Page 9 of Bound By My Alpha Mate

With the light of a lantern illuminating the print, David was bent over the papers, a pen in his hand as he worked as best he could while exiled in this mine, same as the rest of us.

“I have to tell you something,” I said.

My father glanced up at me. “What?”

I stepped closer, searching his gaze. “I had my Moondream yesterday.”

His eyebrows furrowed. He sat up straight, looking me up and down as if surprised that I would even qualify to experience such a thing, as if he’d never expected anybody would ever be bonded to me. “Who is it?”

“Kiara.”

His fists balled up on the table, muscles tightening in his jaw. “You can’t be serious.”

“It’s a cruel fucking joke,” I breathed, looking away. I hated the Moon Goddess for doing this to me.

But my father only laughed. “What are the chances!”

“How is she part of our Alpha Line?”

“I don’t know. I can only assume she has some connection to the Hexens through her wolf father,” he said. Rising to his feet, my father took a step closer to me. “So, you share…feelings with her now?”

“Most likely. I haven’t felt much except pain.”

“Can you tell where she is?”

“No.”

“But if you were to encounter her, it would be easy for you to persuade her to come with you. You know what happens when fated mates are in each other’s presence.”

Yes. We became blinded by love and lust for one another. That was probably why, in the dream, we had stopped fighting to savor touching one another. I pressed my lips together to keep from spilling this thought. “I’ll be just as easily persuaded.”

“No, you won’t. Not if you want us to succeed,” threatened my father. “You know what you have to do now, Colt. Find her as soon as you can.”

“As soon as I bring her in this direction, she’ll resist. Since she’s only half wolf, she’ll be able to smell the dragons despite the presence of the silver.”

“Then take her to Hexen Manor. Keep her there under the guise of protecting her from the Inkscales.”

And risk developing feelings over however long I would have her in my custody until the full moon? Lie to her, pretend to care about our fated bond, only then to slaughter her? I frowned at the ground. It wasn’t my idea of a flawless plan to avoid heartbreak, but it was a plan—which was more than I had thought up on my own. “Okay.”

My father clapped his hand on my shoulder, then cupped the back of my neck, demanding my eyes again. “Good. I know you won’t disappoint me this time.”

I both hated my father and desperately wanted to please him. At least, given this new direction, I would have something to put all my efforts toward rather than obsessing over a future I could never have.

Chapter 7

Kiara

Gasping, I shook awake and immediately flung all the hands on me away. A chorus of shouts rose from the people surrounding me. Nausea made my stomach roll, and my gums were slick with saliva. Rolling onto my hands and knees, I bowed my head between my shoulders and breathed hard, sending death glares at anyone who dared try to meet my eyes. Given what I had just endured, the last thing I wanted was all this attention.

“Everybody get away from her,” Aislin demanded, taking people by the arms and pulling them aside.

As Mythguard retreated, Sebastian gestured for them to stay on guard. “Keep your rifles trained on her just in case.”

“What are you gonna do, shoot her if she tries to run? For fuck’s sake, you’re as bad as David,” scolded Aislin.

“We’re just taking precautions,” said Sebastian.

“Just shut up and back off,” Aislin replied.

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