Rejected and pregnant: claimed by the Ruthless alpha

CHAPTER THREE : I need her

Dante’s Pov

I have witnessed countless mating ceremonies in my lifetime.

Some were political. some were forced.

But none of them disgusted me like this one.

I sat among the gathered Alphas, watching the event unfold before me. I wasn’t entertained.

My gaze remained fixed on the center of the mating ground on her,

Selis Darker.

A woman who, only moments ago, had walked down that aisle like she was about to enter paradise but now she stood there like it one whose life has just erupted, literally.

I watched closely as Alpha Kia spoke to her,

Every single accusation.

Every word.

Every reaction.

Seem like came from place of deep hurt and I observed it all and from what I noticed, everything seems wrong.

"She is a traitor" he shouted.

Those words echoed in my mind long after he said them.

I leaned back slightly in my seat, my fingers tapping once against the armrest.

A traitor?

She didn't look like one and if she was she has to be the most dangerous she wolf I had ever seen.

Because from where I sat, I saw no deception in her, only surprise, confusion and unfiltered pain.

I narrowed my eyes slightly as she spoke denying, pleading, trying to make sense of the accusations thrown at her.

There was no pretense in her voice at all.

I have spent years reading people, interrogating them and I know a guilty person when I see one and she wasn't guilty. It was obviously a well thought up conspiracy.

Beside me, Cassian my Beta shifted slightly.

"Alpha what do you think" he muttered under his breath.

I didn't answer him immediately, my gaze remained on her.

The way her shoulders trembled and the way she looked at Kia not with fear, but with disbelief.

Like she couldn't understand how the man she trusted could look at her like that and just believe the lies.

Then, a name was mentioned,

Elis Darker.

My fingers stilled.

Elis Darker is a name I had longed for in recent times.

I remembered my Mother dying some years ago of a sickness that runs in our bloodline and no healer in our territory could cure her.

My grandmother died of it and my mother was about to till one man came, Elis Darker, he was a miracle and he saved her. He was the only one who could.

My mother spoke of him like her savior.

"He saved me, when no one else would" she would say, her voice always soft with gratitude.

He didn't just treat her,

He understood the disease and it gave her extra years.

And now I inherited that same disease.

And I am in need of my own Elis Darker.

I exhaled slowly, my gaze sharpening as I looked back at the woman standing accused.

Selis Darker, his daughter which meant if anyone could understand my condition and save me, it would be her.

Unless everything being said about her was true.

Then came the girl,

Jemima, the best friend.

I listened carefully as she spoke, her words spilling out in a carefully orchestrated narrative.

Every detail was neat, flawless and convincing

But not too flawless because I noticed the shift of her eyes,

she would stare at a man in the crowd for a while,

Like she needed some encouragement and that was how I was sure that it was a clear set up but for what purpose though?

I leaned slightly toward Cassian. " Find out everything about that woman" I said quietly.

He frowned slightly and asked "Which one?"

"The accused, Selis Darker" I replied.

Cassian brows furrowed. "Why?"

I didn't look at him, my focus was still on her.

"I need her"

"What do you need her for, she's a traitor". He said.

I finally turned to him.

“She's not guilty, she's been set up". I said calmly.

He stared at me like I had lost my mind.

"She was just accused of planning to wipe out wolves" he said. "Did you not hear..."

"I heard it all" I cut in.

"And you still think she's innocent?" He asked

I held his gaze.

"I don’t think" I said slowly." I know she is".

He exhaled sharply, clearly unconvinced." And you know are convinced based on what, “The way she cried?" He said.

" I know based on the fact that everyone else is trying too hard to make her look guilty without letting her say a word to defend herself.

That shut him up for a second and then he looked at her and back at me and asked" You are really sure?".

"Yes". I said with all certainty.

He shook his head slightly.

"Even if you are right, she's been sentenced to prison, that's Midweather's problem, not ours".

I leaned back again, my expression unreadable.

"She's Elis Darker's daughter".

His eyes widened instantly. "Wait, you mean the same Elis Darker?".

"The same one" I confirmed.

Silence stretched between us for a minute.

Then Cassian ran a hand over his jaw, thinking. "That changes things" he admitted.

"Yes it changes a lot". I said quietly.

Because this wasn't just about curiosity anymore, it was a whole lot more.

I needed her to save me and my family is indebted to her father.

" I need you to get her out" I said.

He blinked.

"Get her out?" he repeated.

"Are you serious?

Look around you Alpha, there are lot of packs here, taking her would be seen as an act of war between Moon Fang and other packs". He said.

"I am aware of the danger involved " I said.

"And you still want to do it?" He asked

" Yes I do but not the way you think"

He stared at me for a long moment." Okay, so what way then because we can't make it obvious".

" I need you to call Kaida, tell her to come to Midweather tonight ".

" You want Kaida to ..., oh now I get" he muttered and then nodded.

" let me call her" and then he left to go make the call.

Kaida is my cousin, she's unlike any she wolf, she is a warrior and missions like this are her specialty.

My gaze shifted back to the center and now they were dragging her away and she was still pleading her innocence, hoping for someone to speak up for her but no one did.

Cassian came back few minutes later and he sat beside me " I have reached out to her " he said and I nodded.

" I really want to know who is behind this "I murmured.

Cassian followed my gaze.

"You think Alpha Kia is involved?" he asked.

"I think" I said slowly,

" He is either a part of it or he is being used".

My eyes narrowed slightly "but this definitely has a bigger agenda".

I watched as Selis disappeared from view.

Taken to wherever they kept their traitors.

" Follow them and give Kaida all the necessary information, I want a smooth operation, they should never know who is behind her escape". I said to Cassian.

As we stepped out of the ceremony grounds, two guard past us and were whispering to each other

." He said we should make sure she doesn't survive the night; we have to kill her ".

I knew instantly who they were talking about but who is the he?