From Substitute To Queen Novel

Chapter 26

His eyes returned to their familiar deep blue hue as he swiftly regained control of his wolf within moments. It was expected; after all, he was the Lycan King. Caelan closed the distance between us, step by step. Suddenly, a fiery heat erupted in my chest, spreading out like molten fire. Instead of joy, waves of terror washed over me. No... this can't be happening... My thoughts spiraled into chaos. I had always seen Caelan as a protective figure, almost like a big brother. Someone safe.

I had just escaped the betrayal by Darrell, and now I had to confront an even stronger connection? Instinctively, I leaned back, my breaths becoming shallow and rapid. "This... this isn't possible..." I had agreed to this marriage because it seemed like a secure arrangement, a chance to mend things with Dad... But if he's my mate, that means... I would have to give my heart to another man once more... Caelan came closer and crouched down, meeting my eyes at the same level.

"Hi, Sabi." His voice sounded rougher than usual, as if he was struggling to contain something powerful. His gaze quickly scanned my dripping hair and disheveled appearance. I saw pain and confusion flicker across his features. "I just came from the airport," he said, setting down his luggage and draping his black jacket gently around my shoulders. "What happened? Your hair is still soaking wet - you'll catch a cold." His fingers ran through my wet locks.

The moment his skin touched my hair, an electric current surged through both of us. My body started trembling violently. Fear filled my eyes. "No... I can't..." I attempted to speak, but the energy of the mate bond made me feel dizzy and disoriented. The emotional turmoil from tonight, physical exhaustion, and this sudden overpowering bond - my body finally reached its breaking point. Darkness closed in. I stumbled forward towards Caelan.

Carlan's POV

Everything seemed to slow down. I witnessed the exact moment when her body ceased its struggle. Sable had been trembling in the leather chair, her amber eyes wide with fear and confusion. The mate bond was overpowering her; I could see it in her erratic breathing and trembling hands gripping the chair arms. She was in shock. When her eyes rolled back, and her body went limp, I acted instinctively.

My arms shot out, catching her before she could slide off the chair and hit the marble floor. The contact sent a surge through my veins. Dorm's roar shook me to the core. Mate. Our mate. Claim her now! It hit me like a drug as I carefully held her in my arms. The scent of strawberries and roses was sweet, intoxicating, and uniquely hers. I buried my face in her damp hair, breathing her in deeply; my senses burned. But then I saw her face.

As pale as winter moonlight. Her lips devoid of color. The predatory hunger Storm demanded clashed with ice-cold concern. My protective instincts took over everything else. So I whispered, my voice unintentionally rough. No response. She was completely unconscious, limp in my arms. I knew why. The Lycan King's mate bond was always more intense than regular Alpha bonds, especially when the female was already weakened.

I adjusted my hold, lifting her properly by sliding one arm under her knees. She felt weightless, too light, as if she hadn't been eating properly. I carried her towards the elevators, recalling the events that led to this moment. Three hours ago... The vulnerability in her voice during our phone call had pierced through me. She tried to mask it, to sound normal, but I detected the tremor beneath her words. She was barely holding it together.

I ended the call and immediately instructed my assistant to clear my schedule for the next forty-eight hours and arrange the fastest flight to Moonridge. Siward attempted to argue about pack meetings, but one look from me silenced him. When the Lycan King drops everything for a woman, smart people do not ask questions. During the flight, my mind raced through every possible scenario. The broken necklace photos haunted me - Isabella's precious sapphire, shattered. Why her?

How did the necklace break? Why wouldn't she tell me what truly happened? The old tale of violence. Blood on the metal. Someone's going to pay for this. When we landed at Moonridge, I bypassed the usual protocol entirely.

No security detail, no formal arrival - just me and a hired car racing through the city streets towards the hotel. I needed to plan and gather my bearings before contacting Sable for a proper meeting. The moment I entered the hotel's glass doors, three she-wolves had suddenly appeared. They moved with predatory grace, blocking my path to the front desk. The blonde one had come too close, her hand reaching for my arm.

"Hi there, handsome," she purred. "I'm Melissa. You look like you could use some company tonight." The brunette giggled, batting her eyelashes. "We're having a party upstairs. Why don't you give us your number?" The redhead was more direct, pressing against my side. "You're definitely not from around here. Let us show you how we welcome visitors in Moonridge." I felt nothing.

These women were attractive, but they might as well have been furniture for all the interest they sparked. My patience evaporated instantly; I had one goal - finding Sable, and these individuals were wasting precious time. "I'm Carlan Blackwood," I stated, my voice dropping to frigid temperatures. "You have three seconds to get out of my sight before I bill you all!" The temperature in the lobby seemed to plummet ten degrees.

My Alpha authority emanated from me, pressing down on their wolves until they whimpered in submission. They paled, stumbling backward so quickly that the blonde nearly fell. They scattered towards the elevators, too terrified to even offer an apology. Pathetic. That's when I turned and spotted her across the lobby. My beautiful, shattered Sabi.

She resembled a drowned kitten - drenched, clutching her phone, staring at the screen with the expression of someone whose world had just crumbled. Our eyes met across the marble expanse. A roar erupted from the depths of my soul - Storm's voice resonating in triumphant recognition: 'She's ours! Our Mate! Our queen!' An electric current surged through every nerve ending. My vision sharpened to laser focus.

All other sounds in the lobby faded away, except for the rapid thumping of her heart. What in the world? Thirty-four years, and this is the first time... I was too shocked to think clearly. Storm was practically bouncing with excitement: "This is why we waited! This is why we could never bond with anyone else! She's our fated mate!"