Until the night she was pulled into the realm of wolves, Lila didn't think fate existed. She discovers the unimaginable-that she is Alexander Blackthorn's fated mate, intended to complete him-after being abducted by the terrifying Alpha. However, their relationship is a curse rather than a benefit. Lila follows the sad deaths of all the women Alexander has ever claimed as his mate. Lila promises to break the bond and leave his hazardous pack because she is determined to avoid her doomed fate. However, Alexander is not a man who gives up easily, and their attraction is as strong as it is lethal. Lila has to decide on rival packs approach and sinister secrets from Alexander's background come to light. •Would she put everything on the line to find the truth and lift the curse? •Or will she give in to a love that might endanger her life?
Chapter 1 The Night Lila Vanishes
Chapter 1: The Night Lila Vanishes
With the moon high in the sky, the drowsy town was bathed in a silvery, pale radiance. With the only sounds in the cool evening air being the distant rustle of leaves and the hum of crickets, Lila Harper pulled her scarf closer around her neck and walked briskly down the silent streets. The loneliness of these late-night excursions didn't bother her, even though she was fatigued from another late shift at the café. The world seemed tranquil, unaffected by the day's turmoil.
But tonight, that tranquility would be broken.
She heard a rustle in the darkness as she got closer to the alleyway that would lead to her house. Her steps stumbled. The air felt heavy and dense tonight as if the night itself were holding its breath. She convinced herself that the fatigue was simply deceiving her. However, a man emerged from the shadows.
Lila's heart pounded as she froze. The man in front of her was tall and had a shadowy, black figure. His features were difficult to see in the low light because of his long black cloak. But his eyes were gleaming, hungry, and brilliant.
A chill went through her body.
"Can I assist you?" she said, sounding calmer than she was.
With an intense stare that made her stomach turn, the man remained silent. A second person appeared next to him, and then another. She was approached by a small group of males, all dressed in black attire, and their footfall were silent on the sidewalk.
Despite her instincts telling her to run, Lila's legs were immobile. Her heart thumping in her chest, she took a deep swallow.
One of them whispered, "You're not supposed to be here," in a voice that made her shiver.
Before she could respond, one of the men seized her from behind and clamped his inhuman-strong hands around her wrists. She fought and kicked and thrashed in panic, but their grip just got stronger.
"Give me a break!" In the night's quiet, she let out a scream.
Stepping forward, the man with the golden eyes had an unreadable face. "Calm down, little one. Time to leave.
Lila's shoes scraped the pavement as she was pulled backward, her breath coming in short gasps. She tried harder, but they were too quick and strong. As they dragged her deeper into the shadowy woods outside the town, the air seemed to get thicker.
The fragrance of something much more sinister blended with the smell of pine and earth all about her. Her heart was beating in her chest as her mind raced. They were who? What were they requesting?
Then she was suddenly pulled to a stop. She was standing on the brink of a huge clearing when she looked up. When the trees parted, a huge, imposing home emerged, silent and dark against the nighttime sky. Breathing became difficult for her.
"Where will you take me?" Fear shook her voice as she demanded.
The man with the golden eyes remained silent, his eyes calculating and cold. She was pushed forward into the mansion's entrance by the others.
"No! I refuse to enter. She shouted, straining more than before.
Her body trembled as the mansion's heavy doors creaked open, but the hold on her arms just got tighter, forcing her through the gates. Before they pulled her inside, the last thing she noticed was the man leading them, his eyes gleaming with gold.
Tension was heavy in the air inside. Her feet glinted on the marble floors, and the large, deserted hall smelled like polished wood. They pushed her forward, and she staggered and then straightened out. The feeling of dread pressing down on her chest was so strong that it was difficult to concentrate on anything else.
"Where am I?" Trying to control her voice, which cracked with dread, she demanded.
A man said something. "Now you are in the domain of the Crimson Moon Pack."
Lila felt her heart beat faster. Werewolves. Despite having heard the allegations, she never gave them any credence. To her, they had seemed like myths, stories meant to frighten kids. But she understood how mistaken she had been as she stood here, among men who didn't feel quite human.
She pleaded in a broken voice, "Please." "What you want from me is unclear to me. Let me go, please. I'm not going to share.
With a gravelly voice, the man with the golden eyes murmured, "You're not going anywhere." "You have a purpose for being here."
Fear causing her stomach to tighten, Lila turned to face him. What are you saying? For what reason?
He moved in closer, his sharp eyes never leaving hers. "You are here because you belong to me."
Breathing became difficult for her. "What do you mean by that?"
With a dark, possessive look in his eyes, he took a moment to respond. There appeared to be an electric charge in the air between them, an energy she couldn't describe. Lila stepped back, her heart pounding, realizing that something was seriously off.
With a low, deadly serious voice, the man leaned slightly closer. "You are my destined partner, and you are mine."
Lila's world swung. The weight of his words slammed into her, preventing her from breathing or thinking. A doomed partner? What was the meaning of that?
Another voice pierced the dense tension before she could answer.
"She's ready, Alpha."
As Lila turned, she noticed a man coming out of the darkness. His expression was uninterested and his eyes were icy. The man in front of her, the one who had referred to himself as her "fated mate," walked past her with exact and predatory movements.
"Remain near me," he said. He spoke in a calm, controlled voice, but she felt a chill of authority in it.
As Lila followed the Alpha, anxiety, and uncertainty twisted inside her, and her heart raced. What was it she had gotten into?
Although she was clueless, she was certain that her life would never be the same.
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