Alina stepped further into the woods, the canopy above casting long shadows on the forest floor. Her mind felt as tangled as the branches overhead, the weight of the last few days pressing down on her like a physical burden. She kicked at a fallen branch, frustrated with her situation, with the pack, with everything.
The forest had always been her refuge, the one place she could escape the constant rejection. Here, surrounded by the tall trees and the rustling of leaves, she could pretend—just for a little while—that she wasn't the outcast, the one no one wanted. But even in the quiet solitude of the woods, her thoughts kept drifting back to Lukas and Celine, to the announcement that had crushed her heart.
Lukas had chosen Celine as his mate. The pack had celebrated, everyone reveling in the joy of the alpha's choice. Everyone except her. Alina had watched from the shadows, her heart shattering into a million pieces as Lukas, the boy she'd secretly loved for years, declared his devotion to someone else.
As she walked deeper into the woods, Alina tried to push the memory away, but it clung to her like a stubborn vine. She had never been good enough for Lukas, and now it was clear she never would be. Her heart ached with the rejection, but she knew she had to keep moving, to keep pretending that it didn't bother her.
A sudden prickle ran down her spine, a shiver of awareness that made her pause mid-step. She glanced around, scanning the dense trees and underbrush, her senses on high alert. There was something… off. The usual quiet of the forest had shifted, a strange stillness settling over the area, as if the woods themselves were holding their breath.
Alina's heart quickened, and she turned slowly, her eyes darting from shadow to shadow. That's when she saw him.
A man stood a few paces away, leaning casually against a tree trunk. He was tall, his frame broad and strong, with dark hair that fell in disheveled waves around his face. His clothes were rough, worn with the kind of life lived far from the comforts of civilization. But it was his eyes that caught her attention—sharp, calculating, and full of an unsettling intensity.
"Who the hell are you?" Alina's voice came out sharper than she intended, but she was on edge. Strangers didn't just show up in the pack's territory without reason, especially not rogues.
The man's lips curled into a half-smile, but there was no warmth in it. "Easy there. I'm not here to cause trouble."
Alina narrowed her eyes, her fingers twitching slightly at her sides as she instinctively prepared to defend herself. "You didn't answer my question."
The man pushed off the tree and took a step closer, his movements slow and deliberate, like he didn't have a care in the world. "Name's Kieran. I'm just passing through."
"Passing through?" Alina echoed, not buying it for a second. Rogues didn't just "pass through" pack territory. They stayed away for a reason—because packs didn't take kindly to trespassers. "You shouldn't be here."
Kieran shrugged, as if her warning meant nothing to him. "Maybe. But I go where I please."
Alina's muscles tensed as she took a step back, keeping a safe distance between them. There was something about him, something that sent a ripple of unease through her. He wasn't just any rogue. There was a power around him, a presence that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
"I should call the pack," she said, her voice steady despite the growing tension.
Kieran's smile faded, his eyes darkening. "If you were going to call them, you would have done it already."
Alina swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. He was right, of course. She should have howled the moment she saw him, alerted the pack to the rogue in their territory. But something had stopped her. Maybe it was curiosity, or maybe it was the way he looked at her, like he knew something she didn't.
"What do you want?" she demanded, keeping her voice firm.
Kieran tilted his head, studying her with an intensity that made her uncomfortable. "You."
The word hung in the air between them, heavy and unexpected. Alina blinked, taken aback. "Me?"
"You're different," he said, his voice low, almost contemplative. "I can sense it. There's something about you."
Alina's chest tightened, her mind racing. No one had ever called her different. She was the outcast, the unwanted. What did he see in her?
"I don't know what you're talking about," she muttered, taking another step back.
Kieran's eyes glinted, a strange mix of amusement and curiosity. "You don't know, do you? You don't even realize what you are."
Alina frowned, her confusion deepening. "What are you talking about?"
"Power," he said simply. "It's hidden, but it's there. You've got something the others don't."
Her heart raced faster now, a mix of fear and intrigue swirling in her chest. Power? What power? She wasn't anything special. She was the rejected one, the girl who didn't belong. But the way Kieran spoke, with such certainty, made her doubt everything she thought she knew.
"I don't have any power," she snapped, trying to shake off the unease.
Kieran's smile returned, but it was softer now, almost pitying. "You will."
Before Alina could respond, a low growl echoed through the trees, followed by the unmistakable sound of heavy footfalls. Kieran straightened, his expression darkening as another figure approached from the direction of the pack.
Lukas appeared, his eyes locking onto Kieran with a fierce intensity. His jaw was clenched, muscles tense as he stepped between Alina and the rogue.
"Kieran," Lukas growled, his voice laced with warning. "You're not welcome here."
Kieran smirked, but there was no humor in it. "I was just leaving."
Lukas didn't move, his eyes never leaving Kieran's. "Make sure you don't come back."
Kieran gave a casual shrug, but Alina could see the flicker of something dangerous in his eyes. "Maybe I will, maybe I won't. We'll see."
With one last glance at Alina, Kieran turned and disappeared into the shadows of the trees, leaving her standing there with Lukas, her mind spinning from the strange encounter.
"Are you okay?" Lukas asked, his voice softer now, but his eyes were still hard, still full of that alpha dominance.
Alina nodded, though she wasn't sure she believed it herself. What had just happened? Who was Kieran, and what did he want from her?
As Lukas stood protectively by her side, Alina couldn't shake the feeling that her life had just taken a dangerous turn.