Chapter 3 Shadows of the alpha

The forest echoing from birds fleeing as the Blackthorn wolves were closing in. Lia's heart ran riot, pounding fast, she tightened her grip on the dagger Torren gave to her. The rogue camp was destabilised, rogues searching for weapons, mothers taking their children and hiding in tents, and Torren giving last minute orders. The mark on Lia's flared, it was almost as if it could sense Kael's presence. She was at the edge of the camp, her eyes scanning the round before locking on a wolf, its amber eyes glowing like twin embers. Kael.

Not just his enforcers-he'd come himself."Why's he here?" Mara whispered, her gray-streaked hair whipping in the wind as she joined Lia. The healer clutched a satchel of herbs, her face pale. "No Alpha leaves his pack to chase a reject."Lia's stomach churned. Did Kael sense the child she carried, a bond even his rejection couldn't break? Or was it the curse, calling him to finish what he'd started? "He wants me dead," she said, voice steady despite the fear clawing her chest. "I won't let him win."Torren strode over, his axe slung over his shoulder. "Three wolves, maybe four," he said, squinting at the ridge. "Kael's leading. His betas are fast, but we've got the terrain. We can hold them off."Lia nodded, her resolve hardening. She wasn't the broken girl who'd fled Blackthorn a week ago. The rogues, rough as they were, had given her a chance to survive-for her child's sake, she'd fight. "Set traps at the ravine's mouth," she said. "Draw them in and flank them."Torren raised a brow, a flicker of respect in his green eyes. "You've got a head for this. Done." He turned, shouting to the rogues to rig snares and sharpen stakes.Mara grabbed Lia's arm, her grip firm. "The curse is worsening," she warned, glancing at the mark. "Fighting will strain you. If it spreads to the pup..." Her voice trailed off, but the fear in her eyes spoke volumes.Lia's hand flew to her stomach, the faint pulse of life grounding her. "I don't have a choice," she said. "If Kael finds me, he'll kill us both."Mara hesitated, then pressed a vial of murky liquid into Lia's hand. "Drink this. It'll boost your strength, maybe wake your wolf for a bit. But it won't last long."Lia downed the bitter concoction, grimacing as it burned her throat. A spark flared in her core-her wolf stirring, faint but alive. She handed the vial back, nodding her thanks, and joined the rogues at the ravine's mouth.

Traps had been set: pits hidden under leaves filled with spikes, boulders waiting to be dropped. The rogues waiting in the shadows, weapons ready .The howls grew louder, joined by the crunch of paws on gravel. Lia's heart raced as four wolves with dark furs burst into the scene. Kael led them, his massive black form unmistakable, his amber eyes locked on her. Two betas flanked him, their teeth bared, while a third wolf-a lean female with a scarred muzzle-hung back, sniffing the air."Now!" Torren roared.The traps sprang. A boulder crashed down, forcing the betas to scatter. One yelped as a spiked pit snared its leg, blood staining the dirt. Lia lunged, her dagger flashing, aiming for the scarred female. Her wolf surged briefly, lending her speed, but the curse clawed at her strength, the mark burning like fire. The female dodged, snapping at Lia's arm. Pain seared through her as teeth grazed her skin, but Lia drove her dagger into the wolf's flank, sending it limping back.Kael's growl shook the ravine. He shifted mid-stride, his human form towering as he charged toward Lia. His amber eyes filled with fury and something else, a shadow of what looked like pain that caught her off guard. "You should be dead," he snarled, his voice raw. "Why are you still fighting?"Lia's silver eyes flashed. "Because you don't get to decide my fate." She threw a handful of Mara's blinding powder, a witch trick her mother had taught her. Kael staggered, coughing, but his claws slashed out, grazing her shoulder. The cursed mark flared, stealing her breath, and her knees buckled.Torren tackled Kael from the side, his axe swinging. "Get back, Lia!" he shouted. The rogues swarmed, overwhelming the betas, but Kael was a storm. He threw Torren off, his strength unnatural, fueled by the same dark magic that had cursed her. Lia scrambled to her feet, the vial's boost fading, her wolf retreating. She couldn't win this-not like this."Kael!" she shouted, desperation rising. "You want me? Let the others go!"His head snapped toward her, eyes narrowing. The bond flickered-a ghost of the connection he'd shattered. He looked down to her stomach, and his expression shifted, a mixture of confusion and rage. "What are you not telling me, what are you hiding?" he growled, stepped closer. He sniffed the air, he caught a scent he couldn't place.She panicked. He couldn't know about the child-not yet. Lia backed away, dagger raised, but the curse pulsed, draining her. Mara's warning echoed: The curse could harm the pup. She had to end this. Drawing on her fading magic, Lia whispered a spell her mother had taught her-a burst of light to blind and disorient. It flared, weak but enough to make Kael flinch."Run!" Lia screamed to the rogues. Torren hesitated, then nodded, rallying the others to fall back. Lia stumbled after them, her vision swimming as the curse tightened its grip. The rogues vanished into the forest, but Kael's howl followed, closer than before.Lia collapsed against a tree, gasping for air. The mark became hotter than it ever had , and a sharp pain twisted in her abdomen, taking her breath. Her hand flew to her stomach, consumed with fear. The baby-was the curse attacking it? Mara's words rang in her ears: You need a witch stronger than whoever fueled Kael's claws. She needed help, and fast, or she'd lose everything.A rustle in the bushes made her spin, dagger raised despite her trembling hands. But it wasn't Kael. A woman stepped out, cloaked in black, her eyes glowing violet under a hood. Her presence hummed with power, the air around her crackling with witch magic. "You're the one Kael cursed," she said, her voice low and melodic, like a song laced with danger. "I can help you, hybrid. I can break the curse and save your child. But it comes at a price."Lia's breath hitched. A savior or a trap? The woman's violet eyes gleamed with knowing, as if she saw straight through Lia's fears. "What price?" Lia asked, her voice hoarse.The witch smiled, sharp and unreadable. "Your loyalty. Join my coven, and I'll teach you to wield the power Kael fears. Refuse, and the curse will claim you both."Another cramp hit, sharper this time, and Lia gasped, clutching her stomach. Kael's howls grew louder, his scent closing in. She had seconds to decide. Trust a stranger whose magic reeked of secrets, or face Kael and risk her child's life? The witch extended a hand, her nails glinting like obsidian. "Choose now, Lia Blackwood," she said. "Or the Alpha will choose for you."As Kael's silhouette appeared through the trees, his amber eyes locked on her, Lia's heart raced. The witch's offer was her only hope-but at what cost?