The Rejected Alpha

Chapter two: Beyond The Border

The forest did not welcome him.

Kael understood that before he had walked a mile beyond Silver Crest territory.

Behind him, somewhere beyond the thick wall of trees, were the lights of the village. He could no longer see them, but he knew they were there.

His home.

Or what had once been his home.

The path beneath his boots was uneven and covered with wet leaves. Cold branches scraped against his clothes as he pushed deeper into the darkness.

He should have stopped.

He should have turned around.

Nia would be waiting for him.

His father would probably pretend not to care.

Elias would eventually come looking for him.

But Kael kept walking.

Because if he turned back now, he didn't know whether he would have the strength to leave again.

The pain in his chest had become unbearable.

He stopped beside a large tree and pressed his palm against the rough bark.

"Enough," he whispered.

His wolf didn't answer.

That frightened him.

Before tonight, Kael had always felt his wolf inside him.

A quiet presence.

A second heartbeat.

Now there was nothing.

No anger.

No voice.

No comfort.

Only silence.

Kael closed his eyes.

Then Lyra's voice returned to him.

I reject you, Kael Arden.

His jaw tightened.

He opened his eyes.

"No."

The word escaped him before he could stop it.

He pushed away from the tree and continued walking.

He refused to think about her.

But the forest was quiet, and silence had a cruel way of making memories louder.

He remembered the way the entire pack had stared at him.

The whispers.

The pity.

The surprise.

Elias tried to defend him.

Alpha Vale watched him as though he were nothing more than a problem that had finally been removed.

And Lyra.

His mate.

Or the woman who had been his mate for only a few minutes.

Kael laughed bitterly.

"That has to be some kind of record."

The sound disappeared into the trees.

Then something answered.

A branch snapped.

Kael froze.

His hand immediately moved toward the hunting knife at his waist.

"Who's there?"

Nothing.

The forest remained still.

Kael listened carefully.

He could hear the wind.

Leaves moving.

A distant owl.

Then—

Snap.

Closer this time.

Kael turned slowly.

Two yellow eyes appeared between the trees.

His body went rigid.

Another pair appeared.

Then another.

Kael tightened his grip on the knife.

Rogues.

Three wolves stepped from the darkness.

They were larger than ordinary wolves, their fur dirty and uneven. Their eyes held the wild look of wolves who no longer belonged to any pack.

Kael took a step backward.

One of them growled.

"Great," Kale muttered.

The largest wolf moved closer.

Kael's heart began to race.

He could fight one.

Maybe two.

But three?

And his wolf was silent.

The first rogue attacked.

Kael threw himself aside.

Claws cut through the air where his throat had been.

He hit the ground and rolled.

The second wolf lunged.

Kael raised his knife.

The blade struck its shoulder.

The wolf roared and stumbled away.

For one brief moment, Kael thought he might survive.

Then the third wolf slammed into him.

Kael crashed against a tree.

Pain exploded through his back.

His knife fell from his hand.

The rogue stepped closer.

Kael tried to stand.

His legs shook.

"Come on," he whispered.

Nothing answered.

His wolf remained silent.

The rogue lowered its head.

Kael's heart pounded.

For the first time that night, fear replaced anger.

Not fear of rejection.

Not fear of humiliation.

Real fear.

He was alone.

No pack.

No family.

No Alpha.

No mate.

And now, apparently, no wolf.

The rogue charged.

Kael raised his arms.

Then the forest exploded.

A roar shook the trees.

The rogue froze.

So did Kael.

The sound had not come from the attacking wolves.

It had come from him.

But Kael's mouth had never opened.

The ground beneath him trembled.

A powerful force rushed through his body.

Silver light flashed beneath his skin.

Kael screamed.

Pain tore through every muscle.

The rogues backed away.

Their growls became uncertain.

Kael dropped to his knees.

Something was happening.

Something was wrong.

His heartbeat became louder.

Faster.

Then another heartbeat joined it.

Deep inside him.

Kael lifted his head.

His eyes reflected the moonlight.

The largest rogue took a step backward.

Kael smelled everything.

The wet earth.

The blood on the wounded rogue.

The fear.

His hearing sharpened.

He could hear the wolves breathing.

He could hear insects moving beneath the leaves.

And beneath it all—

A voice.

Finally.

Kael froze.

