All Chapters of Rejected by my mate: Bounded by the Ruthless Lycan : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Kael ran as fast as he possibly could. For a Lycan, that meant faster than the speed of light.Zara was still hurt from the former battle, and her exhausted body gave out midway through their escape. He had no choice but to carry her on his back to avoid losing any more time.She was slipping in and out of consciousness. Her surroundings kept shifting, flashing into something different between blinks, like a film reel that kept skipping.She was awake when she saw Kael blow past the castle's entrance doors. Then she was out. When her eyes opened again, they were deep in the twisted bushes of the maze, thorny branches scraping at the air around them. Then she was gone again.She had another dream- no, a nightmare this time.He was here. And he was angry.She was on the bed. She was scared.He came forward cautiously, careful not to startle her too much. As if caution was something he was capable of showing."Baby." He called out to her as he slowly emerged from the shadows. The attempt

The man you speak of is not a figment of your imagination." Lysara's voice was measured. Final. "He is real."Zara's breath caught."And is he... ?" She couldn't finish the sentence."No. He is not Alpha Draven."She wasn't sure how to feel about that. Part of her was relieved because it meant Kael wasn't capable of wishing her harm, not even in the deepest, darkest corner of himself.But the other part of her remembered every single touch. Every encounter she had convinced herself was just a dream.None of it was."Well," Lysara paused. "Not exactly Alpha Draven."Kael and Zara turned to look at each other. Then back at the elder. Waiting."His name," Lysara said slowly, "is the Shadow King."The air left Zara's lungs. Her hand flew to her mouth.She had read about him in the Lycan codex once, back when she was desperately searching for answers.She had dismissed it then. He was supposed to be a myth. A story used to frighten young wolves into obedience.And yet.There had always bee

"You're going to get yourself killed, Zara."Denice's voice was quiet. Not dramatic. That was somehow worse.Zara had her head in her best friend's lap, staring up at the ceiling of the small cabin. It was sparse. It had a cot, a table, two chairs, a window that let in more cold than light. But it was clean. It was tucked far enough south of the pack grounds that nobody would think to look here. And it was safe, which was the only thing that mattered right now."The curse was going to do it eventually anyway," Zara said. "Or the shadow king. My life was never going to be quiet, Denice. I've made peace with that.""You haven't found a cure yet," Denice said softly, combing her fingers through Zara's hair. "That's not the same as giving up."Zara sat up, met her eyes, and slowly dragged one finger across her throat.Denice's hand froze mid-air."That is not funny." She swatted Zara's shoulder, harder than she intended."I'm not joking." Zara lay back down. "If I don't die, Kael does. A

Wisteria's brown and red-streaked wolf was barely recognizable beneath all the blood.The gashes she had carved across the rogue's forelegs and back were leaking crimson steadily into her fur but the rogue hadn't gone down. It absorbed every blow like it was built for it, and when it snapped its jaws shut around Wisteria's foot the crack of the bite was sickening.She howled.Her hind legs fired and sent the wolf stumbling backward but it caught itself before it fell, planting its massive paws into the ground and shaking off the hit like it was nothing.'That's not normal'Zara's breath stayed locked in her chest as she watched from where she'd landed in the mud. Lycans from a royal bloodline were built differently with strength that most wolves would never touch in their lifetimes. Wisteria should have ended this already.But the rogue matched her. Every single time.Maybe even exceeded her.Zara's legs wouldn't move. Some part of her brain kept running the calculation; 'if I jump i

The clink of forks scraping against porcelain plates echoed softly through the vast, nearly empty dining hall of the Lycan Pack’s main lodge. Sunlight filtered in through tall, arched windows framed by heavy velvet drapes, casting golden patterns across the long oak tables that could seat dozens but today held only two figures. The air carried the rich, savory aroma of seared steak, buttery eggs, and fresh herbs comforting yet heavy for the early hour.Outside, the distant howl of a lone wolf blended with the rustle of leaves, reminding Zara of the wild forest that pressed close against the pack’s territory.She poked at the glistening piece of medium-rare steak on her plate, the juices pooling beside fluffy scrambled eggs sprinkled with chives.She didn’t see the appeal of such a hearty breakfast so early in the morning. The food felt too substantial, too primal, like it was meant to fuel a warrior heading into battle rather than a woman still shaking off the remnants of last night’