The Alpha King Rejected Mate

d blood clung to the air lon

mly, humming against the forest floor like dying embers. A breeze pushed through the blackened trees, sc

buzzed with the echo of

d not hav

had burr

voice reached her

, blood smearing one cheek like war paint. But it wasn't just the aftermat

," she said befo

"The voice.

iting for me.

er. "And yet yo

d. "Doesn't mean

iffened.

I spent listening to their whispers? I was alone, Carley. For four winters, I lived with t

t. Then he reached out, bru

r claim you. I

about letting them. It's about

Rowan approached from

esc

oulders ten

de, but a scout said he saw one break from the circle be

lowly. "They we

y. "And they'll com

uilt into the mountain's bones, had always served as a sanctuary for strategy. But now, the a

sion unreadable. "So. The Hollowborn ar

ed. "They ne

er?" Miriam asked. Her eyes fl

her. "Because they've evolved. This wasn't a mindless horde we

ed us," Ro

ir forebears. "This changes the plan. We don't wait for them to come again. We go after th

ed. "You'd c

st. A thread. Pull it hard enou

pull and it tightens

ce turned st

oom q

Leila and I will lead it. Rowan, you'll pick five o

. "No. I won

n eyebrow. "You

tionally compromised. You've just reforged a bond that was broken for years-an

t question the risk when I stood in the glade

"I question everything t

our own cowardic

ould fracture fur

ow where it leads. If the Hollowborn are amassing again, then a preemptive strike

but sat, his s

riam a tight n

– Beneath t

est had

grew older and crueler, their bark blackened by time and magic. The air here whispered

arley at her side. Rowan behind. The rest-Nia, Thorne,

d press her hand to the earth. She was listening-not just

tly within her chest

ey was sti

she f

thread pluck

east," she said,

esitate. "Go. W

ge sweetness, like fermented berries-and it led them to th

fr

ticed. "W

ered. "I was brought here

rs waite

pointing toward the ridge. "Bel

each step silent over sl

air changed again-heavier. And in

ath

ow. W

stepped forward and tossed

with a faint clink and

red, blad

elf like a dying animal, was the escaped H

step forward.

hispered. "It

in began to crack and split. Smoke p

t spok

ith a

h h

ila

one f

d now-its face was hers.

backward. "Wha

d between her

e smiled wi

whispered, "You failed her o

his blade through

ered lik

something slithere

give chase.

. A pulse of magi

Rowan

it collapsed inward, sealin

- On t

silence as the smo

ne s

eila broke

never try

t wanted us to follow. T

face? My

t haunts you. Becau

That was no scout.

, the wind tossing her

me," she said. "And

met h

et them

the full moon casting cold silver over

erself- not out of fear, but to contain the storm surging just beneath her skin. Seeing her own face on that cre

l whole. Not r

gh. He didn't touch her- he never assumed- but the nearness of him,

," Leila said eventually. "O

ey replied, voice low. "Y

mile. "And yet they still

e how close they come. I'll burn the entire f

tremble in his resolve. He wasn't just angry. He was

ered. "Whatever they did to me- whatever

hing his thumb across her chee

arrowed to the bond humming between them- a teth

Rowan clear

ed to s

Thorne stood near the base of a charred pine. In the dirt, carv

d, brushing a

" she said slowly. "This...

wned. "A c

oser. "More like

il with a shaking fingertip.

rise by blood and bone. The

nce

ropped. "The sto

hey don't just want me back.

rkly, "Then it's not just about wa

whispered.

ne we find. Rowan, double the patrols. Selwyn, inform M

d, already issuing hand

la lingered by the sigil, her

n beneath it. Not ma

as a

softly. "This spo

eside her.

was a conduit. They've been opening way

, his mind racing. "So ev

n others," s

ers around hers. "Then we find the

ght – The Alp

st midnight. Most had gone to rest, but Leila couldn'

of his old cloaks. The fire crackled softly, casting flicke

ning room, his shirt loose, d

g," he said, cr

nd. Her eyes were

ucking the cloak tighter arou

at first. Just... images. A child's laughter. A forest on fire. My hands soaked in bl

tched her

eared. But her eyes were hollow. She didn't

ently turning her face

ld've

you'r

ad. "I'm still s

"You've come back to us. To me. That bond you ca

d. "I don't want t

won

pulsed again-soft, b

Then let's make sure they n

Unknown Holl

he earth, in a place untouched by sunlight, t

yes were pits of fire, and in its hands it held a shard-a pi

flickered acro

ored," the f

ture stepped forward

r once. We wil

rackled, and a voice

t twist. Let it break. When she retu

shed-and a new

blade drawn, su

gure g

ha. And then we will

tronghold - T

oke with

his shoulder, his warmth steady beside her. But n

beside he

dn't a

ond-her side still strong, but she felt a fli

arn

s wide. "They're going

furrowe

Not a dream

his muscles taut, senses

hispered. "But soon.

r her hands.

't look

, tighten the warding,"

rstand. It wasn't just about killing you. The

ched. "Then we gi

reatening. "You're my anchor, Carley

forehead, then to the b

amn sure they neve