The Alpha's Command
1015 Words
Ariselle’s POV
The silver knife pressed against my calf was the only thing making me feel even remotely sane.
I watched the odd man and the woman he was dancing with. They moved with a stiffness that didn't belong at a gala. They weren't here for the wine and they weren't a part of us.
"Stay here and sit like a lady," Caelan said, his voice dropping into that low, commanding register. "I’ll handle this."
"Handle it?" I hissed, leaning toward him.
"This is my pack, Caelan. I’m supposed to be protecting my people while they celebrate. I can’t even move in this stupid dress. If I try to lunge, I’ll rip the seams."
"Then don't lunge," he said, his eyes never leaving the targets. "Just watch."
"I’m sick of watching," I muttered, cursing under my breath.
"We’ve had spies crawling into Ironcrest for weeks. I know how to deal with these rats. You’re a guest. You shouldn't even have a weapon on you."
Caelan gave me a ghost of a smirk, his hand brushing the heavy fabric of his formal coat. I knew then that he was carrying. An Alpha never went anywhere truly unarmed.
"I'm not a guest, Ariselle," he said. "I'm the man who’s going to make sure there's no chaos in this hall, and that you live to see tomorrow. Stay put."
I watched, fuming, as he stood and walked into the crowd. He didn't rush or didn't draw a blade. He just walked with a terrifying, slow purpose toward the odd couple. I was fidgeting, my fingers twitching near the hem of my gown. I expected a fight. I expected blood on the white marble.
But as Caelan reached them, something strange happened.
The man and woman stopped dancing. They didn't reach for weapons or even try to run. As Caelan spoke a single, quiet word to them, their faces drained of all color. They began to tremble, their knees nearly buckling right there on the dance floor.
Caelan didn't even touch them. He just gestured toward the side exit. They followed him like beaten dogs, their heads bowed. In another minute, my father’s guards had surrounded them and were dragging them toward the dungeons.
Caelan walked back to the table as if he had just stepped out for a breath of air. He sat down, adjusted his cuffs, and took a sip of his wine.
I was staring at him, my mouth slightly open. "What just happened?"
"I took out the trash," he said simply.
"They didn't even fight you," I said, leaning over the table.
"I’ve seen those types before. They’re mercenaries. They’re supposed to go down swinging. Why did they just obey you the second you walked up?"
Caelan looked at me, his eyes dark and impossibly deep.
"Because they saw me. Terror tends to come upon people when they realize they’ve made an enemy of Alpha Caelan. They knew exactly what I would do to them if they resisted."
"It was more than that," I pressed. "I saw their faces. They looked like they couldn't even move their own feet until you told them to."
He set his glass down, the stem clicking against the table.
"It’s the Alpha Command, Ariselle. Most Alphas use it on their own pack to keep order. I find it works just as well on enemies if you know how to project the weight of it. It compels. It breaks the will."
I sat back, my heart thudding. I had heard stories of the Command, but seeing it work on spies who were trained to resist interrogation was different. It was raw power. It was dangerous.
"You just told them to leave, and they did?" I asked.
"I told them to surrender," he corrected. "And their bodies had no choice but to listen."
He leaned in closer then, the heat from his body crossing the small gap between us. The s****l tension was so thick I could almost taste it. He looked at my lips, then back at my eyes, a wicked glint appearing in his gaze.
"It’s a powerful tool," he whispered.
"I could use it right now. I could command you to go to my wing, wait naked in my bed, and spread your legs while you wait for me."
The blood rushed to my face. I wanted to slap him, but at the same time, a sharp, violent jolt of electricity shot through my core. The thought of his voice vibrating in my head, forcing my body to do exactly what he wanted, made my breath hitch.
"You wouldn't dare," I whispered, though my voice was shaky.
"I don't have to," he said, his gaze dropping to the swell of my breasts.
"I can see your heart beating in your throat. You’re scared of the Command, but you’re thrilled by it too. You like knowing that the man sitting next to you can break an enemy without lifting a finger."
"I hate you," I said, though I didn't pull away.
"Liar," he replied. "You're getting wet just thinking about it."
I hated to admit it, even to myself, but he was right. Standing against him in the training pit was one thing, but sitting next to an Alpha whose very voice could compel the world to bend was a different kind of challenge. I was terrified of what he could make me do, and yet, I had never wanted to be closer to anyone in my life.
"They were spies," I said, trying to change the subject before I completely lost my composure. "What are you going to do with them?"
"I'm going to find out who sent them," Caelan said, his voice turning cold again. "And then I'm going to burn whoever it is to the ground."
He reached out and caught my hand under the table, his thumb rubbing circles over my knuckles. It was a possessive, territorial move, and for the first time, I didn't pull back.
"Is that a command?" I asked softly.
"No," he said, his eyes burning into mine. "That's a promise."
- Writer
