THE ALPHA'S FORBIDDEN MATE
THE GIRL IN THE SHADOW
The first thing i learned after being dragged away from the sacred grounds was that nobody was coming to save me.
Not the moon Goddess.
Not the pack.
Not even the Alpha who was supposed to be my mate.
The warriors dragged me through the stone corridors beneath the Alpha's estate while rain hammered against the windows.
My feet were bare.
My dress was thorn.
My wrists burned where their fingers had gripped me.
But the pain in my chest was worse.
I couldn't stop hearing his voice.
I would rather die than love you.
The words kept repeating inside my head.
I had spent eighteen years believing that one day my mate would find me.
My mother used to tell me stories about the mate bond before she died.
She told me that if the Moon Goddess chose someone for you, nothing could break the connection.
she told me your mate would recognize you.
protect you.
love you.
she had been wrong.
or perhaps she had simply never imagined that the Moon Goddess could make such a cruel mistake.
The warrior on my left shoved me forward.
"keep moving."
I stumbled.
"I can walk."
He laughed.
"Do you think anyone cares?"
I said nothing.
The corridor seemed endless.
Eventually, they stopped before a massive iron door.
One warrior unlocked it.
The door opened with a loud groan.
Cold air rushed against my face.
I looked inside.
A cell.
My stomach tightened.
"No."
The warrior pushed me inside.
I turned around.
"Where are you taking me?"
He didn't answer.
"Why am I being locked up?"
Still nothing.
At least tell me what I've done!"
The older warrior finally looked at me.
"you were born."
The door slammed shut.
I stood there in darkness.
Alone.
My eyes slowly adjusted.
The cell was small.
There was a thin mattress on the floor and a bucket in the corner.
A tiny window sat high on the wall. Moonlight entered through the bars.
I walked towards it. The red moon is still visible.
I touched the wall. My fingers trembled.
"Why me?"
My wolf stirred.
Because he is ours.
I closed my eyes.
"He's not."
He is.
"He hates me."
My wolf became silent.
That hurt more than anything.
Because she had no answer.
I didn't sleep.
Everything I Closed my eyes, I saw kael.
His golden eyes.
His Expression.
The moment our wolves recognized each other.
The way his entire body has frozen.
He had felt it
I knew he had.
The bond had been real.
So why had he rejected it?
I placed my hand over my heart.
It was still beating too fast.
Then something strange happened.
A burning sensation spread across my chest.
I gasped.
I pulled down the collar of my dress.
A mark had appeared on my skin.
A sliver crescent surrounded by a black flame.
I had never seen it before.
"What is happening?"
The wolf growled.
The bond is changing.
"What does that mean?"
I don't know.
That frightened me.
My wolf always knew things before I did.
But now she sounded afraid.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed outside the cell.
I stepped back.
A shadow appeared beneath the door.
Then someone unlocked it.
I expected warriors.
Instead, a young woman entered. she was dressed in a dark blue gown. Her long blonde hair fell over her shoulders.
I recognized her immediately.
Luna Selene.
Alpha kael's intended Luna.
The woman everyone believed would become Queen of Blackthorn.
she stared at me.
For a long moment, neither of us spoke.
Then she smiled. it wasn't a kind smile.
"So you're her?"
I swallowed.
"Who?"
"The Alpha's mistake."
My stomach twisted.
"I'm not a mistake."
She laughed
"You're right."
She stopped closer.
"You're a threat."
I stared at her.
"Why are you here?"
She crouched in front of me.
"To give you some advice."
"I don't need it."
"You do."
Her voice became quieter.
"If you want to survive, forget the Alpha."
I looked away.
"I never asked to be his mate."
"Neither did I."
I looked back.
For the first time, I saw pain in her eyes.
"You love him." she didn't answer.
"You do". Her jaw tightened.
"I have loved kael since we were children." I felt something twist inside me.
"I'm sorry." Her eyes narrowed.
"Don't pity me."
"I'm not."
"Then listen carefully". She leaned closer.
"Kael will never choose you." I looked at her.
"He already did." she slapped me.
My head turned silence filled the cell.
My cheek burned. I slowly looked back at her.
She stared at me. "Don't ever speak as if you belong to him."
I touched my cheek. "You didn't have to hit me.
She stood. "I haven't even started."
Before I could answer the door opened again.
A voice came from outside. "Luna."
Selene immediately stepped away from me.
A guard appeared.
"The Alpha wants to see the prisoner."
Selene's face changed.
"He does?"
"Yes."
She looked at me.
For the first time, Fear flashed across her eyes.
