THE ALPHA'S REJECTED MATE

BOOK 5CHAPTER 19: THE GAME BEGINS

CHAPTER 19: THE GAME BEGINS

We stepped through the door.

And the world changed.

No more prison. No more mansion.

We were in a throne room.

Black stone. Gold banners.

And a throne made of bones and moonlight.

And sitting on it: A man.

He looked 20. Maybe.

White suit. Red eyes. Smile that didn’t reach them.

"Welcome, Players," he said. Clapping slowly. "I’m so glad you made it."

Damian stepped in front of me instantly. "Who are you?"

"The Game Master," the man said. Bowing. "You can call me Elias.

I wrote you. I deleted you. And now... I’m going to test you."

Serena stood next to us. "Test us how?"

Elias gestured. The walls shifted.

And suddenly we could see them.

Worlds. Hundreds.

A medieval kingdom. A space station. A modern city. A war zone.

"In each world, there is a Fragment," Elias said. "A piece of the original code.

Collect all 7, and you get to go home.

Fail, and I delete one of you. Permanently."

"That’s not a game," I said. "That’s torture."

Elias smiled at me. "It’s entertainment. For me. And for them."

He snapped his fingers.

Screens appeared in the air.

Thousands of them.

And on each screen: A reader. Watching us. Right now.

My stomach dropped. "They can see us?"

"Of course," Elias said. "You’re their favorite show.

And the ratings are LOW. Unless you give them blood. And love. And war."

Damian’s jaw ticked. "Leave her out of it."

"Can’t," Elias said. "She’s the Key. Without the Luna, the Fragments won’t activate.

Without her bond, the worlds won’t open."

He stood. Walked down the steps.

Stopped in front of me.

"So here are the rules, Ava Carter," he whispered. "Survive 7 worlds.

Get the 7 Fragments.

Bring me the Army you build in each one.

And maybe... I’ll let you keep your mate."

He looked at Damian. "Or I’ll take him instead."

The air went cold.

Damian moved. Fast.

Had Elias by the throat in 0.2 seconds.

"Touch her," he growled. "And I’ll burn every world you made."

Elias didn’t even struggle. He just smiled wider.

"I like you, Alpha. You have spirit."

He snapped his fingers.

Damian was thrown back. Hit the wall.

"Game start," Elias said. "World 1: The Fallen Kingdom.

Your mission: Become King and Queen. Build an army. Get the Fragment.

You have 30 days."

A portal opened behind him.

Fire. Swords. Screams.

"Oh, and one more thing," Elias said. "In this world...

You don’t remember each other."

The portal sucked us in.

I screamed.

Damian reached for me.

And then—

Darkness.

I woke up in mud.

Armor on me. Blood on my face.

And a crown on the ground next to me.

A voice shouted: "Your Majesty! The enemy is at the gates!"

I looked down at my hands.

There was a gold mark on my wrist. Faded.

And 10 feet away, in enemy armor, leading the army...

Damian.

He didn’t know me.

He raised his sword. Pointed at me.

"Kill the Queen," he ordered.

END OF CHAPTER 19

Word Count: ~1335

CLIFFHANGER: NEW WORLD. NO MEMORIES. DAMIAN IS THE ENEMY GENERAL. SHE'S THE QUEEN. BUILD ARMY. COLLECT FRAGMENT. 30 DAYS. WILL THE BOND SAVE THEM??? BUY CHAPTER 20 NOW.