The Alpha's Unwanted Bride

CHAPTER2

The silence in the forest was suffocating. Rosalind sat where Killian had left her, knees pressed to the frozen ground, the glowing mark on her wrist pulsing faintly. She traced the edges of it with trembling fingers, feeling its warmth like a brand. Bound you, body and soul.

She clenched her fist, a surge of anger pushing away the cold fear creeping into her chest. No one had the right to claim her. Not Lilith. Not her father. And certainly not Killian Blackthorn.

Rising to her feet, she swayed slightly, her legs weak beneath her. The forest seemed darker now, the shadows deeper and more menacing. The wind howled through the trees, carrying with it the faint echo of wolves’ howls.

Was Killian still out there? Watching her?

“Coward,” she muttered under her breath, tightening her cloak around her shoulders.

The Alpha’s words echoed in her mind, his cryptic warning refusing to fade. This is only the beginning… there’s far more at stake than you realize. What did that mean?

She shook her head, taking a step forward. She didn’t care what he meant. All she knew was that she needed to get as far away from this place as possible. The clearing, the altar, the mark ,all of it screamed danger.

She stumbled into the trees, branches scratching at her arms and snagging her cloak. The forest was an endless maze, every path looking the same. Still, she pressed on, fueled by desperation.

I won’t let them control me, she thought. Not Killian. Not anyone.

An hour passed, or perhaps more. Rosalind’s steps slowed, exhaustion weighing her down. Her breath came in ragged gasps, the icy air cutting at her lungs.

She leaned against a tree, her body trembling with fatigue. The mark on her wrist burned again, its heat spreading up her arm. She tried to ignore it, but the sensation was unbearable, like molten iron searing her veins.

Then she heard it , a faint rustling in the underbrush.

Her head snapped up, heart pounding. “Who’s there?”

The rustling grew louder, closer. Rosalind’s eyes darted around the darkness, searching for the source. A pair of glowing amber eyes appeared between the trees, and a low growl rumbled through the air.

“No, no, no…” she whispered, backing away slowly.

The wolf stepped into the moonlight, its massive form covered in thick gray fur. Its eyes locked onto her, filled with an unsettling intelligence.

Rosalind’s breath hitched as she realized it wasn’t alone. More wolves emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing eerily in the dark. They moved in perfect unison, surrounding her in a tightening circle.

Her back hit a tree, and she froze. There was nowhere to run.

The largest wolf, the leader, bared its teeth, its growl deepening. Rosalind’s legs shook, but she refused to look away. If this was how it ended, she wouldn’t die cowering.

“Get it over with,” she whispered, her voice trembling but defiant.

The wolf’s growl abruptly stopped. It tilted its head, as though considering her words.

Before Rosalind could process what was happening, a familiar voice broke through the tension.

“Enough.”

The wolves immediately backed away, their snarls silenced. Rosalind’s heart sank as Killian stepped into the clearing, his silver eyes gleaming like steel.

“Running already?” he said, his tone infuriatingly calm.

Rosalind glared at him, anger overriding her fear. “Stay away from me.”

Killian ignored her, his attention shifting to the wolves. “Go,” he commanded, his voice a low growl. The wolves obeyed without hesitation, melting back into the shadows.

The silence that followed was deafening.

“You were warned,” Killian said, his gaze locking onto hers. “And yet here you are, making things difficult.”

“Difficult?” Rosalind spat, her voice rising. “You kidn*pped me…bound me to you and you expect me to just… what? Smile and accept it?”

Killian stepped closer, and she instinctively backed away.

“I expect you to survive,” he said coldly. “If you keep running, you won’t make it through the night. There are things in this forest far worse than me.”

Rosalind crossed her arms, ignoring the fear curling in her stomach. “What do you care if I survive? You’ve already made it clear that

I’m nothing more than a… a pawn to you.”

For a moment, something flickered in his expression, something she couldn’t quite place. But it was gone as quickly as it came.

“You’re right,” Killian said, his voice sharp. “You are a pawn. But even pawns have their uses.”

Rosalind’s anger flared. “I’m not a pawn. I’m not your property. And I’m not staying here!”

Killian’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. “You don’t understand what’s at stake,” he said, his tone dangerously low.

“Then explain it!” Rosalind snapped. “Tell me why I’m here. Tell me why you marked me. Or are you too much of a coward to admit the truth?”

The air seemed to crackle with tension. Killian took another step forward, closing the distance between them.

“You want the truth?” he said, his voice a quiet growl. “Fine. You’re here because your stepmother made a deal with me, a deal to save her own skin. She handed you over without a second thought. And now, whether you like it or not, you’re mine.”

Rosalind’s chest tightened. She already knew Lilith had betrayed her, but hearing it confirmed by Killian made the wound cut deeper.

“But why me?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Killian’s expression was unreadable. “Because you’re more than you seem, Rosalind. You don’t realize it yet, but you’re important. And if you leave, you’ll die before you have the chance to understand why.”

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

Killian hesitated, and for the first time, he seemed almost… uncertain.

“There’s something inside you,” he said finally. “Something powerful. The mark wasn’t just to bind you to me, it’s to protect you. If the wrong people find out what you are, they’ll destroy you.”

Rosalind stared at him, her mind racing. “What I am? You’re insane.”

“Am I?” Killian countered, his silver eyes boring into hers. “Think about it. Have you ever felt… different? Like you don’t belong? Like there’s a part of you that’s been locked away?”

She opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat.

Because he wasn’t entirely wrong.

There had been strange moments, fleeting moments, when she’d felt something stir inside her. An unexplainable energy, a pull she couldn’t ignore.

Killian stepped closer, his voice softening. “That’s why you’re here, Rosalind. Not because of me, or Lilith, or your father. You’re here because this is where you’re meant to be.”

Rosalind shook her head, backing away. “No. You’re lying.”

“I’m not,” Killian said firmly. “And if you run again, you won’t just be putting yourself in danger. You’ll be putting everyone else at risk, too.”

“Why should I believe you?” she demanded.

Killian’s expression hardened. “Because whether you believe me or not, the truth doesn’t change. The hunt has already begun,

Rosalind. And you’re the prize.”

Her blood ran cold. “What hunt?”

A low growl rumbled in Killian’s throat, his gaze shifting to the shadows.

“You’re not the only one with secrets,” he said. “There are others who want what you have. And they’ll do whatever it takes to get it.”

Before Rosalind could respond, a bloodcurdling howl echoed through the forest, louder and closer than before.Killian turned to her, his expression deadly serious. “Run,” he ordered.

Rosalind hesitated for only a moment before her instincts took over. She bolted into the trees, her heart pounding as the howls grew louder.

She didn’t look back.

But deep down, she knew this was only the beginning.