Rejected by My Alpha Mate; Nyra's Awakening

Nyra wakes with a loud gasp. And for several seconds, she has no idea where she is.

Everything hurts.

Her head throbs, her muscles ache, and there is a strange heaviness in her limbs that makes even breathing feel exhausting. She tries to move, only to realize her hands are tied tightly behind her back.

A strange black and red cord wraps around her wrists, but they are laced with magic.

She can feel it immediately.

The moment she tries to pull against it, the cord tightens, sending a sharp sting through her skin.

What the hell--

She tries to talk, but there’s a gag in her mouth. She panics for a second, realizing she’s in a moving car, then desperation takes over.

She struggles harshly, twisting against the restraints as the vehicle continues speeding down an unfamiliar road.

Who the hell kidnapped her?

Where is Adrian? Has the poison worn out of him yet? The thought of him still lying helplessly makes her heart drop.

Then suddenly, the car jerks to a stop. Nyra is thrown forward, catching herself against the seat with her shoulder.

The back doors swing open while she’s still struggling to sit properly. "Get her out."

Hands grab her arms, pushing her toward the mansion that is... surprisingly very beautiful.

Its walls are painted in warm colors, with a small fountain in the middle. On the other side is a small garden filled with different types of flowers.

Nyra immediately starts fighting back with everything she has, kicking and twisting as they’re dragging her from the vehicle.

But it’s useless. Whatever they injected her with has left Nyx completely weak. She doesn’t seem to be responding anymore.

Her brown hair falls messily across her face, strands sticking to her cheeks as she struggles against the gag.

They push her again, but Nyra refuses to move. She digs her heels into the ground, trying to yell but only letting out angry, muffled sounds.

One of the men hauling her forward curses under his breath. "Stop being a brat! If you don’t behave, I’ll have my men beat you--"

"On whose authority do you do that?"

The deep voice cuts through his threat, making everyone look up.

A tall, blonde, broad-shouldered man walks through the massive front doors.

He looks human.

At least, as far as Nyra can tell.

He’s dressed simply, yet everything about him screams wealth and authority. His dark clothes fit perfectly against his powerful frame, and his expression is calm enough to be unsettling.

Nyra notices all the men behind her immediately freeze and look down away from him. He must be important.

"Let go of her. Stop treating her so roughly."

"Sorry, Young Master," they say, immediately releasing her arms.

Nyra looks up at him. There is no hint of gratitude in her eyes. Instead, she’s glaring at him.

Their eyes lock for a long moment, then he smiles at her like they didn’t fucking kidnap her here.

He walks closer and extends his hand.

"Hi. I’m Killian." His eyes briefly flick toward the gag that’s already dropping down her chin after so much struggling, then back to her. "What’s your name?"

Nyra stares at his hand. Then, without hesitation, she spits directly into his palm.

The guards around them go completely silent. They look like they want to step forward and grab her.

Killian looks down at his hand, then back at her.

For a second, Nyra expects him to explode, hit her, anything. Instead, he just laughs out loud.

The sound irritates her so much. "What do you want with me!?" Nyra demands in a furious voice.

Killian wipes his hand against his coat. "That’s a very good question. Unfortunately, Nyra, I would’ve liked to make an exception for you since you’re pretty, but I can’t do that."

He turns to one of the human guards. "Take her to the room we prepared. Then have the chef cook her something nice."

"I don’t want food! I want you to let me go!" Her scream fades as she’s taken away.

Robert, the head guard who had brought Nyra in, comes toward Killian. "So, what do you plan to do with her now, sir?"

"Ask my father when he returns," Killian says calmly, walking away before Robert can ask any more questions.

---

Inside, Nyra had expected a dungeon, or a room with chains and a bucket waiting for her. Instead, she is thrown into a luxurious guest room.

The wide window lets in fresh air and natural light into the otherwise pale room. In the middle is a huge bed, and another door that probably leads to the restroom.

