Bound To The Alpha

Chapter Two

Nyra didn’t stop running until her body forced her to.

By the time she slowed down, the river was no longer in sight. The sound of it had faded behind her, and the forest around her had settled into a quiet that felt unfamiliar. The air was cooler here, heavier, and it made her more aware of everything around her.

She placed a hand against a tree and tried to steady her breathing.

That was when she noticed it.

The silence didn’t feel empty. It felt like something was already there.

Nyra straightened and looked ahead.

Something moved between the trees.

It stepped into view slowly.

A wolf.

It was large, but not unnatural. Lean, built for speed and strength, with dark fur that blended easily into the night. It stopped a few steps away and looked at her.

It wasn’t circling. It wasn’t getting closer.

It was just watching her.

Nyra kept the blade in her hand. She didn’t raise it, but she didn’t lower it either. She held its gaze, trying to understand what she was looking at.

The wolf shifted slightly, its attention moving past her.

Nyra felt it immediately.

Something was behind her.

She turned—

A hand caught her arm.

Nyra reacted without thinking, twisting and driving the blade toward him, but he caught her wrist before it landed.

The vampire.

Her chest tightened.

He had crossed the river.

His grip was firm, controlled, like he had never lost track of her.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then his attention shifted.

Toward the wolf.

Nyra followed his gaze.

The wolf hadn’t moved, but something about it had changed. It looked more focused now, its attention no longer on her.

On him.

The tension in the air sharpened.

The vampire’s grip on her tightened slightly, pulling her closer, like he was securing her.

The wolf took a step forward.

That was all it took.

It moved so fast Nyra almost missed it.

One second it was standing still, the next it was on him, slamming into the vampire and driving him back through the trees. The force of it knocked Nyra off balance as branches snapped around them.

The vampire recovered quickly. He turned and struck with speed that wasn’t human, aiming straight for the wolf’s neck.

The wolf twisted just enough to avoid the full hit.

The vampire didn’t stop. He moved in again, this time grabbing at the wolf’s neck, trying to force it down.

For a moment, he managed it.

Then the wolf pushed back.

The shift was immediate. It broke free and slammed into him again, forcing him to lose his footing. The vampire stepped back, adjusted, and struck again, faster this time, aiming lower.

The wolf met him directly.

Nyra could see it clearly now. The vampire was fast and precise, every move calculated.

But the wolf was stronger.

The vampire tried to pull away, but the wolf had already closed the distance. Its jaws locked onto his shoulder, hard enough to stop him completely. The vampire reacted instantly, reaching for the wolf’s throat, trying to break free.

It didn’t work.

The wolf forced him down.

The impact drove him to the ground, and even though he struggled, pushing back with everything he had, it wasn’t enough.

For a second, he held.

Then the wolf pressed harder.

Nyra heard it.

Bone giving way.

The vampire’s movement slowed.

Then stopped.

The wolf didn’t let go immediately. It held him there for a moment longer, as if making sure he wasn’t getting back up.

Then it finished it.

The body went still.

The clearing fell quiet again, heavy and complete.

The wolf stepped back.

Nyra stood where she was, her grip still tight around the blade, but she had forgotten how to use it.

Whatever had followed her across the river was gone.

And whatever had just killed it…

Was looking at her.

The wolf held her gaze for a moment.

Then its body shifted.