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Melody had always trusted her instincts.

So when her father announced that he was investigating the mysterious disappearances surrounding Blackwood Forest, a sense of dread settled deep inside her chest.

Her father was a journalist known for chasing dangerous stories. For months, rumors had spread throughout the nearby towns. People who entered Blackwood Forest never returned. Search teams found no bodies, no clues, and no explanation.

It was as if the forest itself swallowed them whole.

Determined to uncover the truth, her father packed his camera, notebook, and flashlight and set out for the forest.

Melody refused to let him go alone.

“Dad, please,” she begged. “Something that about this place feels wrong.”

Despite his protests, she followed him into the woods.

At first, everything seemed normal.

The towering trees stretched endlessly toward the sky while sunlight filtered through the branches. Her father took photographs and notes as they ventured deeper into the forest.

But as evening approached, the atmosphere changed.

The air grew colder.

The sounds of birds and insects disappeared.

An eerie silence settled over the woods.

Then they realized they were lost.

No matter which direction they turned, the path they had followed had vanished.

A chill crawled down Melody’s spine.

Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the darkness.

Her heart nearly stopped.

“Dad…” she whispered.

Another growl answered.

Then another.

Slowly, five enormous wolves emerged from the shadows.

Their crimson eyes glowed like burning embers.

These weren’t ordinary wolves.

They were Lycans—supernatural creatures capable of shifting between wolf and human forms. Blackwood Forest belonged to their pack, and they could immediately smell the presence of outsiders.

Foreigners.

Intruders.

Enemies.

The wolves bared their fangs.

Then they attacked.

“RUN!” her father shouted.

The largest wolf lunged toward Melody while the others surrounded her father.

Before she could react, her father shoved her out of harm’s way.

She crashed into a thick tree branch.

Pain exploded through her head.

The world spun violently.

As darkness consumed her vision, the last thing she saw was her father fighting desperately against the wolves.

Then everything went black.

⸻

Far away, beneath the silver glow of the moon, another predator roamed the forest.

Alexander.

The Vampire King.

Feared throughout the supernatural world for his ruthless strength and unmatched power.

For centuries, Alexander had waited for the one person destined to be his mate.

Yet he had never found her.

Every noble vampire woman in the kingdom desired him. Among them was Princess Rosie, one of the most powerful vampires alive. Since neither Alexander nor Rosie had found their fated mates, many believed they would eventually marry.

Even Alexander’s father had grown impatient.

“If you do not find your mate before the final Blood Moon Festival,” the king had warned, “you will marry Rosie.”

Alexander had no intention of accepting.

He would wait for his true mate.

Or remain alone forever.

That night, he and his Beta were hunting through Blackwood Forest.

Suddenly, Alexander froze.

A scent.

Sweet.

Intoxicating.

Unlike anything he had ever encountered.

Every instinct inside him erupted at once.

His crimson eyes flashed.

“My mate.”

Before his Beta could respond, Alexander vanished.

He raced through the forest at supernatural speed, following the irresistible scent.

Moments later, he burst into a clearing.

What he saw made his blood boil.

Five wolves were closing in on an unconscious girl.

Without hesitation, Alexander attacked.

His speed was terrifying.

The wolves barely had time to react before he sent them flying across the clearing.

The creatures retreated instantly, recognizing the Vampire King.

Alexander ignored them.

His attention was entirely fixed on the girl lying motionless on the forest floor.

Long ginger hair framed her pale face.

Even unconscious, she was breathtaking.

He knelt beside her.

The moment his fingers brushed her cheek, a powerful bond surged through him.

Electric.

Unbreakable.

Fated.

His heart pounded.

She was his.

His mate.

After centuries of waiting, he had finally found her.

Carefully, he lifted her into his arms.

Nearby lay an injured human man.

One glance was enough for Alexander to realize who he was.

Her father.

“Take him,” Alexander ordered his Beta.

Without another word, they sped toward the vampire kingdom.

⸻

The entire palace erupted into chaos the moment Alexander arrived.

“Bring every physician!”

His voice thundered through the halls.

“If anything happens to her, none of you will be spared.”

Servants and healers rushed to obey.

News spread quickly throughout the kingdom.

The feared Vampire King had returned carrying a human girl.

A human girl he called his mate.

For hours, Alexander refused to leave her side.

He sat beside her bed, holding her hand while the healers worked.

He couldn’t stop staring at her.

After all this time.

After all these years.

She was finally here.

Then, at last, her eyelids fluttered open.

Slowly, Melody woke.

The first thing she saw was a breathtakingly handsome man with golden hair and piercing crimson eyes.

He was staring at her as though she were the most precious thing in existence.

The stranger smiled softly.

And for the first time in centuries, Alexander’s cold heart felt alive.

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