The Alpha's Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger. Chapter 250 250: The beginning - Father's request

Neriah

He took a slow step forward, closing the distance between us. His scent filled the air…

"You've been thinking about , haven't you?" he asked, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

My breath caught in my throat. How did he know? How could he see through so easily? What did he say about being brave enough to listen?"

"I…"

"You don't have to lie." His voice was smooth, and low, like velvet dragging against my skin. "I could feel it."

A shiver ran down my spine, but I couldn't look away.

"What are you?" I heard myself asking again. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to ask him.

He tilted his head, his smile flickering – half amusent, half sothing darker.

"I'm… many things." He took another step closer, and this ti, my feet automatically backed away until my back hit the rough bark of another tree. His fingers brushed along the edge of my hair, feather-light. "But none of that matters right now."

My heart was pounding so hard, I was afraid he could hear it. The air around us felt charged, humming with sothing dangerous… sothing forbidden.

"Corvus…" I whispered; his na rolled off my tongue like a secret.

The man leaned in slightly, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off his body. "Neriah," he whispered. "My honeybee…"

My lips parted. Sothing about this man, about his na, sent a strange ache through my chest – like I'd known it long before I ever heard it. There was this connection I felt…I couldn't explain it. Couldn't put it in words.

"I shouldn't be here," I whispered, more to myself than to him.

"No, you shouldn't," his eyes glead with wicked amusent. "But you ca anyway and that's because you feel it too."

His voice was a lure, pulling deeper into sothing I didn't fully understand. I ignored the pull and tried to focus on him.

"What are you doing in these woods? What's this history between you and my father? Why were my father's elite warriors chasing you? He only uses them for severe situations – mostly life-threatening. Are you a dangerous man, Corvus?"

His smile faded, just a little.

"I've been waiting for you, Neriah. I wasn't expecting hugs and kisses but you ask too many questions of answers that I cannot give you. Questions you may not want to know the answers to."

I didn't hear the rest of what he said. My mind picked only the first sentence.

"For what?"

He arched his brow.

"Why have you been waiting for ? For what?"

His gaze dropped to my lips before flicking back up to et my eyes.

"For you."

I sucked in a deep, shaky breath and for a heartbeat, the whole forest seed to fall silent – as if the world itself was holding its breath.

Sothing was happening here. Sothing dangerous.

"I should go," I whispered again. My heart was slamming against my ribs.

"Then go."

But he didn't move. He didn't step back and neither did I.

My fingers clenched against the bark behind , my fingers clutching at the bark. My spirit was restless, the familiar urge to sing suddenly seized . I found myself making conscious efforts to clamp my mouth and to avoid singing.

What is this?

It was like he was made of sothing… wrong. Sothing broken. Yet every instinct in my body was pulling closer.

"I don't even know you," I said breathlessly.

"Not yet." His fingers brushed against my wrist, trailing slowly up the inside of my arm. His touch was feather-light, but it left burning sparks in its wake. "But you will."

His eyes locked on mine – staring at intensely and it felt like he was peeling back every layer I had.

"You'll know in ways no one else ever will, Neriah."

My throat dried.

"I can't. I have a mate…"

Why did I just say that? Why was I explaining myself to a total stranger that I had a mate when the question was just as harmless…

"You can…" he interrupted my thoughts.

His fingers ghosted along my jaw. I found myself leaning into his touch, closing my eyes and erupting pleasure sounds. My eyes flew open in shock and I found him staring at . As I made to move away from him, he held my jaw firmly, tilting my face slightly toward him.

"I know what you're feeling," he whispered. "This pull… this hunger."

My breathing beca uneven as my lower abdon clasped.

"You're lying," I managed, despite myself and how my voice wavered.

His smile sharpened.

"I'm not and you know that, Neriah." His hand slid down to the collar of my neck, pausing for a second as it continued until my chest, rested on my peeking nipples. "Neriah…" he whispered my na. "Ever so sensitive. Does your mate make you feel this way?"

He leaned in just a little closer, his breath brushing against my lips. I just had to move my head a little and our lips would et.

"You can feel it, can't you? The bond? Do you feel like this with Thas?"

My heart nearly stopped. How did he know, Thas's na? And, bond?

"No…" I whispered.

His smile turned soft, almost tender – but there was sothing darker glinting beneath it.

"You were always ant to find , Neriah. Our destiny is written in the stars and has been for a long ti. Now that we've found each other… we must not linger any longer. We should make haste and have it fulfilled.

My mind scread at to run – to turn and leave him in these woods where he belonged. But my feet wouldn't move.

His fingers traced down the side of my neck, finding the place where my pulse fluttered wildly.

"You don't belong here," he murmured, his lips were dangerously close to my ear. With each breath, I felt warmth pool in between my legs. I clenched my fists, trying to rein in everything. "Now with them. Not with the Alphas, or the Lycans. Not with the Auréans. You're too powerful to beco a re Moonsinger. You're different."

My knees buckled slightly, and I hated how easily my body responded to him.

"What are you doing to ?" I whispered, allowing him to press tiny kisses on my neck.

"I'm only waking you up," he murmured.

His fingers slid beneath my chin, tilting my face back to et his gaze.

"You've always been ant for more, Neriah. You just don't know it yet."

My heart slamd against my ribs.

"I can't…"

"You don't have to choose… not yet."

His thumb traced along my bottom lip, sending sparks along every nerve in my body.

"But you will. When the ti is right too. No one would force you to. You'll realize that it's the right thing to do."

Our faces were inches apart now, the world narrowing down to just him – just the heat of his breath and the golden glow of his eyes.

"You'll choose , Neriah," he whispered. "You always will."

My heart was in my throat.

"I should go," I whispered again, but this ti I didn't sound so sure.

He smiled – slow, knowing.

"I'll be waiting."

With that, he finally stepped back, leaving breathless and trembling against the tree.

My legs felt weak as I pushed off the bark and stumbled backwards. I turned without another word and ran – through the trees, through the dawn light – until I reached the edge of the forest.

I didn't stop running until I was back inside the pack walls. My mind was spinning. My chest ached. What have I done?

But even as I slamd the door to my room and leaned against it, trying to catch my breath. His voice still whispered inside my head.

You'll choose , Neriah. You always will.

As I sat on my bed numb, and still thinking about my encounter, there was a rattle on my bedroom door. I didn't bother to look up since it was only Thas who ca into my room without knocking.

The door opened and I looked up, hoping he would not read through my fear but it was my father who walked in. I jumped to my feet, imdiately, bowing enigmatically and stamring.

"G-Good morning, Father."

He nodded. But I noticed he didn't have a frown on his face like he always does. His face was uncharacteristically calm, almost serene, which unsettled more than his usual stern expression. He stood at the door for a minute staring at , his eyes searching my face for sothing I couldn't identify.

"I ca to your room before. You weren't here. Where did you go to? His voice was even. He didn't sound angry.

My heart hamred against my ribcage. I felt backed into a corner trapped by my father's penetrating gaze. My mind raced for a plausible excuse.

"I… I went for my morning ditations, Father," I murmured, averting my eyes, afraid he would see the truth in them. The mory of Corvus's eyes was still fresh in my mind.

I expected my father to press further to question my obvious lie with his usual interrogation tactics. To my surprise, he simply nodded and stepped into the room. This unexpected reaction made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

Sothing was wrong. Very wrong.