The Alpha's Predestined Soulmate

Lyra clutched her bag to her, as if its meager contents would be enough to protect her from what she was fleeing. She didn't look behind her, not once. There was nothing to see, except for shredded memories. She knew the layout of this forest by heart, the roots that stuck out here and there, the massive trunks between which she now slipped like a shadow. Her steps sank into the thickness of the ground, but she moved forward, determined, her breath short and punctuated by a dull anger and a fear she refused to name.

Leaving hadn't been a decision, it had been a need. A given. There was no place for her there anymore, not after what they'd done. Not after what she'd seen. She tried to push the image away, but it clung to her thoughts like sharp claws. Her brother's howl, broken, barely human. The Alpha's fangs, glinting in the moonlight. And the silence afterward, heavy, crushing, as if the forest itself were holding its breath.

She hadn't cried. Not yet. It was as if the tears were stuck somewhere, drowned under rage and injustice. Why him? Why them? But Lyra had filed the questions away in a corner of her mind. She knew they would return, later, in the solitude of the nights, like insatiable ghosts. For now, there was the urgency to leave.

When she finally emerged from the cover of the trees, the sky lay before her, vast and indifferent. The stars, those damn stars, shone as if nothing had happened. She took a deep breath, the cool air biting at her lungs. She didn't know where she was going, only that she couldn't stay. She'd stolen enough money from the pack's stash to last a few weeks. Maybe a month if she was careful. But caution had never been her strong point.

The first village she passed through was deserted at this hour. The shutters of the houses were closed, and only an old lamp flickered at the entrance of an inn. She hesitated for a moment. Her stomach growled, but the idea of stopping, of exposing herself, made her nervous. Finally, she pushed open the door, her abrupt movements betraying her impatience.

The interior was dark, the smell of tobacco and burning wood lingering in the air. A man sat near the counter, a half-empty glass in front of him. He looked up as she entered, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Are you lost?" he asked hoarsely.

She ignored the question, heading straight for the counter. The woman behind the register eyed her suspiciously, but said nothing. Lyra placed a few bills on the worn wood.

"To eat. No matter what."

The woman raised an eyebrow, but took the money and disappeared into the back room. Lyra sat up, aware of the man's gaze still on her. She tried to ignore him, but after a moment, he began to speak.

"There aren't many people who pass by here, even less at this hour."

She didn't answer, but he didn't seem to mind.

"You're not from around here, that's obvious. You're running away from something, right?"

She looked up, ready to tell him to mind his own business, but he was smiling, a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Don't worry, kid, I've seen others."

The woman returned with a plate, which she set down in front of Lyra without a word. She ate in silence, but the man didn't move, continuing to observe her as if she were a riddle to be solved. When she was finished, he leaned on the counter.

"If you go further south, be careful. There are stories going around. Things that have nothing to do with what you're running away from."

She frowned, suspicious.

"What kind of stories?"

He shrugged.

"Legends. Curses. People disappearing without a trace. But hey, you don't seem like the type to believe in that crap, do you?"

She didn't answer, but a part of her was intrigued. Legends always had some truth to them, even the most absurd ones. She stood up, ready to leave, but he added something that made her stop short.

"If you come across a man named Kael Drayven, be wary."

The name echoed in her head, like a distant echo. She didn't know why, but it seemed strangely familiar. She turned to ask for clarification, but the man had already looked away, taking a long sip from his drink.

Outside, the air was even colder, and she hugged her jacket tighter. She walked to the edge of the village, her mind clouded by the man's words. Kael Drayven. Who was he, and why did the name seem important to her?

The moon shone high in the sky, lighting her path as she continued on her way. She didn't know where she was going, but one thing was certain: this journey wouldn't be as simple as she had hoped.

She had arrived late in the afternoon, her back burning after hours on the bus, hours of staring at the mountains in the distance. Spain. It was just a word, a random place on a map, chosen to be far away. Far from everything. But now that she was here, sitting on the edge of a bed with questionable bedding in a small guesthouse, she wondered if it was enough. The peeling walls, the smell of damp, the sound of poorly oiled hinges as she passed through the hallway-all reminded her that she had no idea what she was doing.

