Taste of the Alpha King

Chapter 1 Porchia's Point of View The elders always said that you would know a man was meant for you when the butterflies in your stomach finally settled. Instead of nervous flutters, your heart would leap with a mixture of excitement, anticipation, and a sense of peace that couldn't be explained. A calm wolf meant a certain heart. At least, that was what they believed. Nonetheless, my body reacted differently whenever it came to Conar Blade. My boyfriend. The future Alpha of the Darkmoon Pack. Every time I saw him, the butterflies only grew more restless. They danced wildly inside me, refusing to settle. Yet love wasn't measured by how loud or quiet those butterflies were. Love was measured by how deeply two people chose each other. Balancing a tray of breakfast in my hands, I made my way toward Conar's room. The disapproving stares from the other maids followed me the entire way. "She seriously thinks Alpha Conar is going to marry her?" one of them sneered. "When people reach above their station, the fall is always harder." I ignored their whispers. Honestly, I understood why they found it difficult to believe. I was nothing more than a beta maid. Conar was the next Alpha. To most people, our relationship didn't make sense. Blue blood belonged with blue blood. Servants existed to serve. That was the way the world worked. Pushing those thoughts aside, I continued walking. But just as I reached his door and lifted my hand to knock, a strange sound froze me in place. "Faster, Conar... ahh..." A woman's breathless moan drifted through the door. "You're so big, baby. s**t… I wanna get f**k harder than this every day." My blood turned cold. "Want me to go faster?" a familiar voice replied. Conar. My grip tightened around the tray. "Ahh! Yes! Right there!" the woman cried. "Conar! Fill me up and give me your pup!" Their voices were drowned in pleasure. My Conar. No. There had to be some mistake. With trembling fingers, I slowly pushed the door open. A desperate part of me prayed I was wrong. That it wasn't him. That I had misunderstood. But the moment the door swung open, my entire world shattered. A woman was pinned against the wall, her legs wrapped tightly around Conar's waist as he thrust into her. Neither of them noticed me at first. Then the woman looked up. Our eyes met. A slow, victorious smile spread across her lips. Instead of pulling away, she tightened her arms around Conar's neck. "Faster," she purred. "I want to carry your heir." The tray slipped from my hands. The crash echoed through the room. Tears blurred my vision almost instantly, racing down my cheeks before I could stop them. Only then did Conar finally turn. As I wiped away my tears, I recognized the woman. Ivy Ross. Heiress of the Ashborne Pack. Conar's childhood friend. "Conar..." It was the only word I could force past the knot in my throat. I stared at their naked bodies. At the proof of everything I never wanted to see. But somehow, the betrayal hurt even more when Conar simply looked at me with cold indifference and began getting dressed as though nothing had happened. As though I meant nothing. He walked toward me and reached for my arm. I shoved him away before he could touch me. "Don't touch me!" I choked out. "You disgust me!" A sob escaped my lips. "Why would you do this to me?" Before Conar could answer, Ivy laughed. "Do you really need to ask?" she said mockingly. "You have no power. No status. You're useless." She crossed her arms. "Did you honestly think someone like you belonged beside Conar? The gap between you is wider than heaven and earth." I looked at her with icy contempt. "I'm not talking to you. Shut your f*****g mouth!" She was surprised by my anger. Then I turned back to Conar. "I-If you didn't want me anymore, y-you should have said so." My voice shook. "We're not children anymore, Conar. You cannot play with someone's feelings. Someone's love. Stop treating me like a game." Without waiting for an answer, I turned and walked away. But before I could leave the room, his voice followed me. "We'll talk when you've calmed down." The words struck like another knife. As though I was the problem. As though I was overreacting. I ran. I didn't care where my feet carried me. All I knew was that I needed to get away. Maybe the elders had been right after all. Maybe butterflies were meant to settle. Because when they didn't, they turned into thorns that buried themselves deep inside your heart. I didn't realize how far I'd run until I finally looked up. The border of the Darkmoon Pack stretched before me. Exhausted, I sank beneath a large tree and hugged my knees to my chest. The tears came harder. And with them came thoughts of my parents. If they were still alive, maybe they could have taught me how to survive this kind of betrayal. Maybe they could have shown me how to protect a heart before it shattered. Amidst of my emotions, a powerful gust of wind suddenly swept through the forest. Leaves rustled violently overhead. I lifted my head at once. Fear replaced grief. "Lyra," I called to my wolf. "I think something's wrong." There were no patrol guards nearby. Everyone was busy preparing for the ceremony later. "This is exactly why I keep telling you not to wander off without knowing where you're going..." Lyra began. Then she abruptly stopped. A surge of excitement flooded through our bond. My brows furrowed. "Lyra? What's happening?" Her answer left me completely confused. "Mate." “What?” I asked again. She sounded breathless. "My mate." "What do you mean—" A heavy force suddenly slammed into me before I could finish. I crashed onto a bed of leaves. Panic seized my chest. Before I could react, I felt a warm breath against my neck. A nose brushed my skin. Then a rough tongue swept over the mating mark area. A shiver raced through my entire body. A deep, possessive voice rumbled beside my ear. "I found you, mate."