The Rejected Alpha

Chapter Four: The First Challenge

Kael stood at the northern edge of the valley as darkness settled over the mountains.

Beyond the trees, Silver Crest warriors waited.

He could smell them.

Familiar wolves.

Wolves he had grown up with.

Some had trained beside him. Some had eaten with him. Some had watched him walk away after Lyra rejected him.

Now they had come for him.

"Fifteen," Rowan said beside him.

"Maybe more," Mira added.

Kael looked toward the forest.

A mate rejection was humiliating, but it wasn't a crime.

He had done nothing except leave.

So why was Alpha Vale hunting him?

Rowan turned toward him.

"Tell us exactly what happened during the ceremony."

Kael hesitated.

"Don't leave anything out," Mira said.

So he told them.

The moonstone.

The sudden burst of silver light.

The moment he recognized Lyra as his mate.

And her rejection.

When he finished, Rowan and Mira exchanged looks.

Kael frowned.

"What?"

"Nothing," Rowan said.

Kael sighed.

"Everyone keeps saying that."

Before either could answer, a branch snapped.

Everyone turned.

A lone figure emerged from the trees with his hands raised.

Kael froze.

"Elias."

His friend looked exhausted. There was a cut on his cheek, and his clothes were covered in dirt.

Mira grabbed Kael's arm when he stepped forward.

"Wait."

"That's my friend."

"That doesn't mean he's alone."

Kael looked past Elias.

The forest remained silent.

"Elias!"

Relief crossed his friend's face.

"Kael."

Kael approached him cautiously.

"What are you doing here?"

"You left."

"I noticed."

Elias didn't smile.

"This isn't the time for jokes."

Kael's expression hardened.

"Then tell me why you're here."

Elias looked around the valley.

"So it's true. You've joined the rogues."

"I've been here for barely a day."

"I'm sorry, Kael."

Kael looked away.

"I should have said something during the ceremony," Elias continued.

"Would it have changed anything?"

Elias said nothing.

Kael sighed.

"You came all this way to apologize?"

"No."

Elias's face became serious.

"The warriors aren't here to bring you back."

Kael felt cold.

"I already figured that out."

"You haven't."

Kael stepped closer.

"What did Alpha Vale order?"

Elias hesitated.

Kael grabbed his arm.

"Elias."

"He ordered Captain Varex to make sure you never cross Silver Crest territory again."

Silence fell between them.

Kael slowly released him.

There was only one meaning behind those words.

They had come to kill him.

Mira cursed quietly.

Rowan's face darkened.

"Why?" Kael asked.

"I don't know."

"Does Lyra know?"

Elias looked away.

Kael's jaw tightened.

"She knows."

"I came here to warn you," Elias said quickly.

Kael forced himself to calm down.

"How long before they attack?"

"Not long. Captain Varek gave you one hour."

Rowan looked toward the valley.

"We move the children to the southern caves."

Immediately, the camp came alive.

Parents gathered their children. Warriors reached for weapons.

Kael watched them.

Mira turned toward him.

"You should go with the others."

"No."

"Kael, you can't shift."

"I can still fight."

"Not against fifteen trained warriors."

Kael looked around the valley.

These people had known him for less than a day.

Yet they were willing to fight for him.

Silver Crest had been his home for nineteen years.

And they had sent warriors to kill him.

"I'm not leaving," Kael said.

Mira stared at him.

"You're stubborn."

"I've heard."

Rowan called her name.

She turned to leave, then looked back at Kael.

"Stay alive."

Kael gave her a faint smile.

"I'll try."

"Try harder."

The forest suddenly became silent.

Kael felt it.

A powerful presence.

Then Captain Varek stepped from the trees.

Fifteen Silver Crest warriors followed him.

Kael stared at the man who had once trained him.

"Captain."

Varex's pale eyes moved across the valley.

"You've caused trouble."

Kael laughed bitterly.

"My mate rejected me in front of the entire pack. I left. And somehow I'm the problem?"

"You were expected to return to Silver Crest."

"Nobody told me to return."

Varek said nothing.

Kael understood.

Alpha Vale had allowed him to leave.

They sent warriors after him.

"Does Lyra know why you're here?" Kael asked.

Varex hesitated.

Only slightly.

But Kael saw it.

His anger rose, then disappeared.

It no longer mattered.

Lyra had made her choice.

