Chosen

My sister released me instantly, and we all turned to see who had spoken. Moon goddess, have mercy. My pulse quickened.

He was the biggest man I had ever seen, standing at least six feet nine inches tall, with dark brows and well-defined muscles. His long, lustrous black hair brushed against his collar. He was the most handsome man I had ever encountered, possessing an elegant yet rugged appearance. His strong jawline was complemented by stubble.

The Alpha of our pack stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Alpha Kennis, welcome to our humble pack. We are honored to have you and your men here today." Alpha Martin's voice trembled as his eyes darted between him and us. Was that really Alpha Kennis? I was so captivated by his presence that I froze. Alpha Kennis’s gaze locked onto mine and held. It felt like a missing piece of the puzzle slid into place in my life.

‘Bow your head, child. Do you want to die?’ My mother's sharp voice hissed through the mind link, prompting me to bow my head instantly.

Alpha Kennis acknowledged Alpha Martin with a simple nod before walking toward me, his stride both lethal and graceful. Daphne ran away and wrapped her arms around Matt, who watched us with a look of horror on his face. 

I caught a whiff of the lycan Alpha’s intoxicating scent, it was a blend of pine, vanilla, and leather. I purred involuntarily at the fragrance. He took my chin in his fingers and tilted it up, forcing me to meet his gaze. For a brief moment, the world around us faded away. He released me without a word, leaving everyone stunned by his actions.

'Diara?' my wolf, Dove, called.

'Yes?'

‘You need to run from this man,’ her gentle voice was urgent. I will, I told her. I was going to leave the pack with my only friend, Mark, for a while. 

“Please, come inside. We’ll show you and your men to your rooms,” Matt said, his voice welcoming and demure. Only then did I notice that Alpha Kennis wasn’t alone. He was accompanied by two other strikingly tall and handsome men. One of them had sculpted cheekbones, gray eyes, and short, dark hair. He could kill as a model. He winked at me, and I gape, turning my face away from him. Just as I was about to slip out, Alpha Kennis called out, his deep voice alluring, “I want her to show me to my room.” 

“Diara doesn’t know where it is. She’s not an Omega,” Matt said, an awkward smile on his face. He seemed irritated that the ancient Alpha was paying attention to me.

“Diara,” Alpha Kennis drawled my name, making something in my stomach uncoil. “Show me to my room,” he said to me, disregarding my ex-chosen mate.

I forced a small, polite smile at the visiting Alpha despite the panic churning inside me. “Please follow me, Alpha.” 

I walked ahead of him while Dove kept repeating, 'No, no.' I could feel the Alpha’s intense gaze on me, which made my heart race like a frightened animal. I stumbled and had to grip the wall to steady myself. I didn’t look back, I just kept moving forward. 

We reached the third floor, and I led him into the room. “An omega will come in an hour to see if you need anything,” I informed him. To my astonishment, he removed his shirt right in front of me. I gasped and quickly turned away as I walked out, but the image of his muscular chest and sculpted abs lingered in my mind. How could one person have such an incredible physique? 

As I turned to leave the room, he spoke suddenly, “A massage.” 

“Sure, I’ll send someone to give you a massage.” 

“Do it yourself,” A massage? Did he think I was an omega? 

“I’m not a masseuse, or an omega, for that matter,” I retorted with a forced smile. 

“I do not care,” he said sharply. I groaned internally as he narrowed his sharp gaze at me, as if he could sense my frustration. My heart raced, and I instinctively took a step back. 

“My therapist said I should stand my ground and say no to things I’m uncomfortable with,” I said through gritted teeth. He furrowed his eyebrows, and a flicker of amusement sparkled in those lethal silver eyes of his.

‘You choose now to take a stand?!’ Dove exclaimed, exasperated. ‘He’s going to kill us!’ 

Could he? Just for refusing to give him a massage? 

Alpha Kennis dismissed me with a wave of his hand, but the determined look in his eyes suggested this wasn’t over. My breath shuddered, and I bolted from the room before he could change his mind.

That night, Alpha Martin threw a party to welcome Alpha Kennis, his beta and warrior, to the pack. They went all out to impress them, but it seemed that neither of them even noticed our Alpha’s efforts. A few bold women even dared to throw themselves at the visiting guests, but were ignored, as though they were beneath them. Nevertheless, Alpha Kennis’s eyes followed me wherever I went, and I felt uneasy. 

I jumped at the tap on my shoulder and turned to see Mark. I had mind-linked him to ask if we could leave the pack, and he agreed. I wrapped my arms around his waist in a hug, but then a sudden, intense headache hit me. 'DON’T TOUCH HIM,' a voice echoed in my head. I whimpered, sensing a pressure weighing down on me. I soon realized it was coming from the aura of someone powerful.

A powerful presence invaded my mind, forcing me to tear myself away from Mark abruptly. Only then did the pounding in my head ease.

“What is it?” Mark asked, concern etched on his face.

“I want to leave now,” I whispered, glancing around nervously.

“Good, everyone is distracted,” he said. But as we were walking out, a growl erupted from Alpha Kennis, silencing the crowd.

“Diara,” he drawled. I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and a shiver ran down my spine.

“Yes?” I hated how timid I sounded.

“I have chosen you to be Luna of the Night Moon Pack,” he declared, and gasps rippled through the garden. Even his own men looked surprised.

This couldn’t be happening. I shook my head, and before I could think, I turned on my heels and ran.

‘I told you to run from him, Diara. I could feel his dark Lycan rearing its head the moment he laid eyes on you.’

‘You could have warned me!’ I exclaimed.

‘I was going to, but only after you were safely away from him,’ she retorted. 

‘Shift,’ Dove said when I reached the clearing in the woods. I transformed into my golden wolf. Dove was small like me, but faster and lighter than most wolves in the pack. I didn’t know where I was going yet, but my wolf was terrified of the ancient Lycan. 

Suddenly, a powerful growl sent a shiver down my spine. I stumbled but kept running. Out of nowhere, a massive black Lycan leaped in front of me. I barely came to a halt and slipped, falling to the ground. The gigantic Lycan towered over me, its long claws and bared teeth revealing its menacing nature, its eyes glowing with gold and silver.

I was about to turn, but his voice reached my mind. 'Stop.' It was a command. I couldn’t refuse. How could he mind-link me when he wasn’t part of my pack? He truly was all-powerful. I heard bones crack, and he shifted back. My eyes widened when I realized he was fully clothed in an elegant yet casual outfit. Usually, when a werewolf returns to human form, they are naked.

‘Shift back,’ my wolf whimpered under his intense gaze, still reluctant to obey. She wanted to escape from this man, but eventually, I shifted into my human form. I was naked, and my cheeks burned with humiliation as I instinctively covered my breasts with my hands. His gaze shamelessly roamed over my body, and a frown formed on his lips when his eyes landed on the thin scar on my side. I had hurt myself while trying to save my sister several years ago.

“You can’t run from me,” he said, taking deliberate steps closer. I instinctively took a step back. 

“Leave me alone,” I tried to be stern, but tears had already gathered in my eyes. His mouth twisted into a snarl.

“My Lycan chose you as his.” his voice was cold as ice. I couldn’t understand why his powerful Lycan would choose someone like me, the spare who wasn’t half as strong as most of the she-wolves in the pack. His large, warm hands gripped my small shoulders, and I trembled under his touch. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my neck as he bit down, blood oozing from the wound. I felt him drinking my blood, and in that moment, pain surged through me, but so did an unexpected edge of pleasure. He marked me and drank from me. The agony overwhelmed me, and darkness swiftly took over.