She looks out the window. The mansion seems to be far away from other houses, only surrounded by tall trees and wildflowers.

What the hell is this place?

They must be in human territory, because she can’t even smell any werewolf nearby.

She closes her eyes, trying to reach Nyx.

"Nyx! Where are you? We need to shift and leave this place."

"I’m too weak," Nyx responds in a low voice. "The poison they gave us was meant to completely kill off your wolf side. If an Omega had been given it, they probably wouldn’t have survived."

Nyra’s eyes widen in shock. Just what the hell did those people give her?

And if they already have a poison so powerful, what else do they have?!

Just then, the door opens again. Killian, who looks to be in his early 20s, comes in again.

He smiles when he sees Nyra, but his eyes carry a hidden glint. "What do you want to eat?"

"My food. Back at home." Nyra glares at him. "And where the fuck did you people bring me? What is this place?"

Killian sighs at her answer, coming behind her to loosen the cords slightly. "Stop fighting it. The more you do, the tighter they become."

"Answer my question!" She snaps, shaking her head frantically. Her hair falls from her shoulder, revealing the mating mark near her neck.

Killian freezes, staring at it. "You’re a marked wolf?"

"Yes, I was marked by my mate. Why?" She scowls at him.

Killian doesn’t say a word, but his eyes grow much darker. He stares at the mark on her neck, feeling his blood boil.

His hand comes up to feel the mark, making her freeze. "What the hell are you doing? Another man is not supposed to touch my mark!"

He exhales and pulls his hand back. "How old are you?" Something about the way he asks makes Nyra tell him immediately.

"Eighteen."

"Hmmm." He hums, but he still looks annoyed. "How did this mating mark form? Regular wolves cannot mark an Alpha Queen..."

Nyra bites her lips in response. If she says anything, she risks putting Adrian in danger.

He just watches her quietly, then stands up abruptly. "I didn’t expect you to have a mark... but what can I do?"

Nyra’s brow furrows. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing. Rest, you’ll need it. My dad will be back by dawn, then we’ll start."

"Start what?" Nyra frowns. "To bleed me dry? Are you guys really going to kill me?"

"Of course not. Who told you that?" He looks at her incredulously. "We just... need a few pints of blood for our project, that’s all."

"So you’ll let me go?"

Killian’s eyes darken. "We were supposed to, but... I don’t think that’s on the menu anymore." His eyes drop down her frame, then snap back up.

Nyra feels utterly exposed under his gaze. She feels like wrapping the sheets around her body.

Then he abruptly just turns around and leaves. She hears him lock the door from the other side.

She stares at the closed door in complete confusion. "What the fuck just happened?"

---

The condo is eerily quiet when Adrian’s father finally arrives.

He rushes inside with several guards behind him, immediately finding Adrian lying on the floor, barely conscious.

There’s glass and ash everywhere on the ground, and even the door is barely holding onto its hinges.

"Adrian!" Darius calls out in a worried voice when he sees his son trying to move but failing.

"Dad..." Adrian’s voice is weak. "They took her."

"I know. We’ll deal with that. Right now, you’re coming with me." They carefully lift Adrian and carry him outside.

An hour later, inside the private estate, the royal oracle kneels beside Adrian.

She places her hand against his forehead, closing her eyes as she examines the poison coursing through him.

Her expression turns grim. "This is extremely powerful wolf poison. Illegal in most states."

Adrian’s father stiffens. "Can you cure him?"

"His body will eventually purge it, but his wolf won’t be able to surface for at least two days."

Adrian frowns. "Two days?"

The oracle nods. "He is really lucky, because any more of this poison would have killed him."

Adrian feels like his whole wolf is crumbling in that moment. He can’t even reach her through their bond because of the poison.

"Where is she?" He asks his father. "What happened? Were those the hunters?"

Darius nods with a grim expression. "I’m sorry, but she’s been taken into their territory. And we have no idea what they’re planning to do with her."