Page 152 of Alpha Queen
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Darius crossed the space between them. Without a word, he wrapped his arm around the female's shoulders and led her from the gathering, his protective stance saying everything words could not.
Another female hopped out, her eyes immediately finding a male in the crowd. For a heartbeat, they simply stared at each other, the connection between them almost tangible. Then, with a cry of joy, she ran to him, launching herself into his arms. He caught her, spinning her around once before claiming her mouth in a passionate kiss that left little doubt about their relationship.
Kane turned to River, about to comment on the unexpected reunions, when movement from the SUV caught his eye. One last passenger emerged, her form silhouetted against the vehicle's interior.
She didn't move for a moment, and Kane's wolf paced and whined.
River looked back at the woman and smiled, urging her to come forward.
As she walked fully into the light, time slowed, the world narrowing to a single point of focus. Long blonde hair cascaded over slender shoulders. Delicate features arranged in a face he'd memorized years ago. Eyes, the color of a summer sky, now looked directly at him with an expression he couldn't read.
Kane's knees nearly buckled as recognition slammed into him with physical force. His wolf howled, clawing desperately toward the surface as instincts long suppressed roared back to life.
Alyssa. His fated mate. The woman who had rejected him for her pack's approval.
She stood before him now, more beautiful than he remembered, her scent washing over him in waves that threatened to drown him. For an endless moment, neither moved, the years between them stretching like an uncrossable chasm.
"Hello, Kanan," she finally said, her voice exactly as he remembered. Soft, with a slight musical quality that had once been his favorite sound.
Kane opened his mouth, but no words emerged. His mind raced, emotions warring within him- joy, pain, anger, longing, all tangled together in a knot he couldn't unravel.
He turned to River, finding his voice at last. "Alyssa can't stay." The words emerged harsher than he intended.
River's brows drew together. "Why not?"
"She doesn't belong here. This place is for rogues who have nowhere else to go."
"She left her pack," River countered. "She is now a rogue. She will be welcomed like the others."
Kane wanted to argue, wanted to explain that having Alyssa here would tear open wounds he'd spent years trying to forget he had. But the words wouldn't come. River was right, Alyssa deserved sanctuary as much as any of them, but...
Without another word, he turned and strode to his cabin, every step requiring immense willpower. The door closed behind him with a soft click, and Kane's composure crumbled. His legs gave way as he sank to his knees, emotions overwhelming him in a tide he could not hold back. His wolf howled in anguish and confusion.
Alyssa. His fated mate had returned.
Kane pressed his fists against his eyes, trying to stem the flood of memories. Their first meeting after she came of age, and the instant recognition of the mate bond. The weeks of secret meetings before her father discovered them. The ultimatum she'd been given: her pack or Kane. The devastation when she'd chosen her pack. The fight with her father and the resulting scar on his face. The utter abandonment by his family and pack after exile.
A knock at the door jolted him from his thoughts. Kane quickly wiped his face, drawing in a deep breath.
"Kane?" River called. "May I come in?"
He considered refusing, but it would only delay the inevitable. "Of course, your Highness."
He rose and moved quickly to the window, his back to the door.
River entered, closing the door behind her. "I'm sorry. I should have told you about Alyssa specifically, but she asked me not to."
Kane's shoulders tensed. Yes. She should have. "It wouldn't have changed anything."
"Perhaps not," River agreed, moving beside him. "But you deserved a warning."
Silence stretched between them, comfortable despite the circumstances.
"She asked about you," River finally said. "When she came to us seeking sanctuary. She wanted to know if you were okay. If you had found happiness."
Kane's jaw tightened. "And what did you tell her?"
"The truth. That you were alive, that you were leading this pack, that you were working to build something meaningful here." River paused. "I didn't tell her how you still carry her with you."
