had seen it all. His gaze swept over the crowd, but his focus was immediately drawn to Lyra. Something in his eyes sh

to ignore. The moment he entered Crimson Fang territory, the scent hit him like a tidal wave. It was faint at

Mate

ith every passing second. Darius couldn't contain the surge of power

ce laced with concern. But Darius didn't ca

n, he w

a dilapidated building that seemed to be used for storage or perhaps housing the pack's least valuable members. But

ody shaking from the cold. Her raven hair was tangled and matted, her skin pale and stretched ove

ath caught i

s whispered in his mind, the words

in. It was something deeper-something beyond the surface. His heart hammered in

o stand still. Lyra's eyes were wide with confusion and fear. She didn't know who he was-couldn't possib

, howled in tri

that he had never felt before. He couldn't explain it, but the n

. His voice was gentle, coaxing her to trust him. "

d at him, her eyes wide with fear and confusion. She di

he did, he noticed the bruises on her arms, the marks of someone wh

? Atlas raged, the fury of hi

inary bond. This was fate. This was his mate-the one who was

re stiff with anger. He had been watching from the hallway, h

ration. He stepped forward, clearly ready to challenge Darius, but

in front of Darius, the Alpha King, he was nothing. The aura of power surrounding Darius was un

eye contact with Kael. His voice was calm,

frozen, shaking with fear. Darius had just claimed Lyra, and the we

ck to Lyra, his voice soft. "I'll take you wit

process everything that had just happened. This was her mate-D

rembling, Darius's voice bro

fierce, yet comforting. "Come w

peak. The Alpha King's dominance was absolute, and he knew

at vibrated through the room. She's o

ength of his presence filled the room like a storm ready to break. Every muscle in his body was tense, his wolf growling with a po

oment pressing down on her like a physical force. Here she was, standing before the Alpha King, a man she had never met, and yet, there was so

ng. The life that had broken her. The life that had been filled with nothing but rejection and cruelty. He was o

her, the one who had humiliated her in front of the entire pack. The one who had made her feel small, insignificant, as if she were noth

ed too. It wasn't just her body responding to him. It was something deep w

silence, low and commandi

mate," he said softly, hi

ak to her with such care, such tenderness. Not since her parents had passed. Not s

a knot tighten in her throat as she said it, the weight of her ow

ring contentedly in his mind. Lyra... our little Lyra, Atlas

f he were fighting the overwhelming urge to reach out and pull her into his arms, to protect her f

se the weight of his name. His power. You are safe

believe him. She wanted to believe that she could trust him, but th

as he took a step closer to her. His eyes never left hers, his presence

ring a secret with her alone. "But I need you to trust me. I'll protect you. I will ne

being, the way her heart reacted to his presence, the way her soul recognized him as something more than just a

by the man she had once thought was her mate, but now, in front of her stood the Alpha King, the one who was meant

ain," she whispered, her voice shaki

something fragile. His hand cupped her face gently, his t

will, in time. I'll be patient with you, Lyra. I'll give you all the time you need. But

deep into her heart. The bond between them was undeniable. His presence f

ered to the side, where Kael was still standing, frozen in place. The Alpha King's eyes na

thority. If i find out you ever laid a hand on

arius's gaze. His eyes darted to Lyra, then back to the Alpha King. He opened his

ius turned back to Lyra, his g

You don't belong here. You belong with me, in my k

of a new future with Darius. Would she take his hand and leave everything behind, or wou