All Chapters of Alpha's Rejected Secret: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

The night held its breath.Killian’s body was a wall of fury in front of her, his golden eyes blazing, claws out and ready. Aria could feel the Alpha bond thrumming through her chest, urging her to stay behind him, stay safe — but her wolf was restless, prowling, whispering that she was the reason this enemy had come.The Shadow Alpha tilted its head, the black glow of its eyes reflecting like oil. “I expected more of you,” it said in that strange double-voice, male and female overlapping, making Aria’s skin crawl. “The last key-bearer was braver.”“What do you want?” Killian snarled.The Shadow Alpha laughed, the sound wrong — too human, too wolf, too ancient all at once. “I think you already know. Give us the girl. Do it willingly, and we will spare your pack when the moon bleeds.”“The moon bleeds?” Aria whispered before she could stop herself.Those awful eyes turned to her, and she felt as if something cold had touched the inside of her skull. “Yes, little key,” the Shadow Alpha

Aria’s legs felt like lead as she stared into the Shadow Alpha’s silver eyes. Every instinct screamed at her to run, but the sight of the little girl bound to the tree held her in place like an anchor.“Don’t listen to him,” Killian’s voice was a low, dangerous growl. His claws were still dripping blood, his chest heaving. “He wants you to break. He wants you to give him what he can’t take.”The Shadow Alpha tilted his head, amused. “Is that so?” His gaze never left Aria as he stepped forward, the shadows around him moving like living things. “Tell me, little key, how much is that child’s life worth to you? Enough to surrender yourself?”Aria’s throat tightened. She could feel her power thrumming under her skin, begging to be unleashed, but she was afraid. Afraid that if she lost control, she’d burn the girl too.“You don’t have to do this,” Killian said sharply, stepping slightly in front of her. “This is a trick. He doesn’t want the child — he wants you.”“Correct,” the Shadow Alpha

The night was so still that Aria could hear her own heartbeat. The ruins seemed to hold their breath as she stood at the edge of the clearing, her hands clenched so tightly her nails cut into her palms.“Kneel.”The word echoed like a spell, thick with command. The shadow’s golden eyes glowed, daring her to refuse.Her wolf snarled inside her, refusing to submit — but the bond between her and Killian throbbed with pain, pulling her attention back to him. He was chained to the altar, blood dripping down his chest in dark rivulets, his breathing shallow but steady.She couldn’t let them kill him.Slowly, she sank to one knee, her jaw locked, her gaze never leaving the shadow’s face. Her wolf growled, furious, but stayed silent — waiting.The shadow’s smile was razor-sharp. “Good. You are learning.”“Let him go,” Aria demanded, her voice steady despite the storm in her chest.“Oh, little Moonborn,” the shadow purred, stepping closer. “This is only the beginning.”---The ground beneath h

The hall was eerily silent except for the sound of Aria’s breathing — ragged, shallow, shaking. The betrayer knelt in front of her, blood staining their mouth, their hands raised in surrender that felt more mocking than remorseful.“You…” Aria’s voice cracked like a whip, sharp with disbelief and grief. Her claws still dripped with blood from the fight. Her chest ached so hard she thought her ribs might shatter. “After everything… after everything we survived together…”The betrayer coughed, spitting a thin line of crimson on the broken marble floor. Their lips curled into a bitter smile. “You think I wanted this?”“You chose this!” Aria snarled, stepping closer until her boots crunched over broken glass and rubble. “You chose to stab me in the back. You chose to side with them. Was I just a fool to ever trust you?”The betrayer’s smile faltered, pain flashing in their eyes. “You think trust fills bellies? Keeps people alive? Aria, you don’t understand—”“Then make me understand!” she

The forest still smelled of blood when Aria and Killian returned to the stronghold. The moon had begun its slow descent, shadows lengthening across the earth, but no one in the pack dared sleep. Word had already spread — about the ambush, the masked enemies, and the betrayal that cut deeper than any blade.Aria strode into the war room, her jaw set. The long oak table was already crowded — Alphas, Betas, warriors, all with grim faces and tired eyes. The air buzzed with unease.Killian followed close behind, placing the bloodied bone mask they’d retrieved onto the table. Its hollow eyes seemed to stare at every wolf in the room.A ripple of murmurs followed.“Enough,” Aria said sharply. Silence fell. She stood at the head of the table, her amber eyes blazing. “We were ambushed. They weren’t hunting at random. They wanted me. And they took the betrayer before he could speak.”Her words hit hard. She could feel the unspoken questions in the room. Some looked at her with doubt — others wi