THE ALPHA I WAS BORN TO KILL

Chap2

“Get the wounded inside!” Rhyden shouted.

Three fighters ran past him. Another explosion shook the ground. Evara stumbled as dust and pieces of stone rained over the courtyard. Her ears buzzed. For a moment, she couldn't see anything through the thick, choking smoke. Then, she heard a close growl.

She turned.

A wolf was coming straight for her. She raised her arms just before it hit her, the impact knocking her backward. They crashed into the ground. Its claws tore through her sleeve, slicing into her skin.

Evara grabbed its throat and pushed back. The wolf snapped its jaws inches from her face. She twisted her body, drove her knee into its ribs, and rolled away. It recovered quickly, pinning its ears back.

She reached for her knife. The wolf lunged again. Suddenly, a blade flew through the air and struck the wolf squarely in the shoulder. The animal dropped with a howl. Evara looked up to see Rhyden standing a few feet away.

“Move,” he ordered.

She ignored him.

The wounded wolf began to rise. Evara grabbed her knife and finished the fight herself. When she stood, Rhyden was staring at her. “You could have let me handle that.”

“I didn't need your help,” she snapped, brushing past him.

His jaw clenched. “This is my pack. You're on my ground, stranger.”

“And I just saved one of your people,” she shot back, her glare meeting his. "You're welcome, by the way."

“You also trespassed into my territory.”

“I had business here.” Evara wiped a smear of blood from her cheek. “With you.”

Rhyden took one predatory step toward her. “What business?”

She looked directly into his eyes. “Killing you.”

For a second, the chaos and noise around them seemed to fade away. Rhyden's expression barely changed, but his body did. His broad shoulders tightened, and his hand inched toward the weapon at his waist.

Maevra appeared at his side, her sword drawn. “Alpha.”

Rhyden didn't look away from Evara. “Take her.”

Maevra grabbed Evara's arm. Evara yanked herself free. “Don't touch me.”

Maevra's eyes narrowed. “You're in no position to give orders.”

Before Evara could answer, a howl echoed from the eastern gate. Everyone turned. The broken entrance was empty. The attackers were gone.

Rhyden's eyes narrowed. “Where did they go?”

A fighter ran toward him, breathless. “Alpha, they're retreating into the forest.”

“Follow them.”

The fighter hesitated, looking back at the burning structures. “Sir, the fire...”

“Put it out after you find them.”

He took off into the trees. Rhyden turned to Maevra. “Lock the gates. No one leaves.”

Maevra nodded. Then, Rhyden looked back at Evara. “You're coming with me.”

Evara let out a short laugh. “You're giving me orders now?”

“You came here to kill me.” Rhyden reminded her.

“And you still haven't asked why.”

“I'll ask after you're behind a locked door.”

Evara's hand drifted toward her knife. Rhyden noticed the movement instantly. “So that's how you want this to go?”

She looked around the courtyard. People were injured, buildings were burning, and children were being carried into safer rooms.

She slowly lowered her hand. “For now.”

Rhyden started walking, and Evara followed. Inside the Alpha's house, the noise became distant. Rhyden led her into a room with stone walls and a heavy wooden table. Maevra followed and shut the door.

Rhyden pointed toward a chair. “Sit.”

Evara remained standing, crossing her arms. “I'm fine.”

“You're bleeding all over the floor.”

“So are half your people.”

Maevra stepped forward, her patience wearing off. “I've been waiting to put you in a cell.”

Evara turned to her. “You've been itching to say that since I arrived. Then why haven't you?”

“Because the Alpha hasn't ordered it yet," Maevra said.

Rhyden lifted a hand, and both women stopped. He walked toward Evara, stopping just close enough to make it clear that he wasn't afraid of her.

“Who sent you?” Rhyden demanded.

Evara watched him closely. "Why should I tell you?

“Because someone just attacked my home at the exact moment you showed up.”

“I didn't bring them,” she said. "And I don't care if you believe me or not."

Rhyden's eyes hardened. "Give me a reason to believe you.”

Evara hesitated. She couldn't tell him everything. Not yet. She didn't even understand everything herself. “My orders were simple,” she said, keeping her voice steady. “I was told to find you and kill you.”

“Who gave the order?” he pressed. She looked away, her gaze dropping to the floor. Rhyden caught it. “Your father?” he guessed.

Her head snapped back. “Don't mention him. He has nothing to do with this.”

Maevra exchanged a knowing look with him. The Alpha leaned against the edge of the table. “You know my name. You know where I live. You know how to cross my borders. Yet you're dodging questions about your father.” Evara said nothing. “That's not random," Rhyden continued, "Tell me, what are you hiding?”

Before Evara could answer, the door opened. Tavian Rook hurried inside, his clothes heavily stained with blood. “Alpha,” he said, breathless.

Rhyden straightened.

“The wounded are being treated, but we have a problem.” Tavian looked at Evara, his face growing pale. He stepped closer, staring at her intensely. “Where did she come from?” He looked at Rhyden. “Did she touch you?”

Rhyden's expression tightened. “No, what kind of question is that?”

Tavian ignored him, turning his full attention back to Evara. "I need to check something.”

Evara took a defensive step back. Tavian stopped, frustration creeping into his voice. “You don't understand.”

Evara studied him closely. “Lay a finger on me and you'll lose it.”

Rhyden looked between them. “Tavian.”

“I need her blood.”

Evara's eyes narrowed. “For what?”

“To test something.” Tavian hesitated, casting a wary glance at Rhyden. Then, he said quietly, “Your wolf.”

The room went entirely silent. Evara felt the strange pressure in her chest. Deep down her wolf moved, not screaming this time but listening.

Rhyden noticed her reaction. “What is wrong with her wolf?” he asked Tavian.

Tavian shook his head. “I don't know.”

“Then find out.”

Tavian nodded.

Evara immediately stepped toward the door, but Rhyden moved to block her path. “Where do you think you're going?”

“Leaving,” she replied firmly.

“You're not leaving this house.”

“Move.”

“No.”

She stared at him, defiant. “You can't keep me here.”

A loud knock interrupted them. Maevra opened the door to see Veyron Ash standing outside. His face was grim. “We found something.” Rhyden turned to him. Veyron looked past Rhyden as his eyes landed on Evara. “We found three bodies near the tree line. They aren't ours.” Veryon paused.

Rhyden waited, and he continued. “They were wearing the markings of the western packs.”

Maevra frowned, shaking her head. “The western packs wouldn't attack us.”

“That's what I thought,” Veyron said, looking directly at Rhyden. “There's something else. One of them was carrying this.” He held up a small black object.

Evara's blood ran cold as she recognized it instantly. It was the same symbol carved into the knife she had been given when she received her order.

Rhyden saw her face. “You know what it means.”

She looked at him. Her fingers curled into fists. “It means the folks who sent me aren't just sitting around waiting for me to kill you.” Rhyden's eyes narrowed. Evara looked past him, toward the dark window. “They're waiting for you to die.”

A silence settled over the room. Then, somewhere outside, a wolf let out a mournful howl. Another quickly joined in, then another. Within seconds, the entire Northern Territory was filled with a chorus of overlapping howls.

Rhyden walked quickly to the window. “What the hell?”

Evara stepped up beside him, looking out into the night. Beyond the settlement, hundreds of wolves were emerging from the forest. They were not attacking, they were just watching. And every single one of them was facing the Alpha's house.