Running from her past, Cassia, a runaway omega, has spent years hiding from the ruthless pack she escaped. But when she crosses paths with the feared Alpha Killian-a wolf known for his brutal reign-her world is turned upside down. Killian is her fated mate, a bond she can't deny. As she resists his attempts to claim her, dark secrets about her past begin to unravel, revealing the true reason she fled. With enemies closing in and her heart torn between fear and desire, Cassia must decide if she can trust Killian to protect her or if surrendering to him will lead to her destruction.
Chapter 1 The Scent of Danger
The forest was alive with the whispers of twilight, shadows lengthening as Cassia darted through the underbrush. Her breaths came in sharp bursts, the sting of cold air filling her lungs. She hadn't shifted yet-doing so would risk exposing her scent-but her wolf was restless, clawing at the edges of her control. The rogues were close. Too close.
Cassia cursed under her breath, ducking beneath a low-hanging branch. She'd been careful for years, staying off the radar, blending in among humans. The last thing she needed was a pack of rogue wolves tracking her. A growl echoed through the trees, guttural and menacing, and her heart slammed against her ribs.
They weren't giving up.
She skidded to a stop by a boulder, scanning her surroundings. The scent of wet earth and pine filled her nostrils, masking any trace of her pursuers. She leaned against the rock, forcing her breathing to slow. If they caught her, it was over. She had no allies, no pack to call her own. Not anymore.
A snap of a twig shattered the silence. Cassia's head whipped toward the sound, and her wolf surged forward, urging her to fight. She clenched her fists, forcing the wolf back. Not yet. She couldn't afford to draw attention, not until she knew who-or what-she was dealing with.
A rogue stepped into view, his hulking frame silhouetted against the faint glow of the setting sun. His eyes glinted yellow, feral and hungry.
"Well, well," he sneered, baring his teeth. "Looks like we've found ourselves a lone omega."
Cassia backed up, her muscles coiled and ready to spring. "I don't want any trouble," she said, keeping her voice steady.
The rogue chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "Trouble's already here, sweetheart."
Before she could respond, he lunged. Cassia shifted mid-leap, her wolf bursting free in a blur of silver fur. She met his attack head-on, their bodies colliding with a force that rattled her bones. She snarled, snapping at his throat, but the rogue was strong, his claws raking down her side. Pain flared, but she didn't falter.
Another rogue joined the fray, and Cassia's wolf growled in frustration. She was outnumbered.
She dodged a swipe from the second wolf, spinning to sink her teeth into the first rogue's leg. He yelped, stumbling back, and she used the opening to bolt. Adrenaline surged as she pushed herself harder, her paws pounding against the forest floor.
But then she felt it-a shift in the air, an electric charge that made her fur stand on end.
The scent hit her like a tidal wave.
Strong. Dominant. Male.
Alpha.
Cassia's heart plummeted. She knew that scent. She'd spent years running from it.
And now it was here.
A howl pierced the night, sending a shiver down her spine. It wasn't the rogues. It was him.
Killian.
The feared Alpha of the Bloodfang Pack.
Cassia skidded to a halt, her instincts screaming at her to keep running. But her wolf had other ideas. The pull was undeniable, a magnetic force drawing her toward him. Her mate.
"No," she growled, forcing her wolf back. "Not him. Anyone but him."
The forest seemed to hold its breath as Killian emerged from the shadows, his massive form radiating power. His eyes locked on her, and she saw the moment recognition flared in their golden depths.
Cassia's legs trembled, but she held her ground. She wouldn't show weakness. Not to him.
Killian stepped closer, his voice a low rumble. "You've been running for a long time, omega."
Cassia's hackles rose, her wolf snarling in defiance. "Stay back."
A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You're mine."
The words sent a shiver down her spine, equal parts fear and something she didn't want to name.
"I don't belong to anyone," she snapped, baring her teeth.
Killian's gaze darkened, his alpha aura pressing down on her like a physical weight. "You can fight it all you want, but you can't run from fate."
Cassia's mind raced, searching for an escape. She couldn't let him take her. Not back to the pack she'd fought so hard to leave. Not back to the life she'd sworn never to return to.
"I'm not going anywhere with you," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.
Killian's eyes narrowed, and in an instant, he was on her. His speed was blinding, his strength overwhelming. He pinned her to the ground, his massive form looming over hers.
The bond flared between them, a searing connection that made her heart race. Cassia bit back a whimper, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her struggle.
Killian leaned closer, his breath warm against her ear. "You can run, you can fight, but you'll always be mine."
Cassia snarled, her wolf raging against the confinement. But deep down, a part of her-a part she hated-felt a flicker of something else. Something dangerous.
Desire.
"I'll never be yours," she spat, her voice trembling with defiance.
Killian's smirk returned, but there was something darker in his eyes now. Something unreadable.
"We'll see about that."
As the forest around them fell silent, Cassia realized one thing with chilling certainty: her life would never be the same.
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