Sold To The Untouchable Alpha

The forest was not as usual tonight.

Alpha Lykos knew it the moment he passive a scent he had never smelt before.

Sharp.

Soft.

Frightened.

Human... but also something else, something faint and ancient humming beneath the surface.

He tensed where he stood at the edge of his territory, every instinct in him sharpening. The moonlight cut through the trees in thin blades, silvering the scars across his arms. The border was unnaturally quiet. Even the wolves patrolling nearby were restless, pacing instead of standing watch.

Lykos exhaled slowly.

Another problem.

Another night.

Another risk.

His curse always felt closest to the surface when the forest grew still like this. It coiled inside him like venom, whispering death-death-for any woman foolish enough to touch him. He lived with that reminder every day.

Every night.

Every breath.

His mother. His sister. His Beta's mate.

All gone by the brush of his cursed skin.

And so he stood alone. Always alone. It was safer that way.

But tonight...

His wolf stirred under his skin, ears perked.

Something is coming.

Lykos stepped forward, every muscle on alert. The moon brightened suddenly as if warning him.

Then-

A scream tore through the stillness.

A human scream.

His heart kicked. His wolf snarled.

The sound came again-weak, desperate, breaking.

Lykos was already running, his feet pounding through the forest floor. The scream was close. Too close. At the border.

He leaped over a fallen log, branches snapping under his boots as the scent of blood slid into the air. Not much-but enough to make his instincts sharpen dangerously.

Then he saw her.

A small girl, fragile-looking-collapsed on her hands and knees right at the boundary marker. Her hair hung in tangled waves around her face, dirt smudging her cheeks. She was shaking violently, breathing in choked gasps, her body curling inward like she was trying to disappear.

She looked like she had been running for days.

But it wasn't just exhaustion that hit him when he saw her.

It was that scent-soft, moonlit, impossibly familiar for someone he had never seen before. His wolf surged up so fast it nearly knocked him off balance.

Mate.

Lykos staggered a step. No. Not possible.

He didn't have a mate. Fate wouldn't be that cruel. He couldn't have one-not with his curse. Not when touching him meant instant death.

He couldn't have someone destined for him only to destroy them with one accidental brush of skin.

And yet-

His wolf was certain. Wildly certain.

Mate!

Lykos forced himself still, breathing through the panic clawing at his chest.

"Stay back," he warned himself more than her, his voice low, rough. "Don't come closer."

But the girl wasn't listening. In fact, she didn't even see him at first. She crawled forward, dragging herself across the line, her arms trembling with effort.

Behind her, bushes cracked sharply.

Lykos's eyes snapped upward.

Two wolves-massive, dark-furred, hostile-emerged from the shadows across the border. Enemy pack. Alpha Varun's colors.

The male wolves snarled at the girl, saliva dripping from their jaws as they prowled closer.

"Aria..." one of them growled, voice distorted through half-shifted jaws. "Come back. You belong to Alpha Varun."

The girl's breath hitched. Her entire body shook.

She managed to whisper one word. "No."

Lykos growled before he could stop himself.

The wolves froze the moment they heard him. Recognition-or fear-flickered in their eyes.

Then both of them backed up sharply.

"The Untouchable Alpha," one muttered. "We don't fight him."

The other wolf bared his teeth. "Let him have her. He'll kill her anyway."

They vanished into the trees.

The forest went silent again.

The girl-Aria-collapsed fully, her breath turning to small, broken whimpers. Lykos kept his distance, every instinct conflicted, torn, confused.

He shouldn't be close to her.

He couldn't be.

For her safety.

For her life.

He took a cautious, step back-

And then she lifted her head.

Her eyes-wide, glazed with fear and exhaustion-met his.

"Please..." she whispered. "Don't let them... take me."

And then it happened.

Before Lykos could move, before he could warn her, before he could retreat-

Her hand shot out.

Her fingers curled around his bare arm.

Skin to skin.

Direct contact.

Touch.

Lykos froze.

Every muscle locked. Every thought shattered. His breath stopped dead in his chest as pure horror climbed up his spine.

He didn't move. Didn't breathe. Didn't blink.

His curse activated instantly, roaring to life like fire under the skin.

A spark of deadly energy burst at the point of contact-

-but nothing happened.

Aria didn't scream.

She didn't fall.

She didn't die.

She just... held him.

Her skin warm. Her grip trembling. Her heartbeat faint but steady.

She. Was. Alive.

Lykos stared at her in disbelief, the world tilting under him. His heart pounded so loud it drowned out everything else.

"You should be dead," he whispered, more to himself than her.

She stared back, her eyes glazed with confusion. "I... I can't die yet."

Her legs buckled. She collapsed forward.

Lykos caught her out of reflex-

And still, she lived.

Impossible.

His curse killed on contact. Always. Instantly.

But this girl-this fragile, terrified stranger-was still breathing. Still warm. Still clinging to him with what little strength she had left.

His wolf howled triumphantly inside him.

Mate. Mate. Mate.

But Lykos felt only dread.

If she lived through his touch... then she was his mate, yes.

But how long would she survive?

What would it cost her?

He lifted her carefully, cradling her against his chest. Her head fell against his shoulder, her lashes fluttering weakly.