"Are you going to surrender?" Varek asked.

Kael looked behind him.

At Rowan.

Mira.

The families of the valley.

Then he looked back at Varex.

"No."

Varex sighed.

"I was hoping you would make this easy."

Kael felt his wolf stir.

"You came here because you think I still belong to Silver Crest."

Varek frowned.

"I don't."

The wind moved through the trees.

"I don't belong to Silver Crest anymore."

Varex's eyes hardened.

"Every wolf belongs somewhere."

Kael stared at him.

"Maybe that's what you're afraid of."

Varek raised his hand.

The Silver Crest warriors moved forward.

"Positions!" Rowan shouted.

The valley exploded into movement.

Kael grabbed a wooden staff.

Elias stood beside him.

"You know this is madness?"

Kael looked at him.

"You came here."

Elias gave a small smile.

"Fair enough."

The first warrior shifted.

A massive wolf charged toward Kael.

He tried to shift.

His body burned.

His muscles tightened.

Then—

Nothing.

Kael cursed.

The wolf lunged.

He jumped aside and struck it with his staff.

The wolf turned and attacked again.

Kael barely avoided its claws.

Then Elias appeared beside him, striking the wolf and forcing it back.

"You're welcome!" Elias shouted.

Kael didn't have time to answer.

The battle spread across the valley.

Rowan fought near the entrance.

Mira shifted and moved through the attackers with terrifying speed.

Then Mira shouted—

"Kael! Behind you!"

Kael turned.

Captain Varex stood before him.

"You should have surrendered."

Kael tightened his grip on the staff.

"And let you kill me?"

Varex stepped closer.

"You don't understand what you are."

Kael froze.

"What?"

"Alpha Vale does."

Varex attacked.

Kael blocked the first strike, but pain shot through his arms.

Varex was stronger.

Kael swung the staff.

Varex caught it.

Then snapped it in half.

Kael barely had time to react before Varek struck him.

He fell hard.

"Stay down," Varek said.

Kael tried to stand.

Varek knocked him back.

"You think leaving the pack made you free?"

Kael pressed his hands against the ground.

"It only makes you vulnerable."

Something inside Kael snapped.

Not his body.

Something deeper.

His wolf roared.

Then Kael heard it.

A heartbeat.

Slow.

Powerful.

He opened his eyes.

Silver light moved beneath his fingers.

Varex's stepped back.

"What—"

The ground trembled.

Heat rushed through Kael's body.

He stood.

Silver fire exploded around him.

Every wolf on the battlefield stopped.

The flames didn't burn the grass.

They moved around Kael like a living light.

Fear appeared in Varex's eyes.

Kael looked down at his hands.

Silver light moved beneath his skin.

Then Varek whispered—

"Moonfire."

Kael lifted his eyes.

"What did you call me?"

Varex's expression changed.

He had revealed too much.

"Answer me!"

But Varek raised his hand.

The Silver Crest warriors began retreating.

Kael stepped forward.

"You're running?"

Varex looked at him.

"This isn't over."

Kael's eyes hardened.

"You're right."

Varek disappeared into the forest with his remaining warriors.

The battle ended.

The silver flames around Kael slowly disappeared.

His knees weakened.

Mira reached him before he fell.

"What was that?" Kael asked.

Mira stared at him.

"You called your power without shifting."

Kael looked at his hands.

The light was gone.

"What does that mean?"

Rowan approached them.

"It means Silver Crest knows more about you than we thought."

Kael looked toward the forest.

"Varex called it Moon fire."

His voice hardened.

"What am I?"

Nobody answered.

Then a voice came from behind them.

"Something the old Alphas tried very hard to erase."

Everyone turned.

An old man stood at the edge of the valley.

He wore a long dark coat and leaned on a wooden staff.

His hair was completely white.

But his eyes—

Kael stopped breathing.

Silver.

The same eyes as the wolf from his dream.

The old man looked directly at him.

"Hello, Kael Arden."

Kael stared at him.

"Who are you?"

The old man smiled faintly.

"I have been waiting a very long time to meet you."

Kael's wolf stirred.

Then the old man's expression darkened.

"Your father lied to you."

Kael became completely still.

"What?"

"Your father did not become weak because of an injury."

The world seemed to disappear around Kael.

The old man took one step closer.

"He became weak because he gave everything he had to keep you hidden.