The Alpha's Forgotten Bride

The wind howled through the blackened trees as if mourning something long forgotten. Fog snaked its way between trunks like ghostly fingers, curling around the ankles of the lone traveler who staggered through the forest, barefoot and breathless. Her name was Lyra-at least, that's what she had been told.

She had no memory of where she had come from. No past. No family. Just a single recurring dream: a pair of silver eyes, burning with anguish... and love.

Lyra pulled her cloak tighter, teeth chattering as the night grew colder. The villagers had warned her not to wander during the blood moon, whispering of beasts that prowled the dark, cursed by the gods. But something had drawn her out tonight. A feeling. A pull she couldn't explain.

Her heart raced-not from fear, but from something deeper. A call.

She crested a hill and gasped.

There, beyond the trees, stood a massive stone gate, half-buried in ivy. Ancient symbols were etched into the arch, glowing faintly red under the rising blood moon. As she stepped closer, the ground trembled.

"Turn back," a voice whispered from the wind.

But she couldn't. Something inside her urged her forward.

The gate groaned open as if sensing her presence, revealing the ruins of an ancient temple bathed in moonlight. At the center stood a stone altar, cracked and overgrown-but familiar. Lyra's fingers trembled as she touched it.

Suddenly, visions slammed into her mind-too fast, too painful.

A wedding. A hidden grove. Her hand in his. A silver ring. Blood. Fire. Betrayal.

"No-stop!" she cried, collapsing to her knees.

A guttural roar tore through the night.

Lyra's head snapped up. Eyes wide, she turned toward the trees-and saw him.

Towering. Muscular. Cloaked in shadows. Silver eyes gleaming like knives.

The Alpha.

He was real.

Kaelen

Kaelen stood on the edge of the clearing, his breath misting in the cold air. The blood moon illuminated his sharp features-angular jaw, tousled black hair, eyes that shimmered like steel. And yet, behind the savage exterior, there was torment.

He had tried to bury her memory.

He had burned the grove.

He had killed the traitors.

But nothing silenced her voice in his head.

Lyra.

The name struck him like a blade each time. He had seen her die. Had felt the bond break. And yet... there she was. Kneeling before the altar where they had once sworn eternity.

It couldn't be her.

But the scent-gods, the scent-it was hers. Wildflowers and rain. Undeniable.

His beast snarled inside him, clawing for release. Not in rage. In longing.

Kaelen stepped forward.

"Who are you?" he demanded, voice low and dangerous.

She turned to him slowly, fear in her wide eyes.

"I... I don't know," she whispered.

Reunion

Their eyes locked. Electricity surged between them. The bond, long thought severed, flickered to life.

He felt it.

So did she.

Kaelen's fists clenched. This had to be a trick. Another curse. Another game from the gods.

"You wear her face," he growled. "You reek of her. But she's dead."

Lyra flinched. "I don't know who I am. I've had dreams. Of you. Of this place."

Kaelen's expression darkened. "Lies."

"I'm not lying!" she cried. "Every night, I see you. The altar. A ring. Fire. I feel... pain. And love. I don't understand it."

Kaelen stalked toward her, each step filled with conflict. His beast howled in his chest, begging to be let out. To claim her.

"Do you remember your name?" he asked.

She hesitated. "Lyra."

A pause. Then a crack in his voice.

"Lyra's dead."

She looked up at him, eyes brimming with tears. "Then why does it hurt when you say that?"

The Alpha stood frozen, torn between instinct and grief. He reached forward slowly, his hand trembling.

The moment his fingers brushed her cheek, the world changed.

A spark ignited in both their chests. A flare of heat, emotion, memory.

Flashes.

Kaelen's hands around her waist. Her laughter in the moonlight. The ring. The kiss. The betrayal. The fire.

He recoiled, gasping.

"It's you," he whispered.

The Curse

The moment shattered as another roar echoed through the forest. Kaelen staggered back, veins bulging, eyes glowing brighter. The curse was taking hold.

"No," he growled, falling to one knee. "Not now..."

Lyra reached for him, fear written across her face. "What's happening to you?"

"Run," he rasped. "Before it's too late."

But she didn't move.

The change was violent. Bones cracked. Muscles twisted. Fur erupted. His scream became a roar that shook the earth.

Before her stood a monstrous wolf, easily eight feet tall, eyes still the same silver.

And yet... it didn't attack.

The beast sniffed her, then circled, tail low, ears twitching. Lyra stood frozen, heart pounding.

"Kaelen?" she whispered.

The beast whimpered.

Somewhere, deep within, he was still there.

She reached out again. "I'm not afraid of you."

With a snarl, the beast bolted into the woods, vanishing into the mist.

Lyra collapsed to the ground, trembling.

She had come for answers.

But all she had found were more questions.

Later That Night

Lyra awoke in a small wooden cabin, bandaged and warm. A woman with kind eyes and gray-streaked hair sat by the fire.

"You're lucky he didn't kill you," she said.

"Who are you?" Lyra croaked.

"Name's Mira. I help clean up after the Alpha's... episodes."

Lyra sat up. "That was... Kaelen?"

Mira nodded. "Cursed by the gods. Since the war. Since your death."

Lyra's blood ran cold. "My death?"

Mira's expression softened. "He never stopped searching. We all saw you die-but he refused to accept it. Now here you are. Alive. Changed. But... you."

Lyra clutched the blanket, shaking. "I don't remember anything. Just him."

Mira stood. "Then maybe fate gave you a second chance. Don't waste it."

She left, leaving Lyra alone with the crackling fire and the aching in her chest.

Kaelen.

She didn't know him. And yet... her soul remembered.

To be continued....