The outcast's mate

Alpha Kael pov

Leaving the auction ground, I couldn't shake Peter's words from my mind. The prophecy, and Elyse being a cursed girl, the threat that followed afterwards—it all weighed down on me. But Jane had never been wrong, and I trust her judgment completely. Still, doubt crept in. Was I making the right choice by bringing Elyse back to my pack?

As we pulled up to the mansion, I spotted someone at the entrance.Oh fuck!. "Wait… is that my mum?"

"Yes, Alpha," Stephen replied. 

Damn it. She wasn't supposed to return until Monday—it was only Friday. This was not good, no! no! no!. Stephen, clueless as usual, decided to ask the obvious.

"Is there a problem?

I shot him a sharp look but said nothing. Problem? Of course, there's a problem, you coconut head. I stepped out of the car, leaving him to figure it out on his own.

"Oh, my Luna, the queen of the Shadow Fang Clan, the gorgeous and most fairest of them all," I said, walking up to her with a grin that made her smile. "All this praise is just for me. Don't tell me you missed me that much. I have been away for just a couple of days," she said. "

"Of course, Mum," I said, kneeling slightly to greet her properly. "How are you, and how's your daughter-in-law-to-be?"

"She's fine," she replied warmly. "She wanted me to stay until Monday so we could return together, but I couldn't wait to see my baby boy."

I smirked. "Still calling me a baby, huh?"

She laughed, but then her gaze shifted behind me.

"And who's that?" she asked, her tone changing as her eyes landed on Elyse, who had just stepped out of the SUV.

Um! Mum, maybe we should discuss this inside? "Stephen!" I called quickly, ignoring her question. "Take her inside and tell the maids to tend to her."

"Yes, Alpha," Stephen said, leading Elyse into the house.

"Mum, let's go inside," I said casually, wrapping my arm around her shoulders.

Her eyes still fixed on Elyse for a moment longer before narrowing at me. "Kael, who is she?"

I cut her off before she could press further. "Relax, Mum. I'll explain everything inside. I promised." I know I have a lot of explanation to give in order to convince her; if not, my mum won't hesitate throwing her out from the mansion. I might be the Alpha of my clan, but she is my own personal Alpha.

She wasn't convinced, but when I started singing her favorite song, she smiled despite herself. For now, I'd managed to keep the peace, but I knew the real storm was just beginning.

It had been two days since Elyse arrived at the mansion. I knew she had been through hell—betrayed by her own pack, captured by rogues, and sold at that cursed auction. But Jane's vision was the only reason I was there that night at the auction ground.

My mother hadn't stopped questioning me since. "Why bring a rogue into this house, Kael? Do you know what people will say?" she kept asking. I'd only told her part of the truth—that Elyse was tied to me in a way I couldn't yet explain. For now she stays here to recover.

Then I went to check on her. When I knocked, there was a long pause. I could sense she knew it was me and was hesitant to answer, but eventually, she opened the door slowly.

Our eyes locked, and she didn't flinch. Her voice was sharp and angry. "Are you here to claim your toy?"

Her words hit me, reminding me of what I'd said at the auction. I smirked slightly. "Not yet. I need you to get back on your feet first. You're too pathetic right now to be my plaything."

Her glare hardened as anger flashed in her eyes. "Why did you bring me here? What do you want from me?"

Her words hung in the air, challenging me. 

I leaned against the doorframe, my arms crossed, meeting her glare with one of my own. "So, this is your way of saying thank you for saving you at the auction? Even now, you keep up that arrogant act of being fearless."

She didn't flinch, standing firm.

"You won't even invite me in? You'd let an Alpha like me stand in the door way?" I added, my tone laced with mockery.

She let out a small laugh and walked into the room. "This is your house. You don't need my permission to go in, so stop pretending. And by the way, I'm not scared of dying."

I stepped inside, smiling. "Good. You'll die soon enough, and I'd like to see you keep that brave face until then."

For the first time, I saw a flicker of fear in her eyes, though she quickly masked it. I smiled at that small victory.

 "Am I here because of the prophecy?" she asked, her voice now sharper.

I tilted my head, matching her defiant look. "What do you know about the prophecy?"

She stayed silent, refusing to answer.

I decided to cut to the point. "I know you want to save your grandfather and your pack. But if you can't prove your worth here, I won't be able to help."

At the mention of saving her people, her demeanor shifted. She dropped to her knees, clutching my legs. Her voice was low, but her desperation was clear. "Thank you for saving me from the auction and bringing me to your pack. I promise to do whatever it takes if it means you'll help me save them."

I looked down at her, my tone cold. "Then prove your worth. Don't disappoint me."

Without waiting for her response, I turned and left the room, keeping my composure as I heard her stay on the ground, silent and defeated. I didn't look back.

