Captured by the Alpha King

8 Rowan

8: Rowan

My heart pounded as the coven who killed my parents emerged from the shadows of the forest, their pale skin glowing in the morning sunlight. I froze in my tracks, my breath catching in my throat.

They had found me at last.

"There she is," their leader hissed, his crimson eyes gleaming with triumph. "The final witch."

Panic flooded my veins, icy and sharp, spurring me into a run. Branches whipped at my face as I raced through the woods, my feet pounding against the leaf-strewn earth. The vampires were faster, their footsteps echoing behind me, gaining with every second.

Closer. Closer. I pushed myself faster, lungs burning, but I knew I couldn't escape. Not this time.

A pale blur shot out in front of me, blocking my path. I skidded to a stop, trembling. Trapped.

"Please," I gasped, hands raised in surrender. "I am not what you seek. Please just let me go home."

The vampire bared his fangs in a mocking sneer. "Too late for that."

He lunged straight for me, claws outstretched, mouth open in a soundless snarl. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the killing blow—

A deafening roar shattered the silence. The vampire shrieked in fury and pain, and I opened my eyes to find Onyx wrestling the vampire to the ground. His wolf was massive, fur bristling, lips curled back from dagger-sharp teeth.

My knees nearly buckled in relief at the sight of him. My psycho knight, protecting me, just as he promised.

Onyx pinned the vampire beneath one huge paw, snarling in warning at the others. They hesitated, exchanging uneasy glances, before melting back into the forest. Ripping the vampires head off with ease, he howled into the sky.

For now, I was safe. I ran to Onyx and buried my face in his thick ruff, breathing in his familiar wild scent.

"It's over," Onyx rumbled, shifting back. "You're with me now. I won't let them touch you."

A sob caught in my throat. After so long alone, it was all I needed to hear.

The library was dim and cavernous, shelves towering up into shadows. A fire crackled in the stone hearth, casting a flickering orange glow over the room. The air was heavy with the scent of aged parchment and dust. After carrying me home, went came straight here, to hopefully figure out what the hell these vampires wanted with me.

As I entered, a floorboard creaked under my boots. Onyx's hand rested warm and comforting on the small of my back, guiding me inside.

"Here we are," he said, his voice low and rough. "The histories and lore of centuries, all contained in this one room. Somewhere in here we'll find the answers you need."

I ran a fingertip along the spine of an ancient leather tome, feeling the grooves and imperfections. So much knowledge lurking within these pages, secrets waiting to be unearthed. My heart raced with equal parts anticipation and fear at what we might discover.

A thick, handwritten journal caught my eye. I eased it from the shelf, blowing off a layer of dust, and cracked it open.

The year was 1692. An entry described a vicious battle between vampires and warlocks in a small Puritan village, ending in a massive fire that destroyed half the town.

I flipped ahead several pages and froze. There, inked in a spidery scrawl, was my mother's name. She had been there, fighting alongside the warlocks to drive the vampires out. Bile rose in my throat. I slammed the book shut, pulse racing.

Onyx turned at the sound. "Did you find something?" His gaze fell to the journal in my hands, and his eyes darkened with understanding. "Your family?"

I could only nod. After a long moment, I opened to the passage again and began to read. The tale unfolded, stark and terrible, of a tragedy that had shaped my family's history. Now I finally understood why the vampires were hunting me. I was the last of a line they had tried to purge from this world centuries ago.

I sank into a chair, journal trembling in my hands. All my life, my parents had refused to speak of our family's past or the dangers that lurked in the night. Now I knew why. They had raised me as a human. Made me believe... I was human. But I'm a monster. A dark magic witch.

Onyx crouched beside me, his presence steadying. "You were meant to know the truth someday." His voice was gentle.

"They died to protect me," I said hollowly. The knowledge was a knife twisting in my chest. I thought of my mother's laughter and my father's kind eyes, now just memories I would cling to in the dark.

The Elden coven had destroyed them to get to me. As the last descendant of a line of powerful warlocks, I was a threat they aimed to eliminate. Or use for power. The text wasn't super clear.

"And now they've come for you," Onyx said. His jaw tightened. "But I won't let them have you."

I looked up at him, heart aching with love and grief. "This is bigger than us, Onyx. Centuries of bloodshed and war...how can we stand against that?"

He grasped my hands, gazing at me intently. "Together. We are bonded, Rowan, in this life and the next. I would storm the gates of hell itself to keep you safe."

I leaned forward and kissed him, pouring all my fear and longing into that one touch. He responded with a low growl, wrapping me close. We had only just found each other, but already our fates were entwined. Somehow that settled the pit in my stomach.

When at last we drew apart, resolve had settled in my chest, steeling my nerves. I closed the journal and stood. "We have a coven to hunt."

Onyx's lips curled into a fierce smile. "That's my girl."

We left the library hand in hand, already plotting our next move. The Elden coven had made a grave mistake in threatening me. They would soon learn the fury of the unhinged Alpha King and his mate.

