears.

"Where were you?"

The question seemed to hurt him.

"Where were you when I needed you?"

Lucian lowered his gaze.

"I was searching for you."

"For twenty-two years?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you find me?"

"Because if I found you, they would have found you too."

"Who?"

"The Ancient Council."

Kael stepped forward.

"They have known about your existence for years."

Elena looked at him.

"What is the Ancient Council?"

Adrian answered quietly.

"The oldest supernatural authority in the world."

Lucian nodded.

"They feared your mother."

"Why?"

"Because she was the Moon Queen."

Elena touched her chest.

"And because of me?"

Lucian looked directly into her eyes.

"Because you inherited both bloodlines."

"Moon and Blood Moon?"

"Yes."

A sudden noise came from the trees.

Everyone turned.

Dozens of armored hunters appeared.

At their center stood a tall woman with white hair.

She smiled at Elena.

"So the heir has finally awakened."

Lucian's expression became dangerous.

"Leave."

The woman laughed.

"You still think you can order us around?"

She raised her hand.

Ancient symbols appeared on the ground.

Elena suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest.

She dropped to her knees.

"Ah!"

Adrian rushed toward her.

"Elena!"

The white-haired woman smiled.

"The seal is breaking."

Elena looked at her.

"What seal?"

"The seal your mother placed on you."

Lucian's face changed.

"Don't."

The woman continued.

"Your mother knew that one day your powers would awaken. She wanted to keep you hidden."

Elena looked at Lucian.

"Is that true?"

Lucian nodded.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because people would have killed you for your blood."

The hunters suddenly attacked.

Adrian shifted into his wolf form.

Kael followed.

Lucian raised one hand.

A powerful blast threw several hunters backward.

Elena watched in shock.

Her father was terrifyingly powerful.

But one hunter managed to reach her.

He raised a silver blade.

Elena instinctively lifted her hand.

A golden shield appeared.

The blade shattered.

The hunter flew backward.

Elena stared at her hand.

"I did that."

Her wolf whispered inside her mind.

You are becoming stronger.

Another hunter attacked.

Elena moved without thinking.

Golden energy exploded from her body.

The forest shook.

Every wolf stopped.

Some even bowed.

The white-haired woman's face turned pale.

"The Moon Queen's power..."

Elena looked at her.

"You wanted my power?"

The woman stepped back.

"You don't understand what you are."

"Then explain it."

"You are the heir to the First Moon."

Elena froze.

"What is the First Moon?"

Kael answered.

"The source from which the first wolves were born."

Elena looked at her glowing hands.

"Why me?"

"Because your mother was its last chosen Queen."

The white-haired woman suddenly smiled.

"And your father carries the Blood Moon."

Elena turned toward Lucian.

"Is that why you were searching for me?"

Lucian didn't answer.

"Tell me the truth."

He finally spoke.

"Yes."

Elena's heart tightened.

"What else are you hiding?"

Before Lucian could answer, a loud roar echoed through the forest.

A massive black wolf appeared between the trees.

It charged toward Elena.

Adrian immediately attacked.

The two wolves collided.

The black wolf threw Adrian to the ground.

Elena screamed.

"Adrian!"

Something inside her snapped.

Golden flames erupted from her body.

The black wolf suddenly stopped.

Then it lowered its head.

Everyone stared.

The black wolf shifted into a man.

He knelt before Elena.

"Your Highness."

Elena stepped back.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Kael."

"You already told me that."

"I served your mother."

Elena's eyes widened.

"You knew her?"

"Yes."

"Then tell me everything."

Kael hesitated.

"Your mother was not killed."

Elena stopped breathing.

"What?"

"We never found her body."

Lucian looked away.

Elena turned toward him.

"Is my mother alive?"

Lucian's eyes filled with something she had never seen before.

Hope.

"I don't know."

Suddenly, Elena heard a voice.

A woman's voice.

Soft.

Familiar.

Elena...

She froze.

"Mom?"

Adrian looked at her.

"What happened?"

Elena closed her eyes.

A memory appeared.

A palace.

Fire.

Her mother holding her.

Lucian standing nearby.

Her mother placed a pendant around Elena's neck.

"Never let them know who you are."

The memory disappeared.

Elena opened her eyes.

Tears ran down her face.

"My mother was protecting me."

Lucian nodded.

"She sacrificed everything for you."

"From whom?"

"The Council."

The white-haired woman suddenly shouted.

"Enough!"

She raised her hand.

A massive wave of energy moved toward Elena.

Lucian stepped forward.

But Elena stopped him.

"No."

She raised her own hand.

The attack stopped in midair.

Elena stared at the white-haired woman.

"I won't run anymore."

Her eyes began glowing.

One became golden.

The other became red.

The white-haired woman whispered—

"The dual bloodline."

Elena released her power.

The hunters fell to their knees.

The woman ran.

But before she disappeared, she shouted—

"You don't know what your father has done!"

Elena turned toward Lucian.

"What does she mean?"

Lucian remained silent.

Adrian looked at him.

"Tell her."

Lucian closed his eyes.

"I made mistakes."

"What mistakes?"

"Your mother and I were enemies before we became allies."

Elena stared at him.

"Enemies?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because the Moon Kingdom and Blood Moon Kingdom were at war."

Elena's heart sank.

"And you loved my mother?"

Lucian's voice became quiet.

"More than anything."

"Then why did you leave her?"

"I didn't."

He looked at Elena.

"She sent me away."

"Why?"

"To save you."

Suddenly, the moon above them turned red.

Everyone looked toward the sky.

Kael's face became pale.

"The Blood Moon."

Lucian whispered—

"It shouldn't be happening yet."

The red light spread across the forest.

Elena felt a strange pull in her chest.

Her mark began glowing.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Her heart beat in rhythm with the moon.

Then a voice echoed through the forest.

The heir has returned.

Everyone froze.

Elena looked around.

"Who said that?"

Nobody answered.

Then she heard another voice.

A voice only she could hear.

Do not trust the King.

Elena's eyes widened.

Her mother's voice.

Your father is not the man you think he is.

Elena slowly looked at Lucian.

He noticed her expression.

"What happened?"

She said nothing.

Suddenly, the ground beneath her cracked.

Roots moved aside.

An ancient stone door appeared.

On it were carved words:

ONLY THE QUEEN CAN OPEN THE GATE.

Elena stepped closer.

Lucian grabbed her arm.

"Don't."

"Why?"

"Because that gate was sealed for a reason."

"What is behind it?"

Lucian looked terrified.

"The place where the first Moon Queen was imprisoned."

Elena stared at the door.

Then a woman's voice came from beneath the earth.

Come find me, my daughter.

Elena's eyes filled with tears.

"Mom..."

Lucian suddenly pulled her back.

"Elena, don't open it!"

She looked at him.

For the first time, she didn't see the powerful Blood Moon King.

She saw a frightened father.

And that frightened her more than anything.

Because if Lucian was afraid of what was behind that door...

Then what had her mother been hiding?

The ancient door slowly began to open.

A cold wind rushed out.

And from the darkness came a whisper—

"Welcome back, Moon Queen."

Elena's golden eyes widened.

The door opened completely.

And something inside the darkness...

opened its eyes.