Bound by Fate

Alex

We arrive after midnight at the Arcane Pack, in the forest just outside Northumberland.

I hate to admit it, but it’s fucking impressive. I understand why Father chose this pack.

The grounds are surrounded by a large, impenetrable wall. Their Alpha’s Hall is a massive fortress. Stone walls, towering windows, and an air of quiet dominance that seeps into every corner.

The pack emblem looms before me, carved into the massive wooden doors of the Alpha’s Hall. Intricate, ancient, and pulsing with quiet power. A circular design, laced with twisting golden metalwork and symbols I don’t fully understand. At its heart, a swirling core of emerald green, as if the sigil itself is alive and watching.

The outer rings bear crescent moons and symbols, blending werewolf tradition with something older. Something arcane. The craftsmanship is masterful, every line and curve precise, deliberate. This isn’t just a symbol. It’s a warning.

The Arcane Pack doesn’t just rule with strength; they rule with knowledge, with secrets.

I’ve seen plenty of pack emblems before—bold, battle-worn crests declaring dominance. But this… this is different. It doesn’t demand respect. It doesn’t need to.

It already owns it.

Even the warriors stationed outside hold themselves with a discipline I don’t often see outside our pack. The fifty warriors that their Alpha has already sent to our pack will make a massive difference.

Their strength is undeniable.

But something is off.

The White Wolf, as they call him, is nowhere to be seen.

The Beta female, Talia, I think, greets us instead, explaining that their Alpha will introduce himself in the morning.

I don’t fucking like it.

An Alpha should be here to greet his guests, especially guests of our status.

He should be standing at his door, ready to show his bride exactly why his pack is worth her time. Instead, he’s holed up in his room.

I narrow my eyes as the Beta finishes the formalities.

“Tell your Alpha we appreciate his hospitality,” I say, even though I don’t mean it.

Talia nods, a weird smirk crossing her lips. “Of course.”

Usually, that flirtatious smile of hers and the way she was openly checking me out would have tempted me to invite her into my room. After all, I haven't had sex in nearly a week. I need a fucking release.

But not tonight. Not with her.

As I settle into my room, my thoughts keep circling back to that moment earlier.

To that woman.

She was barely visible through the darkened glass, but I could see the glowing eyes of her wolf. She felt the bond too… and it was fucking strong.

I almost shifted right there in the driveway, my instincts roaring to go to her, to claim her. But before I could even move, one of the Arcane warriors spoke to me, and when I turned back, she was gone. I wanted to strangle the warrior with my bare hands, but I was called into this ridiculously large, eerie mansion.

And I've been on edge ever since.

When I saw her, something in me shifted. Like an invisible thread pulling taut.

I need to find her, fuck I will find her in the morning. Hunt her down if I need to.

It's fucking strange.

Something about her seemed so familiar.

Images flickers through my mind—of a wild girl. Bright. Mischievous. She used to chase me and Nate through the woods, daring us into trouble, laughing as she outran us. I can still remember her stubborn little pout, the way she used to glare at us when we teased her. The girl who turned into a gorgeous teenager. Fierce, fiery. Looks to draw boys in, and an attitude that made sure they didn't get close.

But it can’t be her.

There’s no way she’d still be here.

Not after what happened.

Not after she killed her father, and a new Alpha took his place.

The fucking White Wolf.

The same Alpha that my sister is supposed to marry.

A bitter taste rises in my mouth.

I sit up abruptly, shoving the thought aside and leaving my room. I find Lyra fussing over herself in the mirror, some kind of blue skincare face mask on her skin. Looking like a fucking smurf.

“Hey, kiddo.”

She doesn’t even look at me.

“Don’t you think I’m a bit too old to be called that? I am getting engaged tomorrow, after all.”

My chest tightens.

“I dont give a shit. You know you'll always be my baby sister.”

“And you'll always be the damn annoying older brother who insists on babying me.” She shoots back, "You know, if we shifted and sparred, I would hand you your ass.”

I laugh, and she puffs her cheeks out in annoyance, looking oddly cute for such a smartass.

“Sure thing, kiddo. Speaking of which, when do I get to see you in your big, bad wolf form? Father says it’s quite a sight.” I wink at her, putting my hands in my pockets and leaning against the doorframe.

She rolls her eyes before turning back to the mirror.

“Soon, now get out. I need to figure out what to do with my hair tomorrow.”

Something twists in my gut.

"Are you actually excited about meeting him?” I ask, disbelieving.

"Of course. I deserve a powerful mate. Besides, this pack is amazing. Just imagine running it.” Her voice is confident, but when she turns to me, the light in her eyes dims. “Not to mention,  Father needs the warriors. Those disgusting beasts are strong.”

She’s right, but it doesn’t make it any less fucked up.

I want to tell her we’ll figure something else out. There are plenty of other Alphas with daughters. If we really have to, we can arrange for one of them to become my Luna.

But she overheard the conversation.

Father flat-out refused.

‘When the time is right,’ he said.

What the fuck does that even mean? I’m twenty-fucking-six, without a mate, and instead of using me to create an alliance, he would rather sell off my sister, who just turned twenty-one. Shifted for the first time, less than a month ago.

And since my younger brother Nate isn’t the Alpha-Heir, another Alpha wouldn’t marry off his daughter if there’s no chance of her becoming a Luna.

Meanwhile, Father is refusing to hand down the title of Alpha to me until I am married.

It’s one big fucked up mess.

But before I can reply to her, I hear it.

A high-pitched, screeching howl pierces through the silent night air.

The hair on the back of my neck rises. The howl is distant, yet it sends a chill through my blood. I turn to Lyra, and her fingers are digging into the vanity, eyes wide with terror.

“I’ll handle it,” I tell her, already moving.

I tear out of the room, grabbing a lighter on my way out, putting it into my mouth before shifting mid-air. I hit the ground as a golden brown wolf, and I run.

The cold night air whips past me as I surge forward, my claws biting into the earth.

If they followed us from the Oracle Pack, they're already too fucking close.

And if there’s anyone out in the forest...

I push harder, faster.

Because if those things find them first, there won’t be anything left to save.