Our first order of business was gathering intelligence. I described the vampires I had seen, and Onyx sent out scouts to search the forest and surrounding towns. Within hours, they had uncovered the coven's hideout in an abandoned abbey about 30 miles west.

"Only five of them," the scout reported. "But they're old. Powerful."

Onyx bared his teeth. "So are we." His wolves howled in response, bristling with anticipation. They could smell the coming battle.

I stood at Onyx's side, magic thrumming under my skin. After years of suppressing my power, it now awakened with a vengeance, responding to the threat against its master. The coven had no idea what they were about to face.

"We attack at dusk," Onyx commanded. "For now, prepare and rest. Tonight, we remind these vampires why they should fear us."

The wolves dispersed, leaving Onyx and I alone. I turned to him, "promise me you'll make them suffer."

He cupped my face gently, love and bloodlust mingling in his gaze. "For you, my darling, I will set them on fire and roast smores over their dead bodies."

I believed him. And the Elden coven would soon wish they never crossed our path. The war might not end tonight, but it would begin.

As night fell, doubts crept into my mind. We were ready to attack the coven, but was I ready to face them? The Elden had haunted my nightmares for as long as I could remember, lurking shadows with fangs and claws and eyes of blood. Now those monsters were here, tangible threats, and I would have to stand against them.

What if I faltered? Onyx and his wolves were depending on me, but I didn't know the depths of my own power. There were too many unknowns, too much uncertainty. I literally had no idea what I was until this afternoon. Maybe... maybe I need more time.

I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves. No. I wouldn't fail. I had something worth fighting for now, a reason to push past my fears. Magic should be like learning to ride a bike right? Just do it. Onyx squeezed my hand, his touch warm and reassuring. "You can do this," he said softly. "You were born to end them."

He was right. The coven had destroyed everything I loved, but they would not destroy me. I was the last witch, the only one with the power to stop them. If I didn't, who would?

Resolve hardened within me, sharpening into a weapon. The Elden had made a grave mistake in threatening my solace. Now they would face the consequences.

"I'm ready," I told Onyx. Magic flared in my veins, eager to be unleashed. "Let's go remind them why they should have left me alone."

Onyx's gaze darkened with desire. "Not yet," he growled, pulling me close. His hands slid under my shirt, callused palms skimming up my sides. I leaned into his touch with a soft moan. After years of solitude, of blocking out anything that made me feel, I craved his affection, the intimacy we shared.

He lifted my shirt over my head and captured my mouth in a searing kiss. I tangled my fingers in his hair, kissing him back hungrily. His scent enveloped me, woodsmoke and rain and something wild, untamed.

"I need you," he rasped against my lips. "Now. Here."

I nodded, beyond words, and he lifted me onto the table in a flurry of scattered books and papers. I wrapped my legs around his waist, grinding against the hard length straining against his jeans.

Onyx made short work of the rest of our clothes, then he was sliding into me in one smooth thrust. We moaned in unison at the feeling of joining, the delicious stretch and burn.

He began to move, slowly at first, then picking up speed. I met his thrusts eagerly, craving more and harder. The table creaked beneath us, but I barely noticed, consumed by sensation.

"Mine," Onyx growled, biting at my throat. "My mate. My love."

"Yours," I gasped. I clutched at his back, nails digging in. "Always yours."

The familiar pressure built within me, intensifying with each snap of his hips. I was close, so close—and then it crashed over me in a blinding wave of ecstasy. I cried out his name as I came apart around him.

Onyx thrust once more, hard, and followed me over the edge with a roar. I held him as he shuddered his release, savoring the feeling of his heart pounding against mine.

In the aftermath, he curled me into his arms, a contented rumble in his chest. No doubts lingered now, no fears or uncertainties. I was ready to face the shadows, as long as I had this light to guide me. The war might be beginning, but so was our future. And the Elden coven would live to regret the day they tried to take that away from me.

The library was dim and still, shadows flickering in the candlelight. Our harsh breaths echoed through the room as we lay tangled together on the table, reluctant to move from our cocoon of bliss.

Onyx lifted his head from my shoulder, gazing down at me with a tender expression that made my heart ache. He brushed a stray lock of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear.

"You're mine now, in body and soul," he murmured, as if reminding himself. "The bond can never be undone."

I smiled up at him, tracing the line of his jaw. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

A low growl rumbled in his chest as he dipped his head to capture my lips. The kiss was slow and deep, full of unspoken promises. When we finally parted, I sighed in contentment, nestling against him.

A loud crash shattered the stillness, followed by a furious roar. Onyx tensed, eyes flashing crimson as his wolf rose to the surface. He slid off the table in a smooth motion, grabbing his discarded pants and shrugging them on.

"Stay here," he ordered, already stalking toward the door.

My heart leapt into my throat. I scrambled for my clothes, pulling them on with shaking hands. Whatever was out there, I wouldn't let Onyx face it alone.

The library doors burst open with a bang. A dark figure stood in the doorway, pale eyes gleaming with hatred.

"Well, well," purred a silky voice. "Isn't this cozy?"

My blood turned to ice. No. It couldn't be. But there was no mistaking that face, those glittering crimson eyes.