My Fated Mate is the Alpha King

I stood near the edge of the grand ballroom, pressing my back against the cold stone wall, trying to make myself as small as possible. The annual festival was supposed to be a night of joy, a night where the Moon Goddess blessed new mates and strengthened pack bonds. For me, it was just another reminder of everything I lacked.

I tugged at the itchy lace on the bodice of my dress. It was a hand-me-down from my adopted sister, Given, altered hastily to fit my smaller frame. The dark blue fabric bunched at the waist, and the hem dragged slightly on the floor. I didn’t belong in the center of the room with the nobles, the strong warriors, and the proud Alphas. I belonged in the shadows.

"You're staring again, Eddena."

I blinked and looked down. Given stood next to me, swirling a glass of pale champagne. She wore a stunning crimson gown that hugged her curves, her blonde hair pinned up with silver clips. She didn't look at me; her eyes were fixed on the grand double doors at the far end of the hall.

"I wasn't staring," I muttered, keeping my voice low.

"You were looking at the mating dais," Given said, finally turning her sharp green eyes toward me. Her lips curled into a mocking smile. "Don't torture yourself. You're twenty-two. If the Goddess intended for a wolfless girl to find a fated mate, she would have given you to a lowly rogue years ago. Just stay out of the way tonight. The King is arriving soon, and our parents want to make a good impression. Your presence is embarrassing enough as it is."

She turned and walked away before I could respond, her crimson skirts swishing against the polished marble floor.

I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted copper. I wanted to snap back. I wanted to tell her that I was more than just a broken orphan my family took in out of pity. But I couldn't. Without a wolf to share my soul, my physical strength was nothing compared to theirs. My hearing was duller, my speed was slower, and the pack made sure I knew it every single day.

"Don't listen to her."

A warm hand touched my arm. I turned and found Hayley Lyndi Shine, my best friend, standing there with a sympathetic smile. She held out a small cup of water.

"She’s just nervous because she wants the King to notice her," Hayley said softly, brushing a stray lock of my silver-black hair behind my ear. "Drink this. You look pale."

I took the cup, grateful for her kindness. "Thank you, Hayley. I just want tonight to be over. The noise is giving me a headache."

"Just an hour more," she promised, squeezing my arm. "Once the King makes his speech, we can sneak out the back and go sit by the river. I brought some sweet bread from the kitchens."

A genuine smile broke through my tension. "I'd like that."

Suddenly, the upbeat string music died out. A loud, deep horn echoed through the ballroom, vibrating in the floorboards beneath my thin shoes. The chatter of hundreds of werewolves silenced instantly. The heavy wooden doors at the end of the hall swung open, and the royal guards marched in, their boots hitting the stone in perfect unison.

The crowd parted like water, forming a wide path down the center of the room. Every Alpha, Beta, and Omega bowed their heads, exposing their necks in a show of deep respect.

"He's here," Hayley whispered, pulling me down into a slight bow.

I kept my head lowered, but I couldn't resist looking up through my eyelashes.

Alpha King Wex Laith stepped into the ballroom.

The air in the room grew heavy, thick with raw power. I could feel the pressure of his aura pressing against my chest, making it hard to breathe. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and moved with the silent, lethal grace of a predator. He wore a dark suit lined with silver embroidery, but the fine clothes did nothing to hide the dangerous muscle underneath. His black hair was slightly swept back, framing a sharp, strong jaw.

But it was his eyes that caught my attention. They were a striking, brilliant gold, scanning the crowd with a calm, calculating intelligence. A faint scar ran across the left side of his neck, dipping under his collar—a mark of a king who fought his own battles.

He walked toward the dais, and as he passed my section of the crowd, a strange sensation fluttered in my stomach. A sudden heat bloomed in my chest, completely unrelated to the stuffy air of the ballroom.

I tried to step back, wanting to retreat further into the shadows, but the crowd shifted. A large, drunken Beta behind me lost his footing and stumbled forward, shoving hard into my back.

I gasped as I lost my balance. My heel caught on the dragging hem of Given's old dress.

I fell forward, breaking out of the crowd and tumbling directly into the open aisle. Directly into the path of the Alpha King.

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the harsh impact against the stone floor.

It never came.

Large, incredibly strong hands gripped my arms, catching me mid-fall. The grip was firm but not painful, hauling me upright with effortless strength.

The moment his skin touched mine, a violent jolt of electricity shot through my veins. It wasn't a spark; it was a roaring fire. My eyes snapped open, and I gasped, my lungs filling with the most intoxicating scent I had ever experienced in my life.