Alpha's Royal Princess

Chapter No 4 Rustle in woods?

I could have been r***d. I could have been killed. Or worse… I could have become a target for a rogue, a slow, merciless torture.

I gulped and slowly swam back to the shore, every movement trembling with fear.

I grabbed my clothes and began dressing, glancing nervously around me. My hair was damp and sticky, clinging to my shoulders, making my clothes wet as well. Long, curly, dark brown strands tumbled down my back. Welma always said I got my hair from my mother the most beautiful woman in the pack.

I ran my fingers through my soggy hair, shivering as the cold breeze kissed my skin. I was freezing. If I had my wolf, I would have felt warmth coursing through me. Instead, I felt more human, fragile… exposed.

A rustle in the forest made me freeze. Fear danced in my green eyes.

Did I make the wrong decision tonight?

“Listen. What are you doing? I don’t care, but leave me alone. I don’t give a damn,” I called, trying to sound strong, but my voice betrayed the shaking beneath.

Then I looked up and gasped.

“Who… who are you?” I whispered, tears pricking my eyes.

A growl answered.

“No, stay away,” I muttered, stepping backward. My stomach twisted. This was it. I could be killed by this rogue.

All I could see were two glowing blue eyes, heavenly and terrifying at once. Whoever—or whatever—it was, those eyes mirrored the wolf form I had glimpsed.

Its aura was dark, dangerous… so dark that even the moonlight seemed to cower.

I swallowed hard and turned to leave when a loud, anguished howl froze me in place. The wolf had vanished into the shadows, but the howl carried such raw pain that my heart skipped. My scream tore through the night as I ran blindly, refusing to look back.

I sprinted home and climbed through my window via the pipe. Luckily, no one noticed me despite my screams.

Gasping, I collapsed onto my bed, my body trembling.

“Whoa… I almost… lost myself,” I whispered, panting.

If Father had known what had happened, he would have killed me for sure. I curled up, hugging my knees. What had I done? I had drawn the attention of a rogue.

Then… I heard it again. The same howl. And those two blue eyes appeared once more, haunting my mind.

**********

Morning came in a blur. A knock at my door startled me awake. My head throbbed as I opened it, and Selena stood there, disappointment written across her face.

“What?” I mumbled, still dazed.

“You’re sleeping? It’s noon! We have to go to the salon. Have you forgotten?” she asked, clearly irritated.

“Listen… you know how to do a makeover, why don’t—” I began, only to be interrupted.

“You are the upcoming Luna of both packs. You should behave like one,” she said sharply.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m coming. Will you wait?”

She sighed and left. I shut the door and headed to the attached shower, undressing and letting the warm water wash over my tense muscles. I closed my eyes, savoring the calm… until a spark in my mind jolted me. Those two blue eyes. That howl.

Who was he? Why was he in pain? A rogue? My skin prickled. Then, a sharp pain on my arm drew my attention.

A small wound, fresh from last night’s escape. My heart raced as I touched it—pain and fear mingling into something I couldn’t name.

---

Downstairs, my father, Alpha Benjamin, waited, formal and unyielding. No smile had touched his face since my mother died. His mask of composure hid everything, yet I could feel the weight of his control.

“Alpha, she will be here soon,” Selena said, bowing.

I adjusted my dress to hide the wound on my arm, taking slow, steady breaths as I walked down.

The engagement should have been the happiest moment of my life, but joy was a stranger. My father had arranged this marriage for a male heir, disregarding everything else. Alpha Nathan was a wolf. I… was not his mate. I was merely a pawn, a tool, a golden cup to be claimed.

My father’s eyes held a flicker of something, almost tender, before hardening into stone. My curly hair was styled elegantly, some strands brushing my face. The long red dress clung perfectly to my small frame, hiding nothing of my unease.

Nathan stood arrogantly before me, smirking as though he already knew the victory of this forced union. Pack leaders and guests whispered among themselves, curiosity sparkling in their eyes.

Selena guided me toward him. His gaze pierced mine, sending a chill down my spine. The infamous bully Alpha Nathan, confident and untouchable, claimed his space beside me.

“People of both packs, we gather to witness the engagement of my beloved daughter with Alpha Nathan,” my father announced.

Beloved?

Whispers rippled through the crowd. My attention caught on a couple who looked different—an Alpha and his Luna, perhaps. Their possession of each other was palpable, their dominance undeniable.

"People of both packs, we are here to gather around here for the engagement of my beloved daughter with the Alpha Nathan," said my father.

Beloved?

"She is the first Alpha born female. I am stunned. I never knew Nathan would be her mate," I heard one woman who had long black curly hair and purple eyes whispering something to the tall man standing next to her. I wonder what kind of people have purple eyes. The man had black hair which he had in spikes. I could tell you something different about them. The man had purple eyes.

I raised my hand while looking at the couple. Nathan put the ring on my finger and everyone clapped.

All my attention was on the couple who looked different from the crowd. I wish they could have introduced themselves. Maybe they are Alpha and Luna of some pack.

As Nathan slipped the ring onto my finger, I trembled. His arm around my waist brought sharp, unexpected pain. The touch burned through me, leaving me shivering. Never had I felt this sensation—pain and something darker, something I couldn’t name.

When he finally let me go, the ache eased slightly. I glanced around, trying to control my racing heartbeat. My expression, honed from years under my father’s watch, remained neutral.

Nathan vanished from sight, leaving me uneasy.

“Hello, Beta Justin,” my father greeted a tall man with striking purple eyes, and my curiosity spiked. The woman beside him was equally enigmatic.

What made me even more conscious and curious were the man’s eyes. Purple eyes—I had never seen anything like them before. The woman standing beside him was equally mysterious, radiating an aura I couldn’t quite place.

“Hello, Alpha. It is an honor to join this event,” said the man, introduced by my father as Beta Justin.

“It is an honor to have you here as well. I was expecting Alpha Althea and her mate, Alpha Tyler, too,” my father replied.

Wait… Alpha Althea and her mate, Alpha Tyler? I had heard of them. Welma had told me about the infamous Alpha Tyler of the White Wolf race, ruler of River-stone—the most fearsome of the neighboring territories. Alpha Althea was also a born female Alpha, ruling her pack alongside her powerful mate. I didn’t know much about them, but the whispers of their strength and dominance had clearly traveled far.

“Alpha Tyler is busy with some pack matters, and so is his mate,” the woman beside Justin explained. She must have been his mate—their connection was obvious, possessive. In the werewolf world, mates claimed each other; possession was undeniable.

They began discussing pack matters, and anxiety coiled tightly around me. I took a deep breath and slowly made my way toward the stairs. If I slipped away, no one would notice. After all, who cared about the wolf-less daughter of the pack Alpha?

I quietly retreated to my room, shut the door, and sank down, heart racing.

I excused myself, slipping away unnoticed, and entered my room. My hair tumbled down my waist, heavy and damp from my anxiety. Outside, the full moon bathed the world in silver.

A fire ignited within me, an unfamiliar desire that drew me to the window. My body burned, my senses sharp. I climbed out effortlessly, the ground steady beneath me. I ran into the woods, the moonlight spilling across my shifting body.

Pain and heat surged through me. My hands and feet morphed. Within moments, I stood on all fours, a fully grown wolf, muscles coiled and ready. My paws gripped the earth as I ran with the wind, letting out a long, primal howl.

It carried through the trees, calming me… until two blue eyes appeared in the darkness, locking onto mine.

And then… everything stopped.

---