Alpha's STOLEN Mate Chapter 13

Elowen

At first glance, it looked like a pack of rogue wolves had surrounded a single defender. But as I watched, my perception shifted dramatically. The lone wolf—massive, pure black, and utterly magnificent—wasn't being overwhelmed by superior numbers. He was systematically destroying them.

*Jesus Christ.*

This black wolf was enormous, easily twice the size of the largest rogue. His coat was the color of midnight, so dark it seemed to absorb the morning light. Every muscle rippled with deadly precision as he moved, and his attacks were surgical in their efficiency. Razor-sharp claws tore through his enemies' chests, pulling out vital organs with casual brutality. His powerful jaws clamped down on spine after spine, severing them with audible cracks that made my stomach turn.

My own wolf stirred restlessly inside me, responding to the raw display of dominance and power. Despite everything I felt about the man, I couldn't deny that his wolf form was breathtaking—a perfect killing machine wrapped in ebony fur.

But then the massacre ended, and my admiration curdled into horror.

Only one rogue remained alive—a small wolf who couldn't have been more than a year past his first shift. His coat was still patchy and thin, marking him as barely more than a pup. He cowered among the corpses of his pack, whimpering as the black wolf approached with deliberate slowness.

*No. Please, no.*

The black wolf—Kaius, I was certain now—pinned the young rogue beneath one massive paw. The pup's terrified whining filled the air as those deadly claws extended, positioning themselves over the youngster's limbs.

*He's just a child.*

With surgical precision, Kaius's claws sliced through the pup's front leg, severing it completely before tossing the limb aside like refuse. The young wolf's screams of agony echoed off the mountains, and something inside me snapped.

*Enough.*

My transformation happened without conscious thought. One moment I was human, the next I was landing in wolf form between Kaius and his victim, my massive white form creating a stark contrast against the blood-soaked ground.

Kaius reared back, his dark eyes widening with shock. I could see the recognition there—not just that I'd escaped, but that I was *white.* A color so rare among our kind that legends were built around it.

But his surprise lasted only seconds. His lips pulled back in a warning snarl, revealing fangs stained with fresh blood. Behind him, the injured pup continued to writhe and whimper, but I couldn't reach him without going through Kaius first.

I took a step forward, my own growl building in my chest. *Let him go.*

Instead of backing down, Kaius did something that made my blood run cold. Without breaking eye contact with me, he turned his head and clamped his jaws around the pup's throat.

*NO!*

The sickening crunch of vertebrae filled the air, followed by the wet splash of blood hitting my white fur. The pup's struggles ceased instantly, his body going limp in death.

Rage exploded through me like molten silver. I launched myself at Kaius with a roar that shook the trees, my claws extended and ready to tear flesh.

We collided with the force of an avalanche, both of us rolling across the blood-soaked ground as we struggled for dominance. Kaius was stronger—much stronger—but I was faster. Every time his massive jaws snapped toward my throat, I twisted away, leaving him with nothing but air while my claws raked across his ribs.

He lunged forward, trying to use his weight advantage to pin me down, but I slipped beneath him and sank my fangs into his shoulder. The taste of his blood filled my mouth—hot, metallic, and somehow familiar despite my revulsion.

Kaius roared in pain and fury, spinning to dislodge me, but I held on, tearing a chunk of flesh away before dancing back out of his reach. Dark blood matted his beautiful black coat, and I felt a savage satisfaction at the sight.

*How does it feel, you monster?*

But our battle was interrupted by the sound of approaching hoofbeats and voices. I looked up to see a full squadron of mounted warriors cresting the ridge, led by Frost on a white stallion. Behind them came more soldiers on foot, some carrying crossbows loaded with what looked suspiciously like wolfsbane-tipped bolts.

*Shit. Time to go.*

Without hesitation, I broke away from Kaius and bolted deeper into the forest, my white form weaving between the trees as shouts erupted behind me. I could hear the thunder of hooves and paws giving chase, but I had speed on my side—white wolves were built for endurance and agility.

"After her!" Frost's voice rang out. "Don't let her escape! No one fucking dares fire!"

I ran with everything I had, branches whipping past my face as I navigated the dense undergrowth. Behind me, Kaius's massive black form crashed through the forest in pursuit, his rage driving him to reckless speed. The mounted warriors were forced to dismount and follow on foot, but their numbers meant they could spread out and try to cut off my escape routes.

*Keep going. Find another way through.*

But as I burst through a final line of trees, my heart sank. The forest ended abruptly at the edge of a massive cliff, the ground simply dropping away into empty air. Far below, I could see jagged rocks and mist, with no way to tell how far the drop extended.

*No. No, no, no.*

I skidded to a halt at the precipice, my claws scraping against stone as I fought for purchase. There was nowhere left to run. The cliff stretched to my left and right as far as I could see—an impassable barrier that had trapped me as effectively as any cage.

Heavy footsteps announced Kaius's arrival behind me. I turned to see his black form emerging from the tree line, blood still matting his fur from our earlier battle. His dark eyes were fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin crawl, but there was something else there too—something that looked almost like fear.

"Don't move!" Frost called out as more warriors appeared from the forest, forming a semicircle around the clearing. "She's cornered—no sudden movements!"

The warriors spread out slowly, their crossbows trained on me but not yet firing. I could see the shock and confusion on their faces. White wolves were legend—creatures of myth and power that appeared perhaps once in a generation. To see one here, now, backed against a cliff by their Alpha King, had clearly shaken them.

Kaius took a cautious step forward, his body language shifting from predatory to something almost... pleading? He let out a low whine, the sound so different from his earlier rage that it caught me off guard.

*Too late for that, asshole.*

"Surround her slowly," Frost commanded, his voice tight with strain. "Keep those weapons ready, but don't you dare fire unless I order it. We need her alive."

The circle of armed wolves began closing in, cutting off my escape routes one by one. I could see the wolfsbane glistening on their bolt tips—one hit would incapacitate me instantly, leaving me at Kaius's mercy.

I looked back at the black wolf—my mate, this tyrant—who had just murdered a defenseless pup in front of me, who represented everything I'd spent four years trying to escape. The disgust and revulsion I felt toward him crystallized into perfect clarity.

Behind me, the cliff yawned like an open mouth, promising either freedom or death. In front of me, the warriors continued their slow advance, while Kaius watched with eyes that held a desperate kind of hunger.

*I'd rather die than be yours again.*

With that thought burning in my mind, I turned and sprinted toward the cliff edge.