As I left Elyse's room, I heard a voice I hadn't expected.

 As I walked down the corridor, I heard someone call out, "Alpha Kael." I froze, instantly recognizing the voice, but I still turned to see for myself. There she was—Selena, my future mate. She looked as stunning as ever, her blonde hair shining in the light and that familiar smile on her face. To most people, she might seem completely harmless.

"You're already here? When did you get in?" I asked.

"Not too long ago," she said, walking closer. "I've been wandering around the mansion looking for you."

"Well, you've found me now. Am I in danger? I made a joke. Her face grew icy. She snapped, "You didn't even seem thrilled to see me." "What do you mean?" I replied. "You showed absolutely no signs of eagerness. She said, "It's like I'm just anybody to you." I grinned and said, "Oh, I see." I should've come running to you like a lovesick pup, right? Was that what you wanted?"

She frowned. "No, I didn't mean it that way. But you could've at least acted happy to see me, Kael."

I recalled the last time she was here was during my father's funeral. Since then, we've only spoken on the phone.

"What are you doing here anyway?" she asked, her tone suspicious.

I narrowed my eyes. "What kind of question is that? Am I not allowed to go wherever I want in my own house?"

I knew why she was asking. This floor was for guests, while my room was upstairs. She was clearly fishing for answers, but I wasn't about to indulge her.

"I'm busy. I'll talk to you later," I said firmly, walking away. Her disappointment was obvious, but I didn't stop.

The next day, I stood on the mansion's top balcony. It overlooked the training field where my warriors sparred. Stephen was beside me, updating me on the new recruits.

"Three of the boys recently turned eighteen, but one of them couldn't shift last night," Stephen reported. "I've assigned someone to guide him."

"Who's the boy?" I asked.

"Dareck, son of Andrew Dawson," he replied.

I nodded. "The Dawsons? They have an Alpha bloodline and are undoubtedly strong. Where is he?"

Stephen pointed him out. Dareck was sparring with one of my elite, looking young but determined. My gaze shifted to the garden, where I saw Elyse strolling with Isabella, my maid—and Stephen's mate, surprisingly also the only human in the mansion.

"What are they doing there?" Stephen asked.

I smiled. "It's probably Elyse's idea. She's used to open spaces and must miss the outdoors. I'm sure she asked Isabella to bring her here."

Suddenly, commotion broke out in the field. One of my elite warriors struck Dareck with a training stick, sending him flying across the field. When Dareck got up, his face twisted in pain and rage.

Then it happened—his bones cracked, and his body began to shift. His massive form emerged, a powerful Alpha wolf with thick brown fur.

Stephen tensed beside me, ready to jump down. "Alpha Kael, there's a human nearby. That boy could hurt someone!"

"Wait," I said, stopping him. "Look."

Elyse had already stepped forward, drawing the wolf's attention. 

The wolf glared at her, its predatory instincts taking over. Elyse didn't flinch. Instead, she stood her ground, circling him.

The wolf lunged, aiming to overpower her, but she dodged and landed a solid punch. It wasn't enough to knock him back, but it was enough to stun everyone watching.

The wolf attacked again, but this time Elyse maneuvered behind him. She clung to his back, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. He thrashed, trying to shake her off, but her grip only tightened. 

Bit by bit, the wolf began to weaken until he collapsed. A moment later, he shifted back into his human form.

The field erupted into applause. Stephen, astonished, Oh my, "I didn't know she was that strong."

A small smile tugged at my lips as I watched Elyse catch her breath on the field. She was stronger than I had expected, and the scene was impressive.

Then a voice behind me cut through my thoughts.

"Is she one of your soldiers?"

I turned to see Selena standing there, her gaze fixed on Elyse.

"Not really," I replied flatly.

"Then who is she? She's strong, and you seemed... impressed."

I met her gaze, irritation bubbling up. "Selena, you're unbelievable. Do you have to analyze every expression on my face?" 

She gave a sly smile. "No, just curious. But seriously, who is she? She seems out of place. Does she belong to this pack?"

I didn't answer and walked away, leaving her with her questions.

As I headed down the stairs, Stephen hurried to me. "Alpha, someone's on the phone for you. It's urgent."

Taking the phone, I immediately recognized the voice—it was Frederick, Jane's brother.

"They've taken her!" He cried, his voice shaking.

"Who? What are you talking about?" I asked, already tense.

"Jane! A group of men came to our house and took her. I tried to stop them, but they were too strong. Kael, they weren't human!"

My blood ran cold. Without hesitation, I hung up and turned to Stephen.

"Get the men ready and prepare the cars. We're heading to the city now!

" I ordered.

The urgency in my voice left no room for delay.

and Stephen immediately moved to carry out my instructions. Time was of the essence.