THE ALPAHA'S UNBREAKABLE MATE

CHAPTER 2

/ISLA/

The hallway felt like it was shrinking. The scent of Alpha Cain—like a storm rolling over a cedar forest—wrapped around me so tightly I could taste it. My heart, which had been shattered into a thousand pieces by Kieran only moments ago, was now hammering against my ribs for a completely different reason.

Mate. The word echoed in my head. This couldn't be.

Cain didn't let go. His fingers were locked onto my waist, his heat seeping through the thin fabric of my dress. I looked up at him, searching for the rejection I expected. He was the most powerful man in the territory, a widower who had shut himself off from the world for decades. I was the "trash" his son had just thrown away.

But Cain wasn't looking at me with disgust. His eyes were dark, swirling with a hunger that made my knees weak.

"Alpha," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I only came here…"

The sound of my ex-lover’s footsteps grew louder. Kieran rounded the corner, still wearing that smug, satisfied grin from his dance with Elara. He stopped dead when he saw us. His eyes traveled from my tear-stained face to his father’s massive hands gripped firmly around my waist.

"Father?" Kieran’s voice was sharp, his arrogance flickering for a second. "What are you doing with the omega? I told her to get out of the palace."

I tried to pull away, my instinct to hide from Kieran's cruelty kicking in, but Cain’s grip only tightened. He pulled me flush against his side.

“Is there a reason why you're here, Kieran?” Cain asked, his voice devoid of any warmth.

“I'm the one who's confused here,” Kieran looked visibly distressed. He took a step forward, his eyes darting between my terrified face and his father’s possessive grip. “What’s going on in here? And why is she in your arms, Father?”

Cain didn't flinch. He didn't even look at Kieran. His gaze stayed locked on me, his thumb tracing a slow, heavy circle against the silk over my hip.

“The Moon Goddess has a strange sense of humor, Kieran,” Cain said. His voice was neutral, like he was discussing the weather. “It seems she has decided to grant me a second chance tonight.”

Kieran’s jaw dropped. The smugness he had worn all night vanished, replaced by a look of pure horror. “A second chance? You mean… she’s your mate?”

I lowered my head, my hair falling forward to hide my burning face. I felt like a prize being fought over by two predators, except I wasn't a prize—I was the girl Kieran had just called a “pet” in front of the woman he actually wanted.

“Mate,” Cain stated plainly like he'd assumed Kieran was hard of hearing.

“No!” Kieran shouted, his face turning a blotchy red. “That’s impossible! She’s a nobody, Father. She’s an omega. I just threw her out! You can’t seriously mean that this… this thing is supposed to be the next Luna? My mother’s successor?”

Cain’s body went rigid. The air in the hallway turned freezing. The pressure of his Aura was so strong I could barely breathe.

“Watch your mouth,” Cain warned, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “You may have just ascended the throne, but I am still your Alpha. And you will not speak about her that way.”

“I’m the one who’s going to lead this pack!” Kieran stepped closer, his aqua eyes boiling with rage. “How is it going to look if my father—the legendary Alpha Cain—is marking the same girl I just rejected? It’s a scandal! You’re going to accept the bond just like that?”

Cain’s grip on my waist loosened, but only so he could step in front of me, shielding my body with his massive frame. I trembled in his shadow, my heart breaking all over again. Kieran didn't care about the bond; he only cared about how it made him look.

“I haven't accepted anything yet, Kieran,” Cain said coldly. “And I haven't rejected it either. The Moon Goddess has made her move. Now, I will make mine.”

Cain turned back to me. For a second, the coldness in his eyes softened. He looked at me, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of something that wasn't just hunger. He looked at me like he was seeing a ghost—someone he had lost a long time ago.

“Go, Isla,” he said quietly. “Go back to your quarters. We will speak tomorrow.”

I didn't need to be told twice. I scrambled back, my feet sliding on the marble as I broke away from his touch. I didn't look at Kieran. I couldn't bear to see the hatred in his eyes.

I ran until I reached the small, cramped room I shared with the other kitchen omegas. I slammed the door and sank to the floor, my breath coming in jagged gasps. My skin still sizzled where Cain had touched me.

Outside in the hall, I could hear the muffled sound of shouting.

“She’s a b***h who did everything to stay close to me!” Kieran’s voice drifted through the vents, loud and ugly. “She’s playing you, Father! She’s trying to stay in power because I dumped her!”

I curled into a ball on the cold floor, clutching my stomach. I was twenty years old today. I was supposed to be celebrating my wolf. I was supposed to be Kieran's Luna but everything had taken a completely different turn.

I thought the night couldn't get any worse, but as the sun began to rise, a summon arrived that changed everything.