THE ALPHA’S FORBIDDEN BRIDE
Chapter 1
Elara Bennett had never believed in monsters.
At twenty-two, she had heard every story about the forest beyond Bennett Town.
People said wolves lived there.
Not ordinary wolves.
They said the creatures were large enough to tear a person apart in seconds. Some even claimed that men could turn into wolves beneath the full moon.
Elara had always laughed whenever she heard those stories.
Until tonight.
She should never have taken the forest path home.
The rain had started unexpectedly, forcing her to leave the main road and take the shortcut through the woods. Her phone battery was dead, and the nearest house was still several miles away.
She tightened her jacket around herself and continued walking.
“Just a few more minutes,” she whispered.
Then she heard it.
A growl.
Elara stopped.
Her heart immediately began pounding.
She slowly turned toward the trees.
Nothing.
Only darkness.
“Probably an animal,” she murmured.
She took another step.
A second growl echoed through the forest.
This time, it was closer.
Elara's fingers tightened around the small flashlight in her hand.
She should turn around.
She knew that.
But then she heard something else.
A man's voice.
“Help…”
Elara froze.
Someone was hurt.
She followed the sound despite every instinct telling her not to.
The trees became thicker as she moved deeper into the forest. Soon, she found a trail of blood on the ground.
Her stomach twisted.
“Oh God.”
She followed it until she saw a man sitting against a large tree.
He was wearing a black shirt and dark trousers. One side of his shirt was soaked with blood, and his breathing was heavy.
Elara rushed toward him.
“Are you okay?”
The man's head lifted.
His eyes met hers.
They were the strangest eyes she had ever seen.
Silver.
Not gray.
Not blue.
Silver.
“Go away,” he said coldly.
Elara blinked.
“Excuse me?”
“Leave.”
“You're injured.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you telling me to leave?”
His jaw tightened.
“Because I'm giving you a chance to walk away alive.”
Elara stared at him.
Despite the blood covering his shirt, there was something terrifying about him.
But she couldn't leave an injured person alone in the middle of a forest.
“You need a hospital.”
“No hospital.”
“You're losing too much blood.”
“I'll survive.”
“You don't look like you're surviving.”
For the first time, something almost amused appeared in his eyes.
“You're stubborn.”
“And you're rude.”
He stared at her.
For some reason, Elara felt as though he was studying every detail of her face.
Then his expression suddenly changed.
His nostrils flared.
“What?”
He pushed himself away from the tree.
Elara immediately stepped back.
“What is it?”
“Did anyone follow you?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
A distant howl echoed through the forest.
The man's face went cold.
“You need to run.”
Elara heard another howl.
Then another.
She looked around.
“I don't hear anything.”
“You will.”
Suddenly, something moved behind the trees.
Elara's breath caught.
Two glowing eyes appeared in the darkness.
Then another pair.
Then another.
She slowly backed away.
“What… are those?”
The stranger stood in front of her.
“Don't look at them.”
“Why?”
“Because once they know you're afraid, they'll attack.”
Elara's heart nearly stopped.
“Who are they?”
He didn't answer.
A massive wolf stepped out from between the trees.
Elara stared in disbelief.
It was enormous.
Its black fur was wet from the rain, and its yellow eyes were fixed directly on her.
Then it growled.
The stranger grabbed Elara's arm.
“Run.”
The wolf lunged.
The stranger shoved Elara out of the way.
The creature slammed into him.
They crashed into the ground.
Elara screamed.
“Stop!”
The wolf pulled away.
The injured man slowly stood.
Something was terribly wrong.
His body began trembling.
His hands curled into fists.
A sickening crack came from his bones.
Elara stumbled backward.
“What is happening?”
Another crack.
His shoulders shifted.
His eyes flashed silver.
His clothes tore as his body changed before her eyes.
Elara couldn't breathe.
Within seconds, the man was gone.
In his place stood a massive black wolf.
The same silver eyes stared back at her.
Elara's flashlight fell from her hand.
“No…”
The black wolf stepped between her and the other wolves.
A deep growl came from his throat.
Every other wolf stopped.
Then, one by one, they lowered their heads.
Elara stared.
The largest wolf was obeying him.
The black wolf suddenly turned toward her.
For a moment, their eyes met.
Then he attacked the other wolves.
Elara ran.
She didn't look back.
Branches scratched her arms as she raced through the forest. Her breathing became painful, but she kept going.
She didn't know what she had just witnessed.
She didn't know who that man was.
She only knew one thing.
Monsters were real.
And she had just saved one.
A branch caught her jacket.
Elara pulled herself free and stumbled onto the main road.
She collapsed against a tree, breathing heavily.
Silence surrounded her.
Maybe it was over.
Maybe she had escaped.
Then a voice spoke behind her.
“You shouldn't have come here.”
Elara spun around.
The injured stranger stood several feet away.
Human again.
His shirt was torn, but strangely, the wound on his side had stopped bleeding.
Elara stared at him in horror.
“You…”
He walked toward her.
“Don't be afraid.”
“You turned into a wolf!”
He stopped.
“Yes.”
Elara's mouth fell open.
He didn't even try to deny it.
“What are you?”
“A werewolf.”
She laughed nervously.
“No. Werewolves aren't real.”
“You just watched me become one.”
Elara couldn't answer.
The stranger stepped closer.
“My name is Cassian Rowe.”
“Why did you save me?”
His expression darkened.
“I didn't.”
Elara frowned.
“You fought those wolves.”
“I was protecting something else.”
“What?”
Cassian's eyes dropped to her hand.
Elara followed his gaze.
Something was wrapped around her finger.
A ring.
Black.
A strange silver symbol was carved into its surface.
Her stomach tightened.
“What is this?”
Cassian's face changed instantly.
“Where did you get that?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't know?”
“No!”
She tried pulling it off.
It wouldn't move.
Cassian grabbed her wrist.
His expression became grim.
“Listen to me carefully. Do not tell anyone about this ring.”
“Why?”
“Because if the wrong people discover you have it, they'll come for you.”
“Who?”
Cassian looked toward the dark forest.
“The Alpha Council.”
Elara swallowed.
“What do they want with me?”
Cassian's gaze returned to the ring.
“They don't want you.”
He paused.
“They want what you're carrying.”
Before Elara could ask another question, a howl echoed from the forest.
Cassian's eyes flashed silver.
“They found us.”
“Who?”
He grabbed her hand.
“We have to go.”
“Wait! You're not taking me anywhere!”
Cassian pulled her toward his car.
“I'm trying to keep you alive.”
“I don't even know you!”
“You don't need to know me.”
He opened the passenger door.
“You just need to understand one thing.”
Elara stared at him.
Cassian's voice dropped to a whisper.
“By sunrise, every powerful werewolf in this territory will know your name.”
Elara's blood ran cold.
“Why?”
Cassian looked at the black ring on her finger.
“Because you are wearing the one thing they've spent twenty years trying to find.”
And somewhere deep inside the forest, dozens of wolves began to howl.