The wind howled through the thick trees of the Midnight Pack's territory, carrying a smell that was both strange and comforting. Ronan Blackthorn, the leader of the Midnight Pack, stood on the edge of the cliff and looked out over the water. He wasn't thinking about what was beyond the horizon, though. The prophecy always made him feel heavy in the chest. The old words had been used by his family for many years, and every alpha who came before him had the same fate.
"Your fated mate will either save you or destroy you," the prophecy said.
But who was she?
Ronan didn't believe in fate. Too many wolves had been killed by it, and their deaths were now just cruel ironies. Having a partner, someone to share his life with, would always be out of his price range. The pack always came first. Still, every night he had dreams about a woman he couldn't identify. There was an unmistakable woman there, but her face was never shown. The thought that she was waiting for him outside wouldn't leave him.
However, fate had other plans.
A voice calling out from behind him said, "Alpha." This woke him up. Sylas Thornheart, Ronan's best friend and the second-in-command of the pack, was quickly coming towards him when he turned around. Sylas had been Ronan's rock in a world where the sands are always moving. His instincts were strong, and he was loyal to the end.
"What is it?" Ronan spoke steadily, but his chest shook with worry.
"Someone is near the borders," Sylas said with a frown. "A female."
"A female?" Ronan said it again with a skip in his step. There was no time for guests because packs were becoming more hostile towards each other and rival alphas were always trying to take over the Midnight Pack's territory.
He also said, "Yes, and she's not alone." We've picked up the scent of a few unknown wolves with her. They look like they are part of the Nightstorm Pack.
Ronan's jaw tense up when the Nightstorm Pack was brought up. Kieran Nightstorm, the leader of the pack, had been giving him trouble for years. Now, a strange woman and the Nightstorm wolves were coming onto his land. When his thoughts turned to Kieran's growing threat, his chest tensed up. It wasn't just one thing; it was something else. But this? It wasn't the same.
Ronan said in a sharp voice, "Bring her to me." He just knew in his heart that this was not a normal situation. The woman, whoever she was, had to have a reason for being here. Also, the visit wasn't by chance.
A short time later, Elara Dawn showed up in front of him. Her presence was both beautiful and scary. He wasn't ready for her. Even though she wasn't very tall or strong, she had an undeniable aura. She had wild, dark hair that framed a face that looked almost too fragile for this harsh world. But those eyes, those eyes, spoke of something deeper. Something old.
She didn't bow. She didn't show any signs of being scared. Instead, her intense eyes caught his and made him stop. Her eyes had a quality that made people look at her. Ronald could tell that she had power inside her that wasn't fully developed yet. He found it very interesting.
He could tell she wasn't sure when she said, "Elara Dawn." "I don't mean any harm."
Ronan's eyes got narrower and his suspicions grew as he looked at her. He didn't trust the Nightstorm wolves or the woman who came in with them. There was something about her, though, that made him recognise her right away.
Ronan said in a low but firm voice, "You are on my land without permission." He took a step towards her, his big body standing out against the darkening forest. He had the alpha presence of his pack and acted in a dominant way.
She shook her head and said, "I'm here because I need your help." "And I'm afraid the prophecy is going to happen."
The words hung in the air between them like a storm that was about to hit. Ronan's back hair stood on end. The message. It was always there in the back of his mind, like a shadow. He didn't expect to hear anyone talk about it, though—of his doomed mate. Not now or here.
With a quick thought, he asked, "What do you mean?" Was this a trick? Is Kieran Nightstorm once more trying to hurt him? Or did it have something else to it? He had a lot of questions, and each one was more important than the last.
Elara moved forward, and her eyes were filled with a feeling he couldn't put his finger on. There was a deep sense of certainty, an unmistakable sense of time, and sadness. "I'm the person you've been looking for." I'm meant to be your mate.
Ronan hung up.
Everything seemed to stop around him. His heart skipped a beat, and there was silence. He couldn't breathe or think. He was thinking about things that made him angry, shocked, and something deeper that he couldn't fully understand. Someone had to come along and save him and his pack, and this woman, this stranger, said she was that person.
It was a true prophecy.
What did it mean to him, though? For his pack? For Elara?
When he said, "I don't believe in fate," it didn't mean what he said. He didn't believe in fate. He thought the idea was silly. Still, there was something about her that made him feel uneasy. He couldn't fight the clear pull, which felt like a magnetic force, between them.
"Then you'll have to believe in me," Elara said in a sure but sad voice. "Because everything you've built will fall apart if you don't."
I could tell she was telling the truth by the look in her eyes as she spoke. As a woman, she had more than one claim. That wasn't all she was. Something that could be very important. It was clear to Ronan that he couldn't ignore her, even though he wanted to.
Not anymore.