The Alpha's Daughter

Chapter 13: The Silver Cottage

Gamma Ray turned the knob on the door, and when I saw his hand flinch, I understood why it was called the Silver Cottage. There are silver bars on the windows, like in a prison cell, and the doorknob is silver. There was no lock, so I guess I was grateful I was not a prisoner at least. Inside, there was only a simple bed, a nightstand, and a chair. In the closet hung two gray tracksuits. One was for males and the other for females. Interesting, I thought to myself.

Then Gamma Ray spoke, “Viviana, if Victor or Zander visit you here, send them away at once. Visiting you without permission may be seen as a challenge to the new Alpha.”

“We wouldn’t want that now, would we, Gamma Ray?” I replied sarcastically.

“Right now, I can’t afford to care what happens to you. I hope that you are not mated to either of them. I would hate to see Zander lose all his senses and try a fruitless challenge and end up dead. Victor, the pack's needs. If you care about either one like you pretend to, you will instruct them to leave immediately. I will return with the Alpha at sunrise to see if you are in fact, Max’s mate.” He spoke bitterly. He did not wait for an answer before turning and leaving.

What am I to do now? I certainly do not want to present myself tomorrow morning before the Alpha and have him find out I am not Max’s mate; he may kill me on the spot, rather than have a challenge to the Alpha title. The whole pack knows my mate is supposed to be the Alpha. Worse yet, it could be if I were Max’s mate. What would he do with me? Would he even allow me to be acknowledged as that? A knock on the door startles me, “If it's Victor or Zander, go away!” I demanded.

“Why am I always second?” I don't answer that, but laugh at Zander.

“Leave now, Gamma Ray was very specific about what would happen if you came here,” I instructed.

“Well, tell my… well, my mother told me to check on you.” He declared.

“Your mother should consider your safety if the new Alpha sees you as a threat,” I rebuked him.

“Who will consider your safety?” he asked.

“No one,” I exclaimed, “now go away!”

He huffed; I knew he was angry. It took a while, but I heard his steps vanish. I could not bring myself to see him or have to say goodbye. He needed to stay safe. I could not afford to have his death on my hands. Exhaling, I rubbed my forehead. It was getting late. I needed rest. I needed a plan.

Soon, another knock sounded, “Zander, I told you to go home!” I yelled, pulling open the door exasperated, “What are you doing here, Blue?”

“Max asked me to say he's sorry about your father and to give you this,” as he dropped a ring into my hand, he turned and ran. I stared down at my father's Alpha ring. This was one of his most prized possessions. I rubbed my finger across the ruby on top, then closed my fingers around it. The moon was now clearly visible and almost full. Its brightness lit up the woods, to the right of me, something caught my attention.

“Whoever you are, show yourself, before I come out there and make you!” I hollered into the night air.

Saphira poked her head out from behind the trees, “Still bossy as ever!” she said sarcastically. “I brought you this from the bushes outside the packhouse.” She threw a bag in my direction; I caught it, and my heart leapt for joy when I saw it. Saphira’s voice was angry, “I found it in the bushes on patrol. I recognized the insignia on it, good thing for you that I found it and not one of the Alpha’s goons. Guess you meant to run during the challenge; I thought you were better than that. Turns out you're nothing but a pretty face who's a coward, Viviana. I supported you, and you betrayed me.”

“Saphira, wait,” I yelled, but she was gone. I walked back inside, and I was about to shut the door when Victor's foot stopped the door.

“So, you were going to run?” he inquired. Raking his hands through his hair as he walked inside.

“Victor, please! Why must you make this harder for me?” I pleaded.

“Answer me, Viviana was being one of our mates so awful,” slamming the door and pushing me up against it, “tell me, Viviana.”

I started crying, “My father, he…he… he made me promise to leave.” I was choking over my words, lost in emotion, and Victor’s angry eyes did not help. I actually felt afraid and shivered in his presence.

“You were planning before that, Viviana,” He spoke gently, “and what about us?” He wipes my tears with his thumb away from my eyes. “What about this?” He kissed me. When I did not push back, he deepened the kiss, making me moan. His tongue

entered my mouth, and my entire body was on fire. He drew back. “Would you run from me, Viviana?”

I tried to speak, but words would not form properly. I kissed him back as he lifted me and took control. His hands moved down my body as he pulled my body closer. I came to my senses, this had to stop. I tried to stop him. “Victor, Victor, Victor,” I yelled for the third time, more loudly. he paused.

“Viviana,” he whispered softly against my neck. His hot breath on my skin made it hard to think. “I want you, Viviana.” He kissed my neck. “I know you want me too,” he insisted as he kissed my neck again.

“Victor, we have to stop, and you have to leave,” I pleaded. I was losing control over this situation.

“Viviana, you can't escape me,” he spoke softly, his breath falling across my neck, sending shivers down my spine as he planted kisses along my throat, tracing a path back to my mouth.

“Victor, I don't even wish to try, but Alpha Rex will kill you,” I cried, “I have seen enough pain and death for one day. Please, Victor.”

“Alpha Rex can try!” he boasted.

“Victor, don't even think about challenging the Alpha,” I ordered. “I don’t care what the problem is, you don’t challenge an Alpha. Do you understand me? Promise me, Victor, that you will not challenge the Alpha.” I cried in frustration. “Please, Victor, promise me.”

“I promise not to challenge an Alpha because of you,” he replied sarcastically and with a massive grin on his face.

“Not really the same thing, Victor,” I laughed, relieving some tension in the room.

“It’s as good of an agreement as you are going to get.” He laughed back.

“Victor, I know you want to stay, but you have to let me go. You can’t be here. I won’t let you put yourself in danger,” I tried my hardest to convince him to leave.

“I'm only thinking of you, Viv.” He caressed my arm.

“Victor, please go home and stay there!” I asked more urgently.

“Viviana, we both know you will run as soon as I leave,” he laughed.

I laugh too, “We both know you will catch me!

“So why don’t you save us both sometime and just be with me?” Victor whispered in my ear. "I could claim you as mine right now," his lips moving down my neck.

"Victor, please," I practically groaned.

He chuckled, "We don't have to stop."

Pushing him back slightly, “I’m here with you now, and it's too dangerous. Victor, you have to leave, at least until morning, when we see if you're my mate.” I pleaded with him. I needed him to go before anyone knew he was there.

“You could just choose me and reject your mate if it's not me.” He sighed, “We could leave together.”

“You know I can’t do that, Vic.” I rolled my eyes. “Besides, the pack needs you more than it needs me.”

“The pack needs us both,” he answered wearily.

“The pack always comes first, Victor,” I replied with regret.

“Always the Alpha’s daughter,” he laughed.

“Not anymore, Victor, now please leave before Alpha Rex sends people to check on me.” After one last kiss, he released me completely without looking back, leaving me to contemplate whether I could leave my pack behind.

It was nearing midnight by the time I finally got Victor out the door. I double checked that he had indeed left and was not just waiting around the cabin for me to escape. As I watched him walk away from me, there was a sadness that came over me that I could not explain. The idea of potentially giving up my mate forever broke my heart.