The Thread of Fate

Malakai sat at his desk in his chambers, deep in thought. It had been five days since he last laid eyes on the she-wolf he had brought home that fateful night. "A monster," she had called him. How could she label him as such, when he had saved her life? The thought gnawed at him, filling him with an unsettling blend of confusion and frustration. He had protected her, ready to rip apart the wolf that dared to lay his paws on her. Yet, she saw him as something dark and sinister.

Regret washed over him as he reflected on his inability to find her sooner. For some unfathomable reason, he had struggled to track her scent, causing a delay that weighed heavily on his conscience, tormenting him with every passing moment.

With undaunted determination, Malakai had set foot on Bloodmoon territory with one single purpose: the pack that sheltered rogues—the very beings responsible for the tragic loss of his innocent mother—would face his wrath. Hatred fueled his every step, driving him forward until justice was served.

Over the years, whispers of Saul Constantine's daughter had reached his ears, as some marveled at the thought of a female Alpha. Though many, like Malakai, couldn't help but scoff at the mere absurdity. In his staunch beliefs, a female could never lead an army of wolves into battle, let alone command one. To him, a she-wolf's role was confined to her gentleness and submission—her sole duty to cater to her mate's insatiable desires, bear his pups, and remain faithfully by his side.

When they received the invitation to her party, Malakai’s father knew it was the perfect opportunity. Saul would be expecting their arrival and wouldn't suspect anything, until it was too late. The Alpha King had a clear objective: he wanted them all dead, especially the daughter. He made his disdain for a female Alpha evident. To him, she was an insult to every Alpha before her, and he would never acknowledge her as such. It would be over his cold, dead body, he vowed.

Malakai and his patrol were assigned to wait on the outskirts of Bloodmoon territory, ready to intercept any Lycans attempting to escape to the rogue border. They had arrived hours before the party was scheduled to begin, restlessly awaiting the events to unfold… until Malakai caught a scent in the air.

"Do you smell that?" He asked his Beta, a hint of arousal in his voice.

Archer inhaled deeply, his senses attuned to the surrounding scents. "Yes, I smell a magnificent feast," he replied, his stomach growling in response.

"Not that," Malakai retorted. "The other scent, the sweet one."

Driven by pure instinct, Malakai set off to pursue the captivating fragrance. In his wolf form, his senses were heightened to an extraordinary degree, irresistibly drawing him closer to the scent that called to him like no other. Archer attempted to follow, but Malakai swiftly commanded him to stay put. Archer reluctantly obliged, watching as his alpha disappeared into the night.

The scent drew Malakai to the Constantine Manor, its allure drawing him further into the estate's sprawling garden as he stealthily made his way undetected. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't pinpoint the exact source of the scent until he lifted his snout towards the sky and inhaled deeply. And there, amidst the moonlight, he saw her.

There, on the balcony, stood the most exquisite creature he had ever laid eyes on. Bathed in the ethereal glow of the moon, she resembled a goddess. If he didn't know any better, he would have believed her to be the Moon Goddess herself. Malakai felt an instinctive need to uncover her identity, to shield her from the impending events of the night.

He felt an overwhelming sense of dread suddenly wash over him as he thought about what might happen to her. The mere thought of anyone causing her harm ignited a fiery rage within him.

And then, in a serendipitous moment, their eyes met, a connection forged that reached the depths of his soul. In that moment, everything else faded away, and the world ceased to exist. There was no duty, no rogues, no ambush. Just him and her, here in this instant.

"Mine," his wolf whispered to his cold heart.

She was unequivocally his, and he vowed to protect her with every fiber of his being. No one would dare to touch her, not tonight or any other night. She belonged to him and him alone.

"Amani, there you are!" A woman called out, tearing her eyes away from him.

Amani? He thought, his distaste evident. The Alpha's daughter? The abomination to his kind? No, it can't be. He quickly turned away and headed back to his post, refusing to accept her. He couldn't, what would his father think?

He was halfway back when, to his surprise, he saw Archer rushing towards him. "Malakai! I was coming to look for you! It's already begun. The wolves from the uniting packs have infiltrated the territory. They're planning their ambush now, if they haven't already!"

Malakai couldn't shake her from his thoughts. She was going to die tonight. The orders were clear – kill them all, especially the Constantines.

"Where is my father and the Royal Guard?" Malakai exclaimed.

"He wanted the Alpha for himself," Archer informed. "Last I heard, Alpha Saul fled with his own guard, and your father went after him. Some of the Royal Guard were ordered to search the Constantine Manor and eliminate his Luna and daughter."

"Go protect our mate, you fool!" The wolf inside the Prince growled, and that was all the push Malakai needed to go to his mate. He just hoped he'd reach her in time.

"Malakai, where are you going?!" Archer shouted.

Malakai paid him no mind as he raced back to the manor, desperate to reach her before the unthinkable happened. The scene around him was a brutal tableau of carnage, the fallen bodies of Bloodmoon members strewn across the ground. They had fought valiantly, but they never stood a chance.

Outside the manor, a frenzied horde of bloodthirsty wolves charged towards the sturdy doors of House Constantine. Their eyes glowed with a feral hunger, their snarls echoing through the night.

"Stand down!" Malakai's voice boomed through the mind link, his alpha aura infusing his words with raw authority. The beasts immediately yielded, parting to make way for him. As he approached, they bowed their heads in submission, their primal instincts overridden by his command.

Malakai wasted no time, forcefully crashing through the doors as if they were nothing. With a menacing growl, he warned the wolves not to follow him, and they scattered in search of other prey. Despite the overwhelming scent of her presence, Malakai's apprehension grew exponentially when he failed to locate her.

It had taken him an agonizingly long time before he finally managed to track her scent. It was in that moment, as he followed the trail, that he heard her piercing screams—the same screams that had relentlessly haunted his sleep every night since.

Suddenly, a forceful knock at his door jolted him back to reality. "Come in," he permitted.