THE ALPHA QUEEN'S CAPTIVE MATE

The night the prisoners arrived at Blackthorn Palace, Queen Aurelia sat upon her throne and watched blood drip from her fingertips.

Not her blood.

She stared at the dark crimson liquid for a moment before slowly wiping it against the black fabric of her gown.

The throne room was silent.

Hundreds of candles burned along the walls, their flames flickering whenever the cold night wind slipped through the narrow windows. Black banners bearing the silver wolf of House Blackthorn hung from the ceiling, reminding everyone who entered the palace exactly whose territory they had stepped into.

Aurelia rested one elbow against the arm of her throne.

"Are they dead?"

Her voice was quiet.

The man standing before her immediately lowered his head.

"Three of them, Your Majesty."

Beta Rowan hesitated.

"The rest surrendered."

Aurelia's golden eyes lifted.

"Then bring the survivors in."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The great doors opened.

The sound of chains followed.

Six prisoners were dragged into the throne room by palace guards. Their clothes were torn, their faces bruised, and silver restraints circled their wrists.

They were Frostfang wolves.

Three nights ago, they had crossed Blackthorn territory without permission.

They had attacked one of Aurelia's border villages.

Twelve warriors had died.

Two houses had been burned.

And before retreating, the Frostfang soldiers had left a message carved into the wall of the village hall.

The Blackthorn throne will fall.

They had been wrong.

Aurelia had personally led the counterattack.

Frostfang's soldiers had been defeated before sunrise.

Now their survivors stood before her throne.

Aurelia studied them one by one.

None dared look directly into her eyes.

"Look at me."

Her command wasn't loud.

It didn't need to be.

Five prisoners immediately raised their heads.

The sixth remained still.

Aurelia noticed.

Her gaze settled on him.

He was young.

Perhaps twenty-four or twenty-five.

Dark hair fell messily over his forehead. His clothes were torn and covered in dust, but beneath the damage, Aurelia could see the strength in his shoulders.

Unlike the others, he wasn't trembling.

His wrists were bound.

His knees were bleeding.

Yet he stood straight.

Aurelia's eyes narrowed.

"Who is he?"

The captain stepped forward.

"My Queen, his name is Kael Veyran."

Aurelia's expression changed.

Only slightly.

But Rowan noticed.

"Veyran?" she repeated.

"Yes."

"Full name."

The captain swallowed.

"Kael Veyran. Son of the former Frostfang Alpha, Darius Veyran."

The throne room became colder.

Aurelia's fingers slowly tightened around the armrest.

Darius Veyran.

She knew that name.

She had spent ten years remembering it.

Ten years ago, Darius had betrayed her family.

His warriors had entered Blackthorn territory under the pretence of a peace negotiation.

Instead, they had slaughtered members of Aurelia's family.

Her father.

Her mother.

Her older brother.

Everyone who had stood between Darius and the Blackthorn throne.

Everyone except Aurelia.

She had been sixteen when she found their bodies.

Sixteen when she swore that the Veyran bloodline would never rise again.

And now the son was standing in front of her.

Aurelia rose.

Every guard in the room lowered his head.

She walked down the marble steps of the throne slowly.

One.

Two.

Three.

Her heels echoed through the hall.

Kael watched her approach.

He didn't bow.

Aurelia stopped directly in front of him.

"Look at me."

His silver eyes met hers.

For one strange second, the entire world disappeared.

Aurelia stopped breathing.

A sharp sensation struck her chest.

Not pain.

Something deeper.

Something ancient.

Her wolf stirred violently inside her.

Mate.

Aurelia's eyes widened.

No.

Her wolf growled again.

Our mate.

Aurelia's face hardened.

Absolutely not.

Of all the wolves in the kingdom, fate had chosen him?

Darius Veyran's son?

The son of the man whose blood had stained her childhood?

She refused to believe it.

Kael seemed to notice the change in her expression.

"What?"

Aurelia stepped closer.

"You're Kael Veyran."

"Yes."

His voice was rough but steady.

"Do you know who I am?"

"You're the Alpha Queen."

"That's not what I asked."

Kael remained silent.

Aurelia reached out and lifted his chin.

"You know exactly who I am."

His jaw tightened beneath her fingers.

"I know what people call you."

"And what do they call me?"

"The Blackthorn Queen."

Aurelia smiled coldly.

"They call me many things."

She released him.

"Which one did your father teach you?"

Kael's eyes darkened.

"I didn't come here to discuss my father."

"You came here because my soldiers dragged you here."

His jaw clenched.

Aurelia walked around him slowly.

"You're his son."

