The Alpha’s Unchosen Mate

Talia’s POV I stood in front of the cracked mirror in my small room. I had just finished fastening the last button of the pale blue dress. The fabric felt stiff and cheap. Tears ran down my cheeks and dropped onto the collar. I wiped them away, but more kept coming. My chest felt tight with fear. The door opened hard. My mother, Liora, stepped inside. Her face looked angry and tired at the same time. “Stop that crying right now,” she said. “You will not ruin this chance.” I turned to face her. “Mother, please. He is much older than me. He looks at me like I already belong to him.” “You will marry him,” Liora said. Her voice was sharp. “Your father’s debt still hangs over this family. An Omega with no wolf and a traitor’s blood has no right to refuse. Clean your face. The elders are waiting outside. If you shame us again tonight, you will regret it.” She stared at me for a long moment. Then she turned and left the room, closing the door behind her. Her footsteps faded down the hall. I stood alone. My hands shook. A soft knock came. The door opened again. Veyla slipped inside and shut it quickly. She looked at my wet face and the stiff dress. “You’re not doing this,” Veyla said in a low voice. “You do not have to marry that man just to clean your father’s name. You did nothing wrong.” I wiped my eyes. “What other choice do I have? I am an Omega. I have no wolf. The whole pack already treats me like I carry my father’s crime in my blood. If I refuse, they will make life even harder for me and for my brother Roran.” Veyla stepped closer and took my hands. “You can run.” I stared at her. “Run? Where?” “My grandmother lives two days east of the border, near the old river cabins. No one from the pack goes there. She will hide you until things calm down.” Hope and fear mixed in my chest. “They will notice I am gone the second the ceremony starts.” “The festival is loud. Everyone is busy with the feast and the dances. You can slip out the side gate near the kitchens and cut through the forest path. I will cover for you as long as I can.” Veyla squeezed my hands once more. “Wait here.” She left the room and came back less than a minute later with a small bag. She put it in my arms. “Clothes, food, and a few coins,” Veyla said. “I packed it fast. Go now, before your mother comes back with the elders.” I held the bag tight. My heart beat hard. For the first time in years I felt a small spark of hope. I nodded once. “Thank you.” Then I opened the window, climbed out, and ran. The night air felt cool on my wet cheeks. Music and laughter floated from the main grounds, but no one saw me cut into the trees. I ran as fast as I could. Branches caught on the cheap dress. Roots almost tripped me. My lungs burned, but I kept moving. Then I heard footsteps. Soft at first, then heavier. They were getting closer. Coming straight toward me. At first I thought my mother had sent trackers to drag me back. Being pulled and forced around was nothing new to me. I thought that was what was coming again. But this time I refused to stop. Now was not the time to back down. I pushed harder. A rough voice called out in the dark. “There she is. Don’t let her reach the ridge.” Another man laughed. “Orders are clear. Make it look like an accident. No witnesses.” My blood went cold. These were not my mother’s men. These men meant to kill me. I stumbled. A rough hand grabbed my arm and yanked me back hard. I hit the ground with a cry. Pain shot through my shoulder. “Got her!” one man said. A boot slammed into my ribs. I gasped and curled up, but another blow caught my cheek. Stars flashed behind my eyes. The dress tore at the shoulder and down one side. Dirt and blood mixed on my skin. “Stay down,” the second man growled. I tried to crawl away, arms shaking. Someone kicked me again, harder this time. Pain exploded in my side. A broken sound left my throat. “Please… stop…” I whispered, but my voice was weak. They did not stop. “Hold her still,” one of them said. “Finish it.” A knife flashed in the moonlight. “Stop.” The single word cut through the clearing. It was deep and cold. The men froze. A tall figure stepped out of the shadows between the trees. Broad shoulders. Dark hair. Eyes that glowed faint gold. The moment he appeared, the attackers went still, as if the forest itself had stopped breathing. “You are on my land,” the man said. His voice stayed calm. “This is Veyrath territory. You do not kill anyone here without my permission. Explain yourselves.” The attackers shifted. One of them stared hard, and widened his eyes. “Who the hell—” They stepped closer. Their faces changed when they saw him clearly. “Alpha Thorne,” one whispered. Darian Thorne did not move. He only looked at them. The men dropped the knife, backed away, and ran into the trees without another word. Silence filled the open space. I tried to push myself up. Pain spread through my side. The torn dress barely covered me. Blood trickled down the side of my head. I tasted iron. Darian’s eyes dropped to me. He studied me for a moment. “You don’t look so good, little one.” I knew that face. Every Omega in the pack knew that face. Alpha Darian Thorne. Handsome. Powerful. Rude. Known for taking a different woman whenever he wanted and forgetting her by morning. My stomach twisted. He crouched a little, still keeping some distance. “You shouldn’t be out here alone. Follow me.” I stared at him. Follow him? I could barely breathe without pain. My legs felt weak. How did he expect me to just stand and walk? Almost as if he heard the thought, he reached down, caught my wrist, and pulled me upright in one smooth motion. “Ouch—!” The sharp tug sent fire through my ribs. I staggered for half a second before forcing myself to stand. He was already walking. I stayed still. “I’m not going with you.” Darian glanced back over his shoulder. His mouth curved in something that was not quite a smile. “You don’t have a choice. Or do you? Stay here if you want. Suit yourself.” He turned and kept walking into the trees without looking back again. My heart pounded. The forest felt too quiet now. Those men could come back. I had no wolf to protect me, no strength left to run, and nowhere safe to go in this condition. The bag of supplies was gone, lost in the attack. I clenched my jaw, wiped blood from my lip with the back of my hand, and forced my feet to move. I followed the Alpha into the dark.