The Alpha’s Forbidden Mate

SEVEN: THE MYSTERY BEGIN

[KIERAN POINT OF VIEW]

I woke up suddenly, the night air cold against my skin.

For a moment, I wasn't sure where I was or if I was even alive.

The forest smelled faintly of damp earth and pine, but the sharp sting in my side told me I had survived.

Shock coursed through me. I... I'm still alive?

The dagger... the same one that had killed my father in an instant. How had I survived?

My wounds ached, but not as unbearably as before.

Slowly, painfully, my strength began to return.

Then a memory flickered—a girl. Just a human girl, frightened but determined, who had lifted me, cleaned my wounds, and whispered words of comfort.

I couldn't remember her face clearly, only the kindness in her voice.

She had saved me. But how?

How had someone so fragile kept me alive when even the killer's weapon couldn't finish the job?

I tried to move, to speak, to call her name, but the cabin was empty.

No sign of her anywhere.

Panic bubbled in my chest, mixed with gratitude and curiosity.

Then out of the corner of my eye, something glinted on the floor. I reached out, hands shaking, and picked it up. The pendant.

Before I lost consciousness—before I thought I was going to die—I remembered the forest around me growing darker, shadows stretching even though it was still afternoon.

Figure stood over me. The face was blurred, impossible to see, but one thing stood out: something it wore caught the fading light, blinking sharply against the gloom.

She was the one who had saved me.

The girl who had cared enough to risk herself... for me.

I sank back against the wall, staring at the pendant, trying to summon her face from the fog of my memory. It hovered there, blurry and fleeting, like a dream I could almost touch but never fully grasp.

I stayed low on the cabin floor, refusing to risk more than necessary. My body ached, but I forced myself to remain still, knowing I couldn't afford another attack tonight.

The forest outside was dark and quiet, but my mind refused to rest.

I thought back to the face of the killer—the one who had struck me with the same dagger that had killed my father.

I didn't know him. But something about him felt... familiar, like he carried the weight and strength of my father's age.

I still had no clue who the real killer was, but at least now I knew what he looked like.

My throat was dry, so I reached for the water besides me. The handkerchief, still damp and stained with blood, lay next to it.

The scent told me it wasn't mine—it was human.

The sharp worry stirred in my chest. Had she cut herself while tending to me?

The thought made my grip tighten, a weight settling in me.

She had hurt herself just to keep me alive.

The realization made me appreciate her sacrifice even more.

The metallic taste of blood mixed with the water didn't matter. I needed it.

I drank carefully, letting the liquid soothe my parched throat.

Ignoring the sting of guilt that pricked at me.

I waited for sunrise, muscles coiled and senses alert, when I thought I heard voices.

Soft at first, then growing louder. Footsteps. Words I recognized.

I stayed pressed against the cabin wall, barely daring to breathe, listening as I watched them through a narrow crack in the wood.

"I knew something was wrong! I told you we shouldn't have waited," Zelira hissed, stepping carefully over the forest floor. Her voice trembled with frustration and worry.

Cael, as usual, didn't seem to care. "Oh, please, Zelira. Worrying won't do you any good. Besides, look at this—" He bent down, smirking, "Blood in the forest! It's like nature's way of saying, 'Welcome back, drama!'"

Zelira snapped at him, voice sharp as a whip. "This isn't a joke, Cael! He could be hurt—or worse! We need to find him now, and you—"

"I'm helping! See?" Cael interrupted, waving a hand toward the scattered blood. "I'm on the case, Captain Hollis!"

The voices were unmistakable—Zelira and Cael. They were arguing, like cat and dog, but relief washed over me despite the tension. They were here, they had found me.

I finally let out a small, quiet laugh. It must have been faint, because Cael froze mid-step. "Wait... did I just hear—laughing? Someone's in here?"

I stepped out from the shadows. "Zelira... Cael."

Zelira's eyes were sharp as ever, scanning me from head to toe. "What happened to you?" she demanded, voice tense. "You're covered in bruises... and that blood—what happened?" Before I could answer, she stepped forward and threw her arms around me. "You're alive!" she whispered, relief evident in her voice.

