Alera's breath seized as those words reverberated through the clearing. "You are mine." Her wolf stirred within her, almost purring at the sound of his voice, drawn to the raw authority behind each word. The connection between them was primal and undeniable. Yet, instead of moving toward him, Alera hesitated and took a step back. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice low but steady, masking the shiver that raced down her spine.
The man stepped closer, and the moonlight illuminated his features. He had a sharp jaw, high cheekbones, and a scar that traced from the corner of his eye to the curve of his mouth, enhancing the fierce beauty of his face. He was broad-shouldered, his chest bare, exuding a presence that demanded submission. But still, his silver eyes remained locked on hers, glowing like twin moons. "I am Kael. King of the Lycans."
Alera's heart skipped a beat. She recognized the name; every pup in her pack had. The Lycan King was more than just a ruler, he was a legend. Born of the Moon Goddess, forged from war and blood. Eternal. Unyielding. Feared and revered. And now, he stood right in front of her.
"Why me?" she whispered. "I'm nothing." Kael's lips curled slightly, revealing the faintest hint of fangs. "You feel the bond. Don't deny it." And she did. The attraction was unmistakable stronger than anything she had ever experienced, even more powerful than the connection she had shared with Kade, the mate who had rejected her.
Alera's mind flicked back to that day. The humiliation, the heartbreak, the rejection. It had been raining, the sky weeping alongside her. Kade had stood beneath the elder tree, his golden hair drenched, his eyes vacant. "I'm sorry," he had said, his voice icy. "You're not what I expected." She had pleaded with him to change his mind, telling him they could learn to love each other. But he had turned his back and walked away, leaving her shattered. That night, her wolf had howled in despair, trapped in sorrow.
"I was already rejected," Alera said now, as though that could explain everything. As if it lessened the bond Kael was claiming. "And now, you are chosen," Kael said firmly, stepping closer. "The past doesn't matter. What matters is who you are becoming." His words carried a weight, resonating with a deeper truth she struggled to understand.
Then the wind shifted. She sensed it the rogues. Close. Too close. Kael tensed, his stance becoming predatory. "Stay behind me." This time, Alera didn't argue. She moved instinctively, even before her mind caught up. Kael's aura surged around him, palpable and fearsome. The ground trembled, and the air thickened with tension. Shadows burst forth from the forest half-shifted wolves with glowing red eyes and matted fur, snarling as they emerged, driven by hunger and bloodlust.
Kael met them head-on. He was like a storm. His claws ripped through flesh and bone. One rogue lunged, and Kael caught it mid-air, snapping its neck with a brutal twist. Another attempted to flank him, only to be slammed into the ground with such force that the forest floor cracked. Alera stood frozen, mesmerized. She had witnessed warriors fight before, but Kael wasn't merely fighting; he was dominating.
The battle lasted just minutes, yet the devastation was complete. The clearing lay strewn with broken bodies and shattered trees. Kael stood at the center, chest heaving, his eyes still blazing silver. He turned to her, blood glistening on his bare chest. "They were following your scent." Her stomach churned. "Why?" Kael stepped closer, not to intimidate but to connect. This time, she didn't pull away.
"Because you're not just any wolf, Alera," he said. "You are something they fear. Something they wish to destroy before it awakens." Her mind raced. "What am I?" Kael looked down at her, a flicker of tenderness crossing his face. "You are mine. And that means you are powerful." The claim echoed again. Her wolf responded before she could even think, pushing against the barrier between them, yearning for him. She should have questioned it, should have fled. But instead, she listened to the part of her that recalled what it felt like to be abandoned. Alone.
Kael extended his hand. "Come with me. Let me protect what's mine." Alera fixed her gaze on his hand, on the blood on his fingers, on the strength they held. Everything was shifting. She could feel it, like a storm brewing beneath her skin. This was not just about being claimed; it was about awakening. So she stepped forward and took his hand.
In that moment, Alera Raven transformed from the girl who had been rejected into the harbinger of a prophecy. A threat to enemies yet unseen. The one who could either save or doom them all. She just didn't know it yet. But Kael did. And he would kill anyone who dared to take her away.