Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I don’t know how long I run.

The world around me is a blur, trees stretch endlessly, swallowing me whole as my bare feet pound against the cold forest floor. My breath is ragged, my lungs burning, but I don’t stop. I can’t.

The sound of laughter still rings in my ears.

Aiden’s smirk.

His lips on hers.

His father’s voice declaring her as his fiancée.

The betrayal cuts deeper than any wound. I was foolish. I let myself believe in him, in his promises, in the warmth of his touch. And for what? To be humiliated? Used?

Tears sting my eyes, but I blink them away. I won’t cry for him. Not anymore. The only thing keeping me moving is the desperation to get away.

Away from Aiden. Away from the Blood Moon Pack. Away from everything. My breath is ragged, my body screaming for rest, but I refuse to stop.

My wolf is weak from the heartbreak, unable to guide me, and I know I won’t last long without food or water. My vision swims, my legs trembling beneath me.

Then I hear it. The soft rushing of water. Relief courses through me like a dam.

I stumble toward the sound, pushing past the thick undergrowth until I find it. A small, clear stream reflecting the pale light of the moon. My knees buckle as I drop beside it, my hands shaking as I scoop the cold water into my mouth.

It soothes the fire in my throat, numbing the ache in my chest. For a moment, I let myself breathe.

Then I heard it. A rustle of leaves and a snap of twig. I freeze instantly. The hair on the back of my neck rises as I slowly lift my head. The scent reaches me before I see them.

Wolves.

Stronger. Different and definitely not from my pack.

I whip around, but it’s too late. Two massive figures step out of the trees, their eyes glowing in the moonlight. They’re warriors, their stance rigid.

A deep growl rumbles from one of them. “Well, well. What do we have here?”

Panic grips me. I scramble back, but another figure blocks my path.

“Looks like a little lost omega,” the second one muses. “And she reeks of another pack.”

“I—I didn’t mean to cross your borders,” I say quickly. “I was just—” A hand closes around my arm, yanking me to my feet.

“Save it,” the first warrior says. “You’re coming with us.”

No.

I thrash, panic flaring in my chest. “Let me go!” I snarl, my wolf stirring weakly inside me.

The warrior chuckles. “Feisty for an omega.”

Before I can fight back, something hard slams into the back of my head. The pain explodes through my skull, and the world tilts.

The last thing I see before the darkness swallows me is the warrior’s smirking face.

~~~~~

The scent of stone and fire is the first thing I notice when I wake up.

A slow, throbbing pain pulses through my skull. My limbs feel heavy, my throat dry. I force my eyes open, but the light makes it hard to see.

Then I hear it, the faint clink of chains. I try to move but metal bites into my wrists.

My heart pounds as my surroundings come into focus. I’m in a cage. Thick iron bars around me, the cold seeping into my skin. Beyond them, the room is vast, made of ancient stone, torches flickering against the walls.

I’m not alone.

Two guards stand near the entrance. Their eyes watch me, wary but indifferent, as if I’m nothing more than a prisoner.

I swallow hard, forcing myself to sit up despite the ache in my body.

“Where am I?” My voice is hoarse.

Silence.

I push against the bars. “Let me out.”

One of the guards chuckles. “You’re bold for an omega.”

I glare at him, but before I can speak, heavy footsteps echo through the chamber.

The guards stiffen. A presence fills the room, thick and suffocating.

And then, he steps inside. My breath catches.

Power radiates from him in waves, intense and undeniable. The air shifts with his arrival, as if even the walls recognize him.

Tall, broad-shouldered, and dangerous.

His dark clothing is simple yet regal, the fine material stretching over a body built for war. Sharp, striking features. His jawline sharply chiseled, his cheekbones high. His raven-black hair is slightly tousled, as if he’d just run his fingers through it.

But it’s his eyes that stop me cold.

They burn like molten gold, fierce and intense.

I know who he is. Everyone knows who he is.

The Lycan king.

The ruler of all werewolves. The strongest, most feared being in existence.

My stomach twists, dread settling in my bones. What the hell have I walked into?

I push myself further against the bars, my pulse racing. He stops a few feet away, staring at me like he’s seen a ghost. I brace myself for whatever punishment is coming.

His lips part.

And he speaks one word. A word that shatters my entire world.

“Mate.”