chapter 27
Ferial didn’t know how long she cried—not minutes, not hours, just an endless blur of trembling breaths and tears that tasted like metal.
Her grandparents held her between them, their hands shaking just as violently as hers.
Outside the closed door, the sounds of wolves moving, shouting, and shifting echoed through like distant thunder.
Her grandmother brushed her hair back with trembling fingers. “My child… we never wanted this life for you.”
Ferial dragged in a shuddering breath. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why keep something this big from me? Why make it seem like being a werewolfs mate was so impossible- rare yes, but it was never impossible was it.”
Her grandfather lowered himself onto the chair opposite her, rubbing his hands over his face.
“Because we didn’t know for certain. We only suspected.
And suspicion alone is dangerous.” His eyes lifted to hers, watery but intense.
“Ferial… someone close to us never survived their mate bond. It broke both of them.”
The words struck her harder than any wolf’s growl.
Her grandmother flinched, whispering, “Hendrick…”
“She deserves the truth,” he snapped before softening. “She was marked young. Too young. And the bond consumed her body before she could adjust.”
Ferial felt the room tilt dangerously. “But I—I’m fine. I never… felt anything like that.”
Her grandmother cupped her cheeks. “Because he never marked you. And the Goddess delayed the bond for reasons we don’t understand.”
Her grandfather leaned closer. “But now that you know … the link between you two has awakened.”
Ferial’s chest burned. “Its not thqt i dont want it, I'm afraid, yor!”
“I know, my child.” His voice cracked. “But wolves do not release their mates. Not willingly. Not ever. Do you want to be with him?”
A knock rattled the door before either elder could say more. Captain Rian stepped in, urgency written across every line of his body.
“You three need to move. Now. Patrols spotted a cluster of humans at the east border—about thirty. They’re restless, shouting about unfair labor and pack exploitation.
If this escalates, the Supreme Alpha will assume the unrest has something to do with…
” His eyes darted to Ferial. “…today’s revelation. ”
Her grandmother stiffened. “We had nothing to do with any unrest.”
“I’m not accusing you,” Rian said, lowering his voice. “But the Supreme Alpha is already tense. The heir even worse.”
Ferial’s stomach twisted painfully. “Where is he?”
Rian hesitated. “He’s… outside. Watching everything. Restless. He can sense you’re upset.”
Her breath hitched. “I don’t want him sensing anything.”
Rian let out a helpless sigh. “That’s not how bonds work.”
Her grandfather rose abruptly. “We must leave. Take us home.”
“Home?” Rian shook his head. “The Supreme Alpha wants all three of you kept under observation until the border situation settles.”
Ferial’s voice dropped to a whisper. “You’re… detaining us?”
“It’s for your safety.”
“It’s never for our safety,” her grandfather spat. “It’s for your control.”
Rian’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t deny it.
“Please,” he said quietly. “Just… come with me peacefully. Don’t make this worse. Especially not with the heir like this.”
Ferial’s heartbeat stuttered. “Like what?”
Rian glanced at the door as if expecting the Alpha heir to burst through it at any moment. “He’s snapping at the patrols. Pacing. His wolf is too close to the surface. Honestly?” He exhaled sharply. “If someone as much as bumps into you right now, I think he’ll tear their throat out.”
Her grandmother gasped.
Ferial pressed a hand to her forehead. “I didn’t ask for any of this.”
“No one ever does,” Rian murmured. “But it’s happening. And the safest thing is for you to follow me quietly.”
Her grandfather clenched his fists but nodded. “Fine. But she won’t leave our sight.”
“Understood.”
They stepped out of the office together, and the place fell dead silent.
Every wolf in the area stopped what they were doing to look.
Every human pretended not to, but their eyes still slid in her direction, wide with fear or curiosity.
Then she saw him.
The Alpha heir stood near the main loading bay, arms crossed, shoulders tight, jaw clenched so hard she thought it might crack. His eyes snapped to hers instantly—as if pulled by a string.
And the moment their eyes met, heat flushed through her chest, quick and sharp, like an instinct that wasn’t hers.
His wolf. Watching her. Claiming her. Hungry for her.
Ferial swallowed, forcing herself not to step back.
He stepped toward her.
The patrols tensed.
Her grandparents moved closer, flanking her.
His eyes flicked to their hands on her arms—and darkness washed over his expression, the kind that made her blood freeze.
But instead of snarling, he stopped right in front of her, breathing hard, fighting something she couldn’t see.
“You’re crying,” he said quietly.
She looked away. “Of course I’m crying.”
His jaw tightened. “Because of me.”
“Because of all of this,” she corrected shakily.
Something raw flickered in his eyes.
The Alpha Supreme approached then, calm but sharp. “We need to leave this area before the unrest spreads. Take them to the transport.”
The heir didn’t look away from her. “I’m not letting her out of my sight.”
Her grandfather snapped, “She is not your prisoner!”
“She’s not,” the heir growled. “She’s mine.”
“Enough,” the Supreme Alpha warned.
But the heir didn’t even blink.
His eyes stayed locked on Ferial.
She felt her heart slam painfully, because suddenly she wasn’t sure if her racing pulse was hers… or the bond forcing itself into her veins.
“Stop staring at me like that,” she whispered.
He stepped even closer, lowering his head until his breath brushed her hairline. “I can’t stop. You’re in my head.”
Her breath caught. "I don't want you to leave me alone." She whispered to him, not understanding why she said that in the first place.
Her grandmother made a soft, horrified sound.
The Supreme Alpha cut in sharply. “We move. Now.”
The group began walking, patrols forming a tight ring around them.
As they stepped outside, a loud noise cracked through the air from the distant border—shouting, metal banging, something slamming against a fence.
The patrol leader yelled into his comm, “We’ve got movement! Civilians pushing through the east checkpoint!”
Her grandfather stiffened. “The people are acting out.”
“And the wolves will retaliate,” her grandmother whispered.
The Alpha heir moved instinctively, stepping in front of Ferial, shielding her as if a physical threat were already upon them.
“Stay behind me,” he commanded.
“I’m not yours to protect,” she snapped, though her voice trembled.
He looked over his shoulder at her, eyes glowing faintly. “You are. Whether you accept it or not.”
“Don’t say that,” she whispered.
“I’ll say it,” he murmured, “until you stop running from it.”
Before she could answer, a new sound rose from the road—a sharp whistle, then the pounding of heavy boots.
More wolves arrived. Reinforcements.
And behind them—
A group of humans yelling, waving signs, pushing against the patrol lines.
Everything erupted at once—shouts, growls, orders yelled across the compound.
The Supreme Alpha barked, “Get them into the transport NOW!”
Rian grabbed her grandfather’s arm. “Move!”
But Ferial was staring at the border fence, heart thudding painfully.
Because she saw someone she recognized in the crowd.
A boy her age.
Someone from her block.
And he was pointing—pointing at her.
Her blood ran cold.
The heir followed her gaze, and his entire body stiffened.
“What,” he growled, “is he doing?”
Ferial didn’t know.
But she knew one thing:
Whatever happened next…
Her life was never going to be the same.