MATED TO THE SAVAGE KING

Elena Bennett had one rule she never broke.

Never enter the forest after sunset.

Unfortunately, tonight, she had broken it.

She stood between two enormous trees, staring at the darkness ahead of her. Her phone had no signal, her car had broken down several minutes earlier, and the road behind her had somehow disappeared beneath the thick evening fog.

"Great. Just perfect."

She kicked a small stone away and looked at her phone again.

Nothing.

Her mother was going to kill her.

Elena had promised to return home before eight, but it was already past eleven. She had taken a shortcut after leaving her friend's house, unaware that the road would lead her into a forest she had never seen before.

A strange sound came from somewhere behind her.

She turned.

"Hello?"

No answer.

She waited, listening.

Then came another sound.

A low growl.

Elena's stomach tightened.

She slowly turned towards the trees.

Two golden eyes stared at her from the darkness.

Her breath caught.

A massive black wolf stepped onto the path.

Elena stumbled backwards.

"No. No, no, no."

The wolf didn't move.

It simply watched her.

She had seen wolves in documentaries before, but none had looked anything like this. This creature was enormous, almost the size of a horse, with dark fur and frightening golden eyes.

Elena turned and ran.

She didn't care about the branches scratching her arms or the stones beneath her shoes. She only wanted to get away.

But she didn't get far.

A man stepped out from behind the trees, forcing her to stop.

He was tall, broad-shouldered and dressed in a black coat. His dark hair was slightly messy, and his golden eyes were fixed on her with an expression that revealed absolutely nothing.

"Stop running," he ordered.

Elena stared at him.

"Are you serious? There's a giant wolf behind me!"

"I know."

She blinked.

"You know?"

The man glanced over her shoulder.

The wolf had stopped several feet away.

"You're trespassing on royal territory."

Elena looked around in disbelief.

"Royal territory? Is this some kind of joke?"

He didn't answer.

Instead, he studied her face as though trying to recognize something.

"What's your name?"

"Why should I tell you?"

His expression hardened.

"Because I asked."

Elena folded her arms, although her hands were trembling.

"And I don't remember agreeing to answer your questions."

A strange silence followed.

Then several men emerged from the forest.

The moment they saw the stranger, they lowered their heads.

"Your Majesty."

Elena's eyes widened.

Your Majesty?

The man didn't acknowledge their greeting.

"Who brought a human into my territory?"

One of the men stepped forward.

"No one, Your Majesty. We noticed her after the border guards reported an unusual scent."

The stranger looked at Elena again.

"Human?"

He said the word as if it were an insult.

Elena frowned.

"Excuse me?"

He ignored her.

"Take her to the castle."

Two men approached.

Elena immediately stepped backwards.

"Don't touch me! I'm going home."

"You are not going anywhere until I know why you're here."

"I already told you. My car broke down!"

The man's eyes narrowed.

"Your car?"

"Yes. You know, the thing people use to travel?"

One of the men quickly looked away, apparently trying not to react.

The stranger didn't find her amusing.

"Enough."

His voice was quiet, but everyone immediately became silent.

Elena felt an uncomfortable chill run through her body.

There was something about him that made it difficult to argue, even though she had no intention of obeying him.

Then her wrist began to burn.

She gasped and grabbed it.

A silver mark appeared on her skin.

It was a crescent moon surrounded by three unfamiliar symbols.

The men immediately stepped backwards.

One of them whispered, "That's impossible."

The stranger moved closer.

For the first time, his expression changed.

"Where did you get that mark?"

Elena stared at her wrist.

"I don't know. It wasn't there before."

He grabbed her hand and examined the symbol.

His fingers were cold.

"What's your family name?"

"Bennett."

He released her immediately.

Something unreadable passed across his face.

"Repeat that."

"Elena Bennett. Is there a problem?"

The man looked towards his guards.

"Bring me the royal records."

One of them hesitated.

"Your Majesty, do you think she could be..."

"Not another word."

His voice silenced everyone.

Elena looked between them.

"Could I be what?"

Nobody answered.

The stranger turned towards her.

"Alexander Blackthorn."

Elena waited.

He seemed to expect a reaction.

"Okay?"

One of the guards looked horrified.

Alexander's eyes narrowed.

"I am the King of the Black Moon Kingdom."

Elena stared at him.

Then she laughed nervously.

"Right. And I'm the Queen of England."

Nobody laughed.

Not even slightly.

Alexander stepped closer.

"Take her to the castle."

This time, Elena didn't argue immediately.

Something in his voice told her that whatever was happening was far more serious than she had imagined.

As the guards escorted her through the forest, she looked back at the enormous black wolf.

It was still watching her.

Then something strange happened.

The wolf lowered its head.

Not in aggression.

In respect.

Elena stopped walking.

"Why is it doing that?"

Alexander followed her gaze.

His expression turned cold.

"Because it recognizes something you don't."

Before Elena could ask another question, a bell rang from somewhere beyond the trees.

Once.

Twice.

Then a third time.

Every guard stopped.

Alexander's face changed.

One of the men hurried towards him.

"Your Majesty, the ancient bell has rung."

"I heard it."

"It hasn't rung in twenty years."

Alexander looked towards Elena's wrist.

The silver mark was glowing brighter now.

Then the guard whispered something that made Elena's blood run cold.

"The royal archive has opened by itself."

Alexander remained silent for several seconds.

Finally, he looked directly at Elena.

"Bring her to the throne room."

Elena swallowed.

"Why?"

His golden eyes were fixed on her.

"Because I want to know why a dead bloodline has suddenly returned."

And for the first time that night, Elena realized something terrifying.

The wolves hadn't found her by accident.

They had been waiting for her.