Cael grinned, shaking his head, and pulled me into a quick, bro-hug. "Man, I knew you'd make it, but still... it's good to see you breathing!" He never missing a chance to tease. "Yeah, tell me you wrestled a bear or something. Come on, man, you can't just leave us hanging!"

I groaned, massaging my temple. I hesitated, then let the truth spill. "I was attacked. By... someone. The dagger..." My stomach twisted at the memory. "...the same kind that killed my father, and I know who it is. The one who attacked me... he's my father's killer. I shouldn't even be alive."

Zelira's jaw slackened for a moment, while Cael whistled low. "You're kidding me. That thing kills your father... and you survived? How?"

I shrugged, the faintest smirk breaking through my pain. "I don't know. I just... did."

Cael laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Okay, that's impressive. Seriously, you cheated death?”

I looked down, remembering the forest and the cabin. "Someone helped me. Human, a girl. She... she brought me to a cabin, cleaned my wounds, gave me water..." My voice faltered slightly as I remembered her hands and the quiet comfort she gave.

Cael perked up instantly. "Wait—wait! Who is she? Is she beautiful? I need details, man!"

Zelira shot him a sharp look, her brows furrowed. "Seriously Cael?"

I shook my head, a little frustrated. "I didn't see her face. I was barely alive. But she saved me... that's all that matters. I do know one thing—I can find her. She left something behind." I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small pendant she must have dropped.

Zelira's expression softened, her eyes lingering on the pendant. "So... she's out there, and she helped you. That's... good."

Cael, still grinning but now sheepishly under Zelira's glare, nudged me lightly. "Good, huh? I'd call it legendary. Man survives a killer dagger and owes his life to a mystery girl—this is the start of a great story!"

I pocketed the pendant, a mix of gratitude and determination gnawing at me.

Zelira led the way through the forest, Cael trailing behind with his usual smirk.

Though I could tell he was tense under it.

The trees gave way to a small clearing, where a grand house sat hidden at the edge of the forest.

Despite the quiet, eerie surroundings, the home exuded warmth and wealth—a stark contrast to the simple life I'd known.

"Don't worry, this isn't my family's place." Zelira said, glancing back at me. "It's... mine. I come here when I want to be alone. Even my parents don't know about it."

I sank onto the stone steps, still trying to catch my breath. "Safe... but what if the pack finds out I'm staying here?"

Cael leaned against the railing, feigning a thoughtful pose. "Well, then the entire pack will probably faint at the shock. The alpha's son is hiding out in a secret mansion in the woods—classic drama material."

I glared at him. "You never take anything seriously, do you?"

"Never!" he shot back, grinning.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Seriously, why did you even come back for me? What happened after you helped me escape?" I asked, glancing between Cael and Zelira.

Cael only grinned, leaning back with that careless ease of his. "Well, my father found out, but he didn't make a big deal out of it—just gave me a little lecture. The Elders, of course, assumed we all had a hand in your escape since we're best friends." His chuckle carried no regret, as if the whole thing amused him.

Zelira crossed her arms, her expression cool and composed. "It doesn't matter. Elder Eryndra defended us. Without her, things would've turned out much worse. But to answer your question. Her expression softened, but her eyes were sharp. "I don't know exactly why, but something felt wrong. I sensed... danger, or maybe just that you weren't okay. I convinced Cael to come with me. Then we found you because... well, we followed the trail—the blood in the forest."

I swallowed hard, thinking of the cabin. "So you found me because of that... the trail leading to the cabin?"

Cael, who had been pretending to polish an invisible trophy on his jacket, smirked. "Yep. Nothing says 'mysterious fugitive' like leaving a crimson breadcrumb trail through the woods."

I shook my head with a small laugh, a mixture of disbelief and gratitude washing over me. "You two... I don't even know what to say. You risked yourselves to find me."

"What are best friends for?” Zelira asked quietly, almost seriously. "We're not letting you face this alone."

I nodded, staring at the forest beyond the clearing. Somehow, I knew this was only the beginning. That whoever had attacked me—and left me for dead—was still out there.

But first... I needed to find the girl who had saved me, the one who had nursed me back to life. Her face was a blur in my memory, but the pendant she'd left behind was the only clue I had.

I know Zelira and Cael at my side, I had a chance—not just to survive, but to finally uncover the truth.