Lilith’s POV
The tension in the room intensified, thick and suffocating, as the argument reached a boiling point.
"But Alpha, we can't just let her stay! We don’t know her, she could be a spy!" one of the elders insisted, his voice rising in frustration.
The Alpha’s voice cut through the air like a whip, sharp and commanding, "I said, I will handle her."
His words struck with finality.
Slowly, he lowered his head, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my pulse quicken.
"State your name again," he demanded, his voice cold but eerily calm.
I hesitated, my throat tight with fear. But despite the dryness that gripped me, I managed to speak. "M-my name is Lilith... b-but most call me Lily."
"Lilith."
He repeated my name, his voice sending an unsettling chill through me. His gaze burned through me, each glance more demanding than the last, as if he were inspecting every inch of my soul.
"As the Alpha of this tribe," he continued, his words carrying the weight of the world, "I will keep her."
For a brief moment, I dared to breathe in relief, but then his words took a sudden, cruel turn.
"As my pet."
My heart stopped. The shock of his words hit me like a slap across the face. A cold, bitter rage surged through my veins.
"You can’t do that to me!" I shouted.
But he didn’t even spare me a second glance. His eyes never wavered as he dismissed me, the silent cruelty in his gaze more piercing than any word.
The elders exchanged looks, murmuring disapprovingly among themselves.
"Alpha Kieran," one of the elders said cautiously, "It’s not wise to keep her here. It’s better to send her back to her tribe, where she belongs."
But then Alpha Kieran’s voice sliced through the air again, his tone as cold as ice.
"Call Alpha Kael."
The words hit like a bolt of lightning. My breath caught in my chest.
"What? Are you serious, Alpha?" The elder's voice quivered with disbelief. "You want us to inform the rival tribe? About our situation?"
"I said, call Alpha Kael." Alpha Kieran’s voice held a chilling authority. "And tell him his precious mate is here."
A wave of bitterness rose in me, suffocating all other thoughts. "Don’t bother. He doesn’t care about me anyway," I muttered bitterly under my breath. The words surprised me, but they tumbled out before I could stop them.
"Just let me go," I spat, my anger flaring up once more.
I struggled to stand straight, my body trembling from the emotional storm that raged within me, but I held my head up.
"I’ll survive on my own," I said, my eyes burning as I glared at Alpha Kieran.
"Don’t you dare speak to the Alpha King like that!" The elder’s voice rang out, his words sharp, like a whip across my skin.
"Alpha King?" The whisper slipped from my lips, soft but full of disbelief.
The weight of the words crashed into me. I didn’t know, yet, when I looked at him, I suddenly understood the full extent of who Alpha Kieran was.
He was the Alpha King, a figure that struck fear into the hearts of all who heard his name. No wonder his presence was suffocating. No wonder his gaze could freeze me in place.
Before I could even process the revelation, hurried footsteps echoed down the hall, and the door burst open.
"Alpha Kieran! He’s here!" a guard shouted in panic.
I stiffened, the blood draining from my face.
"Kael…" I whispered.
Suddenly, his voice rang out, sharp and seething with fury. "Lily!"
I flinched at the anger in his tone. "What the hell? How did you get here? What are you doing here?!"
Kael's eyes burned with rage as he stalked towards me, not minding where he was, and then grabbing my wrist with a force that left no room for escape. His grip was unyielding and powerful.
"We’re going fucking home now," he growled, his voice low and filled with command. His fingers dug into my skin as he began to pull me toward him, dragging me away like I was nothing.
"No!" I shouted, struggling to break free. "Let go of me! Why are you dragging me back again when you have your mistress with you?!"
I don’t know where I got the courage to speak like this to him, but I did.
But Kael wasn’t listening. His eyes flared with even more anger as he pulled me closer.
"You don’t have the right to disobey me!" he yelled, his words like a slap to my pride.
To my shock, I felt another hand grab my other arm.
The force was even stronger, and when I turned, I saw Alpha Kieran standing there, his gaze icy and unflinching.
"And where do you think you’re taking her?" he asked, his voice calm, but there was an undeniable power behind it.
Kael froze for a split second, his jaw clenched.
"She belongs to me now," Alpha Kieran said with finality.
Kael’s eyes burned with fury. "She’s my mate, and she’s coming home with me!" He looked at me, his eyes wild. "Come on, now!"
He tried to pull me again, but this time, I fought back harder. My fear turned to rebelliousness as I struggled, desperate to escape!
Alpha Kieran’s grip loosened just enough for Kael to drag me toward him, but as I stumbled, I turned and locked eyes with Alpha Kieran. In that moment, his gaze held a silent message:
Choose.
Everything inside me snapped.
This was exactly why I ran away in the first place.
"No!" I shouted, pulling my arm away from Kael. I glared at him, my heart racing.
"You heard me," I said, stepping toward Alpha Kieran. "I’m not coming with you."
“What the fuck are you saying? Are you disobeying me, Lily?!” Kael shouted.
He must have expected me to shake my head in defeat and crawl back at him, but instead, I held my head high and stepped back, grabbing Alpha Kieran’s hand and then announced in front of everyone,
“I am rejecting you as my mate forever, Kael, because I have found my second chance, and it’s Alpha Kieran, the Alpha King!”
