The Alpha’s Return

Celia's heart slammed against her chest as the howls grew nearer, louder. She had to get out. She had to run. But her legs felt like they were concrete, her feet rooted in the earth. The small glow from the necklace burned hot against the dark fabric of her shirt, pulling on her like a lifeline into something ancient and dangerous. She clutched the thing tightly as if it could protect her. It was the only thing her mother had left behind, the only clue to the truth of her past. The only clue to her future.

Her breath was shallow, the air thick with the scent of pine and earth, the weight of the looming danger pressing down on her chest. The wolves were getting closer. She could feel it—sense it. They were coming for her.

She took a hesitant step backward, eyes darting between the shadows, searching for any sign of movement. Aziel’s words echoed in her mind: You’re my mate. It was almost too heavy for her to handle. She never wanted to be a mate to anyone, least of all to someone like Aziel. He was an alpha of a very strong pack, ruthless and unyielding. He had taken what little was left of her calm and replaced it with fear, uncertainty, and something else—something she was not willing to acknowledge.

Before she could think further, a figure emerged from the trees. Tall, broad-shouldered, and confident—his presence commanding the very air around him. The Alpha himself.

Aziel.

His piercing eyes found hers immediately, glowing with an intensity that made her stomach churn. She instinctively took a step back, only to feel the coolness of a nearby tree pressing against her back. There was no escape. He was too close, and she was too vulnerable.

“Celia,” he said, his voice like a low growl, both dangerous and magnetic. “You’ve been hiding long enough.”

The words were simple, but the underlying threat was clear. Her pulse quickened as she met his gaze. She had always been taught to never back down from an Alpha, to never show weakness. But in that moment, standing in the moonlit forest, facing Aziel, she felt small—insignificant in the face of his power. She tried to steady her breath, but it came out in shaky bursts.

"I—I'm not who you think I am," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Aziel took a step closer, his eyes narrowing as if he could see right through her. "You're more than you think you are," he replied, his voice low but firm. "The bond between us is undeniable. You are my mate, whether you accept it or not."

Words struck her like a punch in the stomach. Mate. She tried to shove it aside, tried to pretend it didn't mean anything, but it was growing harder to do. Her heart pounded in her chest and the necklace that hung against her chest throbbed to keep time. As if alive, it was calling to something greater.

I don't want this," she whispered, her voice rising with a mix of defiance and fear. She had always known there was something different about her, something other. But a mate? Her mind rejected the thought. She couldn't be tied to someone like him, someone who had so much power, so much control. She didn't belong in his world.

Aziel's lips curled into a small, knowing smile. He stopped right in front of her, close enough that she could feel the heat from his body. His gaze softened, but something dark lurked behind his eyes. "You don't get to choose this, Celia," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've waited for you for so long. And now, I'll wait no longer.

She flinched as his hand rose, his fingers tracing the edge of her jaw in a surprisingly gentle caress. But even gentle felt like branding, laying claim to her. She drew back, taking a step away from him, breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps.

"No," she said this time stronger. "I won't be controlled by you. I won't be your mate.

Aziel's eyes darkened, his expression hardening. "You don't have a choice. The bond is already there, Celia. You can feel it, can't you?" He stepped forward again, this time grabbing her arm with a strength that left her no room to pull away. "It's time you accepted it.

Celia's heart thudded in her chest as the pressure of his grip tightened around her, sending shivers of electricity throughout her body. It wasn't physical; it was something deeper, something primal. She could feel it-this pull, this connection she'd worked so hard to ignore. But it was undeniable. She was connected to him in a way she couldn't escape.

"I don't want this," she repeated, her voice desperate. "I don't want any of this. I just want to be left alone."

Aziel's eyes softened, and for a fleeting moment, she saw something there that wasn't just control or power. It was. pain. He was hiding something. Something deeper than the Alpha façade he wore so carefully. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by the cold, unwavering determination that had defined him for years.

You will want this, Celia," he said quietly, his voice almost tender. "Whether you accept it now or later doesn't matter. The bond is unbreakable."

He didn't let her protest; a distant roar was echoed through the trees: loud and chilling. Aziel's head snapped to the side, his eyes flashing with anger. The pack was close.

"They're coming," he said, his voice steely. "And you can't hide from them, Celia. You can't hide from your own destiny."

She shook her head, trying to back away again, but the weight of his words held her in place. The howls grew louder, and the pack—Aziel's pack—was closing in on her, their scent heavy in the air.

Celia, you are not running anymore," Aziel declared, his voice low and commanding. "This is where you belong. Whether you like it or not."

Then, everything shifted. A figure appeared from the darkness, tall and looming. His eyes flared red, glowing as if he had swallowed flames from hell. It was the rogue Alpha Aziel had been tracking for so long.

“Aziel,” the rogue growled, his voice dripping with venom. “You think you’ve won? Think again.”

Aziel’s grip on Celia tightened as he stepped in front of her, positioning himself between her and the rogue. “This is not your fight,” Aziel said coldly, his voice laced with authority. “Leave, now.”

The rogue snarled, taking a step forward. “I don’t take orders from you, Alpha.”

As the rogue lunged at Aziel, the ground quivered beneath his feet for being of unimaginable size and ferocity, and a wolfish battle was about to be ignited, right in front of Celia. She could feel the power inside of her yearning to be released. But she was fearful. What if she was not able to control it? What if she lost herself to the beast inside?

Aziel's eyes hold hers, his gaze a silent command. Trust me, they seem to say.

She didn't know if she could, but she had no choice. With the rogue bearing down on them, there was no turning back now. She had to decide then—remain hidden or embrace the truth of her bloodline.

Just like how Aziel and the rogue were locked in battle, a surge of power went tearing through Celia's veins. But as the rogue claws were crashing toward Aziel, Celia's vision became quite blurred. She had no idea what was to come her way—whether she should embrace the power unfolding in her or if it is to consume her.