Chosen by the Alpha

Chapter 2: The Revelation

Emma's heart raced as she sat in the quiet of her apartment, the silence deafening. It had been hours since her encounter with Jace and Leo, but the memory of their intense gazes and the shocking revelations they had shared still haunted her. Fated mate? Prophecy? How could any of this be real?

The city outside her window was alive with its usual late-night hum. Cars passed by, and the occasional laugh or shout from pedestrians echoed in the distance, yet Emma felt like she was in a different world altogether. Nothing felt familiar anymore.

She tried to focus on the mundane tasks in front of her—making tea, cleaning up her already tidy living room—but her hands trembled, her thoughts racing with unanswered questions. How could she be fated to two alphas? And why her? She had never wanted to be involved in the werewolf world, preferring to stay on the sidelines of that dangerous existence. And now she was being thrust into the center of it.

Her phone buzzed on the counter, breaking the silence. For a moment, she hoped it was one of her friends, someone who could distract her from the madness of her life now. But when she picked it up, her breath caught in her throat.

Unknown number.

She hesitated, her thumb hovering over the screen. Something in her gut told her it wasn’t a random call. With a deep breath, she answered.

“Hello?” Her voice was tiny, almost hesitant.

“Emma.”

The deep, familiar voice on the other end sent a shiver down her spine. Jace. His tone was commanding, yet a softness hadn’t been there earlier.

“We need to talk.”

Her pulse quickened. “I think you’ve said enough for one night,” Emma replied, trying to keep her voice steady. “I’m still trying to process what you and Leo told me.”

There was a pause, and then Jace spoke more gently this time. “I understand. But there’s more you need to know. We can’t leave things like this.”

Emma closed her eyes, her free hand clutching the counter's edge. “I don’t even know what’s happening, Jace. This doesn’t make sense. I’m human. I’m not part of your world.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” he said, his voice firm. “You are part of our world, whether you want to be. The band has already started to form. It’s not something you can run from.”

“I didn’t ask for this!” Emma’s voice rose, frustration and fear bubbling up inside her. “I didn’t ask to be some… some fated mate stuck between two rival packs. How is this even possible?”

Jace’s silence on the other end felt heavy as if he were weighing his following words carefully.

“I’ll explain everything,” he finally said. “But not over the phone. I’m coming over.”

Before Emma could protest, the line went dead. She stared at the screen, her mind whirling. Why was this happening so fast? She barely knew these men, and now they were forcing their way into her life, telling her she was bound to them by fate.

She paced her apartment, her anxiety growing with each passing minute. The more she thought about it, the more suffocated she felt. She didn’t want to be tied to Jace or Leo. She didn’t want to be the cause of some potential war between their packs. She wanted her peaceful life back.

A sharp knock on her door jolted her out of her thoughts. Emma froze, her breath catching in her throat. She didn’t need to ask who it was.

Taking a deep breath, she walked to the door and opened it. Jace stood on the other side, his tall frame dominating the small hallway. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and his gray eyes were as intense as ever, but there was a gentleness in them that hadn’t been there before.

“May I come in?” he asked, his voice low.

Emma hesitated but then stepped aside, allowing him to enter. She wasn’t sure why she trusted him, but something about his presence—though overwhelming—felt… familiar, as if she had known him for far longer than just a few hours.

Jace moved into the living room, his eyes scanning the space before settling on her again. “I know this is a lot to take in,” he said, his tone softer than before. “But you deserve to know the full truth.”

Emma crossed her arms, trying to create some distance between them. “Then explain it to me,” she demanded. “Explain how I, a human, am supposed to be the fated mate of two werewolf alphas.”

Jace sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s not just about being our mate. It’s about what you represent. An ancient prophecy speaks of a woman—a human—who will unite two rival packs through a bond with both alphas. That woman… is you.”

Emma’s heart sank. “But why me? I’m nobody. I don’t have any special powers or knowledge of your world.”

Jace stepped closer, his gaze locking onto hers. “You don’t need powers. The bond itself is what makes you special. It’s fate, Emma. It was written long before any of us were born.”

She shook her head, backing away slightly. “No. This can’t be happening. You’re telling me that my entire life has been leading up to this? That I was meant to be… what? A tool to unite your packs?”

Jace’s expression hardened at her words. “You’re not a tool. You’re our mate. You’re more important than you realize.”

Emma’s pulse quickened as the weight of his words settled on her. She couldn’t deny the pull she felt toward him, the strange connection that had begun when they met. But she wasn’t ready to accept it. Not yet.

“I can’t do this,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I don’t even know you, Jace. And what about Leo? How am I supposed to choose between you?”

Jace’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, his eyes darkened with something like jealousy. “I won’t lie to you, Emma. It won’t be easy. But the prophecy is clear—you’re meant for both of us. You don’t have to choose.”

Emma’s breath hitched. “What does that even mean?”

Jace hesitated as if he wasn’t sure how to explain. “The bond between alphas and their mates is sacred. It’s different for every pair, but in our case, the prophecy says that our packs can only be united through a shared mate. You.”

Emma’s mind raced, trying to process his words. A shared mate? Was such a thing even possible? And if it was, what did it mean for her? What kind of life would she have if caught between two rival alphas?

Before she could ask, another knock sounded at the door. Emma’s stomach twisted with dread, knowing exactly who it was.

Leo.

Jace’s eyes flicked to the door, his expression darkening. He didn’t say anything, but Emma could feel the tension in the room rise. The rivalry between them was palpable, even now.

Emma moved to the door, her hands shaking slightly as she opened it. Leo stood there, his golden eyes warm but filled with a determination that matched Jace’s.

“May I come in?” Leo asked, his voice gentle but firm.

Emma nodded, stepping aside once more to let him in. As soon as Leo entered, the atmosphere in the room shifted. The energy between the two alphas was almost tangible like two forces of nature colliding.

Leo’s gaze shifted from Emma to Jace, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I assume you’ve told her about the prophecy.”

Jace crossed his arms, his stance defensive. “I’ve told her what she needs to know.”

Leo sighed, turning his attention back to Emma. “There’s more to it than just the bond, Emma. The prophecy also speaks of a great sacrifice. Something we haven’t fully understood yet.”

Emma’s heart skipped a beat. “Sacrifice? What kind of sacrifice?”

Leo’s expression grew grim. “We don’t know for sure. But you’ll have to face it if you accept this bond.”

Emma’s stomach churned. She hadn’t signed up for any of this. How could they expect her to make such a monumental decision, knowing a potential sacrifice was involved?

“I can’t,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t be responsible for this. I’m not strong enough.”

Leo stepped forward, his golden eyes softening with empathy. “You’re stronger than you think, Emma. The bond wouldn’t have chosen you if you weren’t.”

Jace’s gaze also softened, and Emma saw a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes for the first time. “We’ll be there with you every step of the way. You won’t have to face this alone.”

But even as they reassured her, Emma couldn’t shake the dread that settled deep in her chest. She was being asked to choose between two powerful alphas, to bind herself to a fate she hadn’t asked for, and to face a sacrifice that could change her life forever.

How could she possibly make such a choice?

To be continued…