Chapter 13
Shit… It was like her world was spiraling.
It was midnight already the next day, Sylvia sat curled in her bed, her breathing shallow, each intake of air a battle as pain raked through her body. She clutched at her chest, feeling the sharp ache of her blood coursing wildly beneath her skin, a river too powerful for her frail vessel to contain. The full moon’s glow seeped into her room, its cold, silvery light settling over her like an unwelcome weight. She could feel it, the unstable power thrumming inside her, a storm ready to break.
Her hand shot to her mouth as she felt the bile rise, but it wasn’t bile this time. She stared in horror at the blood coating her palm, dark and thick. The sight sent a jolt. of
car rough her, more potent than any she’d felt before. Her blood–the very source of her strength–was rebelling against her, its potency spiraling out of control.
The thought echoed in her mind, a bitter truth she could no longer deny. I can’t go on
I
like this. If I don’t find a mate, if I don’t let the Alpha King stabilize my blood… She didn’t want to finish the thought, but the truth pressed down on her, an unmovable force that refused to be ignored.
By dawn, the pain had lessened, but her body remained frail, her skin pale and clammy, as if the moon had leeched all her strength. She pushed herself up, her limbs. heavy, as if every part of her was
rebelling against the reality she could no longer ignore. There’s no choice now, she told herself, her heart sinking. It’s him… or this.
CH
or
It was no longer a matter of defiance; it was survival. She might have. feared the Alpha King, she might have. despised the thought of being bound to someone she didn’t know, but she feared death more. And the idea of a death so pointless, a death that would rob her parents of everything they’d fought to protect it was enough to force her hand.
Resolute, Sylvia made her way to the packhouse, determined to learn all she could about this man who would soon be her mate. She would face him, but she needed to understand him first. She sought out members of the pack, beginning with the elders who had lived through more of Kyle’s reign than anyone else.
She found Elder Hazel in the kitchens, her gnarled hands deftly chopping herbs, her sharp eyes fixed on her work. Hazel had
once been an advisor to the council before stepping down, and if anyone knew the truth about Kyle, it was her.
“Elder Hazel, Sylvia began, her voice low, “can I ask you something?”
Hazel looked up, her eyes narrowing slightly as she regarded Sylvia. “Ask,” she said simply, though there was a wariness in her tone.
Sylvia hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “What do you know of the Alpha King?”
The knife in Hazel’s hand stilled, her face going pale. She cast a furtive glance around them, ensuring they were alone, then whispered, “Why do you ask about him?”
Sylvia braced herself, trying to keep her
4/5
voice steady. “Because… I’m to marry him. We will create a mate bond between us. Please, don’t tell anyone about this.”
The shock on Hazel’s face told her all she needed to know. The elder reached out, her fingers gripping Sylvia’s wrist with surprising strength. “The Alpha King… Kyle is not like others. His strength… it’s something dark, born of battles and blood. He rules with
absolute power, Sylvia, and he tolerates no weakness.”
Sylvia swallowed, feeling a chill run through her. “So, the stories are true?”
