Eve's Pov
I felt my legs moving of their own accord, carrying me towards the rogue, like I was being pulled by an invisible string.
‘I thought rogues were supposed to be ugly and brutish,’ I mentally challenged a myth I had been forced to believe since I was only a cub.
And when his hands caught me, pulling me close, I felt a rush of warmth and something else I couldn't quite name. It was like nothing I had ever felt before.
“Mate,” he growled in my ear, his breath hot on my neck. I felt my knees go weak that I had to rely on him for balance.
His touch was like fire on my skin, igniting something deep within me. I felt my face flush, my heart pounding in my chest. I tried to focus, to think clearly, but it was hard to concentrate with his presence so close to me. I felt like I was drowning in him, swept up in something bigger than myself.
And then, like a splash of cold water, the realization hit me. This was a rogue. He was an enemy. And I was standing here, my body trembling with desire for him. My own traitorous feelings shocked and embarrassed me. How could I feel this way about an enemy?
I couldn't deny the physical attraction I felt for him, even though I knew it was wrong. I knew what I should do - I should fight him, push him away, protect my pack and my people. But I found myself unable to move, my body frozen in his embrace. It was as if my will had been sapped away, leaving me helpless in his arms.
"Why are you doing this?" I managed to whisper, my voice barely audible. "What do you want from me?"
His grip on me loosened slightly, but he didn't release me. “I want you to be my Luna,” he declared, his words hanging heavy in the air.
“You were never an alpha to begin with. You're a rogue. Invading my territory, killing innocent ones that have done you no harm,” I retorted, frustration and anger coursing through me.
“Listen,” he interjected, his finger pressing against my lips to silence me. “What can you hear?” he asked, his tone strangely calm.
Straining my ears, I tried to discern any sound, but there was nothing but eerie silence. “There's no sound,” I replied, confusion clouding my thoughts.
“I called back the wolves as soon as I found you, mate,” he revealed, watching me closely.
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Back to present (Four days after)
I had really thought my prayers were answered, that the goddess saw my desire and decided to help me out but how wrong I was.
We had hit off really fast, I got to know his name was Ryan. He told me how he chose banishment over the life of his people.
He seemed so perfect but I had no choice, I knew I would have to reject him sooner or later since I was to be officially made the alpha in just a matter of days.
But just like Rosalie said, ‘Like a moth to a flame, it was like a drug that only pulled you in till you're lost…’
It was the perfect metaphor for my current situation. I had been so blinded by this rogue, by his mysterious allure and the way he made me feel.
I was blinded by my own desires that I fell prey to his promise.
*******************************************
Back to the past (two days ago)
“You need to reject me!” I declared, bracing myself for a fiery outburst. Yet, to my surprise, his demeanor remained composed, his gaze steady as he locked eyes with me.
“Is that truly what you desire?” he countered, his voice steady, betraying none of the expected anger.
“No!” I declared, wringing my fingers, “I want to be claimed and marked by my mate. I want cubs and a home,” I declared, “But I also have a duty to my people, the Alpha ceremony is in two days.”
His eyes narrowed as he considered my words. "You have a duty to your people, I understand that," he said, his voice grave. “But is that duty worth more to you than your happiness? Is it worth giving up on what you truly desire?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I was at a loss, my mind racing as I tried to find an answer. What did I truly want? What was worth more to me: my people or my own desires?
“I don't have a choice and I can't be with you for that reason. I-I can't,” I finally managed to utter.
As an Alpha, I would not be able to mate with anyone, not even Ryan. This was because Alphas were meant to rule and protect their pack, not bear cubs. That was the price of being an Alpha - I would have to give up the possibility of love and family, in exchange for power and responsibility. I could choose a mate to be my Luna, but I would not be able to have children of my own.
I was still lost in thought when I felt a warm breath on the back of my neck. "Then make me the Alpha," I heard a deep voice murmur. "And as my mate, I promise I will make you my Luna."
I stiffened, my heart pounding in my chest.
What!?
*******************************************
Back to the present (two days later)
Rosalie had said to me, ‘You're just like Eve and he's like the forbidden fruit. There's always a consequence for tasting the forbidden fruit.’
At the time of my death, I was beginning to see a lot of sense in what the weak human girl had told me.
How did I ever considering giving up my birthright to a rogue?
