The Alpha’s Forbidden Mate

THREE: FANGS AND FRIENDSHIP

[ZELIRA POINT OF VIEW]

The moonlight painted the forest silver as Cael and I made our way back to the pack.

Every twig snap under my boots seemed to echo the insanity of what we'd just agreed to—helping Kieran escape.

My nerves were shot, but of course, Cael was strutting beside me like we'd just gone on a pleasant midnight stroll.

"I still say we should've escaped with him right then," he grumbled, stepping over a root like it had personally offended him.

"Can you please stop? You would've gotten us caught before we even reached the front gate," I shot back. "You breathe too loud when you're nervous."

"I do not breathe loud," he argued, then took an exaggerated sniff just to prove his point.

"See? That's exactly what I'm talking about." I sped up, hoping to leave him behind, but of course, Cael matched my pace like an annoying shadow. "But you realize, we're probably going to get ourselves executed for this." I changed the topic, keeping my voice low but sharp.

Cael smirked. "Please. The council loves me. I'm charming, handsome, and—"

"—and delusional," I cut in, rolling my eyes. "The only thing they love about you is when you're far away from them."

"That's not true." He grinned wider. "I once made Elder Harun laugh."

I stared at him. "That was because you tripped over his chair and almost took him down with you."

He shrugged. “Laugh is a laugh."

Then we walked a few more steps before he gave me a sidelong glance. "You're awfully tense. Is this because it's Kieran?"

My jaw tightened. "I'm tense because we're breaking a dozen pack laws, not because of him."

"Sure. Definitely not because you've had a crush on him since—"

I stopped dead in my tracks. "Finish that sentence and I will bury you right here. No one will find the body."

Cael raised his hands in mock surrender, but his smirk didn't fade. "I'm just saying, you've been extra... invested in this mission."

"I'm invested because he's my friend.. he's our friend." I snapped.

"Or because he looks good brooding behind prison bars?"

I groaned and kept walking. "You are so annoying."

"But you're still stuck with me,” he said, jogging to catch up.

I shot him a disgusted look. "You're right. Now, how we're going to explain this mess to the pack without getting eaten alive."

Cael snorted. "Oh, you mean the part where we smuggled a fugitive alpha's son out of prison? Yeah, that's going to go over well."

"Exactly," I muttered, shaking my head. "So we need a plan. Quick thinking, fast talking, and maybe a few lies."

He gave me a cheeky grin. "Zelira the serious, Cael the charming, and Kieran the brooding hero. Sounds like a storybook."

"Storybook or not," I snapped, "if anyone finds out we were part of this, it won't be a bedtime tale for us—it'll be a nightmare."

Cael laughed, but I wasn't in the mood.

The moment we slipped into the shadowed trail that led back to the pack's territory, a tall figure stepped out from the trees.

My stomach dropped.

Cael froze, then groaned. "Oh, not good."

It was the Beta—his father. His arms crossed, eyes sharp enough to cut stone.

The authority in his presence made me straighten instinctively, even though I hadn't done anything wrong... well, not technically.

"You two." His voice was low, controlled, but furious. "I know you're behind Kieran's escape."

My heart stopped. How did he—?

Cael lifted his chin, uncharacteristically serious. "Because we couldn't let him rot in that cell, Father." His voice didn't waver, even though the Beta's glare could have melted steel.

The Beta stepped closer. "What you did was reckless. Dangerous. You should have come to me. Instead, you put yourselves—and him—at risk, and now some of the Elders believe you know something about his disappearance. They will question you."

I bit the inside of my cheek, ready to defend myself, but Cael beat me to it.

"You and alpha were best friends. You trusted each other with your lives. That's exactly what Kieran is to me. He's not just my alpha—he's my brother. Do you expect me to stand by while he's accused of murdering his own father?" Cael said firmly.

The Beta's nostrils flared, and for a terrifying second I thought he'd strike him.

But Cael didn't flinch. His usual grin was gone, replaced by a fire in his eyes I hadn't seen before. Brave. Defiant. Loyal.

Something inside me stirred—admiration, amusement, disbelief all tangled together.

This was Cael, the same boy who never took anything seriously, who joked about everything.

Daring to face the one man in the pack who could silence anyone with a single look.

But he wasn't backing down. "We are nothing without our loyalty to each other," Cael pressed on, his voice steady. "The way you were loyal to alpha is the way I'll be loyal to Kieran. He's my family, whether the Elders believe it or not."

For a moment, beta Jareth stared at his son, anger and pride warring in his expression.

Then he exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "You're your mother's boy. Too stubborn for your own good." His gaze softened just slightly as he looked at me again. "And you—don't think your loyalty will shield you. The council doesn't care for courage. Only control."

He straightened, his expression hardening again. "The summons is coming. Be ready, and for the Moon's sake—hold your tongues. One slip, and it won't be Kieran they're after. It will be the both of you."

