Unclaimed Bond

Elena's point of view 

My stomach churns and protests beneath a threadbare, oversized men’s shirt. Dust and grime cling to the fabric, a mix of my own and remnants from its former owner. The initial stench has dulled over time, overtaken by the metallic tang of damp air and a peculiar, persistent scent I can’t place. The barred window in my cell is my only clue about time. It hasn’t shown daylight since my arrest, though it feels like I’ve been here for days.

I try to convince myself the mysterious scent means nothing. I can’t bear the thought of another failed bond.

The rogue man shackled beside me rattles his chains. The guards cuffed him to the wall, but for some reason, they left me untethered. “You’d better brace yourself,” he mutters, always eager to talk. “I’m done for because I injured one of them. But even for trespassing, there’s punishment. Any other Alpha might let you off with a warning, but not VuK. Coming here was a big mistake.”

“It wasn’t intentional,” I reply, tracing idle shapes in the dirt with my fingertip. “I’ve already said it was an accident.”

“Doesn’t matter,” he says, shaking his head. “VuK’s the ruthless type, one of the last left like that. He guards his reputation fiercely, and it works. Look at us—the only fools locked up here. The others? Gone.”

I glance at him. “Probably because he already dealt with them.”

The rogue’s eyes widen slightly as he nods, almost frantic. “Exactly. Should’ve known better. But don’t think he’ll care whether your trespass was an accident or not. There’s no point in begging.”

“What do you think he’ll do to me?” I ask hesitantly. “It can’t be as bad as what’s coming for you, right?”

“The Alpha can do whatever he wants,” the rogue replies grimly. “But no, your punishment won’t be as severe. He might keep you here until your family pays for your release or make you work for your freedom.”

“Work how?”

“Labor, most likely,” he says, giving me a once-over. “Though you don’t look built for that kind of work.”

I sigh. “That’s fine. I’d rather work for my freedom than have my family know I’m here.”

The rogue’s chains clink against the stone floor. “Your family doesn’t care?”

“I left,” I admit, curling up against the cold wall. “I don’t plan on going back anytime soon, especially if my mate is here—if he even exists. I don’t know.”

“Why did you run? Did they hurt you?”

I shake my head. “No. I just needed to get away, to be somewhere else for once.”

The rogue’s voice softens. “Whatever your punishment is, accept it. Don’t challenge VuK. Don’t even look him in the eyes. If you’re lucky, maybe your mate is one of his men. That might be the only thing that saves you.”

I rest my head against the wall, drawing my knees to my chest. The rogue falls silent, likely consumed by his own grim thoughts, leaving me to mine. I wonder if anyone back home has noticed I’m gone. Have they even looked past Serena and her celebrated mate? A part of me wishes my parents missed me, but now that Serena has fulfilled my duties, I’ve become irrelevant.

The quiet stretches on until the sharp screech of a door opening down the hall makes me jump. The rogue stirs, crawling as close to the bars as his chains allow to get a glimpse of who’s approaching. A guard appears and unlocks our cell.

“The Alpha is coming,” the guard announces, stepping inside to unshackle the rogue from the wall.

My heart races as the rogue is hauled to his feet and led out of the cell. The guard shuts the door behind him.

“What about me?” I call out. “I told you—I think I’ve scented my mate. Why hasn’t anyone—”

The guard barely spares me a glance. “Enough of that. If you really sensed your mate, where is he? Huh? Lying won’t help you.”

“I’m not lying,” I insist. “I just don’t know where he is.”

The guard ignores me, locking the door and disappearing down the hall with the rogue. Left alone, I wrap my arms around my legs and rest my forehead on my knees. The faint glow of dawn creeps through the barred window, casting a dim light over the cell. And so, I wait.

I wait alone, anticipating the guard’s arrival to take me to Alpha VuK and deliver my punishment. But before fear can fully consume me, a sharp ache blooms in my chest, stealing my focus. Pressing the heel of my palm against it, I try to ease the sensation, but it grows into something undeniable. It’s not pain—it’s a warm, exhilarating pressure, as though the very air in my lungs is condensing into something divine.

The Goddess is binding me to my mate.

I release my knees and scramble to my feet, gripping the filthy bars of my cell. “Hello?” I call into the hallway, my voice echoing off the damp stone walls.

“Hello!” I shout again, frustration building as no one answers. My heart pounds, and the moment’s significance overwhelms me. Slamming my hand against the bars, I growl in desperation. “Goddess’ sake, someone listen!”

The screech of a door opening down the hall reignites my hope. Clinging to the bars, I shout again, “Please! You have to listen! My mate is here, and he won’t find me if I’m—”

The words die in my throat as a potent scent floods my senses. A man steps into view, his silhouette commanding the narrow hallway. My voice falters entirely as his presence consumes me. As he approaches the bars, the dim light reveals his features—strong, rugged, and impossibly handsome. He’s bigger than any of the guards I’ve seen, exuding an aura of raw power. My frantic pleas vanish as I take him in, every inch of him captivating me as much as I seem to captivate him.

“Will you listen to me? Please?” My voice cracks, desperate but quieter now.

“Go on,” he says, his voice smooth and enthralling.

“If you’re taking me to Alpha VuK, you should know I trespassed by accident. I was alone. But now… I think the Goddess is mating me.” My words spill out hurriedly. “Maybe you could talk to him, explain, and help me. He’s going to make me—”

“Make you do what?” he interrupts, his voice laced with amusement.

The scent intensifies, fogging my thoughts and sharpening my awareness of him. My instincts scream, It’s him. Is this towering figure my mate? If he is, why isn’t he helping me? Instead, he seems almost entertained by my plight.

“There’s no need to reason with him,” the man says casually.

“Why not?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

He leans closer, his gaze unwavering. “Because I’m the Alpha.”

My breath catches, and my hands slip from the bars. All at once, the truth slams into me. My mate—the man whose presence sets my soul alight—is none other than Alpha VuK.

As I stand frozen, he unlocks the cell. The sound of the bolt sliding echoes like thunder in the quiet hall. He swings the barred door open, stepping inside with an authority that makes my pulse race. The mate bond surges through me, an electric current rewiring every nerve in my body.

Instinctively, I step back, my feet moving without conscious thought. He’s taller than I imagined, his broad shoulders and chiseled features cutting a striking figure. His presence overwhelms me—Alpha VuK, my mate. My heart clenches, and my fingers itch to reach out and touch him, to feel the solid strength of his arms and the warmth of his skin. But I clench my fists, holding myself back.

The bond fills my chest, a rush of emotions and sensations I can’t contain, yet my lungs burn as if I’ve forgotten how to breathe. I’m his, and he is mine. And now, everything has changed.