The Cursed Alpha King's Mate

Chapter 12

Isla

The door swung shut with a sound that sent a shiver of foreboding down my spine. The office that had been our sanctuary, if only for a fleeting moment, was now behind us. Cassie's hand trembled in mine as we stepped into the corridor, followed by the warrior. His presence was oppressive, and his silent judgement, a weight on my shoulders.

"Quite the escort," I mumbled under my breath, my gaze catching the sight of two more hulking forms joining our procession. They stood like sentinels, their eyes sharp and unyielding, and I couldn't help but wonder why they deemed it necessary to guard Cassie and me so closely. After all, what threat could a human pose to them? Cassie's grip tightened, her slender fingers clinging to mine like a lifeline.

"Isla," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the steady thumping of my heart, "you think it'll be okay, right?"

"Of course." The lie tasted bitter on my tongue. I squeezed her hand back, a silent promise hoping that someone was watching and would help my family out, even as uncertainty gnawed at my insides.

We moved through the hallway, the air thick with tension. Every step felt like wading through mud, each one harder than the last. I could sense the warrior behind us, his glare a tangible thing, burning into the back of my head. It made my skin prickle, and I fought against the instinct to confront him.

"Keep walking," he growled, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through the very walls. I couldn’t help but turn and glare at him. The returned look that I got was terrifying and I quickly turned back around the way I was going. Obedient yet resentful, we continued our march towards the dining room, the unknown future waiting just beyond its doors.

The moment we entered the dining hall, my gaze was immediately drawn to the Alpha King. He sat at the head of the table in my father's chair, an insult I could not ignore. The air seemed to crackle with tension as his presence dominated the room.

"Can you believe the nerve?" I hissed under my breath, my fingers tightening around Cassie's hand. The insult stung, a blatant mark of disrespect to my father. But even as anger flared within me, another, more dangerous sensation curled in my stomach, a visceral pull towards the man who dared to threaten my existence.

"Easy, Isla," Cassie whispered back, her voice a soothing balm. Yet, my skin prickled with awareness, the air charged with an electric current that originated from him, the Alpha King.

I avoided his penetrating gaze, directing my focus to the ornate patterns of the wallpaper. His presence was an overwhelming force, thickening the air until each breath felt laden with unspoken words and concealed power. A shiver ran through me, betraying my body's unsettling reaction to him. The coolness of the vast dining hall did little to calm the fire raging in my veins as Cassie and I broke away from the pack of warriors and made a beeline for my family. The side of the room where they stood seemed like an island of safety in a sea of turmoil. My father's once-commanding frame seemed diminished, shrunken by fear, while my stepmother's eyes darted around the room, her usual warmth replaced with the chill of dread. My poor sister looked pale as she cradled her belly and leaned against Niall, her mate.

"Are you okay?" I asked, the moment my arms wrapped around my father in a desperate hug. His familiar scent, a blend of pine and earth, usually so comforting, now carried an undertone of stress that tightened my chest.

"We're fine, Isla," he murmured, but his voice, normally a steadfast rumble, quivered like a leaf in the wind. His embrace was stiff, the muscles in his back coiled like springs ready to snap. I pulled back slightly, searching his face. The deep lines etched in his forehead and the grey at his temples were not new, but the naked fear in his eyes was something I’d never seen before. It stripped him of his role as Alpha, leaving behind just a man, vulnerable and scared.

"Really, sweetheart, we are," my stepmother chimed in, her attempt at reassurance falling flat against the gravity of our situation. She gave me a smile that didn't reach her eyes, which flickered with shadows of anxiety. My fingers tightened on my father's arms, nails almost digging into his skin.

"You don't look 'fine,'" I said, my voice a low growl that betrayed my own fear. "He has no right to do this."

"Shh, Isla," my father cautioned, glancing over my shoulder. "We have to be careful." Careful? The very concept sparked anger within me, hot and bright. Careful not to provoke the Alpha King, the bastard sitting on my father's chair?

"Careful won't protect us," I snapped, though I kept my voice hushed. "Not anymore."

