Moonbound: The Alpha’s Secret Mate1

The Night Before

Lira was standing by her window side enjoying the view and the thick air with the scent of spine and earth as her house wasn’t too far from the forest, the silver moon not too far from her sight.

Tonight was her eighteenth birthday and she said it was going to be a day to remember because she had imagined this night countless times and could not wait for it. The day is finally here, her heart pounded in her chest as she was restless to begin partying.

She wrapped her hands around her self, though the cool breeze was welcomed, the small town of Ashwood lay quiet behind her, unaware of the storm gathering just beyond the trees.

She decided to stroll out to the forest, for as long as she could remember she had always felt different, like a secret buried just beneath her skin waiting to break free.

Her fingers brushed against her silver locket around her neck given to her by her grandma before she passed, a gift given to her without any explanation, yet never forgotten and tonight it seemed heavier than usual.A rustle echoed from the shadows,she felt scared and alarmed,she said to her self “I am not alone”.

“Lira” a voice called out, a familiar voice she said in her head but there was something she couldn’t quite put together, turning slowly she met the gaze of a figure stepping into the moonlight, talk and strong with eyes that were as bright as the sky’s at day.

Kade Blackthorn, the name was always on the towns head stories and the most handsome Alpha no one dared challenged. Lira was mesmerized by his looks at the same time she wondered what he was doing around this particular place by this time. Kade came closer to lira,but she steps back,she was so tensed like something unspoken cracking like electricity.

“You should not be out here” Kade said in the softest way ever and a mix of calmness. There was a way he looked at her, like he already knew her, like he wants to just explore the world with her even though they’ve never met less more of talking to each other before.

Lira is so beautiful all she has to do is walk by and command attention with nothing less than a glance.Lira still trying to get a hold of reality suddenly responds , “I just needed to get out of the house for some fresh air “ she said,it’s my favorite place.

“I know” jade simply said and lira’s heart skipped a bit. She starts to question herself, “how does he know ? Hmm, Before she could speak, the ground shook lightly beneath their feet.

A low and scary howl ripped through the darkness. It wasn’t close, but it wasn’t far at all. Kade’s jaw hardened. “We must leave,Now.” Lira blinked. “Why He didn’t respond. Instead, he grasped her wrist, softer than she anticipated and began pulling her toward the woods.

“There’s not a moment to lose. You’re not safe.” The breeze changed direction fairly quickly and brought a fragrance Lira did not recognize. It wasn’t pine and earth anymore there was something metallic about it now. Something off. They were hardly a few steps away when a scream, unhuman and sharp cut through the silence. He abruptly halted and shielded her behind him. “Stay close,” he snarled, and then Lira caught a glimpse of it,the golden flash in his eyes, far from human. Her veins ran icy cold. “You’re one of them,” she whispered. Kade did not turn around. “I’ve always belonged to them. The question now is. what are you, Lira?” Her lips opened, but as she tried to speak, the trees in front of them parted in a deafening c***k and out came something enormous, black, and snarling, eyes blazing crimson. Kade moved. Bones snapped. Muscles flexed. And in front of her stood not a man, but a creature of myth—enormous, silvery-black fur catching the moon’s rays, his low growl vibrating the ground beneath her feet. Lira recoiled, her heart racing. The animal charged,Its huge body thundered through the clearing, jaws dropped and claws outstretched, eyes ablaze with unnatural red glow. The earth trembled under the rumble of its snarling sounding as if thunder through the darkness. Lira froze. Her body would not budge—her legs rooted firmly in place, her breath caught in her throat. Her every impulse cried out for her to flee, she wanted too but terror wrapped around her like chains. Kade’s changed form charged headlong in front of the creature halfway through its charge with a wild roar. Fierce snarls and claws met, their impact ringing out through the forest like a battle cry. The intensity of their collision sent a blast of air whipping by Lira’s face, spinning her hair wildly around her head. She stumbled back against the counter, her heart racing wildly. Her locket pulsed—actually pulsed—against her skin, heating up by the second. “What. what’s going on?” she gasped, staring aghast at the horrific struggle unfolding before her eyes. The creature—wolf-shaped, but off, distorted—bit at Kade’s neck, but he evaded, cutting it on the sides with icy sharp claws. Blood gushed out. It did not bleed red. It was black. Lira’s stomach churned “Kade!” she exclaimed before she could prevent it. As his ears detected her tone, they twitched. He snarled harder than ever before and pushed the creature away from him with his muscles tensed in raw strength and wild rage. And then The animal snapped at her. With a fierce, wild movement, it pushed Kade out of the way and charged at Lira, quicker than she could even blink. She shrieked Her knees buckled. But when it sprang for her—teeth inches from her face—the locket on her chest exploded in a blast of light. Sil-ver light. Blin-ding and pur The creature was slammed into a tree midflight, landing facefirst as it let out a nasal wail of pain, smoke billowing from its burned chest. Lira slumped to the ground in a gasp for breath, staring at the still-warm locket in her hand. The chain had broken, but the charm floated inches above her palm, slowly spinning as if. alive. “What. what did I just do?” she whispered. Kade relocated behind her, his human form kneeling at her side, naked and breathing hard, a new gash on his brow. He did not seem startled. He seemed afraid. “Where did you acquire that locket?” he almost shouted, his voice rasping. “It’s from my grandmother,” she stammered. “Why? And what is it?” Kade’s jaw set hard. “That’s not just a wolf, Lira. That creature was a Shadowborn—a cursed creature.” “You shouldn’t have made it through that.” He stood and reached out to assist her. “No human would’ve.” “This locket. it only responds to royal blood.” Lira blinked at him, shocked. “What are you saying?” “I’m saying…” he hesitated, gazing at her in a peculiar combination of wonder and fear, “you’re not human at all, Lira. You’re one of us.” Before she could even absorb his words, a long, menacing cry came from far down in the woods—this time echoed by dozens more. Kade’s face paled. They’ve located you Lira’s eyes widened. “Who?” “Others,” he replied in a constricted tone. “The ones who will kill you. before the prophecy rises.”.