"I know."

"Then you carry his blood."

"I can't choose who my father was."

Aurelia stopped behind him.

"No."

Her voice became colder.

"But you can choose what happens to you now."

Kael turned his head slightly.

"And what happens to me?"

Aurelia returned to stand before him.

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On whether you understand your position."

Kael stared at her.

"I am a prisoner."

"Good."

At last, Aurelia saw a flash of anger in his eyes.

"I haven't forgotten."

"Then don't."

One of the guards stepped forward.

"My Queen, shall we take him to the dungeons with the others?"

Aurelia looked at Kael.

Her wolf was still restless.

She hated the feeling.

She hated the invisible bond trying to pull her toward a man she had every reason to despise.

"No."

The guard looked surprised.

"No, Your Majesty?"

"He will not go to the dungeon."

Kael's brows drew together.

Aurelia turned away.

"He will stay in the palace."

"Under guard?"

"Of course."

She returned to her throne.

Kael's voice followed her.

"Why?"

Aurelia stopped.

She slowly looked over her shoulder.

"Because I said so."

"That isn't an answer."

Aurelia's lips curved.

"You're in no position to demand answers from me."

"I didn't demand anything."

"You questioned my decision."

"And if I did?"

The guards immediately reached for their weapons.

Aurelia lifted one hand.

They stopped.

She looked at Kael for a long moment.

He was different from the others.

Not weaker.

Not frightened.

Defiant.

Aurelia almost admired it.

Almost.

"Take him to the east wing."

Kael's expression hardened.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Aurelia's eyes flashed gold.

Every wolf in the room felt the sudden pressure of her Alpha command.

Kael's knees nearly buckled.

He caught himself.

Aurelia noticed.

So did everyone else.

Interesting.

Most wolves couldn't resist her command.

Yet Kael had fought it.

Aurelia leaned forward slightly.

"Did you misunderstand me?"

Kael slowly straightened.

"No."

"Then walk."

For several seconds, neither moved.

Then Kael finally turned toward the guards.

As they led him away, Aurelia watched him disappear through the doors.

Only when the doors closed did she allow her expression to change.

She pressed a hand against her chest.

Her heart was beating too fast.

"Mate," her wolf whispered.

Aurelia closed her eyes.

"No."

"He is."

"He is my enemy."

"Still our mate."

Aurelia's jaw tightened.

She had spent years building herself into someone nobody could control.

She had fought for the throne.

Killed for it.

Sacrificed for it.

She had become the strongest Alpha in the northern territories because she had learned one simple rule:

Never allow anyone to have power over you.

A mate bond was power.

And she would never give Kael Veyran that power.

Not even if the Moon Goddess herself demanded it.

Aurelia opened her eyes.

"Find out everything about him."

Beta Rowan stepped forward.

"Everything?"

"Everything."

"His history?"

"His history. His friends. His enemies. His loyalties."

She paused.

"And find out why he can resist my Alpha command."

Rowan's expression changed.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Aurelia leaned back against her throne.

"One more thing."

"Yes?"

"Do not tell him that I know he's my mate."

Rowan stared at her.

"You're going to keep it secret?"

Aurelia's golden eyes hardened.

"I have no intention of accepting him."

"And if the bond becomes stronger?"

Aurelia smiled without warmth.

"Then I'll break it."

Far away in the east wing, Kael was pushed into a large room guarded from the outside.

The door slammed shut.

He stood completely still.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he slowly looked toward the locked door.

His silver eyes began to glow.

A deep growl escaped his throat.

But it wasn't fear.

It was anger.

His wolf stirred.

She's our mate.

Kael clenched his fists.

"I know."

Then why do you hate her?

Kael looked toward the window.

Beyond the glass stood the Blackthorn kingdom, covered in darkness.

His father's voice echoed in his memory.

Never trust the Blackthorn Queen.

Kael had spent his entire life believing Aurelia was the enemy.

But there was something his father had never told him.

Something buried beneath years of lies.

Kael touched the silver pendant around his neck.

The only thing his mother had left him.

For the first time in his life, the pendant began to glow.

Kael's expression changed.

"What the hell...?"

A symbol appeared across the silver surface.

An ancient wolf.

A crown above its head.

And beneath it, three words appeared.

The Bloodline Returns.

Kael stared at the symbol.

He suddenly understood why his father had been so afraid of him.

And why Aurelia had looked at him as though she had seen a ghost.

His destiny had never been to serve the Alpha Queen.

He had been born for something far more dangerous.

And Aurelia had no idea that the prisoner she had just claimed...

might one day have the power to challenge her throne.