The Alpha's Ghost Bride

Chapter 3 – It's a deadly trap

Alpha Jake



I woke up before the first light of dawn, feeling restless, my thoughts already fixed on the task ahead. The Liwdoe Forest had been plagued with rumors of rogue werewolves recently, and it wasn’t something I could ignore.

Not after what they did to my parents. The desire to hunt them down burned within me. I needed to see for myself what was going on out there.

I quickly showered, my mind running through all the possibilities. If there were rogues in our territory, they had to be dealt with swiftly. These werewolves had caused enough pain, and I wasn’t about to let them roam freely in my land.

After dressing, I made my way downstairs, the cool air from the open windows refreshing, but it did nothing to calm the rage that was simmering just below the surface.

When I entered the dining hall, Beta Lucas was already there, sitting at the long table. He looked up as I entered, his usual calm manner was reassuring, though I could see a glint of excitement in his eyes. He always did enjoy a good fight.

"Morning, Alpha Jake," Lucas greeted, pushing his chair back slightly. "Ready to head out? The forest won’t clear itself."

I nodded, but my eyes shifted to Norton, my cousin, who sat slumped at the other end of the table. He looked pale, beads of sweat clinging to his forehead. He’d always been a bit on the weaker side, and today was no different.

"You don’t look so good, Norton," I said, sitting down across from him as Aunt Lucille directed the servants to bring in breakfast. "If you’re not up to it, maybe you should stay behind."

Norton swallowed hard, nodding apologetically. "Sorry, Alpha. I haven’t been feeling well. I’ll sit this one out."

Lucas snorted softly beside me, but I shot him a look, and he immediately straightened. I didn’t need to hear any sarcastic comments from him right now.

"It’s fine, Norton. Rest up. We’ll handle this," I assured him.

As I dug into my breakfast, Lucille hovered nearby, watching us like a hawk. I could feel her eyes on me, always protective, always making sure everything was in order. I didn’t mind it, though. She’d practically raised me after my parents were killed by rogues, and despite her overbearing nature, I knew she had my best interests at heart.

"Make sure you’re careful," Lucille finally spoke, her voice sharp but laced with concern. "I’ve heard rumors there might be more rogues than usual in the forest. Don’t underestimate them."

I nodded, already mentally preparing myself for the confrontation. "We won’t," I promised, standing up. "We’ll be back before you know it."

Lucas stood as well, stretching lazily. "Let’s just hope this isn’t another wild goose chase," he muttered.

We left the mansion, the crisp morning air biting at my skin as we made our way to the car. The drive to the edge of the Liwdoe Forest was quiet, the tension between us thick. I could feel Lucas glancing at me occasionally, his wolf instincts sensing my mood.

"You think this is going to be anything serious?" Lucas finally asked, breaking the silence.

"I don’t know," I replied, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. "But we can’t afford to take any chances. If there are rogues here, we have to deal with them."

Lucas nodded, but I could see the doubt in his eyes. We’d been chasing down rogue sightings for months, and most of the time, they amounted to nothing more than a few stragglers.

But this felt different. The reports had been vague, but something in my gut told me we were walking into more than just a few wandering wolves.

When we arrived at the edge of the forest, the trees loomed tall and dark, their branches twisting like skeletal fingers reaching toward the sky. I parked the car, and we stepped out, the sound of crunching leaves beneath our boots breaking the stillness.

The air here was different. Heavier. There was something off about it, but I couldn’t quite place it. I motioned for Lucas to follow me as we moved deeper into the woods, our senses on high alert. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves, put me on edge.

"Stay close," I muttered to Lucas, my voice low. "Something doesn’t feel right."

He nodded, his eyes scanning the area around us. "Yeah, I feel it too."

We continued forward, but with each step, the unease grew. The forest was too quiet. No birds, no animals. Just silence. And then, I heard it — a low growl, barely audible but unmistakable.

I froze, motioning for Lucas to stop. He tensed beside me, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the sound. We weren’t alone.

Suddenly, the underbrush ahead of us parted, and a group of rogues emerged from the shadows. At first, it was just a handful of them, their eyes glowing with malice, their teeth bared. But as more and more appeared, my heart sank. This wasn’t a few stray rogues. This was an army.

Nearly a hundred rogue werewolves surrounded us, closing in from all sides. Their snarls echoed through the trees, sending a chill down my spine. We’d walked right into a trap!

"Alpha Jake..." Lucas’s voice was tight with fear, and I didn’t blame him. I could feel the panic rising in my own chest, but I forced it down. We couldn’t afford to lose control now.

One of the rogues, a large brute with scars crisscrossing his face, stepped forward. He sneered, his yellowed teeth glinting in the dim light.

"Alpha Jake," he growled, his voice dripping with disdain. "We’ve been waiting for you."

My jaw tightened, but I kept my voice steady. "What do you want?"

The rogue chuckled, the sound grating on my nerves. "What we want is simple. Your death. Someone paid us a lot of money to take you out, and we’re more than happy to oblige."

My blood ran cold. Someone had hired these rogues to kill me? But who?

"Who sent you?" I demanded, my hands curling into fists. "Who’s behind this?"

The rogue’s grin widened, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he raised his hand, and the rogues behind him surged forward.

"Lucas, get ready!" I barked, shifting into my wolf form just as the first rogue lunged at me.

The fight was brutal, the rogues attacking in waves, their sheer numbers overwhelming. Lucas and I fought side by side, but it was clear we were outmatched. Every time I knocked one down, three more took its place. I could feel my muscles straining, my strength waning, but I couldn’t stop. Not now. Not when everything was on the line.

"Alpha Jake!" Lucas shouted, his voice barely audible over the chaos. "We’re getting pushed back!"

I glanced around, realizing with horror that he was right. The rogues were herding us, driving us toward the edge of a cliff. My heart raced as I tried to find a way out, but there was no escape. We were trapped.

"Alpha Jake, watch out!" Lucas’s warning came too late.

A rogue slammed into me from the side, knocking me off balance. I stumbled, my paws scraping against the rocky ground, but I couldn’t stop myself. The edge of the cliff was right behind me, and before I could react, I felt myself falling.

As I tumbled through the air, the world spinning uncontrollably around me, a rush of thoughts stormed my mind. This can't be happening, I thought frantically. The reports were wrong. This wasn't just a few wandering rogues; it was a setup, a trap designed specifically for me!

The realization hit me with the force of the falling wind. The rogues were waiting for me. It was all a carefully orchestrated scheme. I’d walked right into their hands, lured by false information that masked their true intentions. The weight of the betrayal settled heavily on my shoulders, mixing with the terror of the fall.

Who set this up? I wondered desperately.

Who wanted me dead so badly that they’d go through all this trouble?

As the icy river below rushed up to meet me, I knew I had only moments to act. My instincts screamed at me to fight, to find a way to survive this deadly plummet. But the darkness that threatened to engulf me felt like a cruel reminder of the danger closing in. This was more than just a fight for survival; it was a betrayal that cut deep.

With a final, wrenching twist, I plunged into the freezing water. The impact was jarring, and I struggled to adjust to the sudden shock. The current was a powerful beast, pulling me down and threatening to drag me under. As I fought to stay afloat, the bitter taste of defeat and the sting of betrayal consumed me, even as the roar of the river drowned out all other thoughts.

The last thing I saw was Lucas’s terrified face as the world tilted, and then everything went black.