Her bag, sitting in a corner, contained everything she owned. A few clothes, enough to survive. But no anchor, nothing to tie her to anything. She had thought that distance would be enough. That leaving was the solution. Yet, as she ran a hand through her hair to dislodge the accumulated dust, the images came back. Always the same. The scream. The blood. The look of an Alpha who had taken everything. She shook her head. Not here. Not now.

She stepped out into the street. There was something strange about this small town, a quiet that was unnatural. The cobblestones echoed beneath her feet, as if she were walking to a hollow drum. The windows were open, but no one seemed to be watching. Yet she felt. That familiar sensation, that instinct she had never quite learned to control. They were there. Not humans. She could have sworn it.

She stopped in front of a small grocery store. An older woman glanced sideways at her as she put away apples. Lyra avoided making eye contact and just wandered between the shelves. She didn't need much, just an excuse to kill time and prove to herself that she could act normally, like anyone else.

When she came out, the paper bag clutched to her, the sun was fading. A cool breeze lifted her hair, and with it a smell. Not human. Her breath caught, her fingers clenching on the bag. She turned her head instinctively, searching for the source. Nothing. Only the empty streets, the shutters flapping softly in the wind. But she knew she was not mistaken.

It was later, as she was walking aimlessly through the streets, that she came across them. Three figures at the entrance to an alley. They were leaning against a wall, their bodies relaxed but their gazes fixed on her. Lyra kept walking, trying not to pay attention to them, but they didn't move. Not a word. Not a gesture. Yet she felt them. Their presence was heavy, palpable.

When she reached them, one of them spoke.

- You're new here.

It wasn't a question. She stopped in spite of herself, their gazes fixed on her like spotlights.

- So what? she replied curtly, immediately regretting her tone.

They exchanged a look. A smile passed furtively on the lips of the one who had spoken.

- We were just wondering what you're doing here. Not many people come through here.

She shrugged, trying to free herself from their invisible grip.

- I'm just passing through. Nothing more.

The tallest of the three, a guy with black hair and a scarred face, stepped forward slightly. He had that look that Lyra knew well, the one of those who knew. Who saw beyond appearances.

- This is not a town for people passing through, he said calmly.

Lyra didn't answer. She hugged the bag to her and walked away, feeling their eyes follow her long after she turned the corner.

That night she had trouble falling asleep. She felt watched, even in the relative safety of her small room. Every creak, every breath of wind seemed to hide something. When she finally did fall asleep, it was not into a peaceful sleep.

She dreamed. Not the kind of fuzzy, elusive dreams she had, but the kind that came with unsettling clarity. He was there, in the darkness. A towering figure, a presence that filled the space like a silent storm. She couldn't see his face, only his eyes. Eyes that seemed to glow with their own light, burning and cold at once.

- Lyra, he whispered.

His voice was a rumble, an echo in her mind. She felt a strange warmth invade her, a sensation that was not entirely unpleasant but deeply unsettling. She wanted to answer, but no words passed her lips.

- Come.

She woke with a start, her heart pounding. The room was dark, but she could have sworn she wasn't alone. She strained her ears, but there was only silence. Yet that voice still echoed in her head, clear as if it had just been spoken.

She stood up, unable to stay still. Her legs carried her to the window, where she looked out at the street below. Empty. But that feeling persisted, that certainty that she was not alone.

She went back to bed, but sleep would not come. All night long, she saw those eyes, that voice. She did not know who he was, but one thing was certain: this was not an ordinary dream.

She had heard about the village by accident, or maybe it was on purpose. The kind of rumor you let linger on the tip of your lips, just enough to pique your curiosity. The woman at the grocery store had whispered something as she counted out the change, a snippet of conversation she wasn't supposed to hear. Nothing clear. Just a name: *Kael Drayven*. It had followed her into her thoughts, that name. Like a melody you can't chase away, that keeps coming back, always stronger.

