The Alpha I Was Meant to Kill

BREAKFAST WITH THE BEAST

The morning light filtering through the heavy velvet curtains did nothing to warm the cold, black stone of the northern tower. I had barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I either saw the roaring flames of my childhood home or felt the terrifying, electric heat of Julian’s lips pressing against my skin.

I stood in front of the mirror, dressed in a simple cream-colored knit sweater and a pair of dark trousers. I looked casual, harmless, and completely human. But as I brushed my hair, my fingers grazed the lining of my right sleeve, where a tiny, clear glass vial was sewn into the cuff.

It was my final backup. A concentrated, colorless, and odorless solution of hemlock and silver-dust extract. Thomas had given it to me as a last resort. It was a slow-acting poison. To a human, a single drop would cause total organ failure within hours. To a Lycan, the silver-dust would slowly eat away at their internal healing factor, weakening them from the inside out until a simple blade could finish the job.

If I was going to play the doting fiancée, I had to start now. And what better way to show my devotion than by making sure my future husband never woke up?

A sharp knock sounded at the door. It unlocked from the outside, and a female pack servant with short brown hair and lowered eyes stepped into the room.

"The Alpha King is waiting for you in the private conservatory for breakfast," she said, her voice trembling slightly. She didn't look me in the eye. To her, I was either a human pet or the terrifying woman who had somehow captured the heart of their ruthless king. "Please follow me, my lady."

"Lead the way," I said smoothly, keeping my voice soft and polite.

We walked through a labyrinth of dark corridors before emerging into a massive, glass-walled conservatory. The room was breathtaking, filled with exotic tropical plants, blooming white roses, and the bright morning sun. The glass ceiling looked out over the cliffside, where the ocean below was a brilliant, shimmering blue.

In the center of the room sat a wrought-iron table piled high with silver platters of food—fresh fruit, pastries, eggs, and smoked meats.

And sitting at the head of the table, reading a tablet while holding a cup of steaming black coffee, was Julian.

He looked devastatingly handsome in the morning light. He wore a simple gray cashmere sweater with the sleeves pushed up, exposing the dark hair and heavy muscles of his forearms. The wild strands of his dark hair caught the sunlight, and his jawline looked as sharp as a razor. He looked completely relaxed, like a king enjoying a quiet morning in his gardens, rather than the ruthless underworld boss he actually was.

When I stepped into the room, his amber eyes instantly snapped up from his tablet. A slow, predatory smile spread across his lips.

"Good morning, little bird," Julian murmured, setting his tablet down on the glass table. He stood up, his towering, broad-shouldered frame instantly making the large room feel small. He pulled out the chair directly to his right. "Sit. You need to eat. You're far too pale."

I walked forward, my heart doing a familiar, nervous flutter against my ribs. I forced a small, shy smile onto my face, playing the part of the submissive human captive. "Thank you, Julian."

I sat down, the scent of fresh coffee, rain, and his expensive cologne instantly wrapping around my senses. It was a dizzying combination. I reached for the silver coffee pot sitting on the tray between us, keeping my movements deliberate.

"Let me pour you another cup," I said softly, my voice sweet and gentle.

Julian leaned back in his chair, his amber eyes narrowing slightly as he watched me. "How attentive of you, Evangeline. Are you finally accepting your role as my future wife?"

"I’m accepting reality," I replied, lifting the heavy silver pot. I filled his porcelain cup with the rich, dark coffee. As I set the pot down, I used the movement to shield my right hand from his direct line of sight. With a slick, practiced flick of my thumb against my cuff, the tiny vial slid into my palm. I uncorked it silently, tilting my hand over his cup.

A single, clear drop of the deadly hemlock and silver-dust extract fell into the dark liquid, disappearing instantly without a sound.

I slid the empty vial back up my sleeve, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. I picked up the cup and handed it to him, my hand completely steady. I forced myself to look directly into his molten gold eyes, offering him a beautiful, deceptive smile.

"Black. Just how you like it," I murmured.

Julian didn't reach for the cup immediately. He stared at the dark liquid, then looked back up at me, his expression entirely unreadable. The silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. The only sound was the distant calling of seagulls outside the glass walls.

My breath caught in my throat. Did he see me? Did he smell it?

Julian slowly reached out, his large, warm fingers brushing against mine as he took the porcelain cup from my hand. The brief contact sent a sharp, electric shock straight up my arm, making my skin tingle. He brought the cup to his lips, the steam rising between our faces.

He took a slow, deep inhale, smelling the aroma of the coffee.

Then, his eyes locked onto mine, a sudden, wicked glint flashing in the amber depths.

"You know, Evangeline," Julian said, his baritone voice smooth and entirely too calm. "Human hemlock is a very old, very unoriginal poison. And the silver-dust? A nice touch, really. It smells a bit like ozone. But it ruins the flavor of a perfectly good Colombian roast."

My blood turned to pure ice. My fake smile froze on my face.

He knew.

Before I could pull away or try to stand up, Julian raised the cup to his lips and, without breaking eye contact, took a massive, deep swallow of the poisoned coffee. He drank nearly half the cup in one go, his throat moving smoothly as he swallowed the lethal liquid.

"Julian, stop!" the cry escaped my lips before I could think. I stared at him in absolute horror. He had just consumed enough poison to kill three grown men.

Julian set the porcelain cup down on the table with a soft clatter. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the glass, bringing his face so close to mine that I could see the dark gold rings in his irises.

He didn't choke. He didn't gasp for air. His skin didn't turn pale, and his veins didn't turn black. He simply looked at me, a slow, mocking smirk spreading across his handsome face.

"Why the look of horror, little bird?" Julian purred, his voice dripping with dangerous amusement. "Did you think a drop of human weeds and some ground-up metal would be enough to bring down the Alpha King?"

"You... you drank it," I whispered, my voice trembling in genuine shock. "It should be burning your throat. The silver-dust should be halting your healing factor."

Julian let out a dark, deep chuckle that rumbled in his muscular chest. He reached across the table, his large, burning hot hand clamping around the back of my neck, his fingers tangling gently but firmly in my dark hair. He tilted my head back, forcing me to stare into his eyes, which were now glowing a brilliant, vibrant crimson. The sheer, dominant weight of his Alpha energy flooded the room, making it hard for me to breathe.

"We are Lycans, Evangeline," Julian whispered, his lips just inches from mine. "My bloodline has ruled the underworld for five hundred years. Our bodies adapt to poisons before they can even reach our stomachs. My immune system is advanced enough to burn through hemlock like pure sugar. And the silver-dust? It takes an entire ocean of it to slow me down."

He squeezed the back of my neck lightly, his thumb caressing my racing pulse point. The mixture of fear, shock, and the suffocating physical attraction between us made my head spin. I hated how close he was. I hated how my body flamed under his touch, even when he was mocking my attempt on his life.

"Your little mentor, Thomas, didn't teach you very well, did he?" Julian murmured, his gaze dropping to my lips before locking back onto my eyes.

My heart violently stopped. Thomas. He knew about Thomas.

"I don't know who that is," I lied through my teeth, my voice shaking.

Julian leaned in closer, his lips brushing against my earlobe as he whispered his warning, his hot breath making me shudder.

"Stop playing games with me, little bird. I know you have a communication device hidden in your room. I know you're trying to feed him information. I let you keep it because I want him to think you're succeeding. But if you try to put garbage in my coffee again..."

He pulled back, his crimson eyes burning down into mine with a dark, promise of absolute possession.

"I’ll force you to drink it with me. Do we understand each other, my beautiful fiancée?"