My Rogue Mate (AI GENERATED)

Chapter 6: The Choice We Cannot Escape

The days blurred together in a strange rhythm of anxiety and longing. Every time I caught Lian’s eye or heard the word rogue, my stomach twisted, fear and guilt tightening around me like a vice.

Lian’s warning haunted me, echoing in my mind with each glance, each question I dodged. If you’re hiding something that puts the pack in danger, you’re not just betraying me. You’re betraying all of us.

If only he knew the truth. That I was bound to Rhys in a way no one else could understand, in a way that no one else would accept. The Moon Goddess herself had made us mates—an unbreakable bond that stretched across all boundaries. Yet here I was, torn between the life I’d always known and the one I could have with him. A future free from fear and secrecy.

But I’d never been raised to run from my family. How could I just abandon everyone I cared for?

Each night now, I went to meet Rhys with an ache in my heart, knowing that I was clinging to something fragile, something that could shatter with one misstep. Tonight, as I slipped through the forest, I could feel my heart racing, a mix of fear and anticipation stirring within me. The moon was high, casting a silver glow on the path, illuminating every shadow, every movement.

When I reached the clearing, Rhys was there, waiting, his eyes fixed on me with a warmth that soothed and yet somehow deepened the ache within me. I hadn’t told him about Lian’s suspicions or the constant feeling that I was being watched. But tonight, I could sense that he felt the weight pressing on me.

“Kael,” he said, his voice gentle as he pulled me close. His arms around me were a comfort, grounding me, making the world fall away until it was only us. “You look… exhausted.”

I sighed, pressing my head against his chest, letting the steady beat of his heart calm me. “It’s… everything,” I murmured. “The pack is on edge. They’re talking about launching an attack if these rogue sightings don’t stop.”

Rhys’s grip tightened. “I told my men to stay away from Silvercrest territory. Whatever’s happening, it’s not my pack.”

I believed him. But I also knew that Silvercrest wouldn’t care; they saw all rogues as a threat, something to be driven out. And if it came down to a fight, I wasn’t sure I could keep the truth hidden anymore.

“Kael,” Rhys said, his voice low, “you don’t have to keep going back. You don’t have to put yourself through this.”

I looked up, seeing the worry in his eyes. “And if I leave? What happens when Silvercrest comes for you?”

Rhys was silent, his jaw clenched as he looked away. “I’ve spent my life fighting. My pack is used to protecting itself. But if you’re with me, Kael… if you stand by my side, we’ll find a way to keep them at bay.”

I could feel the conviction in his words, the way he believed so fiercely that we could be together, no matter the cost. And for a moment, I let myself picture it: the two of us together, away from all this fear and secrecy. A future that felt as beautiful as it did impossible.

But before I could answer, I heard it—rustling in the bushes, the unmistakable snap of a twig.

My heart raced, and I broke away from Rhys, scanning the trees. Shadows loomed between the branches, figures moving closer. I caught the scent of wolves—Silvercrest wolves.

Rhys’s expression darkened, and he stepped protectively in front of me. “Kael, go. Get back to your packhouse. They can’t see us together.”

But it was too late.

Three figures stepped into the clearing, eyes locked on us. At the front of the group stood Elias, our alpha, his gaze fierce and unyielding. Behind him, I saw Lian, his face filled with disbelief, pain etched into every line of his expression.

“Kael,” Elias said, his voice sharp and cold. “What are you doing here… with him?”

My heart hammered, a sick twist of fear and guilt swirling in my chest. I looked at Lian, feeling the weight of his disappointment, the betrayal in his eyes. I’d spent my life at his side, yet here I was, the one thing he’d never have imagined—bound to our enemy.

“I…” My voice broke, the words dying on my tongue. I had no excuses, no lies to cover what they’d seen. All I had was the truth, standing beside me, his hand reaching for mine.

“This isn’t what you think,” Rhys said, his voice steady and calm. “I’m not here to harm Silvercrest.”

Elias’s gaze hardened. “You’re a rogue alpha on my territory, standing beside one of my own. I don’t care what your intentions are. You’ve broken our laws.”

Rhys held my hand tighter, and I felt the strength in his grip, his determination anchoring me even as my world crumbled. “Kael is my mate,” he said, his voice unwavering. “I won’t let you hurt him.”

A murmur rippled through the pack members, shock and anger flashing in their eyes. I could feel the weight of their judgment pressing down on me, could see the betrayal in Lian’s face. He had trusted me, and now I had shattered that trust, fractured the bond we’d shared since childhood.

“Kael,” Elias said, his voice softening but no less firm. “Is this true? Did you know about this?”

I looked at him, at Lian, at all the faces I’d known my whole life, and the words caught in my throat. But then I felt Rhys’s hand in mine, his quiet strength holding me up, and I knew I couldn’t hide anymore.

“Yes,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “The Moon Goddess bound us. Rhys is my mate.”

The silence was deafening. I could feel every stare, every ounce of disbelief and disgust radiating from them. My heart ached, torn between the love I felt for the pack that had raised me and the bond I shared with Rhys—a bond that was undeniable, unbreakable.

Lian’s gaze met mine, his expression a mixture of hurt and anger. “You’ve been lying to us this whole time,” he said, his voice breaking. “You chose him over all of us?”

I swallowed, my throat tight. “It wasn’t a choice, Lian. The Moon Goddess chose him for me.”

But he didn’t seem to hear me. His fists clenched, and he took a step back, as if the sight of me was too painful to bear. And that was the worst part of all—the look in his eyes, the sense that I’d lost him forever.

Elias’s voice cut through the silence, cold and final. “Kael, you’ve broken our trust, betrayed the pack. If you stand with this rogue, you are no longer one of us.”

Rhys’s hand tightened around mine, and I felt his warmth, his strength. He had offered me a choice, a life away from this fear and hatred. And in that moment, I knew what I had to do.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, meeting Lian’s gaze one last time. “But I can’t turn my back on my mate.”

Elias’s expression was a mixture of disappointment and anger, but he nodded stiffly. “Then you are no longer welcome in Silvercrest.”

The finality of his words hit me like a punch to the gut, but Rhys was there, his arm around me, guiding me away from the pack I’d once called family. We walked back into the shadows of the forest, leaving behind the only life I’d ever known.

But as the silence closed around us, as the reality of my choice settled in, I felt a strange, fragile hope blooming within me. I had lost everything, but I hadn’t lost him. The bond we shared was still strong, still steady, still real.

And as long as I had Rhys, I knew I could survive whatever came next.