*******************************************
Earlier today
"Alpha Eve, the elders await your presence in the throne room," Rosalie's voice broke through the silence that had previously pervaded my chamber. Startled, I turned from my reflection in the ornate mirror, my eyes meeting hers. Clad in a resplendent gold armor, my hair elaborately styled in a regal doughnut bun, I took a deep breath, as I stepped away from the vanity table.
“I will be with them shortly,” I waved my hand slightly to dismiss her.
As soon as she was gone, a man slowly emerged from the shadows. “Are you ready?” His voice, tinged with anticipation, echoed in the chamber as he circled my waist with a firm grip, his touch trailing from my hair down to the curve of my shoulder blade and back.
“Yes, I am.” I said. “You should conceal your scent for a while, soon you won't need to hide when you become a part of Feral Heart Pack,” I assured him, whilst handing him a potion of wolfsbane.
Ryan's lips brushed mine, and I felt my heart skip a beat. I responded in kind, our tongues tangling in a heated battle for control. It was a dizzying, intoxicating kiss, and I felt my head spin with desire.
With a final lingering kiss, he broke away, his eyes dark and intense. "We need to get to the woods," he said, his voice hoarse. "They're waiting for you."
I nodded, reluctantly pulling away from him. I knew he was right, but I couldn't help but feel a pang of loss. The kiss had been so intense, so passionate, and now it was over.
As I composed myself, I called out to my beta through our mind link, telling him I was ready to be escorted to the ritual ceremony.
In the brief seconds before the warriors tasked with escorting me to the ritual ground under the moonlight, were to come in, Ryan hastily consumed the potion I had given him, effectively concealing his scent from any prying noses.
I marched to the door, Ryan on my tail, as soon as the warriors saw Ryan, they went on defense but I quickly waved then down, “He's with me.”
Alongside Beta Nathan and a few other warriors, I arrived at the ritual ground where the elders commenced the proceedings.
“Eve, the duty of an Alpha is to their people first. The wolves in this pack are your children; treat them as such,” Elder Harold advised solemnly.
As we approached the final stage, the final moment that would solidify my status as Alpha, I took a deep breath to calm my raging nerves.
“Wait!” I demanded suddenly, halting the officiating elder in his tracks. “I want to say something, please,” I requested, seeking permission from the elders, who nodded in affirmation.
“When I was but a cub, I groomed myself to become Alpha after my father. Time and time again, I have proven myself worthy of leading you. However, I no longer desire to be your Alpha,” I declared boldly. Immediately, murmurs erupted from all corners, confusion rippling through the crowd and even the elders.
“Please, listen to me!” I shouted, desperate to be heard. But my words fell on deaf ears, and I felt a growing sense of panic. I looked to the elders for help, but they only looked on in silence. My Beta, too, seemed frozen in place. It was as if no one could hear me, or no one would listen.
In that moment, my alpha essence burst forth, a deep, visceral howl emerging from my throat. My eyes flashed azure, and I felt my wolf rising to the surface. “I said, listen to me!”
A hush fell over the crowd, as if my alpha howl had awakened them from a trance. I could feel their eyes upon me, their attention finally focused. My words now carried weight, my authority undeniable. I straightened my back, drawing myself up to my full height. I would not be ignored.
“I have chosen my mate,” I announced, my voice strong and clear. “It is not up for debate. I have made my decision, and I will not be swayed.”
They seemed to hold their breath, waiting for my next words. I knew they wanted to know who my chosen mate was, “Ryan is my chosen mate,” I said, my voice ringing out across the clearing.
As Ryan moved towards the center of the clearing, I noticed a new light in his eyes. It was a look I had never seen before, a gleam of triumph and power that seemed almost sinister. But I quickly dismissed it as happiness over the turnout of things.
The elders began the ceremony once again, this time with Ryan as the recipient of the ancient rite. At the final stage, his skin seared with the power of the previous alphas, the alpha essence so strong, it forced everyone to their kneels in reverence to the newly-crowned alpha, my mate.
I barely remained standing from the force but I was of an alpha bloodline, even the elders were forced to their kneels. There and then, Elder Nedir announced, “Long live the Alpha, may your reign be long,”
Immediately the crowd erupted with happiness over the new king but for me, tremors of shivers ran down my back and I suddenly felt like I had made a very dire mistake.