MATED TO THE HYBRID ROGUE KING

Cora's P.O.V.

My heart was beating hard, and I added more speed to my already weakened and worn-out legs. Everywhere was dark, and the thick grass cut into my leg. I had lost my fancy, elegant heels in the race.

"Ahaaaaa!" I groaned and stopped when a sharp stone cut into my left foot, but to my surprise, my legs refused to cooperate with me. They didn't want to wait; my legs urged me to run faster even though I had no strength. So I couldn't wait to check it or rest my aching leg. I ignored the injured leg and ran further into the thickest part of the pitch-black forest.

I felt blood trickle out of my wound, but it was the last thing on my mind. My head was clanging badly, and my view was blurry: "I need to get out of their sight... I need to get out of ..." I kept repeating why I needed to hide in the bush like a mantra. I can't say, but something kept telling me I had to do that to push myself further into the bush.

My body was getting colder, but I was feeling so hot. My skin was blazing hot, and it felt like I would burst any time soon. Something is definitely wrong with me. I have been running for thirty minutes now, and my boyfriend must be searching everywhere for me.

"Cora!!!!... Coraaaa! Where are you, please? Coraaa!" I heard his voice cut into my thoughts. His pained voice distracted me, and I fell into the cold grass and stayed there. The soreness shot through my whole body, and I almost screamed out loud, but I closed my mouth firmly and cried inwardly.

My body was shaking fiercely from the cold I was feeling, but I was sweating profusely. My heart was beating and filled with fear. I didn't know what was happening to me, and I felt like it would kill me.

What surprised me the most was hearing my boyfriend's voice from afar and smelling his scent. He was definitely still looking for me, very far on the other end of the forest. But why did it seem like he was close to me?

Something was not right. I wasn't able to think about the weirdness of the situation because the intense pain that shot out of my stomach threw me off balance, and I rolled on the floor.

I felt someone watching me but couldn't open my eyes to check who it was. The pain was something I had never felt before. A voice called my name softly from inside my head, and I almost ran out of my skin. I would have if it were possible.

This time, I couldn't hold in my shriek. It was very scary and comforting at the same time. It felt like someone else was inside me and talking to me. I needed to speak to my Grandmother; maybe she could explain what was happening to me!

"I love you so much, Cora, and I can't wait for us to get married." My boyfriend's sweet voice filled my head and calmed me down slightly. I tried to smile even in my moment of agony and fear, but I couldn't find the smile.

Luca is the sweetest guy I have ever met, showering me with all the love in the world. We've been dating for two years now, and I promised to give my virginity to him once I turn eighteen. I promised Luca a lot of beautiful things and I have been so eager to do each of it. I want to kiss him freely, go out on dates with him and even marry him.

Grandma Selene has deprived me of so many things in my relationship with Luca, she kept on saying I should wait till I'm at least 18. My joy knew no bounds because today is finally here and I can't understand what is happening to me right now.

Today is my eighteenth birthday, and it has been going smoothly before the weird feelings and scary changes in my body. Luca did just as he promised and even more. Today has been so wonderful for me. My man showed me many gifts and even threw an elaborate birthday party for me, just as promised.

His friends were also in attendance, and we have painted the whole town red since morning. He always makes me feel like a princess. My boyfriend, the only son of a wealthy family, makes all the ladies in my school want to be his, but he only has eyes for me.

"I don't like that young man... he's too exposed and likes to flaunt his money around!" I remembered what my grandmother would always say. I smiled sadly, but another pain shot through my joints again, forcing the smile out of my mouth at once. My grandmother dislikes my boyfriend, but I don't give a d*mn. He makes me happy, and whatever her reasons were made no sense to me.

The more reason I had to flee from the party and hide this embarrassing moment from him as I didn't want to lose him at all, seeing me like this might cause a break in our relationship, and it would break me as well.

I hissed loudly as the pain doubled and tripled as time went by. My bones began to move slowly. I yelled out in pain, holding my body part to reduce the pain, but it was no use. I felt like I would faint anytime soon; I was so scared of losing consciousness.

"I don't want to die... please ... pleaseeee" I was talking and pleading with myself, but it felt like I was talking to someone else, "You can't die, Cora... you are stronger than this, and you need to remain strong ... ..." someone in my head responded to me, and I knew there and then that someone else was inside me.

