The Shadow Alpha

Adele Kenneth's POV

Moonlight painted silver streaks across the dense forest, the whispering wind sending chills down my spine. My heart pounded in my chest, louder than the rustling leaves beneath my bare feet. They would find me soon- I had no doubt. The moment I shifted, everything changed.

The pack never expected me to survive my first transformation. For years, they mocked my weak bloodline, an omega with no rank, no power, nothing to offer. But tonight, my wolf emerged with a strength that sent fear rippling through them.

Torn branches lashed at my skin as I sprinted through the trees, lungs burning with each frantic breath. The scent of damp earth mixed with my own fear, a potent combination that would only make it easier for them to track me. I needed to keep running, to put as much distance as possible between me and the hell I was leaving behind. A deep snarl echoed behind me. My pulse leapt. They were closing in.

Panic clawed at my throat, but I pushed forward, legs trembling from the shift still fresh in my body. My wolf whined in protest, urging me to stop, to fight, but I wasn't ready. The odds were against me- I was alone.

A branch snapped just ahead. My instincts screamed a warning, but it was too late. A massive shape lunged from the darkness, knocking me off my feet. My body slammed into the dirt, the force of impact stealing the air from my lungs. Hot breath ghosted over my neck.

Alpha Maddox.

The scent of pine and blood filled my nostrils. His wolf loomed over me, amber eyes gleaming with rage.

"Running, are we?" His voice was a growl, filled with venom. "Did you really think you could escape, Adele?"

My body refused to move, every muscle locked in terror.

"You were never meant to survive," he continued, claws sinking into my arm as he leaned closer. "A pathetic omega like you... carrying the mark of something unnatural."

He knew.

He had seen it the moment I shifted-my wolf wasn't ordinary. It was stronger. Faster. Something ancient that shouldn't exist in a runt like me.

His claws dug deeper, pain searing through my skin. My wolf snarled inside me, anger rising like a wildfire. A howl split the night. A sound so deep and commanding it sent shivers through the air.

Maddox stiffened.

Another presence stalked from the shadows, its power suffocating.

A wolf, larger than any I had ever seen, stepped into the moonlight. Midnight black fur rippled over a body carved for war, and golden eyes locked onto me with an intensity that made my breath hitch.

Drake Anders.

The Shadow Alpha.

My fated mate.

Drake Anders' POV