The Alpha's Greatest Regret: Losing His True Fated Mate

Aaliyah POV:

The darkness before dawn was absolute, a thick, inky blanket that swallowed all light. I tucked the jade pendant into a small pouch and secured it under my clothes, its coolness a solid presence against my skin. I packed a small bag with our few spare clothes and all of my mother's remaining herbs.

I wrapped Ellum, still worryingly warm, in our thickest blanket, and carefully maneuvered him onto my back, his small head resting against my shoulder.

My hand was on the rough wood of the door, my heart a frantic drum against my ribs, when a soft tapping sound came from the other side.

I froze.

Every muscle in my body seized. They had come for us. Asher had sent guards to drag me back, to punish me for my defiance.

The knock came again, more insistent this time, followed by a hushed, familiar voice.

"Miss Aaliyah? It's me. Faye."

Relief flooded through me so intensely my knees went weak. I fumbled with the latch and pulled the door open.

Faye Miller, my only friend in this pack, stood on the doorstep. Her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen, and she clutched a small, lumpy bundle to her chest. She was the daughter of one of the pack's cooks, and had been assigned to me as an attendant—a role that mostly meant we shared chores and misery.

Her gaze took in my packed bag, the child on my back, the desperate resolve in my eyes. Understanding dawned on her face, followed by a wave of alarm.

"Miss... what are you doing? Where are you going?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

There was no point in lying. "I'm taking Ellum to Veridia," I said, my voice steady despite the tremor in my soul. "We're leaving."

Tears welled in Faye's eyes and spilled down her cheeks. She had heard what happened at the main house last night—the servants' gossip spread faster than wildfire.

She didn't try to stop me. She didn't tell me I was crazy. Instead, she pushed her bundle into my hands. "Take this, Miss. It's all my savings. And some bread and cheese. It's not much, but..."

I stared at her, speechless.

She grabbed my hand, her small fingers surprisingly strong. Her eyes were fierce. "Take me with you, Miss Aaliyah. Please. My parents are gone. Your mother was the one who took me in when I had nowhere else to go. I can't let you and Master Ellum go alone. I won't."

The warmth of her hand, the fierce loyalty in her eyes—it was the first kindness I had felt in what seemed like a lifetime. My own eyes burned with unshed tears. The road ahead was dangerous and uncertain. I couldn't ask her to share that burden.

But looking at her determined face, I knew I couldn't refuse her either.

I gave a single, sharp nod, and took her bundle.

Without another word, Faye moved with practiced efficiency, helping me adjust the straps holding Ellum, making sure he was secure and as comfortable as possible. We shared a look, a silent promise in the dark, and then slipped out of the cabin.

Faye knew the pack lands better than anyone. She led me away from the main paths, onto an old, overgrown hunter's trail that snaked through the dense woods. The journey was treacherous—the ground slick with mud, tangled roots grabbing at my ankles with every step. Every snapped twig sounded like a gunshot. Every rustle of leaves was a guard's hand reaching for us. My heart didn't just race—it thundered, a desperate, primal rhythm that screamed: run, run, run. If we were caught now, there would be no second chances. Asher's pride would not survive a second rejection. He would lock us away. He would make sure I never saw the sky again. But I would die before I let that happen. Ellum would not grow up in a cage. Not while I still had breath in my lungs. I stumbled more than once, the weight of my brother threatening to pull me down, but each time Faye's steady hand was there to catch me.

We reached the edge of the territory just as the first pale light of dawn began to bleed across the horizon. Before us lay a small, sleepy town that served as a buffer between the pack lands and the human world.

There was a pawn shop on the main street, its windows dusty and dark. I didn't hesitate.

The owner was a portly man with greedy eyes that lit up when he saw the jade pendant. He knew it was valuable. He tried to lowball me, offering a pittance.

But a strange calm had settled over me. I remembered conversations I'd overheard—my mother teaching a visiting merchant about the clarity and color of good jade. I repeated her words, pointing out the flawlessness of the stone, the mastery of the carving.

My unexpected knowledge and unwavering composure seemed to startle him. He grumbled, but his next offer was three times the first. It was a fair price. I took it.

With a pouch heavy with coins, we moved quickly. I bought a sturdy, if old, carriage and a tired-looking horse. We stocked up on blankets, water, and more food. Faye helped me settle Ellum into the back of the carriage, making a small nest for him among the blankets.

I took the reins myself.

As the first rays of sun crested the hills, our small carriage rattled onto the main road leading away from the town, away from Blackwood, away from the only life I had ever known.

I glanced back at Faye. Her face was a mixture of fear and exhilaration. I knew mine must look the same.

In the back, Ellum stirred, letting out a soft moan. I reached back and took his small, hot hand in mine.

"It's okay, Ellum," I whispered, my voice thick with a promise that was also a prayer. "I've got you. We're never going back there again."