"Do you want to take over my body and senses... what are you!" I screamed into the dark forest, panting and breathing heavily as another wave of intense pain hit me all over my body.

The voice tried to comfort me, and I cut it out with my question. Instantly, the voice kept mute, and I felt it pull away. The whole thing was scary and weird. The voice sounded like a female, like she had known me since birth.

My body began to itch gradually until it grew in intensity, and I felt like it was on fire. The forest didn't seem so dark anymore, and I felt my vision had also improved.

"My stomach ... ahaaaa! Oh, my stomach! I groaned out in pain; the pain had moved down to my stomach, and my intestines were turning brutally. I felt my bones moving away from their rightful places and shooting out of my skin. My voice pierced the forest, and I no longer cared if Luca had found me.

The pain was unbearable and excruciating. I felt like life was being dragged out of my heart. Luca's voice reached my ears again, but I ignored it and focused on what was happening to me instead.

The bone movement stopped, but the pain was still there. I dragged my mirror out of my bag with trembling hands and stared at myself in the mirror, but what I saw made me throw the mirror away at once.

It wasn't my face staring back at me but a doglike animal. To be sincere, the animal looked so cute and innocent with its hairy cream-coloured fur and cute yellow eyes.

The Animal grinned back at me like it was teasing and intentionally trying to scare me. Before throwing the mirror away in fright, I yelled and laughed. The whole thing was almost turning me into a mad person.

The animal tried to get into my head again, but I closed my eyes and removed the voice from my head. It looked like a very big dog but much more hairy. I was scared of it, but I also felt attached to it.

I sensed Luca a few feet from me and knew he would find me in no time. "I'm a beautiful animal," I whispered, trying to find a hiding place.

Someone pranced on me from the bush, and we tumbled together into the ground. I opened my mouth to scream, but a weak growl came out instead; the firm hand covered my mouth and threw me over the shoulder like I weighed nothing.

Everything happened so fast and immediately; my soft animal fur came in contact with the strange man's sturdy and very muscular body. I felt a very deep and strong connection and pain in my chest; I whimpered and tried to look at the face of the man.

He may be able to explain what is happening to me.

****************

Ryda's P.O.V

All through her shifting ritual, I was there, watching and staying alert in case she needed my help, but she proved herself to be very strong for someone who didn't know about her real Identity.

"He's getting closer...he's almost here," my beta whispered the update of my mate's boyfriend into my ear, and I nodded in acknowledgment; I needed to take her out of the bush before he got to her.

Of course, I didn't like the idea of another man hanging around my woman, but I couldn't do much about it before tonight. That's because the moon goddess made it compulsory for Cora to be eighteen years old and get her wolf before I had any contact with her.

I have followed her for years and knew she would be mine since age three. She grew up in the human world, making it difficult for me to see her daily, but I placed some guards with her to watch and protect her daily.

"It's almost over ... today is the day," I heard Fridolf say from behind me. He had insisted on going with me to take my mate and had been quiet until now. He patted me as I watched my mate scream and yell in pain.

My heart crumbled and twisted at her pain and tears, but I needed her to get her wolf before I claimed her as mine. Finally, it happened, and I rushed out of my hiding place with my leather jacket in hand.

She would change back to her human form once I touched her, and she would be naked; I don't want any other man to see her nakedness. I bundled her up into my chest, and she tried to look at my face.

Knowing that she would ask questions once she opened her eyes to me, I touched her inner senses with my abilities and forced her into sleep. I smiled mockingly as she slept at once in my arms.

Using a jacket to cover her now naked body, I moved swiftly to the fleets of cars packed behind the forest as I took my mate for the first time in my life. I swore never to let her boyfriend smell her again, let alone to come close to her.

"Mine!" I growled softly. Her eyes opened slightly from her drowsiness, and she looked confused, which was so cute before I could stop myself. I seized her tempting full Lips into mine and kissed her like my life depended on it.

"Coraa!" I heard Luca's worried voice and groaned loudly in frustration. Every bone in my body wanted to squeeze his neck for calling my mate and disrupting our kiss, but I fought against it and entered my car instead, ordering my driver to drive us back to the Royal mansion.

I have much explaining to do to my mate, and I would gladly do that. Whether she likes it or not, she's mine and will never set her eyes on Luca again.

