Moonbound: The Banished Alpha's Cursed Mate

Selene's Pov The night air was thick with tension, the silver glow of the full moon illuminating the dense forest as I ran. My heart pounded, my legs ached, but I didn’t stop. I couldn't. Every instinct in me screamed to turn back, to obey my family, to accept the fate they had written for me. But I refused. I would not be sold off like some bargaining chip, thrown into the arms of a prince I didn’t love just so my family could benefit from my death. They had betrayed me, the people I had loved and trusted my entire life. And now, I would make my choice. The bond tethered me to him. The banished alpha. The male I had been destined for. The one everyone feared. My breath came in short, shallow gasps as I stumbled to a stop at the edge of his territory—the bloodthorn Forest, a forbidden lair. The scent of pine, rain, and something darkly masculine curled around me, intoxicating and wild. My wolf shivered inside me, a mix of fear and need thrumming through my veins. I had never met him before, only heard the whispered legends. A ruthless killer, a merciless beast, a monster of the night. No one who crossed into his domain ever returned. And yet, I stepped forward. The wind howled as if warning me, but it was too late. The moment my foot crossed the invisible boundary, he was there. A massive shadow emerged from the darkness, moving with deadly grace. The moonlight struck his face, revealing piercing, feral red eyes that locked onto me like a predator sighting prey. My heart stuttered. His scent—rich, potent, and raw—engulfed me, and I staggered back instinctively. He was larger than any alpha I had ever seen, muscles coiled like a beast ready to pounce, his midnight-black hair slightly disheveled as if he had just shifted. He was shirtless, his sculpted chest marred with scars that only made him more devastatingly alluring. "Selene." His voice was a growl, deep and ragged, vibrating through my bones. "You came to me." The way he said it—possessive, dark, claiming—made my breath hitch. I swallowed, my throat dry. "I had no choice." His golden eyes flashed with something primal. "No choice?" His lips curled into a smirk, but there was no humor in it. "You ran straight into the jaws of the beast, little wolf. Do you know what that means?" I shivered. "I know." A slow, dangerous chuckle rumbled from his chest. "Then say it." My fingers trembled as I clenched them into fists. I had never been this close to such raw dominance before, never felt a power so suffocating. My body responded to him in ways I didn’t understand, heat pooling deep in my core as my wolf whimpered in desperate anticipation. "I belong to you," I whispered. The moment the words left my lips, he moved. Lightning-fast, he closed the distance, his hands gripping my waist as he yanked me flush against his body. The heat of his skin burned through my thin clothing, every inch of him solid and unyielding. His mouth crushed against mine, devouring me whole. A gasp escaped me as his tongue swept into my mouth, demanding, punishing, claiming. I had expected a kiss filled with anger, but this was more—it was a war, a promise, a vow that I was his now. A deep growl rumbled in his chest as he lifted me effortlessly, my legs instinctively wrapping around his waist. He tore his lips from mine, breathing hard. "You smell like heaven," he rasped, his nose dragging along my throat, inhaling me deeply. "And you're mine. Every inch of you." His teeth grazed my pulse, sending a sharp bolt of pleasure straight to my core. A desperate sound slipped from my lips. "Ronan..." His name trembled from me, and I felt the effect it had on him. His entire body tensed, his grip tightening as if he was restraining himself. "You will never say another man's name," he growled, his voice dripping with possession. "Only mine. Only ever mine." His mouth was on me again, his lips blazing a path down my jaw, my throat, my collarbone. My body arched into him as his sharp teeth scraped over my sensitive skin, sending electric shocks straight to my core. And then—he moved. I barely registered it before my back hit the soft mattress of his oversized bed. He hovered over me, his golden eyes wild and burning as they roamed over my body, as if he wanted to devour every inch. I should have been afraid. But I wasn’t. I wanted this. I needed this. Ronan's fingers trailed down my sides, slow and torturous, his rough fingertips igniting fire wherever they touched. "You're trembling," he murmured. "Are you afraid of me, little wolf?" I met his gaze, swallowing hard. "No." "Good," he growled. And then he ripped my clothes away. I gasped, the cool air hitting my skin, but the heat of his body quickly replaced it. His gaze darkened with hunger, his pupils dilating as he took in every inch of me. "Perfect," he rasped. "f*****g perfect." His mouth crashed onto my breast, his tongue circling my hardened peak before he bit down just enough to make me gasp. I arched into him, my body burning as his hands roamed lower, lower— A desperate whimper tore from me. "Please..." He exhaled sharply, his grip bruising. "You don’t get to beg, Selene." His voice was a rough snarl against my skin. "I take what’s mine." His fingers slid between my thighs, finding me soaked. A low, satisfied growl vibrated from his chest. "You're drenched for me," he murmured darkly. "You need me, don’t you?" "Yes," I choked out. A wicked smirk played on his lips. "Say it." "I need you," I breathed, my body aching, pulsing, craving him. Ronan didn’t wait. He thrust into me in one deep, powerful stroke, stretching me completely, forcing my body to mold around him. I cried out, my fingers digging into his shoulders, but he didn’t stop—he set a ruthless pace, each thrust sending waves of pleasure crashing through me. He groaned against my neck, his breath ragged. "f**k, you're tight," he growled. "You were made for me, Selene. Made to take me." Every stroke, every deep thrust sent me spiraling higher, his grip bruising, possessive, unrelenting. And when I shattered, when my world exploded in blinding ecstasy, he followed, growling my name like a vow. As our bodies tangled together, his lips pressed to my temple, his voice a dark promise. "This is only the beginning," he murmured. "You’re mine now, little wolf. And I’ll never let you go."