Mated to my murderer

Chapter Three

Secrets of the Hollow Market

Rhea

The kitchen doorway didn't just hold a surprise…it felt like a warning.

The person waiting there was Alpha Darius’s cousin, a high-ranking warrior who usually looked right past me. Today, his eyes lingered on my face and he was full of confusion. But I didn't give him the chance to speak. I kept my head down, grabbed the silver tea tray, and walked past him without a word.

I served the morning tea to Darius and Celine in the grand dining hall. I stood perfectly still as Celine hurled her usual insults at me, complaining that the tea was a second too cold. In my past life, I would have trembled and apologized.

This time, I just nodded, keeping my eyes on the floorboards while memorizing the layout of the room. I watched Julian smile his usual fake charming, snake-like smile from the end of the table.

‘Enjoy your comfort while it lasts,’ I thought, a fire burning in my chest. ‘I am going to burn your world to ashes.’

As soon as my morning chores were done, I knew I had to move fast. Astraea was a magnificent secret, but she was also dangerous. Her powerful, ancient scent was starting to bleed through my skin.

If Alpha Darius or Beta Julian caught a single whiff of this golden, majestic aura, they would know I was no longer a weak omega and they would hunt me down before my revenge could even begin.

To survive, I needed to blend in and disappear, and to disappear, I had to break the pack's most sacred law.

The Noosewood forest was quiet during the afternoon, the silver mist hiding my tracks as I slipped past the territory border lines. My target was the Hollow Market. It was a dark, neutral trading ground hidden deep within a shadowy valley, entirely run by witches.

It was strictly forbidden for any Bloodrose pack member to set foot inside. The penalty for being caught here was public whipping, or worse.

But I didn't care about their rules anymore.

As I walked into the market, the air changed completely. It smelled of burning sage, dried blood, and old herbs. The market was a chaotic maze of black tents, wooden carts, and flickering green lanterns. Hooded figures moved through the shadows, trading illegal spell books, cursed artifacts, and rare poisons.

"Keep your head down, little one," Astraea’s voice echoed in my mind, her tone sharp and alert. "The witches here can smell a wolf from a mile away. Do not let them see your eyes."

I pulled my dark cloak tighter around my face, hiding my silver-charcoal hair and the golden rings in my pupils. I navigated through the crowded stalls until I found what I was looking for. It was a small, crooked tent draped in purple velvet.

Inside, an old witch with long nails sat behind a counter covered in glass vials.

"An omega wolf in my shop?" the witch hissed, her dark eyes locking onto me. "You are a long way from home, child."

"I need a scent-masking potion," I said, my voice steady and firm. "The strongest one you have. Something that can hide a powerful wolf from a high-ranking Alpha."

The witch raised an eyebrow, surprised by my confidence. She reached under the counter and pulled out a small crystal bottle filled with a thick, midnight-black liquid.

"This is the Void Draught. It will completely erase your scent as long as you take it daily. To the world, you will smell like nothing but damp earth and common rain. But it comes with a price."

"How much?" I asked.

"Three drops of your blood," she grinned, exposing sharp, yellow teeth.

Without hesitating, I grabbed a small silver dagger from the counter, sliced the tip of my thumb, and let three drops of blood fall into a stone bowl. The witch cackled with delight and pushed the crystal bottle toward me.

I grabbed the potion and tucked it safely into my cloak. A sense of satisfaction washed over me. With this, I could move through the Bloodrose pack house like a ghost. Julian and Celine would never see me coming and I could begin planting the seeds of their destruction.

I turned around to leave the tent, stepping back out into the bustling, foggy lanes of the Hollow Market. I took three steps forward, ready to head back to the pack borders, when the air around me suddenly froze.

The temperature around me dropped instantly. The loud chatter of the market seemed to vanish and it was replaced by a suffocating, heavy silence.

A massive, intoxicating wave of dark energy hit me. It smelled of dark cedar wood, winter storms, and power. It was a dangerous, lawless aura that made my knees weak, yet my Astraea instantly stood up as she roared the words loudly.

‘Mate,’ Astraea roared in my mind, her voice trembling with shock and wild excitement. ‘Rhea, he is here!’

My breath was caught in my throat. I couldn't move, it was like my feet were glued to the dirt.

A path opened up in the crowded market as people scrambled to get out of the way and walking down the center of the lane was a man who looked like death and royalty combined.

He was incredibly tall, with broad shoulders and a lean, muscular frame covered in a dark leather jacket. His hair was a dirty golden blonde, and his face was carved from flawless marble. But it was his eyes that stopped my heart. They were a piercing, dark, glowing amber.

And I instantly recognized him.

That was Kael Thorn, the lawless Rogue King of the Rogue’s Spine Mountains: It is an unclaimed territory, lawless and wild. It is Kael Thorn’s domain.

He was the most feared man in the supernatural world, a ruthless leader who answered to no court or Alpha. He kills without mercy, and his name alone made High Conclave court members tremble.

As if feeling my gaze, Kael stopped walking. Slowly, his head turned, and his amber eyes locked directly onto mine.

Immediately, an invisible violent bolt of lightning shattered in the air. The fated mate bond slammed into my chest with the force of a crashing mountain. The pull was so intense and possessive that a moan escaped my lips.

Kael stiffened, his nostrils flaring as he took in my scent before the potion could even be used. His amber eyes flared into a burning, golden fire. The cold, ruthless expression on his face cracked, replaced by a dark, hungry shock.

He took a predatory step toward me. "Mine," his deep, rumbling voice vibrated through the entire market.

Panic and desire warred in my chest. I had a mission and a pack to destroy. I couldn't let a man ruin my plans.