CHAPTER 2

ARIA

Without thinking, Laila surged forward and took full control. My body shifted into my wolf form again, my clothes tearing apart. Before the rogues could attack, Laila spun around and raced into the trees.

The rogues let out chilling howls that echoed through the woods as they chased after her. Branches whipped past as Laila ran, her paws pounding against the cold earth with desperate speed.

The rogues’ growls grew louder, pushing her to move faster even as her muscles burned. The forest floor dipped and twisted, but she jumped over roots and slid between trees with quick, sharp movements. It felt like the chase would never end.

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted.

Laila screeched to a sharp halt, her ears twitching as she scanned the surroundings. A heavy presence seemed to press down on us from every direction. It was like hitting an invisible wall of pure authority that demanded we obey.

Every instinct inside me knew what this meant. We were no longer on neutral ground.

We had crossed another pack’s border.

As if on cue, two massive wolves stepped out from behind the trees. From their scent and their stance, I knew they were the patrol guards of this pack. One of them let out a vicious snarl.

Laila immediately lowered her shoulders and dipped her head low, a clear sign that she wasn’t a threat. The snap of a twig sounded from behind and the rogues emerged from the shadows, baring their teeth and growling.

The guards lunged first.

They were fast and deadly, tearing into the rogues with a fury I had never seen before. It didn't take long for the forest to go silent again with the rogues laying dead on the ground. Both guards turned back to me snarling and baring their teeth.

Laila took a shaky step back as if ready to bolt.

‘ Don’t run. ’ I told her.

I focused on the change and shifted back to my human form. I was stark naked, so I quickly used both hands to cover my breasts and my private area. Even though nudity was common among us, especially after a shift, I felt exposed and uncomfortable under their stares.

The guards shifted too, standing tall and muscular. They were equally naked, but they didn't seem to care one bit about it. They just stared at me with cold, hard eyes.

“ Who sent you here, rogue? ” one spat harshly. My eyes widened in panic as he glared at me murderously.

He thought I was a rogue??

“ Why are you trespassing? ” The other asked. He doesn’t sound as aggressive as the other one but he still held a stoic expression.

“ I-I didn't mean to, ” I replied, my voice trembling with fear and exhaustion. “ I’m not a rogue. I was running from the rogues. ”

They exchanged wary glances and their eyes glazed over. They were mind-linking. They both nodded in acknowledgement to whatever they were discussing in their mindlink. The guard standing closest to me took a sudden step forward. Before I could react, he struck the side of my neck.

The world tilted, and my legs gave out.

‘ Everything will be okay, ’ Laila’s gentle voice echoed in my mind, ‘ I feel something good coming. ’

I wanted to ask her what she meant, but darkness pulled me under.

When I finally opened my eyes, the first thing I felt was the biting cold of the stone floor against my bare skin and the throbbing in my head. A weak groan escaped my lips as I sat up slowly, taking in my surroundings.

I was inside a cell.

Rough stone walls surrounded me with thick metal bars stretching from floor, forming the only barrier between me and whatever lay beyond. The air was thick with the smell of rust damp earth. Somewhere nearby, water dripped steadily, echoing in the silence.

Laila’s words from before I passed out echoed in my mind. She had sensed something good coming, but looking at these cold stone walls, I found that very hard to believe. I had escaped the cruelty of my own father and my pack only to end up in another pack’s dungeon.

I pulled my knees tightly to my chest and wrapped my arms round them, holding myself together. My head bent forward, resting against my knees, my body curling inward.

Just then, there was a sudden shift in the air and a strange awareness tingled down my spine. A profound sense of power filled the atmosphere, carrying a low hum of authority that made my heart race.

The dungeon itself seemed to respond to this power. The ambient hushed and everywhere became so silent, one could hear a pin drop.

A scent unlike anything I had ever perceived drifted to my nose. It was a bold, earthy musk layered with crisp pine and a subtle trace of smoky cedar lingering at the edges. It was intoxicating, commanding, and made my heart race.

I breathed in sharply, almost afraid to release it, as if exhaling might make it vanish.

I heard the sharp click of a key turning in the lock and the door to my cell creaked open. I felt the presence of someone stepping in and a massive aura of command immediately wrapped around my whole body.

For some strange reason, my racing heart slowed down and my muscles relaxed in that embrace. Laila purred deep in my mind, a sound of pure, delirious relief that I had never heard from her before.

Slowly, I raised my head.

My eyes met his.

In a deep voice that resonated through the cold stone walls, he whispered a single word that sent shivers down my spine.

“ MATE. ”

Laila yipped and wagged her tail. ‘ Mate. Mate. Mate. ’ She chanted happily in my mind.

My eyes widened as a mix of emotions surged through me. Shock, surprise, disbelief, and… fear.

Mate? But how?

‘ He’s our second chance mate. ’ Laila replied. She sounded happy as she sighed dreamily.

I didn't even know there was such a thing as a second chance mate.

Even while my mind was in turmoil, I took the chance to really look at him.

He stood tall and imposing, easily 6’2 ft, with a physique shaped by power and discipline. His face was well defined, with a sharp jawline, a straight pointed nose, and high cheekbones that made him look even more commanding.

What caught my breath was the intensity in his piercing blue eyes. It felt like he could see straight into my soul. Beautiful and dangerous at the same time, he was the most striking and intimidating man I had ever seen. It felt like the Moon Goddess really took her time to craft him to be different from every other being.

A growl that shook the whole dungeon brought me out of my thinking. I jumped in fright and whimpered quietly, dropping my gaze to the floor.

“ Get her some clothes. ” His deep, baritone voice commanded.

“ Yes, Your Majesty. ” One of the guards replied.

I turned red at his words. I had totally forgotten I was naked this whole time. I squeezed my arms against my chest to cover myself even though I knew he had already seen everything. Then, the guard's response registered in my mind.

Your Majesty?

The Alpha King?

That meant I was in Dark Moon Pack, also known as The Royal Pack.

A cold shiver that had nothing to do with the dungeon's cold floor raced down my spine.

Dark Moon Pack is the Alpha King’s own pack. And the Alpha King isn’t just the ruler of Dark Moon, he is the ruler of all Alphas. He leads his pack as their Alpha, but he also leads every other pack as their king. That was why Dark Moon pack was called Royal Pack.

I snapped my head up and stared at him.

No wonder his aura felt so heavy with power and authority. His expression remained stoic and unwavering as he stood before me. The guard returned a moment later with a shirt.

I grabbed it and pulled it over my head as fast as I could, still overwhelmed by the fact that I was in Dark Moon pack and the Alpha King, the man who ruled over every wolf in existence, was my mate.

I had heard different stories about him and they weren’t nice. Some said he killed for fun, never showing mercy to anyone who crossed him. Some said that even in his human form, he was strong enough to overpower a full-grown wolf with ease, as if it were nothing.

And many believed he had no heart at all, that he ruled only through fear and power.

Just the mere thought of these stories was enough to make me squirm under his stare. His eyes stayed on me, calm but frightening, and I couldn’t stop myself from shifting uncomfortably.

After a long moment of silent staring, he finally gave a few quick instructions to the guards and walked out without saying a single word to me. Laila whined loudly in my head as soon as he was gone. Silence filled the cell again, and my thoughts spun in different directions.

He had neither accepted me nor rejected me as his mate, leaving me in a state of uncertainty and confusion.

Would he accept me as a mate?

Or would he reject me like Jackson did?