The journey into the Blackwood territory was less a drive and more an extraction.
Kael didn't wait for me to gather my wits or even my discarded backpack. He simply propelled me across the gravel parking lot and shoved me into the passenger seat of a massive black SUV that looked less like transportation and more like an armored siege engine. My hands were shaking too badly to fasten the seatbelt, and he reached across me, the scent of cedar and ozone overwhelming the small cabin, to click the belt into place with brutal efficiency.
"Do not touch anything," he commanded, his voice devoid of warmth, echoing the threat in his eyes. He didn't look at me again. He simply started the engine, which purred with a deep, deadly power that perfectly matched its owner.
We crossed the painted yellow line, the unofficial border, and the world immediately shifted.
On the human side, the road was poorly maintained and lined with flickering streetlights. On the Pack side, the asphalt became flawlessly black, flanked by ancient, impossibly tall pine trees that seemed to lean over the pavement like silent, armed guards. The temperature dropped instantly, and the darkness deepened, thick and complete.
My panic was suffocating. I pressed my forehead against the cool glass of the window, trying to anchor myself to reality, but there was no reality left. There was only the dizzying, nauseating terror of being dragged into the heart of the wilderness by a man who had claimed ownership of my soul with a single, growled word.
"Where are you taking me?" I finally managed, my voice hoarse.
"Home," Kael replied, not looking away from the winding road. The word was cold, yet carried a strange possessive weight.
"My home is in Silver Creek. I work there. I have a lease, bills—a life."
He scoffed, a short, sharp sound of dismissal. "That was a life designed for mediocrity and safety. It no longer exists. You are my mate. You belong to the Pack, and the Pack belongs here."
"I belong to no one! I'm human. You cannot force a bond on a human. It goes against—"
"It goes against nothing," he cut in, his voice hardening into granite. "The bond is a fundamental law, Elara. It is nature. Your biology is irrelevant to destiny. You are here for two reasons: my wolf recognizes you, and my Pack needs to recognize you."
"And if I refuse?"
He finally flicked a glance in my direction. The molten gold in his eyes was laced with something dangerous, almost pitying. "You won't. And if you attempt to leave, you will find out exactly what happens when an Alpha's will meets a mate's defiance."
The air pressure became crushing again, silencing me more effectively than any direct threat.
After what felt like an hour of ascending dark, twisting roads, the trees abruptly gave way, and the sheer scale of the Pack's domain was revealed.
The grounds were vast, groomed, and illuminated by subtle, upward-angled lighting that highlighted the formidable architecture of his personal residence: The Obsidian Manor.
It was built of dark, polished stone, a monolithic structure that resembled a castle carved out of volcanic rock. There were no cheerful windows or welcoming porches. It was a fortress, radiating power and isolation.
Kael parked the SUV in a courtyard that could have housed a small army. Before he even cut the engine, a figure was already moving toward the car—a tall, lean man with short, practical brown hair and a face perpetually etched with fatigue. He moved with a speed and efficiency that spoke of constant alertness.
Kael got out, his sheer size expanding in the open air. The newcomer approached, his attention immediately snapping to the man who was now his priority.
"Alpha," the man greeted, his voice respectful but tight. "Is the patrol situation resolved?"
"It is contained, Gareth," Kael said, his tone shifting from possessive Alpha to calculating Commander. "Any further sign of the Blood-Moons near Sector Seven?"
"None since midnight. We've doubled the perimeter patrol. But, Alpha," Gareth hesitated, his eyes flicking to the passenger side where I sat frozen. He inhaled deeply, his brow furrowing in surprise, then confusion. His own wolf recognized the truth instantly, yet the human woman smelling of coffee and fear did not compute.
Kael walked around the hood and yanked my door open. "This is Elara. She is the mate. Effective immediately, she is under my absolute protection. This is Beta Gareth, Elara. He handles the details."
I was pulled out and forced to stand next to Kael, feeling like a terrified small animal chained to a lion. Gareth's gaze was analytical, assessing my height, my lack of muscularity, and my human clothes with obvious skepticism.
"A human, Alpha?" Gareth asked quietly, though the question was laced with the audacity of a trusted second-in-command.
"Fated, not chosen," Kael corrected, his voice a low warning that brokered no debate. "She is a complication we will manage. Find a medic. She is likely in shock."
Just as Gareth nodded and turned toward the massive front doors, a different figure emerged from the Manor's shadow.
This woman was the opposite of Gareth's functional efficiency. She was stunning, with long, dark hair braided with silver thread and eyes that held the cold, ancient wisdom of the Pack's elite. She wore an expensive silk dress that barely moved in the cold air, and she carried herself with the flawless confidence of someone born to rule. This was the female who had been training her entire life to stand next to Kael.
This was Seraphina.
Her scent hit me—expensive perfume mixed with a sharp, earthy dominance that instantly grated on my nerves. She smelled like a rival, even to my human senses.
