Six
1053 Words
~HAYES~
Ciara nodded slowly, but I saw the defiance in her eyes. Most people lowered their heads when I threatened them. Most people trembled or obeyed or submitted because they literally had no choice.
But not her.
Even now, standing with her back pressed against the railing while my hand held her jaw in place, there was still fire buried deep inside her.
And my wolf loved it.
“Mine.” Kyle growled in my head. His possessiveness was on another level. I released her abruptly before I did something reckless like drag her upstairs and claim every inch of her skin until the whole pack understood she belonged to me.
Ciara sucked in a shaky breath.
She was afraid of me. And strangely, I hated it. I let my gaze drop to the sexy curve of her lips again before saying: “Let’s go, the pack members are waiting.”
~~~~
Pack members and guests bowed their heads in respect and fear the moment I stepped into the banquet hall. It was exactly how it should be. My father, before he died, told me you could only rule a pack with fear. If the members didn’t fear the one who rules them, then the pack was on the path to ruin.
I took his lessons so seriously.
I didn’t want to destroy his hard work for this pack.
But one person I didn't want to instill fear into was Ciara. Beside me, she was barely breathing. Her fingers were curled against the fabric of her perfect dress as her wide eyes scanned the hall. I could smell her fear. I could sense her restlessness.
And Kyle could feel it because he was restless as well. I shouldn’t have brought her here this early, but the pack needed to see her to understand she belonged to me.
My gaze drifted toward her briefly. f**k, she looked so beautiful, I almost couldn’t look away. The red dress hugged her body in a way that made every other Alpha in the room keep glancing at us. Her hair was styled perfectly to expose her elegant neck I badly want to sink my teeth into.
“Mine.” Kyle growled again. “She’s so different from the others.”
Yes.
I’d known the second I saw her months ago that she was different.
Riverstone pack had been hosting an alliance dinner when I first noticed her outside the pack house. She was kneeling beside a crying child, wiping tears off his face while laughing softly about something.
And Kyle had lost his f*****g mind.
Mate.
The word had slammed through me so hard, I almost shifted on the spot.
At first, I thought my wolf had finally gone insane.
An omega?
A weak omega who couldn’t hear her wolf’s voice and could only shift during the full moon?
It made no sense.
But then she’d reached for the child’s toy, and the sleeve of her dress had slipped down slightly. Bruises, finger marks, purplish spots fresh enough to make my blood boil.
I started watching her after that.
Every visit to Riverstone, I searched for her without meaning to, and every single time, I found new bruises, new scars, new fear hidden behind those pretty eyes.
So when I saw her alone on the roadside that day, I already knew exactly who she was.
But I still pretended to be surprised.
It was the first time I’d ever been close enough to touch her, close enough to hear her voice without a crowd around us, and I needed an excuse to keep her talking. Something ugly twisted inside me when I realized how broken and fidgety she was.
But now she’s mine.
And nobody would dare to touch her again.
I rested my hand against the small of her back and guided her further into the hall. Her body tensed instantly beneath my touch, and Kyle groaned in irritation. “She fears us.”
“I know.” I snapped back.
“Alpha Hayes.”
I looked up to find Selena approaching us with a graceful smile on her lips. My jaw clenched to the point of pain. The whole pack used to think this woman would end up as my Luna.
But I couldn’t even stand the sight of her.
Her gaze landed on Ciara before amusement flickered in her eyes. “So the rumors were true.”
Ciara lowered her head politely.
Selena smiled sweetly at her. “You’re quite prettier than I expected.”
Ciara murmured a soft thank you.
Then Selena turned to me. “May I borrow you for a moment?”
I already knew this conversation would annoy me. Still, I followed her a few steps away from Ciara.
The smile disappeared from Selena’s face immediately.
“An omega?” she asked quietly, “seriously?”
I stayed silent.
“You married a weak omega over me?”
“You were never an option, Selena.”
Her jaw tightened. “Why? So a damn breeder is much more valuable than me now?”
My expression darkened instantly. “She is my wife.”
Selena scoffed softly. “She’s too weak for you, Hayes. Everyone knows it. She can barely shift properly.” Her voice lowered further. “Marking someone like her could kill her.”
I already knew that.
That was the problem.
The witch had been clear about the fact that only my mate could survive carrying my heir, and Ciara was my mate.
Even if her body wasn’t strong enough yet.
Even if Kyle constantly fought the urge to mark her anyway.
But that wasn’t Selena’s concern.
“Know your place,” I said coldly.
Her face paled slightly. I grabbed a drink from one of the waiters and walked away before she could speak again. Rage dropped into my blood the moment my eyes found Ciara across the room, trapped between a young Alpha’s arm and the wall.
She looked uncomfortable and cornered, the same look she always had in Riverstone pack. I slowed my steps when his next words reached my ears.
“A pretty thing like you shouldn’t waste yourself warming Graham’s bed,” he murmured. “I’d treat you much better.”
Kyle exploded inside my head and the glass in my hand shattered.
- Writer