The voice wasn't his wolf.

It was deeper.

Older.

Stronger.

"Who are you?" Kael whispered.

The voice laughed.

Not loudly.

But Kael felt it inside his bones.

The rogues attacked.

All three at once.

Kael moved.

He didn't think.

He didn't plan.

His body simply reacted.

The first wolf reached him.

Kael caught it.

His hand closed around its throat.

The rogue's eyes widened.

Kael stared at his own hand.

How had he moved that fast?

The second wolf attacked from behind.

Kael turned and struck it.

The wolf flew backward and crashed through a bush.

Kael stood completely still.

The third rogue whimpered.

Then ran.

The others followed.

Within seconds, the forest was silent again.

Kael looked down at his hands.

They were shaking.

"What am I?"

The question disappeared into the darkness.

For several seconds, nothing happened.

Then the voice returned.

You are becoming what you were always meant to be.

Kael's breathing stopped.

"What does that mean?"

No answer.

Instead, the strange warmth inside him grew stronger.

Fire beneath moonlight.

Kael dropped to one knee.

He pressed a hand against his chest.

The pain of the broken mate bond was still there.

But beneath it was something else.

Something awakening.

He looked in the direction of Silver Crest.

For a brief moment, anger rose inside him.

He imagined returning.

He imagined standing before Alpha Vale.

Before Lyra.

Before everyone who had watched him left.

He imagined the fear on their faces.

The thought should have made him feel better.

Instead, it frightened him.

Because part of him wanted it.

Kael stood.

"No."

The voice inside him became quiet.

Kael picked up his knife.

"I'm not going back."

The forest stretched before him.

Dark.

Unknown.

Dangerous.

But it was his choice.

For the first time in his life, no Alpha had ordered him where to go.

No one expected anything from him.

No one was watching.

The freedom should have felt terrifying.

Instead, it felt strange.

Almost powerful.

Kael walked deeper into the forest.

Minutes passed.

Then an hour.

The moon slowly disappeared behind dark clouds.

Rain began to fall.

Kael eventually reached a narrow river cutting through the trees.

He knelt beside it.

The reflection staring back at him made him freeze.

His eyes were glowing.

Not the ordinary golden color of a wolf.

Silver.

And around the silver was something darker.

Almost black.

Kael touched the water.

The reflection disappeared.

"What are you?"

The voice did not answer.

But suddenly, another sound came from across the river.

Footsteps.

Kael stood.

A figure stepped from the shadows.

Kael immediately reached for his knife.

The stranger wore a dark cloak, the hood covering most of their face.

"Who are you?" Kael demanded.

The stranger stopped.

For a moment, neither moved.

Then the stranger spoke.

"You shouldn't be here."

Kael laughed bitterly.

"That makes two of us."

The stranger slowly lowered their hood.

Kael's grip tightened.

It was a woman.

Her hair was white.

Not gray.

White.

Her eyes were completely black.

Kael felt the strange presence inside him stir.

The woman stared directly at him.

Then her expression changed.

Surprise.

"No."

Kael frowned.

"What?"

She took a step closer.

"That is impossible."

"What is?"

The woman looked at his glowing eyes.

Then at his chest.

Kael suddenly felt the strange warmth burn hotter.

The woman's face became pale.

"Who are you?" Kael asked again.

But this time, his voice was different.

Harder.

The woman whispered something.

Kael could barely hear it.

"The last bloodline..."

The warmth inside him exploded.

Kael fell to his knees.

The river began to shake.

The woman stepped backward.

"What did you say?" Kael demanded.

She stared at him.

"You don't know."

"Know what?"

The woman looked toward the dark forest behind him.

Fear entered her expression.

Then she turned back to Kael.

"If you want to live, you need to leave this forest."

Kael stood slowly.

"I'm not running anymore."

"You don't understand."

"Then explain it."

The woman hesitated.

For the first time, Kael noticed something moving behind her.

Shadows.

Not ordinary shadows.

They moved against the moonlight.

The woman noticed them too.

Her eyes widened.

"They found you."

Kael turned.

"What?"

The shadows moved closer.

The strange presence inside him became stronger.

Awake.

Hungry.

Kael's eyes slowly closed.

For the first time since leaving Silver Crest, he understood one thing.

His journey had not ended at the border.

It had only begun.