Page 56 of Fated to the Alpha Warrior (The Wolf’s Forbidden Mate #1)

Kieran

The road back to Pack Jade seems endless, each mile stretching out before us like a physical manifestation of my growing dread.

Aurora’s motorcycle roars ahead of me as I race alongside in wolf form, both of us pushing ourselves to our limits to get there as quickly as possible.

The urgent howls of our pack echo in my ears, driving us forward through exhaustion.

My father. What has he done now?

The bond pulses between Aurora and me, carrying waves of shared anxiety. Even in wolf form, I can smell her fear—not for herself, but for our people. For Gran. For the pack that never fully accepted her, yet she still fights to protect. My brave, selfless, wonderful girl.

When we reach the outskirts of pack territory, a familiar scent hits my nose. I signal to Aurora to slow down, and she brings her bike to a stop as a figure emerges from the shadows of the trees.

Dana.

The sight of her makes my wolf bristle with guilt and shame. This is the woman who protected my mate when I abandoned her, who gave her a home and taught her to fight. Who helped her become strong despite my rejection.

I shift back to human form, barely remembering to pull on clothes before approaching. Dana’s eyes are hard as steel as she looks at me, her lips curled in a snarl that would do any wolf proud.

“Well, if it isn’t the prodigal son,” she spits, then turns to Aurora with visible relief. “Thank fuck you’re okay, Rory. When I got word from the coven that you’d done the ritual, I thought…”

“I’m fine,” Aurora assures her, dismounting her bike. “Better than fine, actually. Dana, things have changed. Kieran and I?—”

“Have worked things out?” Dana’s voice drips with skepticism as she eyes me. “Yeah, I can smell him all over you. Just remember what happened last time you trusted him.”

The words hit like a physical blow, but I can’t deny their truth. Before I can speak, Aurora steps between us.

“It’s different now,” she says firmly. “He’s different. But we can talk about that later. What’s happening with the pack? The emergency signals?—”

“It’s worse than you can imagine.” Dana’s expression darkens. “Your father has lost his mind completely, McCade. He’s made a deal with the fae.”

Ice floods my veins. “What kind of deal?”

“The kind that gets people killed.” She starts pacing, agitation clear in every movement. “About a week ago, this high fae showed up at the pack borders. Called himself Lord Hule. Said he could bring back your mother.”

My heart stops. Of course. Of course that would be what broke my father completely.

“My mother is dead,” I say roughly. “Has been for over two decades. Nothing can bring her back.”

“Try telling that to your father.” Dana’s laugh is bitter. “He welcomed them in with open arms. Gave them free rein of pack lands. Anyone who objected was exiled—including me, Gran, and half the pack’s most experienced warriors.”

Aurora makes a small sound of distress. “Gran? Is she?—”

“Safe. For now.” Dana’s expression softens as she looks at her friend.

“We’ve set up a camp in the eastern woods.

But Kieran…” Her eyes cut to me. “Your father has gone completely off the deep end. He’s letting the fae perform rituals in the heart of pack territory.

Dark magic that makes my skin crawl just thinking about it. ”

I close my eyes, memories washing over me. My father’s obsession with my mother. The way he blamed me for her death. His increasing instability over the years.

“The fae can’t actually bring back the dead,” Aurora says quietly. “Can they?”

“No.” I open my eyes, meeting her worried gaze. “Whatever they promised him, it’s a lie. They’re using his grief to get what they want—access to pack lands.”

“It’s worse than that.” Dana reaches into her jacket and pulls out a folded paper. “One of our scouts found this in the ruins of Pack Onyx. It’s written in those runes you taught me about, Rory. Took us a while to translate it, but…”

Aurora takes the paper with trembling hands. As she reads, her face goes pale. “It’s a ritual. They need… they need pack land magic. All of it. They’re trying to create permanent doorways between our realm and theirs.”

“And they need the blood of an alpha to seal it,” Dana finishes grimly. “Your father thinks he’s getting his mate back. What he’s really doing is sacrificing himself—and the entire pack—to give the fae permanent access to our world. No more bargains, no more tricks, they’ll just… conquer us all.”

The implications hit me like a physical blow. Pack lands are saturated with ancient magic, magic that keeps us hidden from humans and gives us our strength. If the fae gain control of that…

“How many are still loyal to him?” I ask Dana, already planning strategies in my head.

“Maybe a third of the pack. The rest have either been exiled or are too scared to speak up.” She eyes me speculatively. “Although that might change if the future alpha came back to challenge him.”

The weight of responsibility settles on my shoulders. This is what I’ve been training for my whole life—to lead and protect the pack. But I’ve never imagined having to protect them from my own father.

“It won’t be that simple,” I say, running a hand through my hair. “If he’s made a bargain with the fae…”

“Then we’ll break it.” Aurora’s voice is firm as she steps closer to me, her hand finding mine. “Together. Like we said.”

The bond pulses between us, carrying her strength and determination. Dana watches the interaction with raised eyebrows.

“Well,” she says after a moment. “Maybe you have changed.”

“I have.” I meet her gaze steadily. “I know I hurt her. Hurt both of you, since you had to pick up the pieces after I rejected her. I can’t undo that, but I can try to make it right. Starting with saving our pack from my father’s foolishness.”

Dana studies me for a long moment, then nods sharply. “Fine. But if you hurt her again, I swear?—”

“You’ll kill me slowly and painfully,” I finish. “I know. And I’ll deserve it.”

“Damn straight you will.” But there’s a hint of approval in her voice now, hopefully not for the last time. “Come on. The others will want to see both of you. We need to plan our next move carefully.”

As we follow Dana through the woods, Aurora’s hand stays firmly in mine. The bond hums between us, carrying strength and support back and forth.

“Are you ready for this?” she asks quietly. “Facing your father?”

The question makes my wolf whine with distress. How do you prepare to fight your own alpha? Your own blood?

But then I look at Aurora—my mate, who I almost lost to my father’s toxic influence. Who grew stronger despite everything we put her through. Who fights for a pack that never fully accepted her.

“No,” I admit. “But it needs to be done. The pack comes first.”

She squeezes my hand. “We’ll face him together. All of us.”

Looking ahead, I can see the glow of campfires through the trees. The exiled members of Pack Jade—my people, who need me to step up and be the alpha they deserve. Who need me to be stronger than my father’s legacy of fear and control.

“Together,” I agree, drawing strength from her touch.

Whatever comes next, we’ll face it as true mates should. Side by side, stronger together than apart.

Even if it means facing down my own father to save everything we hold dear.