She hadn't asked for anything. Not right away. But as she walked through these streets where no one seemed to want to meet her gaze, she had noticed things. People turning away abruptly, muffled words, signs she didn't understand. It wasn't fear. Not really. More like a kind of respect mixed with silent dread. She should have left, ignored all of that. But the idea of a village, of a hidden pack, had planted a seed in her mind. Part of her wanted to understand. The other part, the one she didn't want to listen to, felt like that name, Kael Drayven, was linked to what she was trying to escape.

It was Maria who had changed everything. She had met her by chance, while buying something to eat at the market. A young brunette woman, full of energy, the type to speak too quickly, too loudly. Maria had not hesitated for a second before approaching Lyra, as if she had sensed that she was different.

- You're not from around here, are you? she said with a smirk.

Lyra had stiffened, wary, but Maria hadn't seemed to mind. She had continued to speak, without waiting for a response, as if she knew Lyra would eventually listen to her.

- There aren't many new people around. Well, not like you. Most of them come for the scenery, or because they got lost. You're something else, right?

Lyra had tried to cut the conversation short, but Maria wouldn't let go. She had a way of asking questions without seeming pushy, a way of smiling that made it impossible to completely push her away. And, against all odds, Lyra had finally answered, a little. Not everything. Just enough to make Maria feel encouraged.

- If you're curious, there's a place you have to see, she had said later, as if in confidence. A village a little out of the way. Not easy to find, but it's worth it.

- What kind of village? Lyra had asked suspiciously.

Maria had shrugged her shoulders, looking innocent.

- You'll see. If you're interested, I can show you.

There was something in her eyes, a mischievous glint, like she knew exactly what she was doing. And despite her instincts, despite that little voice inside her telling her not to let herself get carried away, Lyra had agreed.

The path to the village was winding, almost invisible. Maria walked ahead, babbling about everything and nothing, while Lyra remained silent, her senses alert. There was something in the air, a tension she couldn't explain. When they finally arrived, Lyra felt her breath catch for a moment. This wasn't just a village. It was something else. The houses were modest, but there was a presence, an energy that permeated the place.

The looks she received as she entered were nothing like the ones she had encountered in the city. Here, it was different. They were sizing her up, assessing her, as if they were looking for something. She clenched her fists, trying not to show her discomfort.

- Don't worry, Maria said with a smile. They're like that with everyone.

Lyra wasn't so sure. She felt like these people knew things she didn't. And that feeling only grew stronger when she noticed the markings on some of them. Scars, tattoos, symbols etched into their skin. Signs she recognized. Pack signs.

Maria led her to her house, a small, secluded house. It was simple, but warm, and for the first time in days, Lyra felt almost safe. Maria offered her a drink, sitting down across from her with a smile.

- So? What do you think?

Lyra shrugged.

- It's... different.

Maria burst out laughing.

- That's for sure. But you'll see, it's not so bad here. Well, if you know who to talk to, and who to avoid.

- And you, do you know? Lyra asked, unable to hide her curiosity.

Maria gave an enigmatic smile.

- Let's say I know the rules. But you... you're not like the others.

Lyra froze.

- What do you mean?

Maria shrugged, but her gaze was serious.

- I don't know yet. But I feel it. You give off something. Something that attracts attention.

She wanted to answer, to deny it, but the words stuck in her throat. Because she knew Maria was right. She had always attracted attention, even when she tried to blend in. And here, in this village, that feeling was even stronger.

What she didn't know was that Kael Drayven was already watching her. From the moment she had set foot in the village, he had felt her presence. He was there, hidden in the shadows, following her every move. It wasn't hostile surveillance. It was something else. A fascination. A recognition he didn't yet understand.

She hadn't seen him, but she had felt him. That look. That presence. And even though she didn't know who he was yet, a part of her knew that their meeting was only a matter of time.