Cael's father left us standing there, his heavy footsteps fading into the night.

For a moment, silence stretched between us. I glanced at Cael, still trying to process the fact that he had just stared down his father—the Beta of the pack—and lived to tell the tale.

I folded my arms, smirking. "I have to admit, I didn't think you had it in you."

He c****d a brow. "What? The charm? Or the bravery?"

"The stupidity," I shot back, unable to hold in the laugh that bubbled up. "You actually talked back to him. The Beta. Your father. Do you have a death wish?"

He grinned knowingly, nudging my shoulder with his. "You’re just impressed."

"I was not impressed," I said quickly, looking away. "I was... amused."

Cael's laughter echoed through the trees, warm and carefree, cutting through the tension that had been strangling us since Kieran escaped.

Somehow, even with everything against us, he still had the ability to lighten the air.

"Don't worry, Zel. If the Elders try to scare us, I'll talk back to them too. Maybe I'll even compare them to a bunch of grumpy old wolves fighting over scraps."

I shook my head, rolling my eyes, but I couldn't hide the small smile tugging at my lips. "You're unbelievable."

"But you secretly like it," he said with a wink.

Before I could reply, he started walking, motioning for me to follow. "Come on, let's get to the pack before my father changes his mind and drags us back by the scruff of our necks."

My heart thudded—not from running through the woods, but from knowing the chaos we were about to walk into.

"Ready for the welcoming committee?" Cael whispered, elbowing me.

I gave him a sharp look. "If by 'welcoming committee' you mean a pack of furious Elders hunting our heads, then yeah, I'm thrilled."

The moment we stepped into the clearing, the noise hit us. Every voices shouted, some in panic, some in anger.

Guards and pack members were clustered near the center, faces tense, eyes darting.

The announcement had already been made, Kieran had escaped.

One guard stepped forward, reporting the news, "Your Excellency, Kieran Sinclair—the accused alpha's son—has escaped the custody. There a suspect assistance, but the identities are unknown."

The Elders' eyes flicked over the crowd, sharp and unforgiving. "Unbelievable." Tharos said slowly, "Someone here knows more than they admit. Speak now, or bear the consequences."

Cael muttered under his breath, "We're dead."

I shot him a look that could've frozen fire. "Keep your mouth shut."

Elder Tharos's gaze landed on me first, sharp and cutting. "Zelira," he said, his voice like ice, "you were with him shortly before the escape. Explain yourself."

I swallowed, forcing my calm. "I—I only visited him, Elder. Nothing else."

"Is that so?" elder Harun demanded, stepping closer. "How about you Cael?"

Cael straightened, putting on his most innocent grin. "Me? Oh, I was probably just teaching him advanced shoelace tying techniques. You know, it’s very complicated stuff.”

Few people snickered, but I could feel the tension pressing down. I shot him a glare. "Cael, not now!"

"Hey, I'm helping," he whispered, still smirking. "Humor is essential in high-stress situations."

Elder Tharos's lips twitched—but not in amusement. "Your humor will not save you. You are both suspects. Speak honestly, or your fate is sealed."

I bit my tongue, willing myself to stay silent. Cael leaned closer and whispered, "Do you want me to tell them I'm actually a master escape artist and Kieran begged me to help him out?"

"Cael!" I hissed, glaring.

Before elder Tharos could press further, a sharp voice cut through the air. "Enough."

Elder Eryndra stepped forward, her eyes like steel tempered with calm. "They were visiting Kieran, yes. But there is no evidence—none—that they assisted in his escape. The boy acted alone. Perhaps they merely spoke to him before his decision."

Elder Tharos scowled but said nothing.

Elder Eryndra's presence held the room in a tense balance.

Cael whispered as she stepped aside, "See? Told you I was funny enough to survive the elders' wrath."

I gave him a pointed look. "Funny, yes. But lucky, mostly."

Elder Eryndra's sharp gaze softened slightly as she turned to us. "Be cautious. The pack will hunt him. Stay out of sight and let this storm pass. You have done nothing wrong."

I exhaled, tension leaking out of my shoulders. Cael elbowed me lightly. "See, best friends and still alive. Classic us."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile. Surviving the Elders' wrath was just another adventure—one we'd face together, three best friends against the chaos of the pack.

But as the crowd began to disperse and the Elders retreated into their chambers, a strange unease settled in my gut.

It wasn't just nerves. It was sharper, heavier—like a string pulled taut inside my chest.

I'd always believed the bond between the three of us was unshakable, unbreakable.

But tonight... something tugged at that bond, cold and unfamiliar.

My gaze drifted toward the dark line of trees beyond the compound, where Kieran had vanished hours ago. For a moment, I swore I felt his fear—raw, urgent, and distant.

Then, just as quickly, it was gone.

I forced myself to breathe, but the knot in my stomach only tightened.

Something had happened to him.