In a world where fate determines mates, Aria Sinclair never expected her destined bond to bring her anything but pain. Marked by tragedy and scarred both inside and out, she has spent years hiding from the past until the day she crosses paths with Alpha Kade Blackwood, the ruthless leader of the Blood Moon Pack. The moment Kade lays eyes on Aria, he knows she is his mate. But she is terrified of him of all Alphas. Broken and unwilling to trust, Aria does the unthinkable: she rejects him. Yet, Kade refuses to accept her rejection. His wolf craves her, his soul calls for her, and he will stop at nothing to uncover the truth behind her pain. As danger looms and enemies from Aria's past resurface, Kade vows to protect her even if it means breaking her walls and forcing her to accept the bond she's so determined to escape. But when secrets unravel and betrayals come to light, will Aria find the strength to let love in, or will she run once more, leaving behind the mate who swore to never let her go?
Chapter 1 Marked by Fate, Scarred by Life
The night air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, a crisp contrast to the lingering warmth of the summer day. The full moon hung low in the sky, casting silver light over the dense forest that surrounded the small town of Silverbrook. A town that had become Aria Sinclair's last refuge.
She pulled her hood tighter over her head as she hurried down the empty sidewalk, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and frustration. She should have never come here.
But she had nowhere else to go.
The town had been a last resort, a quiet place tucked away from the world where she could disappear. But she should have known better. No place was safe. Not for someone like her.
Her past clung to her like a shadow, a constant reminder that she didn't belong anywhere-not in the human world and certainly not in the world of wolves.
A flickering neon sign up ahead caught her eye. Molly's Diner Open 24/7.
The place looked old, worn, the kind of diner where truck drivers stopped for coffee and lonely souls nursed their regrets over cheap meals. It wasn't much, but it was a temporary escape from the night and the unease prickling at her skin.
Aria pushed the door open, and the warm scent of coffee and grease enveloped her. The place was nearly empty, save for a tired-looking waitress behind the counter and an older man nursing a plate of fries in the corner.
She slid into a booth at the far end of the diner, her back pressed against the wall. Habit.
A woman in her fifties with short, graying hair approached, notepad in hand. "What can I get you, hon?"
"Just coffee. Black," Aria murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
The waitress gave her a kind smile before walking away. Aria exhaled shakily, fingers tracing over the edge of the table. Everything felt too quiet. Too still.
Then, her wolf stirred.
A prickle of unease crawled up her spine. Her instincts screamed at her something was coming.
The air shifted. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
The bell above the diner's door jingled, and Aria's breath caught in her throat.
A man stepped inside.
Tall. Powerfully built. Dangerous.
His presence was suffocating, dominating the entire room the moment he walked in. His dark hair was tousled, as if he had just shifted back into human form, and his sharp jawline was shadowed with stubble. He was dressed in black-jeans, boots, and a fitted shirt that hugged his broad chest.
But it wasn't his appearance that sent ice through Aria's veins. It was his scent.
Sandalwood. Smoke. And something primal.
Alpha.
Her heart slammed against her ribs as her wolf whimpered. No. No, no, no.
The man's piercing blue eyes swept over the room before locking onto her.
Aria's stomach dropped. He knew.
She could see it in the way his body tensed, the way his nostrils flared as he inhaled. Recognition. Discovery.
Mate.
The word rang through her like a curse.
She had spent years hiding from this running from the possibility of being claimed. And yet, fate had a cruel sense of humor.
He moved.
Every step he took was calculated, slow, as if he were stalking prey. Aria's fingers clenched into fists beneath the table. She wanted to run, but her body refused to obey.
"Hello, little wolf," he murmured, his voice deep and smooth, yet filled with something dark. Possessive.
Aria forced herself to look up at him. "You've got the wrong person."
A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "I don't think so."
The waitress returned, placing Aria's coffee on the table with a smile. "Can I get you anything, sir?"
"Whiskey," he replied without taking his eyes off Aria.
The waitress hesitated. "Uh, we don't serve alcohol after midnight."
His jaw ticked, but he nodded once. "Then coffee. Black."
As soon as the waitress left, he slid into the seat across from Aria, his sheer presence suffocating. She could feel the heat radiating off him, the energy in the air shifting around them like a storm about to break.
Aria swallowed hard. "Who are you?"
"Kade Blackwood," he said, his name rolling off his tongue like a command. "Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack."
Her fingers trembled around her coffee cup. She knew that name.
The Blood Moon Pack was one of the strongest in the country. Ruthless. Unforgiving.
And now, its Alpha was staring at her like she belonged to him.
Aria forced herself to meet his gaze. "I don't know what you think is happening here, but I don't belong to you."
A muscle in his jaw tightened. "That's where you're wrong."
The mate bond was a cruel thing it didn't ask for permission. It didn't care about past wounds or fears. It simply was.
"You don't understand," she whispered. "I can't be your mate."
His eyes darkened. "You already are."
Aria's breath hitched.
No. She wouldn't let this happen.
She shot up from her seat, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. Kade was on his feet just as fast, his hand darting out to grab her wrist. The moment his skin touched hers, a jolt of electricity shot through her body, sending a shudder down her spine.
Aria wrenched herself free. "Stay away from me."
Kade's expression hardened, his wolf flashing in his eyes. "You think I can do that?" His voice was deadly soft. "You feel it just as much as I do, little wolf. You can run, but I'll always find you."
Terror clawed at her throat.
She turned and bolted for the door.
The cold night air hit her like a slap, but she didn't stop. She ran.
She had to escape.
Because if Kade Blackwood ever found out the truth if he ever knew what she really was, what had been done to her he wouldn't just claim her.
He would destroy everything.
And she wasn't sure if she could survive that.
Chapter 1 Marked by Fate, Scarred by Life
02/03/2025
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