When His Mate Emerges

Estella’s POV "Have you made up your mind?" Lorelei, my childhood friend, gripped my hand. "Leaving the Red Moon Pack for the werewolf academy, never coming back?" "Once you do, Xander will never find you and you won’t have a place at the palace anymore..." Xander, my boyfriend for two years, the kingdom's future Alpha King. Just hearing his name made my chest tighten. But what hurt even more was the tabloid on my tablet, showing photos of Xander and Lilith—my best friend, leaving a hotel together . They were close. Smiling and granting interviews. The perfect couple. My heart ached; that was my mate. Only a week ago, I was planning to give Xander my virginity. …… It was our two-year anniversary, and I made sure everything was perfect on that day. I did a beauty treatment several days prior, oiled my skin with sweet-smelling rose oil, picked his favorite rosy candle and even wore the blood red lingerie—his favorite one. Xander had always hounded me about giving him s*x. It was important to him. Even when I wasn’t ready, he would always remind me that he was a man. He had needs but still stayed with me. Because he loved me. Tonight, I would finally seal the deal. Give him all parts of me, and we would be together forever. Just then, my phone's ringer tone made my heart jolt. Xander! “H-hello?” I answered shyly, playing with the edge of my dress. “Rea,” Xander’s static voice filled the room. “Come to Blue Ridge. Now.” I blinked. “What? Why—” “Don’t ask questions,” Xander cut me off. “Just come. I’m waiting.” The line went dead. He planned a surprise! A delighted laugh left my lips as my stomach kicked in excitement. “Coming!” I shot a text to Xander, rushed to the closet to grab a coat. It was a bit risky. Leaving the house in only lingerie. But as I reapplied my lipgloss all ll I could think about was the look on Xander's face when I opened my coat. —------------------------------ Less than an hour later, I walked through the woods giddy with excitement. I once told Xander how much I enjoyed camping. Then he brought me here, to the forest, for my first time? My chest warmed. He was so thoughtful. I lifted my phone in the air, tracking his location to an open clearing. “Xander?!” I heard a twig snap ahead, and my lips split into a smile. He was still hiding his surprise. My stomach was a bundle of butterflies now. With trembling hands, I undid the belt of my coat and slipped it off my shoulders. The cool evening air kissed my skin immediately, making my n*****s hard. I bit my lip in a small smile and stepped out into the clearing. Lilith’s sob was the first thing I heard. She was tied on her knees. Dress torn and tears streaking down her cheeks. Lilith? My best friend? How could she be here? I was too shocked. Too frozen to process or cover up as men emerged from the shadows. The filthy, dirty scent of being exiled hit me and I knew it instantly—they were rogues. My brain fired in alarm immediately. I stumbled backward and bumped into a chest. Fear rushed down my spine, and my lips parted in a scream. I turned around and shook in relief. Xander! “X-Xander. Lilith, I—” My voice trembled, my hands pointing back “You—” “What are you wearing?Half-naked? ” Xander cut me off, disgusted, and I froze. My gut dropped immediately, heat flushing my cheeks. I was suddenly hyper-conscious of how naked I was. “I- It It was for… “ I stammered, pulling my arm back to cover my chest. But Xander’s attention had already gone from me. His eyes were trained behind me. On Lilith and those scary-looking men. Shaking with dread, I tried to inch closer to Xander for safety. “She’s here.” His voice sounded more distant than I had ever heard it. “Take the girl and release Lilith.” I blinked. Unsure of what I had just heard. Surely Xander didn’t mean— “You’re lucky,” One of the men chuckled at Lilith gruffly, cutting the ropes on her wrist. “Your boyfriend loves you enough to trade.” My heart jumped to my mouth. “Xander!” I reached for his arm, panicked. “What is he talking about? What does—-” “Go.” He shrugged me off coldly. “What?!” My chest cracked open in fear. He was being serious?! One of the men grabbed my arm, and I screamed. “Xander!” I yelled, kicking my kidnapper. “Stop this!” If this was some kind of prank, I wasn’t finding it funny. My eyes burned as tears began to blur my vision. “STOP!” “Enough, Estella.” Xander chided me. I watched, my chest cracking open in hurt and disbelief as Lilith ran towards my fiancée and Xander held her protectively. “No.” A whisper left my lips. Xander looked at me, a trace of hesitation in his eyes, but he didn’t budge. Holding Lilith tightly in his arm, he shouted at me, “You don’t have a wolf, you’re just a hybrid. Lilith’s different—she’s a full wolf, with a future ahead!” My blood ran cold. Just because I don’t have a wolf, does that mean I’m nothing? My frame wracked with sobs, and I shook my head. Thrashing and struggled against my restraints. “No! Why?!! I’m your girlfriend!” Lilith looked up at Xander with her big, soft eyes, tears slipping down her cheeks. She gripped his arm tighter. “You don’t have to do this for me…” Evan’s eyes went cold as he turned to me. “You’re nothing. Your death won’t matter. Lilith’s life is what counts.'” The men began to drag me away. But I couldn’t fight. “She’s got sexy tits.” Laughter rang out as one of the kidnappers reached out to fondle my breasts. I felt detached. Like my body belonged to someone else as they made jokes and chattered excited of how they would take me. I wore this lingerie for Xander. And now, the virginity I had protected for so long, random men would forcefully take it. I wanted to curl in a ball and die. Then I felt the sharp prickle of a needle on my arm. I jerked immediately, eyes widening as the pain pulled me back to the present. The wolves surrounded me. Half dressed and watching in anticipation as one pulled an injection back from my arm. “Don’t worry, little lamb.” He chuckled. “You’ll enjoy it.” He grabbed my wrist and my heart jerked in fear. No! I slammed my teeth down on his wrist immediately. “f*****g hell!” He yelled pulling back. “Stupid b***h!” But I was already up and running. My chest pounding in my ears. “HEY!” Their angry shouts followed me. But I was faster. The element of surprise on my side until the drug kicked in. The world got slower, my temperature hotter. Each step was hard work, and I sobbed in pain. But I couldn’t afford to stop. Couldn’t— A guttural yell tore from my lips as the ground vanished under my feet without warning. My chest kicked in fear, harsh wind whipping past my face. Cold water swallowed my scream. Pain exploded across my body as the current dragged me under. I clawed my way free. Coughing, gasping, and crawling unto the slick stone at the base of the cliff. That was when I heard the chains. A low rattle beneath the raw of the waterfall. I turned around boldly and saw a man. He stood tall. Broad and shackled to the rocks by iron chains that rattled when he moved. My eyes moved, and my mouth went dry. He was completely nude. Water streaming over bare skin and a torso carved like a god’s statue. Every vein, every muscle, rippled with power. The drug took my senses, and my breathing got faster. I slowly lifted my eyes. Up that sexy chest to sharp jawline and— Molten gold eyes fixed on mine immediately, and he lunged. The chains snapped violently, his muscles flexing as the waterfall roared around him. “MATE!” His growl froze me. Made my heart jolt as my blood ran cold with recognition. I had seen that chiseled nose before. That silver long hair framing that sexy face. And the golden eyes. Horror crawled up my spine. DARIUS. Xander’s Lycan King Father.