ALPHA KAEL'S BREEDER

chapter 11

Aria pov

I looked at her suspiciously, brows furrowed, my posture stiff. A sly smile curled on her lips as she sank into my couch like she owned the place. My arms crossed tightly over my chest.

"I hate riddles. I never get them right," I muttered, tugging off my hairband, fingers slowly combing through my strands. She ignored me, tapping her nails rhythmically against the armrest, eyes locked onto the fabric like she was reading secrets in the seams.

"Well, I'm not here for riddles either," she said coolly. "I'm not a ghost. And I'm definitely not some lowlife like you. I value my space, my peace, and most importantly—my property."

Property?

Confusion twisted through me.

Her tone was laced with venom, her eyes sharp, accusing. "What I don't get," she continued, voice rising slightly, "is how you managed to crawl your way into my space."

I blinked, trying to decode her meaning. Was she serious?

Snapping out of the daze, I tossed the hairband onto the bed and walked toward her, hand on my hip, trying to keep calm.

"What property are you talking about?" I asked, my voice flat and cold.

Her gaze snapped up. "Keal," she said instantly.

I stared, unblinking.

She scoffed at my expression, clearly enjoying the shock that flickered across my face. "Keal is my man," she said through gritted teeth. "I don’t know how a breeder like you came into the picture, but suddenly he cares. Cares more than I expected."

I took a sharp breath, stepping back from her like I’d just touched a live wire. My chest tightened, eyes narrowing as the weight of her words settled. Keal is her property. The venom in her voice wasn’t just words—it was a warning.

She stood up suddenly, tall and fierce, eyes blazing like fire. “Listen, Aria,” she said, voice low but deadly, “stay the hell away from Keal. Don’t even think about crossing me.”

My lip curled in a smirk that barely hid the anger bubbling inside. I pushed forward, stepping closer until the heat of her presence hit me full force. My hand shot out, palm flat, and I shoved her lightly on the shoulder.

“Are you a serial killer or something?” I asked, voice dripping with mock innocence. “Because I don’t mind breaking a neck if you want to test me.”

She stumbled back, startled, but quickly recovered, brushing off the slight shove. Her gaze hardened. “I’ll be more than a serial killer if you don’t stay in your lane,” she said, voice sharp as a knife. “You’re just a breeder. Know your place.”

My breath hitched. The words stung, but anger flared hotter. I squared my shoulders, meeting her challenge head-on.

Before I could retort, the door slammed open with a sudden crack.

“Vanessa.”

The deep voice sliced through the tension like a blade.

I turned to see Daniel, Alpha Keal’s right-hand man, stepping inside. His eyes flicked between the two of us—calm, serious, but not without a hint of amusement.

Vanessa’s lips curved into a slow, knowing smile. She rose smoothly, gliding over to him like they shared some private secret.

I couldn’t help myself. “Is that the mysterious lady’s name?” I joked, raising an eyebrow.

Daniel shook his head, his lips twitching with a dry grin. “Yeah, mysterious woman is just the rumor. Her name’s Vanessa.”

They exchanged a quick, meaningful look before turning to leave. Vanessa’s eyes locked on mine one last time, full of icy promise.

I was left standing by my wardrobe, clutching the dress I’d been holding before all this chaos erupted.

I called out after them, voice sharp, biting the air between us. “Stop sneaking around! No one’s taking my man. If anything, your man should be the one staying away!”

The hallway swallowed my words. Silence stretched for a moment before a cool voice drifted back, low and teasing.

“What if I don’t stay away?”

My heart jumped. My fingers tightened around the fabric, knuckles white.

The door clicked shut behind Vanessa and Daniel, but the storm inside me didn’t settle. I sank onto the edge of my bed, heart still pounding in my ears, the dress forgotten in my hands.

Then the weight of the room shifted—he was here. Keal.

I barely had time to turn before he was standing in front of me, tall and imposing, eyes dark and unreadable.

He didn’t say a word again. He never did when he wanted to rule the room. Instead, he took the space with his presence—the kind that made your skin crawl and your blood run hot all at once.

I swallowed hard, fighting the wild urge to back away. The woman—Vanessa—she wasn’t wrong. Keal liked to control. To own. But I wasn’t the kind to give up without a fight.

“Aria,” his voice was low, rough, like gravel scraping against silk.

I met his gaze, refusing to blink first. “What do you want?” My voice was steady, but inside, I was a mix of adrenaline and something else. Something that scared me.

He stepped closer. Too close.

His hand brushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear, and I felt an electric jolt shoot straight to my core.

“You know what I want,” he murmured, voice thick with something I couldn’t name—desire, maybe. Or hunger.

The air between us pulsed, heavy with unsaid words and raw tension.

Before I could think, he bent down, lips brushing mine in a kiss that was both demanding and tentative, like he was testing the waters—claiming and questioning all at once.

My body froze, heart hammering against my ribs. Then, like fire, his hands slid to the hem of my shirt, fingers digging in lightly as he pulled it up and over my head.

“Keal—” I breathed, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes.

He smirked, that dangerous glint lighting up his dark pupils. “Don’t stop me now.”

He pushed me gently back onto the bed, his weight settling over me, making my breath catch in my throat.

His hands moved with purpose, unbuttoning my jeans, and for a moment, I felt like I was drowning in the intensity of him—the smell of his skin, the roughness of his touch, the fierce fire burning behind his eyes.

But then, sharp and sudden, panic flared in me.

I bit him.

Hard.

Not out of anger—though there was plenty of that—but to remind him, to remind myself, that I wasn’t his to command.

He gasped, pulling back with a surprised hiss.

I scrambled off the bed, heart racing, cheeks burning.

“I’m not some possession, Keal,” I snapped, grabbing my clothes. “Don’t forget that.”

He didn’t chase me, didn’t say anything. Instead, he sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his jaw where I’d bitten him, a slow grin spreading across his face.

“You’re stubborn,” he said, voice rough but amused.

I threw on my shirt, avoiding his gaze, but the tension between us didn’t fade. It settled in the room, thick and unyielding.