GRANDMA SELENE's POV

"Find my granddaughter for me... find her, please; you are the police and should be able to do your work!"

I shouted angrily at the three police officers standing at the cottage's entrance, and one female officer was asking Luca and Kira some questions at the other end.

The search for Cora started immediately. She went missing on the night of her birthday, and Luca had immediately used his parents' influence to start the search since last night.

I watched him as he argued with the female police officer. He looked so hurt and tired that I almost laughed at him, but I stopped myself because that would also mean laughing at myself.

"We will find her. Maybe she drank too much and walked in another direction. She might even come home herself today," the policeman closest to me tried to assure me.

I ignored him and hissed inwardly instead. The pain of losing the opportunity that was so glaring and almost in my grasp burned deep into my soul. I had tried to stop her from going out last night for the birthday party, but she wouldn't listen.

I disliked Luca because I knew he would want to celebrate Cora's eighteenth birthday in a grand style, hindering my plans for her eighteenth birthday.

Just like I feared it happened, "Luca... I need to see you once the police leave," I called out to him. He looked up at me for the first time since he stepped his feet into my house that morning to talk to the police. He also doesn't like me, and I don't care.

He looked at me intensely for a few minutes and nodded slowly in agreement. The celebration had destroyed my plans, just like I feared. Cora's mate had taken her back to the wolf world, and I wouldn't be able to use her for the sacrifice as I had planned.

I need to act fast, and this time, I will use Luca to get Cora back for my eighteenth-year sacrifice and pretend to be Cora's

Grandmother, all these years must not be in vain. And to do that, I need to act like we are on the same page, even though I feel Like tearing his head off for letting Cora out of my reach.

Knowing fully well that the police would never find Cora, I ushered them out to be able to talk to Luca. Kira wanted to stay, but I sent her off as well. She pretends to like me, and I can read through her unknown to her.

She's Cora's best friend but wants nothing good for her, all her jealousy and dark intentions were like an open book to me.

My and my late son's efforts will not be in vain, and that's why I have dedicated my eighteen years to Cora. Her late father is my son's partner in this plan, and we had both planned to use her special powers for ourselves before her mother and the royal family invaded and destroyed the whole plan.

"You need to be strong now ... not for yourself but for the woman you claim to love..." I started talking at once to Luca, immediately, we were alone together.

The shock on his face that I was not yelling at him was evident. He shrugged at what I had just said to him and gestured with his eyes to explain what I meant.

"You can not trust all these police fully; I have some powers that would strengthen you and help you get your woman back ... that's if you want...

"But why are you helping me ... you dislike me, Grandma... why now?" He asked me the same question I was expecting, and I smiled back at him.

"Do you want to find her or not?" I asked him coldly. Changing my tune from a soft and subtle one to a sharp and cold one, he nodded at once in agreement, and I smiled happily at him.

I needed Luca to agree to my help to give him the artificial wolf abilities. Instantly, I got to work and gifted him clearer sight, speed, and strength. He needs to be strong to get Cora back for me.

He didn't know my intention about killing Cora, and he wasn't aware that he was the tool I intended to use for my plans. He hugged me and almost kissed me In his moment of happiness.

To him, I am his savior, and I care so much about helping him, even though I know deep down that all I'm doing is only for my selfish purpose. He caused this anyway, he should pay for it.

**********

Cora's POV

Now, the pain is beginning to ease down. I noticed I was hanging on a man's shoulder, but I was too weak to ask questions. We reached the car, and he placed me gently on the back seat and covered me with his jacket. He was with another man, and they seemed so close. I figured that out from their discussion.

I could still hear Luca's voice calling me, but it faded as we moved. "Innocent fool," the man on the passenger seat said, and they both burst into mocking laughter. Was he referring to Luca? A voice that seemed to be living inside of me asked me. I had yet to figure out who this strange person living inside of me came from, so I couldn't answer that question.

"That animal," I muttered. Where did it come from? Am I the animal? Many questions flashed through my mind, and no one answered them. Then suddenly, I remembered a time I watched a movie about humans turning into wolves. Grandma Selene warned me never to watch those kinds of movies again that day.

I vividly remember the strange look she gave me that day. Was this why she had been moody? Maybe she knows all these years that I am one of those creatures or will soon become one.