The Alpha's Human Bride

"Let her go!" Kieran’s voice cut through the cold night air. The angry shout came through the trees. The wolves stopped moving. They looked around searching where the voice came from as they sensed something threatening was about to happen. Elena Carter's face was bruised and bleeding, each cut on her skin has been a reminder of the horror she had just faced. Her hands were tied cruelly behind her back, making every movement of the torture painful. It was hard to breathe because of the pain. Her heart pounded so fast as she looked up at her captors. Blood got in her eyes and she struggled to keep them open, grounding her in this terrifying moment. Three huge wolves stood around her. These were not normal wolves. They were too large. Their eyes glowed in the dark. Their teeth were displayed, shining in the faint moonlight, creating a small terror in her heart. "Please..." she said quietly. She could barely talk, her voice breaking as desperation filtered in. One wolf had gray fur and was growling. It snapped its jaws near her face, the sound was sharp and threatening. She flinched, her body was tensed with fear, and she tried to crawl away from them. Then she heard the voice again, more powerful this time. "I said, let her go." A black wolf came out from the trees. It was bigger than all the others. It was black like the night. It moved without making noise and it looked very dangerous, radiating authority and strength. The other wolves moved back slowly, recognizing the power of the newcomer. In a flash, the black wolf jumped. It slammed into the gray one with a force that shook the ground. Teeth tore into fur, the two wolves bit each other, they made loud angry noise. Elena screamed as she watched them fight. Blood splashed everywhere. The gray wolf cried out in pain and ran desperately into the trees. The black wolf looked at the other wolves. They did not want to fight. They bowed their heads and backed off, their loyalty clear in their submission. Then the black wolf turned to her. Elena could not move. Her heart beats so fast. Her chest rose and fell fast like she had just sprinted. Her skin hurts. Her eyes got wide as she stared at the black wolf. The black wolf's golden eyes looked right at her. And then something amazing happened, it shifted. She heard bones cracking. The fur turned into skin, transforming the powerful beast. Now a tall man stood in front of her. His body had blood on it but it was not his blood. It was from the other wolf. He breathed hard and fast. He was naked. His jaw was tight, and his eyes burned like fire. Elena couldn't look away, her eye was wide opened, she was dumbfounded. She had only heard about stories of wolves transformation to humans, she had never believed those stories, and here she was looking at it directly. "You're safe now," he said, his voice deep and commanding, yet oddly comforting. She stared at him. She could not speak, unable to find her voice. Then he got down on his knees next to her. He reached for her hands that were still tied up. “You’re bleeding. Let me help.” She nodded. The moment his fingers touched her skin, it happened. A sharp shock went through both of them. Elena gasped, her breath catching in her throat. His eyes widened, reflecting his shock. It felt like lightning hit the ground between them. His wolf growled deep in his chest, a rolling sound that resonated in the air around them. Mate. His hands stopped moving. He stared at her like he had never seen anything like her before, like she was the only thing in the world that mattered, at that moment. "What... what was that?" Elena asked. Her voice was shaking with confusion and fear. He did not answer, his gaze lost in her eyes. He looked at her face. His jaw clenching tighter. He looked confused. Then he looked scared. He stood up fast and stepped away from her like she would hurt him. "You're human," he said, almost to himself. "That can't be possible." Elena blinked, trembling. Her hands were still tied, the ropes biting into her skin, her body hurts from fear and pain. But something inside her had changed, altering her understanding of this bizarre reality. "Who are you?" she asked. Her voice a whisper, and curiosity laced with fear. He did not answer. He just stood there, his eyes locked on hers. "What's your name?" she asked quietly. He took a hard breath. "Kieran Blackwood." Her heart skipped. She knew that name. She had known that name through one of the wolf stories she heard long time ago. Everyone had heard of the story and the name. He was the Alpha of the Blackwood Pack. The leader of all the wolves. “Wolves don’t hunt humans,” she said. “Why did these ones attack me?” He frowned. “These wolves were rogue. They did not follow pack rules. They attacked because you were alone and far from safety.” She thought of her research trip. She had come to track migration patterns. She had not expected to trespass into a secret wolf world. Now she is with the alpha who called her his mate. She looked at him. “Why did you save me?” He hesitated. He studied her face. Her expression was unreadable. Then he said, “I could not watch you die.” Her heart pounded. His words rang in her mind. She felt something she could not name. He sat close to her. He said. “Tell me about yourself. Why were you in the forest alone?” She swallowed. She met his blue eyes. “I am a wildlife biologist. I study wolves. I set cameras near the river. I follow the tracks. I record their calls. I want to know them.” He raised an eyebrow. “You study wolves, but you know little of the true pack.” She shrugged. “I did not know you still lived like this.” He frowned. “Our world is hidden. You were not meant to see it.” Kieran stood. His hands were in tight fists. His body was shaking. He had just found his mate. But she was human, and that was forbidden. Kieran stared at the girl in front of him, heart pounding, the truth crashing into him like a storm. His mate... was human. And that could ruin everything.