[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-alpha-s-unwanted-bride":3,"chapter-the-alpha-s-unwanted-bride-the-alpha-s-unwanted-bride-chapter-691":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Alpha's Unwanted Bride",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1497143,1945,"Chapter 691: THE REBELS","the-alpha-s-unwanted-bride-chapter-691",691,"\u003Cp>training began at dawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Always at dawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They said it was when the veil between body and spirit was thinnest, when the wolf stirred closest to the surface. When the land itself was still half-asleep and more willing to listen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was led to different places each day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stone courtyards wrapped in ivy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearings ringed with standing stones carved in runes I couldn’t read.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High terraces overlooking the endless green where the wind sang constantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wolves who trained me were not soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were elders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some old enough that their hair had faded silver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some young, their power sharp and contained, eyes too knowing for their age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They never raised their voices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never rushed me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never showed frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which somehow made it worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stand barefoot,\" one instructed gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stone beneath my feet was cool, almost humming, as if something beneath it recognized me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Close your eyes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Breathe,\" another voice murmured. \"Not into your lungs. Into your bones.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I inhaled slowly, deeply, the way they had taught me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now listen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I listened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, there was only my heartbeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The faint rush of blood in my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The distant call of birds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then I felt Something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My wolf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Curled tight and coiled like a sleeping storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hope surged through me so suddenly it almost hurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I feel her,\" I whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elders exchanged glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good,\" one said softly. \"Don’t reach for her. Let her come to you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I relaxed my shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lowered my guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let my awareness sink inward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Come to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, I felt pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a hand braced against my chest from the inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not pushing outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holding back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why won’t you move?\" I whispered, frustration creeping into my voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A memory flared unbidden and then Chains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whispers of unshifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My breath hitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure hardened instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt something tightening chains around me and I withdrew in pain still trying to hold on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She’s resisting,\" one elder murmured. \"Stop.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I opened my eyes, gasping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweat soaked my spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s fine,\" another said quickly. \"That’s information.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They tried again later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Different methods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They placed their palms against my back, channeling warmth into my spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They traced sigils in the air above my head that shimmered briefly before fading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had me kneel beneath the open sky during a full moon, silver light washing over my skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Call her name,\" one whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t know her name,\" I admitted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That unsettled them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Every wolf knows their own,\" someone said quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed. \"I don’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They guided me into water next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A shallow pool fed by a natural spring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The body remembers before the mind,\" they explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The water was warm, infused with herbs that smelled sharp and sweet. They submerged me slowly, supporting my weight as my stomach floated slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Feel how the water carries you,\" they said. \"Your wolf understands balance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I closed my eyes again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt her then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stirred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A ripple passed through my spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hope flared and just when I thought I was about to feel her close up to me, she slammed shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pain exploded behind my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cried out, clutching my stomach as something inside me recoiled violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enough!\" one of them snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hands grabbed me immediately, pulling me upright, wrapping warm cloaks around my shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She’s not sleeping,\" one elder said grimly. \"She’s bound.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes,\" another agreed. \"This is not natural suppression.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What kind is it?\" someone asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Royal sealing,\" came the answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words sent a chill through me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Royal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A member of the royal family had sealed my wolf?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mysteries were too much for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She’s fighting it,\" another murmured. \"Hard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I laughed weakly through my tears. \"She’s stubborn.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A silence followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No,\" one elder said softly. \"She’s afraid.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That broke something in me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, they stopped pushing so hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My body was changing rapidly now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My belly was heavy, pulling me forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My back burned constantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even standing for too long made my legs tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some nights, the baby moved so strongly it stole my breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They adjusted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Training became shorter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gentler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More observational.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when it was clear that forcing my wolf would do more harm than good...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They brought the mid-wife she wolves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They treated my body like something precious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Warm oils rubbed into aching muscles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soft hands easing pressure from my hips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Low songs hummed as they worked, voices blending into something ancient and comforting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your child is strong,\" one woman said after pressing her palm against my belly. \"Very strong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relief washed through me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And a wolf,\" she added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Joy bloomed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then faded just as quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled anyway. \"Thank you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She smiled back, but her eyes fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you have children?\" I asked gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A son.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My chest warmed. \"Is he well?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her smile faltered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He will be fifteen soon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words felt heavy before I even understood why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And...?\" I prompted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He will be drafted.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The word settled cold in my bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To fight?\" I asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fight what?\" I asked lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The rebels.\" She said and I rose a brow in disbelief as I looked up at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rebels? What rebels?\" I asked her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was lost but she didn’t seem like she wanted to talk about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He’s just a boy,\" I whispered changing the subject I could tell she wasn’t comfortable with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her hands stilled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That doesn’t stop the law,\" she said quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My arms wrapped protectively around my belly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do they survive?\" I asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unforgiving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, she spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Some.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer hurt worse than a no.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she resumed her work, her touch careful and loving, a thought took root inside me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This place was beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Balanced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even here...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Power demanded blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as my son shifted inside me, strong and insistent, I realized something with terrifying clarity:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever was coming\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever my wolf was being protected from and it wasn’t just about me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was about him too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My arms went around my tummy protectively.\u003C\u002Fp>",1024,"2026-06-06T04:22:25.635Z",1,"novelbin.me","9ae676872ead0c4d288a47385e92d007f24efa6eb20d5da15fa15038145583a4","the-alpha-s-unwanted-bride-chapter-692","the-alpha-s-unwanted-bride-chapter-690",728,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-alpha-s-unwanted-bride-cover.jpg"]