Alpha

Kael’s POV

Kael stood at the edge of the balcony, watching the moonlight shimmer off the distant river. The night was still, the sound of the water lapping gently against the shore the only noise that broke the silence. His fingers drummed idly against the railing, his thoughts far from the peaceful scene before him. The events of the past few days had unsettled him in ways he couldn’t quite understand.

It had started with her—the girl who had so effortlessly slipped through his fingers. He’d seen her, just for a moment, before she disappeared into the shadows of the night. A mere blur, a flicker of movement. She had taken down ten of his wolves, injured fifteen more, and then vanished. Even now, the thought of her eluded him, like a haunting whisper just out of reach.

He’d ordered his men to search for her, to comb every inch of the territory, but they had found nothing. It was as if she had never been there at all. His mind couldn’t let go of the mystery. She was no ordinary hunter. No, she was something else—something that even he couldn’t pinpoint. The way she moved, the way she fought, had been too precise, too skilled for any regular human.

But she had vanished without a trace.

Kael clenched his jaw, a flash of frustration passing through him. The girl’s disappearance should have been a small nuisance, a minor blip in the grand scheme of things. But for some reason, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to her than what met the eye. The idea of her slipping away so easily gnawed at him. He had made his way into the forest, searching every corner, but found no sign of her.

For days, the search had consumed him. His thoughts were clouded by her image, her swift movements, her cold eyes. But the longer he tried to find answers, the more questions emerged. She had disappeared, and Kael had been left with nothing but a feeling—a feeling that maybe, just maybe, he had missed something important.

His hands tightened around the railing, the wood creaking under the pressure.

"Alpha."

Kael turned, his gaze meeting the familiar face of his Beta, Jarek. The wolf’s expression was as calm as ever, but Kael could see the faint hint of concern in his eyes.

"What is it, Jarek?" Kael’s voice was low, the irritation in his tone unmistakable.

Jarek’s eyes flicked to the side for a moment before returning to Kael. "It’s your mother. She’s been asking about the mate situation again."

Kael felt a sharp pang of annoyance strike him. His mother, the former Luna of River Dews, had been an ongoing source of pressure ever since the day he had taken over as Alpha. She hadn’t been subtle in her desire to see him paired with a suitable mate. Every day, she reminded him of the Moon Goddess’ plan for him, of how it was his duty to find the one who would stand by his side. The same words, over and over again—how the Moon Goddess had a mate chosen for him, how the Moon Goddess would soon reveal who it was, how it was time to begin the search.

He had heard it all before.

"I don’t need a mate right now," Kael said, his voice cold. "The pack comes first. My responsibilities come first."

Jarek didn’t argue, but Kael could see the concern in his eyes. The Beta knew the pressure Kael was under, the weight of the role he had taken on when his father had passed. But there was more to it, something deeper than just the pack’s needs. Kael’s wolf stirred restlessly within him, a constant reminder that there were certain things he couldn’t avoid forever.

"Your mother says that the Moon Goddess will be choosing your mate soon," Jarek continued, a careful tone in his voice. "She’s arranged for all of the noble families in the River Dews Park to bring their daughters to the gathering. The Goddess will reveal who you’re meant to be with."

Kael’s stomach tightened at the mention of the gathering. It was an event that had been arranged for generations, where the most powerful families in the pack gathered to present their daughters, and the Moon Goddess would choose the Alpha’s mate from among them. It was a tradition, one that Kael had long known he would have to face, but the thought of it filled him with a sense of dread.

"I’m not interested in being chosen like that," Kael muttered, his eyes narrowing as he looked out over the distant river. "I don’t need a ceremony to tell me who my mate is. I’ll find her on my own terms."

Jarek nodded, sensing the tension in his Alpha’s words. "Of course, Alpha. But your mother insists. She believes it’s time for you to settle down, to find someone who can stand by your side."

The thought of being bound to someone—someone chosen for him by the Moon Goddess—struck Kael with an uncomfortable weight. He had never been one to follow tradition blindly. He wasn’t someone who could be easily molded into a role, not even as Alpha. He had built this pack with his own hands, forged it through blood and sacrifice. And the idea of having a mate forced upon him, especially one who didn’t choose him freely, left a sour taste in his mouth.

Still, he knew the importance of the event. He couldn’t ignore it forever, no matter how much he wanted to. The pack needed unity, and a mate was part of that. It was the symbol of strength, of the Alpha’s power. But Kael wasn’t sure if the Moon Goddess’ choice would bring him peace or simply complicate his already tumultuous life.

His thoughts drifted back to her—the girl who had slipped away. Something about her felt different. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she was somehow connected to this upcoming event. That she, too, was part of something bigger than he could understand.

He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dark hair. The night was growing colder, and the stars above him twinkled like a million unanswered questions.

"Let the preparations begin," Kael said finally, his voice firm, though uncertainty lingered in his words. "Tell my mother to go ahead with her plans. But I’ll be the one to decide who decides who my mate will be.

Jarek gave a small nod, silently acknowledging his Alpha’s decision. As he turned to leave, Kael couldn’t help but feel a strange pull at the back of his mind—a pull that tugged toward the mystery of the girl who had disappeared into the night.

Maybe, ju

st maybe, the Moon Goddess had more in store for him than he had anticipated.