"Sometimes, we must endure the storm, Isla," my father replied, his gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that momentarily grounded me. "Our pack... your future, it's all at stake." His words were a cold splash of reality against my heated skin, a reminder of the precarious edge upon which we were all balanced. My fists clenched at my sides as the truth of his statement sank in, a heavy weight in my stomach.

"Ahem." The call for attention drew my eyes to the bastard in question and I turned to face him. What I found sent a shiver cascading down my spine. Anger blazed there, dark and consuming, as if it could scorch me from the inside out with its intensity. But there was something else, something that danced along the edge of that fury, a glint that had nothing to do with animosity. His stare swept over me, a silent claim that should've made me feel exposed, vulnerable. Instead, a bolt of illicit excitement shot through me, awakening a part of myself I had never known existed, a wild, primal part that responded to him, and him alone.

"Sit," he commanded, his voice laced with a hardness that left no room for protest. I hesitated for a moment, torn between defiance and self-preservation. But as my father's grip tightened on my arm in a silent plea, I knew I had no choice.

"Allow me," a new voice chimed in, warm and sympathetic. I glanced over to see a man, strong and tall with kind eyes, pulling out a chair for me. He had been the one who had winked at me out in the courtyard and despite the tension in the room he held an easy, relaxed image. I presumed he must be the Alpha King's Beta. With a grateful nod, I sank into the offered seat, doing my best to maintain an air of confidence despite the icy terror clawing at my heart.

"Thank you," I whispered, casting a sidelong glance at the Beta. He simply smiled, understanding passing between us in that brief exchange. I knew that he, too, understood the delicate balance we all walked in this room, every word, every action carrying the weight of potential consequences. The fabric of the chair was cool against my thighs, a small comfort against the heat that flushed my skin. I tried not to think about the reason for my body's treacherous reactions, or the man responsible for them.

The air in the dining hall was thick with tension, a tangible force that seemed to weigh upon my shoulders as I claimed the seat at the table, the coolness of the fabric beneath me offering no solace. I sat rigid, spine straight as an arrow, hands folded in my lap to hide their trembling. The Alpha King's steady glare bore into me, and I felt like prey under the scrutiny of a predator.

"Let us not dance around the situation," his deep voice resonated through the room, commanding immediate attention. "We find ourselves in a precarious situation. A human living amongst our pack is not only unorthodox but illegal on several counts." As his words sliced through the silence, a sob cracked the heavy air, echoing from the direction of my family. The sound clawed its way inside me, leaving trails of icy dread in its wake. Desperation fluttered in my chest, a helpless bird trapped within a cage of ribs. The Alpha King’s eyes flicked to the side to where my father was standing. "You will need to provide answers for this transgression," he continued, unyielding.

"Please, don't hurt them," I whispered, my voice wavering as he looked back at me. His expression remained impassive, but something flickered in those dark eyes, a predatory glint that sent shivers down my spine.

"Your concern should be for yourself, little mate," he replied, his tone laced with menace. "The consequences of your family's actions are already set in motion. What happens to you, however, remains to be seen?" As he spoke those chilling words, I couldn't help but tremble, torn between fear and the inexplicable desire that continued to simmer just beneath the surface. It was a sensation I couldn't quite understand, a longing that bordered on obsession.

"Despite everything," the Alpha King continued, his voice cold and unyielding, "you are still my fated mate. By the moon goddess's command, you are mine to deal with." His eyes bore into me, making my breath catch in my throat. "I don't know why she would pair me with a weak human, but it is the hand I've been dealt." His words sent a shiver of dread down my spine. This wasn't just about breaking pack law anymore; this was personal. My heart pounded in my chest as I struggled to comprehend the gravity of the situation.

"Reject me then," I spat, my voice trembling with barely contained anger. "If I'm so weak, you shouldn't want me by your side." The Alpha King's eyes darkened, as he sprang up from his seat, and for a moment, I thought I might have pushed him too far. But instead of an explosion of anger,he walked around the table to stand behind me and leaned closer, his lips brushing against my ear as he whispered,

"Rejection isn't an option. You are mine, whether you like it or not."