The Alpha I Was Meant to Kill

THE GOLDEN CAGE

[Julian’s POV]

The human woman sitting across from me in the dark limousine looked like she wanted to murder me. She was staring out the window, her jaw clamped tight, her small hands balled into fists on her lap. Her beautiful green silk dress was slightly wrinkled from our fight on the balcony, and her lips were still a little swollen from the kiss I had forced on her.

I leaned back against the expensive leather seat of my armored car, watching her every move. I liked to study my enemies. And make no mistake, this girl was a very dangerous enemy.

My nose was still throbbing slightly where she had smashed her head into my face. I touched the bridge of my nose, feeling the faint trace of dried blood. A slow smile spread across my face. It had been a long time since anyone had managed to make me bleed. Especially a human.

She was good. Incredibly good.

When she had lunged at me on the dark balcony, her movements had been flawless. She didn't move like a regular human street fighter or a paid mob assassin. She moved with a specific, deadly rhythm. She knew exactly how to balance her weight, how to hide her blade until the absolute last second, and how to aim for a Lycan’s most vulnerable weak points.

I knew that fighting style. I had seen it once before, ten years ago, during the bloody war that took over the city. It was the style of the Cross family. They were a legendary line of human warriors called Justiciars. Generations ago, they were created to keep the supernatural factions in check. They were the executioners of monsters.

But the Cross family was supposed to be dead. My own pack elders had reported that their entire estate had been burned to the ground a decade ago, leaving no survivors.

Yet, here she was. Evangeline. A living, breathing ghost in a green dress, carrying an ancestral silver sword in her garter belt.

I reached into the inner pocket of my tuxedo jacket and pulled out her weapon. The slender silver blade gleamed under the soft LED lights of the limousine's ceiling. The metal was pure, refined silver, mixed with an ancient alloy that stopped a supernatural creature's body from healing. If she had managed to drive this needle into my throat, I would have bled out on that balcony like a normal dog.

I turned the blade over in my hand. It didn't burn my skin, but I could feel the cold, threatening energy radiating from it. Someone had kept her alive. Someone had trained her for ten years, turned her into a perfect weapon, and pointed her directly at my throat.

And whoever did it wanted a war.

If she had killed me tonight at the Midnight Gala, my pack would have torn the city apart looking for her. They would have slaughtered every human in sight. The delicate peace treaty between the Vampires, Lycans, and the human government would have shattered in an instant. The city would have burned.

I wasn't going to let that happen. I had spent ten years trying to fix the broken kingdom my father left behind. I wasn't going to let some mysterious shadow master destroy my empire using a pretty human girl.

"Are you going to stare at that all night, or are you going to kill me with it now?"

Her voice broke the silence of the car. It was sharp, cold, and full of hate. She had turned away from the window and was glaring directly at me, her green eyes flashing with anger.

I looked up from the sword, meeting her gaze. I liked her fire. Most humans trembled when they were in a enclosed space with me. They could feel the dominant, suffocating alpha energy rolling off my body, and it usually made them beg for mercy. But Evangeline just looked like she wanted to spit on my shoes.

"It’s a beautiful piece of craftsmanship," I murmured, sliding the silver sword back into my jacket pocket. "It would be a shame to waste it. But no, little bird. I’m not going to kill you with it. And I’m certainly not going to let you kill me."

"You should have handed me over to the Council," she spat, leaning forward, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the edge of the seat. "They would have executed me. It would have been cleaner. Why drag this out? Why create this ridiculous lie about me being your fiancée?"

"Because the Council is full of old, greedy fools who would have tortured you for information and then used your death to start a war with the humans," I said plainly. "And more importantly, if you die, I never find out who sent you."

Evangeline let out a harsh, bitter laugh. "No one sent me. I came for you on my own. You're a monster, Julian. You rule this city through fear and blood. You deserve to die."

I leaned forward, closing the distance between us until she could smell the bourbon on my breath. I let my amber eyes flash a dangerous, glowing crimson for a brief second. "Don't lie to me, Evangeline. A human doesn't just survive in hiding for ten years and magically get her hands on an ancestral Justiciar blade without help. You have a handler. Someone gave you the security codes to my gala. Someone told you I would be on that balcony. Who is it?"

