The Alpha's forbidden firstborn

PROLOGUE

Eighteen Years Ago

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The night screamed.

Lightning split the sky in jagged ribbons, illuminating the forest in stark flashes of silver and shadow. Rain pounded against the earth like the fists of an angry god. The trees bent and groaned, their branches clawing at the heavens as if begging for mercy.

And in the heart of the storm, a woman ran.

Her bare feet slammed against the mud-soaked ground, her white gown plastered to her body. Blood streaked her arms—her own blood, her husband's blood, the blood of everyone she'd ever loved. She clutched a bundle to her chest, shielding it from the rain with her own broken body.

Please, she prayed. Please let her survive.

Behind her, the forest burned.

Men—no, monsters—chased her through the trees. Wolves with human eyes. Humans with wolf fangs. They howled and snarled, their voices carried by the wind. They were getting closer.

She ran faster.

The bundle in her arms whimpered—a tiny, fragile sound. A baby. Her baby. The last hope of a bloodline that had been hunted to extinction.

"Shh," she gasped, her voice cracking. "Shh, little one. Mama's here. Mama's got you."

The trees thinned. Ahead, she saw the edge of the forest—and beyond it, nothing but open fields. She couldn't run across those fields. They'd catch her in seconds.

She had to hide her. Had to leave her somewhere safe.

But where?

Then she saw it. A hollowed-out tree, its trunk split open by lightning. A small, dark space where a child could hide.

She stumbled toward it, her legs buckling. She fell to her knees, cradling the baby against her chest. Her tears mixed with the rain.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."

The baby's eyes opened. They weren't human eyes. They glowed—softly, gently, like a tiny sun. Divine. Powerful. Ancient.

"You are The Firstborn," the woman breathed. "A creature of wolf and goddess. You were created to bring balance to this world." She pressed a kiss to the baby's forehead. "But they will destroy you if they find you. So I must hide you. I must make you forget."

She reached into her torn gown and pulled out a necklace—a silver pendant with a glowing stone at its center. She placed it around the baby's neck.

"This will keep you safe. This will hide your power." Her voice broke. "And when the time is right... it will reveal the truth."

She wrapped her daughter in the last clean cloth she had and placed her gently inside the hollow tree. The baby's glow dimmed. Her eyes became normal—human eyes, brown and innocent.

The woman cupped her daughter's cheek. "You are so precious," she sobbed. "So loved. I will find you again. I promise. But for now—"

The howls grew louder. Closer.

"I have to go."

She kissed the baby one last time, then stumbled to her feet and ran. Not toward the fields—toward the wolves. Toward the monsters.

Come get me, she thought. Chase me. Leave her alone.

She screamed as she ran, drawing their attention away from the hollow tree. The wolves turned, snarling, and followed her into the darkness.

Behind her, the baby slept.

Her necklace pulsed once—a soft, warm light—and then went dark.

And the world forgot she existed.

---

Twelve Years Ago

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The forest was quiet.

Too quiet.

Eight-year-old Elara wandered through the trees, her small feet bare against the cold earth. She didn't know where she was. Didn't know how she'd gotten here. Her mind was a fog of confusion and fear.

She touched the necklace around her throat. She didn't know why she wore it. Didn't know where it came from. It just... was.

She remembered nothing.

Not her name. Not her parents. Not how she'd ended up alone in the woods.

She just knew she was scared.

Then she heard the growl.

She spun around, her heart racing. A wolf—no, two wolves—emerged from the shadows. Their eyes glowed yellow. Their teeth dripped with saliva. They were huge. Terrifying.

Rogues, something whispered in her mind. Danger. Run.

But she couldn't move. Her legs were frozen. Her voice was trapped in her throat.

The wolves lunged.

She screamed.

And then—a blur of movement. A massive wolf crashed into the rogues, tearing into them with savage fury. The fight was brutal and quick. Within seconds, the rogues lay motionless on the forest floor.

The massive wolf turned to look at her. His eyes were cold. Calculating. Then he shifted—bones cracking, fur receding, until a man stood before her.

He was tall. Powerful. His eyes never left her face.

"What do we have here?" he murmured, stepping closer.

She tried to back away, but her legs gave out. She fell to the ground, trembling.

He crouched in front of her, his sharp eyes scanning her face. Then they dropped to her neck.

To the necklace.

His expression shifted. Shock. Recognition. Hunger.

"Found you," he whispered.

She should have been afraid. She should have screamed. But something inside her—something ancient and powerful—knew him.

Enemy, it whispered. Danger. Run.

But she didn't run. She didn't know how.

He scooped her up in his arms, carrying her through the forest. "You don't remember anything, do you?" he murmured. "Good. That's very good."

"Where—where are you taking me?" she managed, her voice barely a whisper.

"Home," he said. "My home. Blackfang Pack."

She didn't understand. She didn't know what a pack was. She didn't know who this man was. She just knew that something was very, very wrong.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice shaking.

He smiled—a cold, cruel smile. "I'm Alpha Viktor. And you, little one, are mine now."

She didn't know why those words made her soul scream in protest.

But she was too tired. Too scared. Too broken.

She closed her eyes and let the darkness take her.

---

Present Day

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Elara woke with a gasp, her heart pounding.

She sat bolt upright in Kael's bed, sweat beading on her forehead. Her hands were shaking. Her chest heaved.

"Elara?" Kael's voice was immediately alert. He was awake, his hand on her back. "What's wrong?"

She looked at him—her mate, her anchor, the only person who made her feel safe.

"I don't know," she whispered. "I had a dream. A woman. A necklace. Viktor."

Kael's expression darkened. "What about Viktor?"

Her trembling hand flew to her throat. "I was wearing a necklace. I don't remember it. I've never seen it. But I was wearing it... and Viktor took it."

Kael pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. "It was just a dream, Elara. Just a dream."

But something in her chest whispered, No. It wasn't.

She was twenty years old. She'd spent twelve years as Viktor's slave. And for the first time, she was starting to remember.

---

Somewhere far away, in a cave hidden from the world, a necklace pulsed with ancient light. The symbol on its pendant glowed—once, twice, three times. And a voice, long silent, finally spoke.

"She's awake."