**Chapter 3: Chained by Fate**
🌙 Lia
I turn toward the voice, and my heart freezes, like ice cracking in my chest. Standing in the shadows, his silhouette sharp against the moonlight, is Alpha Valor of the Obsidian Claw.
His eyes glow like cold embers, cutting through the dark. What is he doing here? My pack's screams still echo in my head, their hatred burning my skin, but this—Valor's presence—feels like a new kind of danger, one that makes my blood run cold.
He steps closer, his boots silent on the forest floor, and a sharp tug hits me, like a string yanking my soul. My breath catches. It's him. My mate.
The bond snaps into place, a painful spark in my chest, twisting hope and terror together. I've dreamed of finding my mate my whole life, someone to prove I'm not cursed, but this? This feels like a cruel joke from the Moon Goddess.
I stumble back, forgetting the cliff behind me. My heel slips, rocks crumbling into the abyss, and I'm falling—until his hand grabs my arm, yanking me back. I crash against his chest, staring up into his eyes.
They're dark, endless, like a storm that swallows everything. I've known fear all my life—my pack's hatred, my father's cold glares—but this fear is different. It's sharp, alive, crawling under my skin.
"Let me go!" I say, my voice shaking as I try to pull away. My wolf stirs, growling low, but I'm too scared to listen to her. I twist in his grip, my feet scrambling on the cliff's edge.
"Stop," Valor says, his voice cold as frost, cutting through the air. He doesn't let go, his fingers like iron around my arm. He looks at Gavyn, who's still holding his sword, frozen. "She's mine now," Valor says, his tone sharp enough to make Gavyn flinch. "Leave."
"Lia—" Gavyn starts, his voice cracking, but Valor's glare silences him.
"Go," Valor snaps, and Gavyn steps back, his sword lowering. I want to scream at him, beg him to stay, but the words choke in my throat.
Gavyn's eyes meet mine, full of guilt, before he turns and vanishes into the trees, leaving me with this stranger who's supposed to be my mate.
I try to pull away again, my heart pounding. "Please, let me go," I whisper, my voice small. "I'm not what you think."
Valor doesn't answer. He drags me away from the cliff, his grip unrelenting, pulling me through the forest like I'm nothing. My legs stumble, but he doesn't slow down.
The trees blur, the moonlight fading as we move deeper into the dark. My wolf growls, *He's dangerous. Let me out.* I shake my head, fighting her. I can't trust her, not after what she did.
"Where are you taking me?" I ask, my voice trembling. "What do you want?"
He doesn't answer, just keeps moving, his silence heavier than chains. My chest aches with the mate bond, pulling me toward him even as every instinct screams to run.
.
.
I don't know how long we walk, but the forest thins, and a stone building looms ahead, cold and gray under the moon. He shoves open a heavy door and pushes me inside, into a dimly lit room with stone walls and a single bed.
He releases me, and I stumble, catching myself against the wall. My hands are still bloody, shaking, and I back away as he steps closer. "What do you need from me?" I ask, my voice cracking. "Why are you doing this?"
Valor moves closer, his eyes glinting like a predator's. I press myself against the wall, my heart racing. "Please," I say, my voice barely a whisper. "What do you want?"
He grabs my wrist, pulling me toward him, and I flinch at his touch. A smirk curls his lips, cold and cruel. "A cursed mate," he says, his voice low, almost amused. "How interesting."
I try to push him away, my hands shoving at his chest, but he's like stone. "I'm not cursed!" I say, my voice breaking. "I'm not what they say!"
He laughs, a dark sound that makes my skin crawl. "You're exactly what they say," he says, pinning my wrists to the bed as he forces me down.
I struggle, my breath hitching, but he's too strong. His body looms over me, close enough that I can feel his heat, the mate bond twisting painfully in my chest. "How can you be my mate?" I whisper, tears burning my eyes. "You don't even know me."
"I know enough," he says, his voice sharp. "A Lycan. A killer. Perfect for my plans." His eyes rake over me, like I'm a weapon, not a person. I twist under him, desperate to get free, but he holds me down, his grip bruising.
He releases me suddenly, standing up, and I scramble back, my back hitting the wall. He crosses the room, opening a drawer, and pulls out a heavy silver chain. My heart stops, fear choking me. "No," I say, my voice shaking. "Please, don't."
*Let me out,* my wolf growls, louder now, her voice like a blade. *He'll hurt you. I can stop him.* For the first time, I want to listen to her. I feel the pain building, my eyes starting to glow, my fangs pushing through my gums. I'm losing control, my claws sharpening.
"Stop fighting it," Valor says, his voice cold as he steps closer, the chain dangling in his hand. "Your wolf knows what you are."
"I'm not a monster!" I scream, my voice half-growl as my wolf pushes harder. I lunge forward, my claws swiping, but he's faster. The chain snaps around my wrists, the silver burning my skin like fire. I cry out, falling to my knees, the pain searing through me.
Valor grabs my hair, yanking my head back, forcing me to look into his eyes. They're dark, merciless, and the smirk is gone. He leans close, his breath hot against my face, and growls, "Do you think you can defeat me?"
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