Seraphina paused on the steps, her gaze sweeping over Kael, then Gareth, and finally landing on me. Her perfect, crimson-painted mouth curled into a slow, contemptuous smile.
"Gareth," she purred, ignoring me entirely. "Did you find the straggler? I thought I smelled something weak and foreign near the garage."
"This is Elara," Kael interrupted, his voice clipped, cutting Seraphina off mid-sentence. He didn't introduce her by rank or title, simply by her name, which spoke volumes about the current tension between them.
Seraphina finally deigned to look at me properly. She took a moment, absorbing my terrified face and stained jeans. Her expression didn't change, but her eyes, dark and sharp, conveyed a verdict: disgust.
"The Alpha's mate," she stated, dragging the title out like a curse. "A human from the town line. How… original. I thought the Blackwood line favored strength, Alpha. Not a weakness we need to babysit."
I felt the sudden, fierce urge to defend myself, but Kael's hand pressed firmly against the small of my back again, a subtle signal to stand down.
"The Pack will accept her because I accept her, Seraphina. She is not up for discussion," Kael said, his voice flat and absolutely final. "I need a suite prepared. The North Wing. Private and secure. See to it, Seraphina."
It was a dismissal and a command wrapped in one. Seraphina's jaw tightened, and a flash of pure, molten fury crossed her face before she smoothly masked it. She offered a curt, cold nod.
"As the Alpha commands," she said, her eyes promising a painful reckoning later. She swept back into the Manor, leaving a trail of expensive perfume and antagonism in her wake.
Kael turned his attention back to me. "She has ambitious notions of the Luna title," he explained, dragging me toward the grand, dark doors. "Do not cross her. But do not submit either. She will exploit weakness."
"You are giving me contradictory advice for a prisoner," I spat, finding a fragile pocket of strength.
"I am giving you advice for a mate. She will be your greatest challenge inside this Pack," Kael countered. "And I will not tolerate anyone damaging what is mine."
We entered the Manor. The interior was even more imposing than the exterior: high ceilings, marble floors, and silent, dark wood paneling. It felt like a mausoleum of wealth and power. Kael ignored the sheer grandeur, pulling me up a wide, sweeping staircase.
He led me through a dizzying series of hallways until we reached the end of a long, silent wing. He opened a heavy, oak door into what looked less like a bedroom and more like a private apartment. It was huge, with tall windows overlooking the dark, expansive forest. A four-poster bed draped in rich velvet dominated the center of the room, but the furniture felt cold and decorative, not comforting.
"This is your space," Kael announced, releasing my wrist. The sudden absence of his heat felt like a chill. "You will remain here unless you are with me, or under the direct escort of Gareth."
"You're locking me in?" I challenged, walking straight to the nearest window. It was heavy, reinforced glass. Useless.
"You are secured," he corrected, taking a slow, threatening step into the room. "You attempted to run once. I will not tolerate a second attempt."
"You think locking me in a velvet cage will make me accept you?" I shouted, the volume shocking the stillness of the room. "I am not an object you found in the woods! I am not yours!"
The feral light returned to his eyes. He crossed the room in two strides, his large hands slamming onto the wall on either side of my head, trapping me. He leaned in, and I felt the intoxicating, terrifying heat of him.
"You are screaming defiance, but the truth is vibrating beneath your skin, Elara," he growled, his breath hot against my ear. "Your heart raced the moment my wolf recognized you. You scent the bond. You feel the pull. It is inconvenient, infuriating, but it is real."
He pulled back slightly, his eyes holding mine hostage. "You are a complication, yes. A risk I never wanted. But you are my fate. And I do not run from my fate. You will learn the rules of this house, you will learn the hierarchy, and you will understand one thing above all else: you are protected. You will be safe here. You are a prisoner of the bond, not of my malice. If you step outside these grounds without permission, the wolves hunting us will not show you the same restraint."
He took a step back, the air pressure immediately receding. He didn't wait for my reply. He turned, walked to the door, and with a soft, final click of the lock, he left me alone.
The silence was immense, echoing the emptiness of my soul. I stared at the closed door, the reality of my imprisonment finally crashing down. The velvet cage was reinforced concrete. I was trapped, claimed by a dominant Alpha I hated, in a world that already despised me.
I ran to the door, pounding my fists on the polished oak until my knuckles bled. I screamed until my voice was raw, demanding release. The only response was the silence of the massive manor.
Finally, exhausted and defeated, I collapsed onto the cold marble floor, pulling my knees up to my chest. The tears came, hot and furious, not just of terror, but of pure, unadulterated rage. I was claimed, but I was not conquered.
He thinks the lock is enough?
My eyes snapped up, focusing on the large, ornate window overlooking the black expanse of the Blackwood forest. It was a long fall, but not impossible.
I am not yours, Kael Blackwood. I will never submit.
I scrambled to my feet, the adrenaline surging back, and started looking for anything—a chair, a heavy object, anything—to shatter the reinforced glass and reclaim my stolen freedom. The game had only just begun.