Chapter 1

~ ELARA'S POV ~

The sky was dark, and the weather was cold, which could have sent chills down my spine, but sadly it didn’t, not when I’m grieving the loss of my family and the little forest I once called home.

I am the daughter of a rogue werewolf. I have watched my father, leader of the rogue werewolves, plot revenge against the Timberwolf Pack.

He wanted vengeance on Alpha Kael for banishing him from the Pack. I was only ten years old when it happened, and as I grew into a woman, his thirst for revenge on Alpha Kael didn't fade.

My father gathered other rogues who had been banished from the Pack, and together they plotted to attack the Timberwolf Pack.

My brothers joined the team of rogue warriors, and I, being the only princess of my father, stayed with my mother as I secretly watched, day and night, as they planned to carry out their attack.

My father and the other rogues wanted to wipe out all the werewolves in the Timberwolf Pack and claim the Pack as theirs, but sadly, they couldn’t win the battle.

The Timberwolf warriors attacked our little forest, and all lives were wiped out. I watched my mother being murdered, my brothers being slaughtered, and my father killed in the most brutal way imaginable.

I couldn’t do anything to help.

It’s not like I could.

My wolf and I were weak.

I was given princess treatment by my father. He didn’t allow me to train because he always claimed that his princess didn’t need to.

The Timberwolf warriors murdered every living rogue except for me. As the princess of a rogue werewolf leader, they claimed I should be executed by the one and only Alpha King Kael, who’s infamously known for being ruthless and unforgiving.

The first and last time I saw Alpha Kael was when I was ten years old, which happened to be the day my family and I were banished from the Pack.

His eyes were cold, and they could make anyone tremble at first glance. I thought I would never see him again, but here I was in chains being tossed into a carriage to be handled to the almighty Alpha King Kael.

"Alpha Kael awaits us. He’d be so thrilled to know that we wiped out every rogue in this forest!" the leader of the warriors purred while the rest cheered in victory.

While they howled in triumph, my wolf and I were grieving. I didn’t just lose my home... I lost my family as well.

My father, my mother, and my brothers were all killed right in front of me. I wept miserably, the sound of their horses hooveing added pain to my chest.

I buried my head between my thighs, crying silently as I was being taken to Alpha Kael.

I knew what awaited me was death, so I needed to mourn my family before I met mine. After I die, I won’t get to mourn them again, and it’s not guaranteed that I’ll see them in the afterlife.

"All hail Alpha King Kael!" the warriors chorused loudly.

I presumed we must’ve arrived at the royal home of Alpha Kael. Even without seeing him, I could perceive his strong, frightening aura.

Fear gripped me.

I was prepared to die since I had already lost my family, but still, I was scared of the kind of death he’d give me.

I tried talking to my wolf, Vaela, but she was silent. She was also scared and grieving.

"Have all of them been wiped out?" I heard him say. His voice was sharp and cold like ice piercing through my soul.

Fear gripped me even more.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he ordered his warriors to burn me until my wolf and I turned to ash... the thought of the pain terrified me.

But then again, didn’t I just lose my family and my small home in one day? What could be more painful than that?

"Yes" the warrior leader replied. "All rogues hiding in the forest have been killed, except for his princess,"

"His princess?" he repeated, with venom in his voice.

I could clearly feel the hatred he had for me through his tone.

"Yes. His princess, Elara. We brought her here so you could kill her yourself. It’d be fun watching the princess of a rogue werewolf beg for her life like a mere chicken," the leader of the warriors mocked.

Laughter from different angles sickened my heart. Each cackle felt like a dagger, driving deeper into my soul.

"Bring her forward," he ordered, and my heart flew out of my chest. Before I could gather the little courage I had, I was being dragged out from the carriage by one of the warriors.

He pushed me to the ground, my knees hit the cold hardened floor, and despite my pain, I didn’t wince, not when I was in front of Alpha Kael.

I could feel his eyes on me, but I was scared. Too scared to look at him. What if I looked at him and he ordered his warriors to gouge out my eyes?

A man with so much blood on his hands from the battles he had won wouldn’t hesitate to gouge out the eyes of the daughter of a rogue werewolf.

"You’re Elara?" he asked with a hateful tone.

I clenched my fists, gripping the dirt beneath me as my body trembled.

His warriors should’ve just killed me alongside my family. That would have been better than facing this ruthless Alpha.

"I need your head raised up this instant," he instructed.

Failure to follow his orders would make it even harder for me. Despite my fear, I slowly raised my head.

My hazy eyes met his piercing, dark, cold blue eyes. But something shocking happened after our eyes locked.

His scent hit me like an earthquake.

His scent was strong, intoxicating, and utterly overwhelming. It melted me completely, and my wolf, who had been silent all this while, whispered to me.

"He’s our mate."

My jaw dropped in shock.

I could see the surprise in his eyes when he slightly moved backward after discovering I was his mate.

What game was the Moon Goddess trying to play?

Why him of all people?

He had sent his warriors to kill my family, so why the heck is he my mate?

My tears kept falling.

We were both staring at each other without a single word between us.

"Is everything okay, Alpha Kael?" one of the elders asked, and he looked away from me, his eyes moving to the elder who had asked the question.

"Everything is fine," he answered, clearing his throat as his hateful glare returned to me.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he rejectes me as his mate.

It would even be better if he did because I wouldn’t want to be mated to a man who gave the instruction to murder my family.

My wolf might not survive it, but it’s not like I’d be alive to witness her suffering from the rejection.

I was brought here to be slaughtered by him.

"I, Alpha King Kael of the Timberwolf Pack..." he began, and I closed my eyes, bracing myself to accept his rejection and my death.

"...give my final judgment on his daughter. She should be locked in the palace dungeon. No water or food until I order it to be given to her."

My eyes flew open after he gave his judgment. Just like me, everyone... warriors and elders alike froze in shock to hear his final verdict.

He should be rejecting me and sentencing me to death, not asking for me to be locked up!

"Are... are you sure about this? Shouldn’t she be killed?" an elder asked, stunned as well.

"I’ll decide on that," he curtly said and turned.

My eyes were on him, as he walked away from me, but not once did he stop to look back at me.

I stared at his retreating figure, my heart pounding in confusion.

What just happened?

Why didn’t he reject me when it’s so obvious he hates me?

Why the hell is he sparing my life?!