Mated To The Rogue King

ARIA’S POV

The moon was too bright for a night like this. It shouldn’t have looked so peaceful when my world was falling apart.

They said the Rogue King wanted peace. What he really wanted… was me.

And there I stood—surrounded by greedy elders and my stepmother’s smug face—realizing that everyone here would rather sell me than risk themselves. My father had said, “He’ll rescue you, it’s only temporary,” as if those words could make being given away sound like a plan.

I had my own plans. Ones that didn’t include being my father’s bargaining chip. I was going to escape, live free, and spend the rest of my life with Kael—the man I loved, the one I believed was my future.

I am Aria Thorne, daughter of Alpha Marrek of Crescent Pack. A few months ago, I was just a girl with simple dreams—to start my own trade, marry the love of my life, and rule beside him as his equal. But tonight, I was being offered to a man no one dared to name above a whisper.

The Rogue King.

“He’ll smell your fear,” my father hissed beside me. “Stop shaking.”

I wasn’t shaking from fear. I was shaking from rage.

This so-called union was nothing but an exchange for safety. Rogues had been attacking our borders for months. The council sent envoys to bargain. What came back was a demand: Send your firstborn daughter. My name was chosen before I even knew there had been a vote.

No one really knew what the Rogue King looked like. Some said he was part shadow, part beast. He lived in the Blackfang Forest, ruling over wolves so savage even death refused them.

“You’ll be the strongest female wolf alive with him by your side,” my father said, placing a hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off without a word.

The forest ahead whispered like it knew what was coming. The air grew heavy, the ground tense beneath my bare feet. Then, silence fell over the pack. Footsteps echoed from the dark, and even the elders—my brave stepmother included—stepped back in fear.

He was coming.

A low growl rolled through the ground, deep enough to shake the air from my lungs. Wolves dropped to their knees, and I felt my heart hammer in my chest.

Then he stepped out of the shadows.

The man called the rogue king.

He was shirtless, broad-shouldered, his skin streaked with blood that glistened under the moonlight. His hair was dark and wild, his eyes molten gold that burned when they met mine. A fresh scar cut across his cheek, still raw and angry. He looked like power carved into flesh and every step he took made the earth seem to flinch.

My heart skipped, then raced uncontrollably. His scent hit me—sharp, wild, intoxicating. My wolf stirred inside me, confused and unwilling, drawn yet terrified.

I staggered back, shaking my head. “No… this can’t be happening.”

He grinned, slow and wicked, and when he spoke, his voice rumbled through me like thunder. “I’ve been searching for you, little mate.”

My vision blurred with tears. My wolf howl, not with longing but fear. He wasn’t gentle. He wasn’t right for us. And most of all, he wasn’t our Kael.

“I’m Liam,” he said softly, though nothing about his tone was soft. It carried command, dominance, and something darker.

I stood frozen, my throat dry, while my stepmother smirked at me like she had finally won.

“Is my mate mute?” Liam asked, glancing at my father as he reached for my face, but I slapped it away. “Don’t touch me.”

His eyes darkened, and for a second I wished I hadn’t spoken. Then, unexpectedly, he smiled. “You’ve got fire. Good. The last one cried.”

The last one?

Before I could speak, my stepmother moved forward, pretending kindness. “Our daughter, as promised.” Her hand gripped my shoulder, and I glared at her so hard I wished my stare could burn.

She opened her mouth to say more, but Liam turned his gaze on her. The look alone made her stumble backward and fall. For the first time all night, I almost laughed.

He turned back to me, his hand wrapping around my throat in a grip that made everyone gasp. I clawed at his arm, struggling to breathe, but his strength was unreal. “So, what should I call you?” he murmured. “Honey? Baby? Princess?”

“My name is Aria,” I rasped.

He loosened his grip and smiled like the name amused him. “Aria,” he repeated slowly, tasting it. “An omega.” He sniffed the air and smirked. “I love them weak and submissive.” His words stung more than his touch. Yes, I was an Omega. Unfortunately, apart from my father’s face, I didn’t get anything else from him. I was an Omega like my mum—fragile, powerless, and easy to offer up.

His gaze roamed shamelessly down my body, pausing at the low neckline my stepmother insisted I wear. I felt sick.

Liam turned to my father. “Alpha Marrek, are we staying here all night?”

My father forced a nervous smile. “Of course not. Let’s move to the hall.”

So that was it. After everything, he still handed me over like I was nothing.

The hall was draped in gold and white, decorated by my stepmother as though this were some grand celebration. I stood at the entrance, praying for something—anything—to stop this.

But before I could breathe, Liam’s arm wrapped around me. He lifted me like I weighed nothing and carried me to the altar where my fate would be sealed.

The women began to chant, their voices echoing off the walls. I looked at my father, begging silently, but he didn’t look sorry. He didn’t even look at me.

Every memory of him teaching me to run, to fight, to be brave—every promise he ever made—burned away as I blinked back tears.

Suddenly, the doors slammed open. A man stepped inside, his boots heavy against the floor.

“I have a message from Alpha Kael to the Rogue King,” he said, his voice steady.

My heart stopped. Kael. He had come for me—he must have.

The messenger handed a letter to Liam. He opened it, reading quietly before his lips twisted into a cruel smile. “Seems your cowardly lover doesn’t want to let you go,” he said, tossing the letter toward me.

“Let her go, or face my wrath.’

Liam chuckled. “Tell him I’m waiting for his wrath.”

The messenger hesitated. That was his mistake.

Liam stood, his height towering over everyone, and walked toward the messenger. Before anyone could react, he grabbed the man by the neck and, with a single snap, tore his head clean from his body.

The hall filled with screams. I dropped to my knees, trembling, as blood spread across the floor. Liam turned back to me, calm and smiling as if nothing had happened.

“So,” he said, his golden eyes glinting, “where were we?”