Alpha's search for his Luna

Chapter : Prisoner of Fate

I woke up in an unfamiliar bed, a soft floral scent surrounding me. My head throbbed as I blinked away the remnants of sleep. The bed was huge, far too elegant for anything I'd ever seen before, and the room had a strange elegance to it, but something felt off. My body felt weaker than usual, like the power that normally hummed through my veins was somehow muted.

I shifted under the sheets, feeling different fabric against my skin. I looked down, and confusion hit me—floral shirt and matching pajamas? These weren’t mine. I immediately swung my legs over the side of the bed, trying to piece together what happened. Last night. The fight. The rogues. The Dun pack... Tanishq.

I touched my back where I remembered the painful stings of the rogue’s claws, but… there was nothing. No ache, no stiches pulling at my skin. My fingers traced the once-damaged area, but the claw marks were gone. Healed. Fully. I rushed to the mirror and yanked off my shirt, staring at the flawless skin on my back. “What the hell?”

Still, something wasn’t right. My body felt hollow, weak. It wasn’t just the healing; I felt powerless. I glanced down at my wrist, noticing an unfamiliar thread wrapped around it—glowing faintly, like it was alive. I tried to pull at it, but the moment I did, it tightened, almost as if the glow wrapped around me in defiance.

“What the hell is this?” I hissed.

Before I could think of what to do next, the door creaked open. Kaya and Misha walked in, both too calm for my liking.

"No point," Kaya said, noticing my struggle with the thread. Misha followed, holding a tray stacked with sandwiches and coffee.

“I didn’t know what you’d like,” Misha said softly, almost apologetically, “so I brought you cottage cheese sandwiches, coffee, and some bread with jam.”

I stared at them both, incredulous. “Are you joking?” I growled. “Do you seriously think I can't take you both down?”

Kaya raised a brow. “If you’re Luna, you could.” There was a hint of respect in her tone, but she was also challenging me. “We are the mates of Tanishq's betas.”

“What trick is this?” I demanded, pointing to the thread on my wrist.

Misha placed the tray on the small table beside the bed. “It’s a sacred thread to prevent you from shifting. Only your mate can remove it.”

Mate. The word made me flinch. I wasn’t his mate. I couldn’t be.

Kaya took a step closer, her eyes steady on mine. “I’m ready to respect you as my Luna, but you have to respect your Alpha. You can't disrespect Tanishq.”

“He isn’t my mate,” I snapped, crossing my arms.

“What do you want then?” Kaya asked, her voice dangerously calm. “Do you want Tanishq to force you into mating? Is that what you’re pushing for?”

I stiffened. I knew what she meant, and I knew she was right. Tanishq was strong, too strong. If he wanted to, he could force the bond on me, mark me against my will. But I wouldn’t let him, I couldn’t let him.

“Where am I?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Misha gestured towards the food. “Eat first. You’re in our Alpha’s bedroom.”

My heart sank at her words. “You want to drug me again?” I asked, anger flaring up.

Kaya shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. The thread is already tied. You can’t run.”

Before I could say anything more, Misha added calmly, “Maya is fine. She’s safe. But you… you need to tell Tanishq your secret. Acknowledge the mate bond. It’s beautiful, Priyal.”

The hours dragged on. It felt like an eternity before Misha re-entered, this time with Tanishq by her side. It was night now, the clock showing past 10. Misha carried another tray, this time with dinner. She glanced at my untouched food from earlier, rolling her eyes.

Tanishq’s gaze was intense. “Do you want me to force-feed you?” His tone was sharp, and I knew he wasn’t playing.

“Just let me go,” I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper. “We’ll leave as if we were never here.”

He ignored my words and walked toward me, his presence overwhelming. He grabbed me by the shoulders, leaning in close as if he was about to bite me, to force the mate bond on me. My heart raced, fear freezing me in place. But just as I shut my eyes, waiting for the worst, he stopped. He didn’t bite. Instead, he whispered in my ear, his voice a low growl.

“I could always force you to mate with me. You are powerless here. But I respect the bond. I want to give you a choice—to recognize it yourself. Make it a happy moment for both of us.”

He released me then, his fingers gently lifting my chin so I was forced to look into his eyes. They were filled with emotion, but I couldn’t sort through them.

“Eat your food,” he ordered. “You have until morning to tell me the truth. What pack do you belong to, and who are you really?”

With that, he stood up, grabbed a few of his things from the cupboard, and left the room. Misha followed him, locking the door behind her, leaving me alone once again.

I collapsed back onto the bed, my chest tight with fear and frustration. The thought of being forced into this bond, into this life—it was suffocating. I buried my face in the pillow, letting the tears I’d been holding back finally fall.