Then she walked out.
The guard unlocked the cell.
"Come."
My heart skipped a beat.
The Alpha wanted to see me.
I was taken upstairs.
The difference between the prisoner and the upper floor was unbelievable.
The corridors were lined with gold. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling.
Paintings of previous Alpha's covered the walls.
Huge windows overlooked the pack territory.
Everything screamed power.
Everything reminded me that I didn't belong here.
The guard stopped before tow enormous wooden door.
He knocked.
"Enter."
I walked inside.
Kael stood beside the window.
He was alone.
He didn't turn around.
"Leave us."
The guards bowed and left.
The door closed.
Silence.
I stood there.
Kael remained facing the window.
"Come closer."
I obeyed.
My wolf immediately reacted.
MATE.
I swallowed.
Kael finally turned. our eyes met.
The bond slammed into me.
Heat spread through my body.
His breathing changed.
He felt it too.
He quickly looked away.
"Why are you doing this?"
I frowned.
"Doing what."
"Looking at me like that".
"I can't control it."
"Control yourself."
"I am trying."
He walked towards me.
Every step made my heart beat faster.
He stopped a few feet away.
"Do you know what happens if the elders discover the full thruth?"
"No."
"They will kill you."
I froze.
"Why?"
"Because of the prophecy."
"The seer said I could destroy the kingdom."
"She was wrong."
I stared at him.
"You don't believe I'm dangerous.
"No."
The answer surprised me.
"Then why did you reject me?"
His face hardened.
"Because I have no choice."
"What does that mean?"
He didn't answer.
"Kael."
His eyes flashed.
"Don't call me that."
"Why?"
"Because when you say my name..."
He stopped.
I waited.
He looked away.
"It becomes harder to remember why I should stay away from you."
My heart skipped.
"You feel the bond."
"Yes."
"Then why fight it?"
"Because loving you could destroy everyone."
I stepped close.
"Maybe the prophecy is wrong."
"Maybe."
"Then why not take the risk."
His eyes met mine.
"Because you don't know what I know."
"What do you know."
He was silent.
"Tell me."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because once you know, there is no going back."
I stared at him.
"You already made my life a nightmare."
His expression softened slightly.
"I'm sorry."
Those two words shocked me, I hadn't expected an apology.
He continued: "I didn't want to hurt you."
"But you did."
"I know."
"Then help me."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because someone inside this place is trying to kill you."
I froze.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Then why am I here?"
"Because the safest place for you is where I can watch you."
I laughed bitterly.
"You call this safe."
"No."
He stepped closer.
"But it is safer than the forest."
"The forest?"
He nodded.
"There are rogue wolves outside the territory."
My blood went cold.
"They're hunting me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because someone has placed a bounty on you."
"Who?"
He looked directly into my eyes.
"The person who knows what you really are."
Before I could ask another question the doors burst open.
The beta rushed inside.
"Alpha."
Kael turned.
"We found a body."
His expression changed.
"Where?"
"Near the Eastern border."
"Who?"
The beta looked at me.
His face was pale.
"One of the guards."
Kael's jaw tightened.
"How did he die?"
The beta swallowed.
"His throat was torn out."
I stepped backward.
Kael immediately moved in front of me.
"What else?"
The beta looked frightened.
"There was a message.
"What message."
The beta slowly pulled a piece of blood stainded cloth from his pocket.
He handed it to kael.
Kael unfolded it.
His expression become unreadable.
I stared.
"What does it say?"
He didn't answer.
"Kael."
He finally looked at me.
Then he handed me the cloth.
Three words had been written across it in blood.
My blood turned cold.
RETURN TO THE HEIR
I looked up.
"The heir?"
Kael's face was grim.
"That's what I was afraid of."
"What does it mean?"
He stared at me.
"It means they know who you are."
"Who am I ?"
Kael didn't answer
The beta looked between us.
Then another warrior rushed into the room.
"Alpha!"
Kael turned.
"What now?"
The warrior was breathing heavily.
"We found another message."
"Where?"
"On the sacred stone."
Kael's face hardened.
"What does it say?"
The warrior looked at me.
Then he whispered.
THE FORBIDDEN MATE MUST DIE BEFORE THE BLOOD MOON ENDS.
Silence.
I looked at kael.
He looked at me.
And for the first time since I had met him, I saw something in his eyes that terrified me.
No hatred.
No rejection.
Fear
He was afraid of losing me.
And somewhere deep inside me, I realized something even more frightening.
The blood moon was not ending tonight.
It had only begun.