She clamped her jaw shut, turning her face away from me, refusing to answer.

"Stubborn," I muttered, leaning back into my seat with a sigh. "That’s fine. We have plenty of time. You're going to be spending a lot of time with me from now on."

The limousine slowed down, the heavy tires crunching over a gravel road. I looked out the window as the massive, wrought-iron gates of my estate opened automatically, allowing the car to pass through.

We had arrived at the Obsidian Fortress.

The estate was built on a massive cliff overlooking the dark, crashing ocean. The fortress itself was a sprawling castle made from a rare, volcanic black stone that was glossy and sharp, looking like dark glass under the moonlight. It was completely heavily guarded by my most loyal pack warriors. It was the most secure place in the city. No one could get in without my permission, and absolutely no one could get out.

The car stopped in front of the grand stone entrance. The driver stepped out and opened the door.

I slid out of the car first, then turned around and extended my hand to Evangeline. She stared at my open palm like it was covered in poison. Instead of taking it, she ignored me completely, grabbing the hem of her green silk dress and stepping out of the limousine on her own.

"Welcome to your new home, little bird," I said, watching her eyes widen as she looked up at the towering black walls of the fortress.

"It looks like a prison," she whispered, her voice trembling just a fraction for the first time tonight.

"It is," I replied, a cold smile touching my lips as I gripped her elbow gently but firmly, guiding her up the stone steps. "But it’s a golden cage. And as long as you play the part of my loving fiancée, you might actually survive your stay."

We walked through the heavy wooden doors, entering the grand hall. The inside of the fortress was luxurious, filled with expensive carpets, roaring fireplaces, and modern furniture, but the underlying structure was still cold, ancient black stone. Several of my pack guards stood at attention as we passed, their eyes widening in shock when they saw the human woman clinging to my side. They had already heard the news from the gala. They knew their Alpha King had just claimed a human as his mate.

"Alpha," a tall, muscular man with grey hair stepped forward, bowing his head. It was Silas, my beta and my most trusted friend. His eyes flicked to Evangeline with deep suspicion. "The elders are already calling the fortress. They are furious about what happened at the gala. They want an emergency meeting."

"Let them call," I said coldly, not slowing my pace. "Tell them I am resting. I will deal with the Council tomorrow. Right now, prepare the northern tower suite for my guest. Put extra guards at the door, and make sure all the windows are locked from the outside."

"Yes, Alpha," Silas said, bowing again before turning away to fulfill the orders.

I led Evangeline up a wide, winding stone staircase, leading her deep into the heart of the fortress. She didn't fight me, but I could feel the tension in her muscles. She was analyzing everything. She was looking at the guard placements, the exit doors, the height of the windows. She was still trying to find a way to escape. She was still trying to find a way to finish her mission.

We reached a heavy oak door at the end of a long hallway. I pushed it open, revealing a massive, beautiful bedroom. It had a king-sized bed with dark green velvet sheets, a roaring fireplace, and a large balcony that looked out over the sheer cliff and the ocean below. It was fit for a queen.

I pushed her gently into the room, stepping back into the hallway.

"This is your space," I told her, my voice echoing in the quiet room. "You will find clothes in the closet that will fit you. Food will be brought to your room shortly."

Evangeline turned around, standing in the middle of the luxurious room, looking incredibly small and out of place in her torn emerald dress. She glared at me through the doorway. "How long do you plan on keeping me here, Julian?"

I gripped the handle of the heavy door, looking at her one last time before locking her in.

"Until I find out who sent you," I said softly. "Or until you finally manage to kill me. Sleep well, Evangeline. Tomorrow, our public romance officially begins."

I slammed the door shut, the heavy iron lock clicking into place with a loud, final sound. I turned to the two massive guards standing in the hallway. "If she escapes, your heads will roll. Watch her every breath."

"Yes, Alpha King," they chanted in unison.

I walked down the dark hallway, my mind heavy with thoughts of the beautiful ghost locked in my tower. The game had officially begun, and I had a feeling it was going to be a very dangerous dance.