Page 48 of Alpha's Runaway Mate

My breath caught in my throat. My mind raced, and I blinked rapidly, unable to fully process her confession. “H—how did you do that?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

“Kaine Thornfield’s father was a desperate man. And a selfish one,” she continued, her tone laced with derision. “A man’s greatest fear is death, and when I offered him a solution, he wasted no time taking it. He didn’t care about some alliance; the Ironclaw Pack could stand on its own. What he needed was more time, to live longer, and I gave him that—on the condition that he brainwashed his son to do everything I told him.” Hereyes narrowed in disdain. “Unfortunately, Kaine’s loyalty ran too deep. That was his greatest flaw.”

I didn’t know when the first tear fell, but I felt it—hot and silent—tracing down my cheek. It had been her all along, pulling the strings in our lives. The truth settled in my chest like a heavy weight, and for the first time, I understood. Kaine hadn’t rejected me because I wasn’t worthy. He’d done it because his father had ordered it, and out of honor, he’d obeyed. I was wrong all these years.

Hecate hissed, rising from her seat as she began to pace the length of the cage, her movement restless and sharp. “Save your tears, Lyra. Love makes us nothing but fools. If only the world were half as smart as I am…” she stopped pacing, her eyes locked onto mine with a complacent smile. “Some are driven by love, others by rage. Some are ruled by their emotions, blind to what they could become if they defy the logic of letting feelings control them. Kaine’s love for you made him weak—he couldn’t see that you were a threat to the very security of his pack. And now look at them. His pack is dying. He was supposed to die with them, but I was wrong. I underestimated him. His power is greater than I thought.”

I shook my head, dabbing at the tears on my face. “What are you talking about?”

“Read in between the lines, Lyra,” she snapped, frustration seeping into her voice. “Kaine has to die for you to reach your full potential. Your fated mate needs to vanish, erased from existence. I sent a wolf after him, but he killed him instead. That’s why I’m here—with this offer.”

She crouched in front of me, her face only inches from mine. “If you missed the point of everything I’ve said, let me spell it out. First, we don’t need you to break the curse—Leo can do that on his own. Second, you can never truly become a full hybrid until Kaine is dead. I tried twice, but failed both times. But you can do it. He trusts you. He won’t see it coming. Third—”

“Wait, wait, wait,” I interrupted, my mind struggling to keep up with the weight of her words. “What do you mean Leo can break the curse on his own?”

“The newborn carries the blood of his grandmother—the one who created the curse. You were born before it was cast.”

My head spun. “Then why the hell did you keep me captive for eight months? Why make Thane believe I was the only one who could break the curse?”

“I told you, the witches were slaves to the Blackwoods. We became valuable when they realized we were the only ones who could break the curse. What do you think will happen to me once I help Thane? I’ll be of no use to him anymore. He’ll discard me, and I’ll go back to being a slave. So, I lied. I told him you were all I needed, but when things weren’t working, he started losing faith. I had to give him something—anything to keep that faith alive. So, I told him your blood wasn’t going to suffice. We needed that of your child as well.”

“So, you put me through all that for nothing?” My voice cracked with disbelief. “You tortured me for no reason?”

“I had to make the lie believable,” she replied coldly.

I scoffed. “God, you’re even more ruthless than he is.”

“I’m not driven by emotions, Lyra,” she retorted, her gaze hard. “I only want my freedom, and power is the only way to get it. Join me.”

I recoiled, confusion flickering in my eyes. “Join you in what?”

“Thane will kill you after the curse is broken tomorrow night,” she said, her voice low and dark. “But I can help you—if you join me.”

Against my better judgment, I found myself asking, “How?”

“Leave that to me. All I need is your word. You’ll kill Kaine, unlock your witch side, and join my coven.”

I laughed, a hollow, hysterical sound escaping my lips as tears continued to fall. “Oh my God, you’re delusional.”

“Am I?” she smirked, her gaze piercing. My laughter faded as I met her eyes. “I’m offering you a chance to survive, Lyra. To wield real power. To taste freedom. Your pack will never accept you after tonight. But once you’re a full hybrid, none of that will matter. You’ll be able to live anywhere, control anyone. Together, we can be unstoppable. We’ll take control of the Blackwoods, and the entire supernatural world.”

I fell silent, the weight of her words sinking in.

“I know this is a lot to process,” she continued, standing and moving toward the exit. “I’ll give you time to think it over. I’ll be back at dawn for your answer.” She glanced over her shoulder, her expression almost pitying. “I trust you’ll make the right choice, Lyra—for your survival.”

And with that, she left.

Chapter Twenty-Two — Kaine’s POV

My heart thundered in my chest, so loudly that it drowned everything else—the snap of branches, the crunch of leaves underneath my feet, even the sharp metallic tang of my own blood filling the air. Being an Alpha meant my wounds healed faster than any other shifter’s. But this one—the gash on my side, ripped open by the wolf I’d battled earlier—was not healing as it should. Dark magic clung to the wound, tainting the flesh around it with dark veins, and slowing my body’s natural healing processes.

But I didn’t care about healing, nor did I care about the pain. It was nothing but a distant thought as I sprinted back to the borders of Crescent Valley. All I could think about was getting back to Leo and Lyra. The fear of what I might find clawed at my mind, pushing my body to move faster than I thought possible.

I broke through the trees into a clearing that opened up to roads leading back to town. My senses sharpened, receptive to every sound and smell. This time, nothing could drown out the cries of pain, the overwhelming stench of blood, and the weight of grief that hung heavy in the air.

As I walked through the streets of the town—my pack—the catastrophic sights slammed into me. A mother clung to her injured son, a boy who I presumed was brave enough to stand between her and danger. A father lay in a pool of his own blood, his family gathered around him, pleading for him to hold on to life. Blood and ash from burned down houses lingered in the air as I reached the pack grounds, where the majority of our people had gathered. Some clung to the wounded, their cries breakingthrough the darkness, while others sat alone, staring blankly into the night, lost in grief. A few moved amongst the injured, assisting the healer who looked moments away from collapse. She, too, was injured.

My heart felt like it was being crushed in my chest. The sight of my pack, my people, wounded, broken, and suffering because I had failed to protect them twisted in my chest like a dagger. My fists clenched, anger simmering beneath the weight of guilt as I scanned the familiar faces, each one a reminder of the brutality they’d just endured.

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