Page 66 of Fated to the Alpha Warrior (The Wolf’s Forbidden Mate #1)
Aurora
From my vantage point on the balcony of Pack Jade’s main hall, I can smell the fae coming before anyone else sees them.
Pine and cinnamon mingles with a sickly-sweet rot that burns my nose and makes my newly awakened wolf bristle.
From beside me, Kieran stiffens, his own enhanced senses picking up the same scent.
“They’re testing us just like you said,” he says grimly, reaching for my hand. Through our bond, I feel his concern warring with determination. “Seeing what our weaknesses and strengths are.”
I squeeze his fingers, drawing strength from our connection. “Then let’s show them exactly how strong we are now.”
We’ve been expecting this ever since the alliance meeting.
The fae were never going to let such a direct challenge to their power go unanswered.
Still, as the first alarms ring out across pack lands—wolves howling warnings that are quickly picked up and passed along in harmonious voices—my heart races with a mix of fear and anticipation.
This isn’t like the last time the fae attacked, when Cade’s betrayal left us vulnerable and divided. This time we’re ready. United, and stronger for it.
Kieran and I share one heated look before springing into action.
He shifts into his massive bronze wolf form while I race down the stairs, already barking orders at the pack members around me.
The response is immediate and coordinated, just like we’ve trained for, messengers shifting and racing in every direction to carry my orders.
Warriors move into defensive positions. Those with cold iron weapons form a perimeter, while others help evacuate the vulnerable to safe houses we’ve prepared. Dana appears at my side, tossing me a belt of cold iron daggers.
“Just like old times,” she says with a fierce grin. “Except now you’ve got teeth of your own.”
She’s right. The white wolf inside me rises eagerly to the surface, ready to be unleashed. But not yet. First, we need to see what we’re dealing with.
The fae emerge from the shadows like nightmares made flesh. Some beautiful, some monstrous, all of them dangerous. At their head is a tall figure I recognize—one of Lord Hule’s lieutenants, her crystalline skin catching the fading sunlight.
“Pack Jade,” she calls out, voice like breaking glass, hair pale and almost see-through. “We come seeking what is ours, and vengeance for the lives you took from us.”
“Nothing here belongs to you,” I respond clearly, stepping forward. Kieran’s bronze wolf moves to flank me, a low growl rumbling in his chest, so strong it vibrates against my leg. “This land, these people—they’re under our protection. Anyone who doubts that will die just as Lord Hule did.”
The fae lieutenant’s laughter sends chills down my spine. “Protection? From what threat? We offer power, little wolf. Ask your former alpha how sweet our bargains can be.”
Through our bond, I feel Kieran’s anger spike at the mention of his father. But we’ve learned from the past. Neither of us rises to the bait.
Instead, I smile, showing just a hint of fang. “Last chance to leave peacefully. Otherwise, you’ll find out exactly how much we’ve learned about fighting your kind.”
The fae’s expression twists with rage. She raises her hands, violet magic crackling between her fingers—and all hell breaks loose.
The battle that follows is unlike anything Pack Jade has seen before. The fae come at us with everything they have, but we’re ready. Months of training and preparation pay off as our forces move in perfect coordination.
I shift into my white wolf form, leading a contingent straight for their strongest leaders, overwhelmingly high fae. My venomous bite is our secret weapon, and they know it. The fear in their eyes as I approach is deeply satisfying.
Through our bond, I track Kieran’s movements as he coordinates our defenses. His strategic mind shines as he anticipates the fae’s moves, countering their tricks before they can take hold. Together, we’re an unstoppable force, made to defeat them.
A particularly nasty fae, all shadows and thorns, tries to separate me from my group. But before they can trap me, Dana is there with a cold iron blade, cursing creatively as she takes them down.
“Left your flank open,” she shouts over the chaos.
I yip at her in thanks before diving back into the fray. My white fur is streaked with black ichor as I tear through their ranks, snapping and biting.
The battle reaches its peak when the lieutenant unleashes a massive spell, trying to corrupt our pack bonds like they did during Cade’s betrayal. But this time, we’re prepared.
Kieran howls, the sound carrying pure alpha power. The pack responds instantly, our bonds strengthening instead of breaking. The fae’s magic slides off us like water off glass.
“Impossible,” the lieutenant snarls, her perfect features twisting with rage. “The bargains—the madness?—”
“Don’t work anymore,” I finish for her, shifting back to human form.
Cold iron daggers appear in my hands as I advance, courtesy of a little witch charm Dana purchased from a coven that owes her a favor.
“Your tricks only have power if we let them. If we stay divided and afraid instead of united and unwilling to bend our necks to you.”
To prove my point, I nod to our allies. Pack Amethyst’s warriors emerge from the east, while Pack Sapphire’s forces attack from the west. The fae find themselves suddenly surrounded.
“This is what real strength looks like,” Kieran says, shifting to stand beside me. Our bond hums with shared purpose and power. “Not bargains or tricks, but trust. Unity.”
The lieutenant’s crystalline skin fractures as she realizes her mistake. She barks orders in the fae tongue, trying to get the low fae to obey, but it’s too late. Their forces are already retreating, melting back into shadows or fleeing through hastily opened portals.
“This isn’t over,” she snarls at us.
“No,” I agree, letting my fangs show. “But when you come back, you’ll find us waiting. Together.”
As the last fae disappears, a howl of triumph goes up from our gathered forces. The victory isn’t just about defeating this attack—it’s proof that our new way works. That we’re stronger together than apart.
Kieran pulls me close, not caring about the blood, dirt, and ichor staining my skin. Through our bond, I feel his pride and love wash over me. “You were magnificent,” he murmurs against my hair.
“We all were,” I correct him, looking around at our celebrating pack members. Dana is already organizing cleanup crews, while others tend to the wounded. Everyone working together, no divisions between exiles and loyal members, no prejudice about who can fight and who can’t.
This is what we’ve been working toward. Not just survival, but true strength. The kind that comes from acceptance rather than fear.
“Alpha Kieran!” A young warrior rushes up, practically vibrating with excitement. “Pack Emerald’s representatives are here. They say after hearing about the battle, they want to join the alliance.”
Kieran and I share a satisfied look. “Told you they’d come around,” I say with a smirk.
He laughs, pulling me closer. “Never doubted it. Not with you leading the way.”
Looking around at what we’ve built together, I feel a deep sense of rightness settle over me. This is where I belong—not just as Kieran’s mate or even as a leader, but as myself. The last of Pack Onyx, both venomous wolf and cold iron warrior.
The pack bonds hum with renewed strength as we begin the work of cleaning up after the battle. Warriors from different packs work side by side, sharing stories and techniques. There’s a sense of camaraderie that transcends traditional pack boundaries.
“You know they’ll be back,” Dana says as she joins us, wiping ichor off her blade. “Probably with reinforcements next time.”
“Let them come,” Kieran responds, his voice firm and steady. “We’ll be ready.”
And we will be. Because we’re not just defending territory anymore—we’re protecting a new way of life. One where we all have a place to belong.
Through our bond, I feel Kieran’s unwavering certainty. We’ve come so far from that day in the amphitheater when he rejected me. Both of us have grown, learned, changed. Become stronger by accepting who we truly are.
The fae may not understand what makes us strong. They see our differences as weaknesses to exploit, our connections as chains to break. But they’re wrong.
Real strength isn’t about power or control. It’s about having the courage to be vulnerable, to trust, to grow. To stand together even when everything seems dark, to fight against impossible odds.
And that’s exactly what we’ll keep doing, no matter what comes next.