"Finally, you're here."
Kai's voice was like a warm breeze, laced with anticipation as he reached for me. His grin was infectious, drawing me in before his lips crashed against mine in a hard, desperate kiss. My fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, holding him close, while his arms tightened around my waist, pulling me flush against his body.
For a fleeting moment, nothing else mattered—just the heat of his touch, the way he grounded me, the way his fingers pressed into my back, anchoring me to him. The world around us faded, leaving only the rhythmic pounding of my heart and the sweet taste of his lips.
But all moments, no matter how beautiful, must end.
When we finally pulled away, our breaths mingled in the crisp night air. I stared up at him, my heart fluttering with excitement and nervousness all at once.
"I had to lie to my parents again today—just because of you." I teased, trying to steady the emotions brewing inside me.
Kai chuckled, his sharp eyes gleaming with mischief as he tapped my nose playfully. "Not my fault you're so besotted with me." he taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance.
I rolled my eyes, pushing lightly against his chest. "Arrogant to the very end."
But my teasing faded as reality crept back in. My fingers curled into my palm, and I took a step back, inhaling deeply.
"I need to tell you something."
Kai arched an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on."
I met his gaze, nerves fluttering in my stomach. "I'm pregnant."
The words hung in the air between us, carrying both excitement and apprehension. My heart pounded, waiting for his reaction. Kai and I had been mates for two years now, but no one in Moonveil Village knew—not even my family. We were both rogues, bound together by fate and choice. I had thought this news would bring him joy. That it would strengthen our bond.
I was wrong.
Kai's grin vanished. His face darkened, his entire body going rigid. "What?"
Confusion flickered in my eyes as I took a hesitant step closer. "I said I'm pregnant, Kai. With your child."
His expression twisted into something I couldn't recognize—rage, disbelief, disgust. And then, before I could react, he shoved me backward.
I stumbled, catching myself on shaky feet, staring at him in pure shock.
"That's not possible." he spat, his voice raw with fury. "It's not my child."
I blinked, my breath catching in my throat. "What…?"
His hands clenched into fists. "Who did you sleep with, huh?! Who did you whore around with?!"
The venom in his words sliced through me like a blade. My lips parted, but no words came out. My mind reeled, trying to comprehend the accusation. The Kai I knew—the mate I loved—was nowhere to be seen. In his place stood a man filled with hatred.
His hands shot out, gripping my arms with bruising force. Pain radiated from where his fingers dug into my flesh, but it was nothing compared to the ache blooming in my chest.
"Please… it hurts." I whimpered, blinking back tears. "Let go of me."
But he only squeezed tighter, his eyes blazing with fury.
"You disgust me." he seethed. "You think you can trap me with a bastard child?!"
My body trembled as a sob escaped my lips. "Kai, please—"
"Shut up!" he roared, shaking me like a ragdoll. "You think I don't see through your lies?! You're nothing but a filthy, lying whore!"
Something inside me snapped.
Without thinking, I wrenched myself free and, with all the strength I could muster, I slapped him across the face.
The sharp crack echoed in the night.
Kai's head snapped to the side, his eyes widening in pure shock. I breathed heavily, my palm stinging, but the satisfaction of that single moment overshadowed the pain.
Tears streamed down my face, but I refused to let him see me as weak.
"I don't need to explain myself to a man who would rather believe in lies than trust his mate." I said, my voice shaking with anger.
I turned to walk away, my heart splintering with every step. But then his voice rang out, sealing my fate forever.
"I, Kai Carter of Celestial Eclipse Pack, reject you, Selene Blackwood of Moonveil Village."
A cold, suffocating silence followed.
My body stiffened. The world around me blurred.
Pain.
It was all I could feel. My body screamed in agony, my limbs trembling from the weight of the rejection. The bond I had cherished, the love I had believed in, was gone. I clutched my stomach, my heart pounding wildly against my ribs. My baby… Kai may have rejected me, but the life growing inside me still remained.
I had to get home.
Every step was excruciating. My breath came in ragged gasps, and my wolf whimpered weakly in the back of my mind, drained from the severed mate bond. Each movement felt like walking through fire, but I pushed forward.
The forest loomed around me, dark and suffocating. The leaves rustled, whispering secrets I couldn't decipher. And then—the scent of blood hit me like a wave.
I stopped dead in my tracks.
Something was wrong.
The usually lively atmosphere of Moonveil Village was eerily silent. No voices. No laughter. No children playing in the distance.
Just silence.
And suddenly a scream rang through the air.
My blood turned to ice.
That was my mother's voice.
Ignoring the pain, I forced myself to walk my legs felt like lead, my entire body still weak from Kai's rejection, but I pushed through it.
The moment I stepped in village the world around me shattered.
Moonveil Village was in ruins.
Flames engulfed homes, turning everything into ash. Bodies littered the ground, some still twitching as their final breaths left them. The air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke, blood, and death.
"No…" My voice trembled, barely above a whisper.
I turned, my heart pounding, searching for my family.
And then I saw them.
My parents stood a few feet away, their faces pale with fear. They were surrounded by men dressed in royal armor—warriors from the Celestial Eclipse Pack. Their gold-plated armor gleamed under the firelight, their expressions cold and merciless.
One of them stepped forward. He was tall, his stance exuding authority. His eyes, a piercing shade of gold, held no emotion as he addressed the terrified villagers.
"This is your punishment. Death. Rogues have no right to live." His voice was calm, but it sent chills down my spine.
My mother let out a strangled sob, clutching my father's arm.
"Please! We've done nothing wrong! We've never harmed anyone—"
The warrior silenced her with a glare.
"You exist. That is crime enough."
Rage burned in my chest.
How could they justify this? How could they slaughter innocent people simply for being rogues?
The warrior raised his voice, addressing the rest of the soldiers.
"Kill them all. This is the order from our Alpha, the great Lycan King, Lucian Wolfe. Accept the punishment like the good dogs you all are. Our Alpha won't always be this generous."
The words sent a violent tremor through my body.
Lucian Wolfe.
The Lycan King.
I had heard whispers of him before—a ruthless ruler, a monster who viewed rogues as nothing more than insects to be crushed. And now, he had ordered the annihilation of my home.
The warrior lifted his hand.
"Burn the whole village down!"
The order echoed through the night.
"Now."
The moment the word left his lips, chaos erupted.
Torches were thrown. Flames exploded, consuming homes, trees, and people alike. The screams of my people filled the air, blending with the roar of the fire.
My vision blurred with tears.
I had to move. I had to save my parents.
But before I could take a step, something shifted in the air. A presence.
And then, I felt it.
A pair of piercing, predatory eyes locked onto me.
I turned, my breath catching in my throat.
Standing atop the burning village, clad in obsidian armor, was a man. Tall, powerful, dangerous. His jet-black hair was windswept, his features carved from stone. Golden eyes glowed with a cold, inhuman intensity.
Even from a distance, I could feel the sheer weight of his power pressing down on me.
Lucian Wolfe.
The Lycan King had arrived.