Chapter 6

A Mysterious Savior

The declaration "Wake up"

Although the voice is powerful and deep, it is not harsh. A firm hand seized my shoulder and held on to it tightly as I was jolted back into the live world.

My body erupts in pain the moment I move. My body is stiff, and I have open wounds and bruises all over it. The cold wind is tearing at my bare skin, but it is nothing compared to the emptiness that is tearing at me from the inside out. I so much want to disappear and be totally engulfed by the earth, but destiny is not so gracious as to fulfill my desire.

I have no choice but to open my eyes.

A man is crouching in front of me, the fading light from a campfire nearby partially hiding his face. His features his piercing dark eyes, his raven-black ruffled hair, and his powerful jaw dance in the darkness. He doesn't appear to be a hero, but he also doesn't appear to be an enemy. He has a powerful, commanding scent and the distinct smell of an Alpha.

Reflexively, I flinch, but my body won't obey. I try to speak, but my voice is dry and my limbs are feeble.

"Who...?" I stutter, barely able to speak.

He watches me, motionless.  "You're fortunate that I discovered you before anyone else did."

I force myself to swallow, allowing my confused brain to reconstruct the last few hours. The denial. The dishonor. The suffering. Then it got dark. Had I crossed over into the realm of the renegade? Or did I get dragged here?

He doesn't provide answers. Rather, he covers me with a large blanket. “Eat,” he orders, gesturing to a little plate of food next to me. "You appear to have gone days without eating."

I pause. I no longer have the luxury of trust.

He must have sensed my skepticism because he smirked and returned to his heels. "I had the option to let you die, but I chose not to. You wouldn't have woken up if I wanted you dead.

His reasoning is harsh but accurate.

With trembling fingers, I reach for the food, making myself eat despite my stomach's raging. Swallowing feels like knives scraping my throat, yet the first bite is joy. I concentrate on eating, peeking at the man while he tends to the fire.

He is confident but not cocky, and he moves with ease. His demeanor exudes a certain quiet power, as though he had witnessed the battle and survived it unscathed.

"Who are you?" My voice is hoarse, but I manage.

"Kade Blackwell." "Alpha of the rogues," he says without glancing at me.

My breath catches.

An Alpha? And a renegade Alpha, not just any Alpha. That explains the deadly aura that makes my instincts yell run and the raw strength that radiates from him.

Kade says, "You're from a pack," as he watches me. His eyes appear analytical, as though he is dissecting me in detail. "Or you were."

A new wave of embarrassment hits me.

This word is like a dagger to my breast.

I hold the blanket tighter as I lower my gaze to the flames. "It is irrelevant."

Kade murmurs softly but does not press. He leans forward instead, putting his forearms on his knees.

He reflects, "You have a fire inside you." "But it's burning in the wrong direction."

I give him a blink. "What?"

His face is unreadable as he gestures toward me. "You believe that your suffering weakens you. It doesn't. You become dangerous as a result. If you use it properly.

I tighten my jaw. "I am not a threat."

Something like amusement twitches Kade's lips. "Not yet."

His eyes appear darker, almost knowing, due to the strange shadows the flickering fire creates on his face.

At last, he adds, "I can train you." "Make you more resilient. Quicker. Teach you how to live alone.

My heart falters. Teach me?

Before I can stop myself, a sour laugh slips out. "There is nothing left for me to fight for."

Kade gently leans in. "Then defend yourself."

I wasn't prepared for how hard the words hit. Defend me.

I have never heard that before.

My father, my pack, and my so-called fated spouse had all had power over my life. I was always someone's mate, someone's daughter, or someone's problem. Lily alone is never enough.

I look at the flames while my thoughts battle with one another.

There is no turning back if I accept.

The me that was cast aside, degraded, and turned away? Something new would have to emerge in her place, and she would have to die here in these forests.

Kade keeps a close eye on me. “You will be changed by this path.”

My fingers tighten around the blanket's edge as I take a slow inhale. I'd like to change.

The wind changes before I can say anything. My spine prickles with a severe ache.

Kade's whole body tenses as he moves suddenly.

“Stay here.”He says in a low, threatening voice.

I hardly have time to process what's happening before he vanishes into the night.

Something strange is weighing down the air. My wolf, weak but conscious, stirs uncomfortably within me.

Then I hear it.

A complaint. Dangerous and low. Close.

My eyes flit across the trees and I get a chill. There's something out there. Observing. Awaiting.

One more snarl. This time, closer.

My chest is burning with panic, but before I can react, a pair of dazzling red eyes emerge from the shadows.

Not a wolf. Not human. Something else.

My heart thuds. I'm stuck where I am, despite my body screaming for me to move.

The beast rushes, but a swirl of dark fur slams into it from the side before it can reach me.

The air is filled with snarls. Bones break. Claws cut.

As Kade transforms into his enormous black wolf in midair, I crawl backward with my pulse pounding. He's bigger than any Alpha I've ever seen, and he's a natural force. The thing doesn't scream even after his fangs pierce it. It doesn't bleed.

It has no sense of pain.

What on earth is it?

Kade howls in rage as it knocks him off balance. He hits the ground hard but quickly gets back up and lets out a low roar. I want to run, help, and shout, yet I am unable to do any of those things.

The beast then turns to target me.

And smiles.