Rejected By The Alpha, Claimed By The Enemy

Chapter 2: The Enemy Alpha

I should have run.

Every instinct in my body screamed at me to run.

This was Alpha Dante. The butcher of Crescent Fang. The man who slaughtered my pack members last winter and laughed while doing it.

But my ankle was twisted. My heart was broken. And I was too tired to run anymore.

"Cat got your tongue, little wolf?" His voice was low. Dangerous. Amused.

He crouched down in front of me. Close enough that I could smell him.

Smoke. Leather. And something darker. Blood.

I lifted my chin. "Don’t touch me."

Even though my voice shook.

He laughed. "Touch you? Please. You reek of rejection and despair. It’s disgusting."

But his golden eyes scanned me. From my torn dress, to my bleeding palms, to the faded mating mark on my wrist.

His smile disappeared.

"Interesting," he murmured. "Kieran rejected you."

How did he know?

"I heard the whole thing," he said, like he read my mind. "Sound carries in the forest when you’re an Alpha."

Shame burned my cheeks. I tried to stand but my ankle gave out and I cried out.

In one second, Dante’s arms were under me.

I gasped. "Put me down!"

"Shut up," he said. But he wasn’t rough. He was... careful?

"Or do you want to stay here and die? The rogues will love fresh meat."

He started walking. Carrying me like I weighed nothing.

Deeper into the forest. Toward enemy territory.

"Where are you taking me?" I whispered.

"Home," he said simply.

"Home? To Crescent Fang? You’ll kill me!"

He stopped walking and looked down at me.

For the first time I saw something other than cruelty in his eyes.

Curiosity.

"I should kill you," he said softly. "Eye for an eye. You’re Silver Moon."

My heart stopped.

"But..." He tilted his head. "You’re not like them. You have no wolf. You’re broken. Just like me."

"What do you mean?"

He didn’t answer. We reached the edge of the forest.

Lights. Buildings. A massive black gate with the Crescent Fang symbol.

Dante carried me through the gates. Wolves stopped and stared.

Whispers started.

"Is that a Silver Moon?"

"Why is Alpha bringing her here?"

He ignored them and kicked open the doors to the biggest house. His house.

He set me down on a couch gently. Then he poured water and handed it to me.

I didn’t take it.

"Drink," he ordered.

"No."

Dante sighed like I was annoying him. Then he grabbed my chin and made me look at him.

"Listen to me, Elara."

He said my name. How did he know my name?

"You have two choices.

One: I throw you back to Kieran. Let him finish what he started.

Two: You stay here. With me. As mine."

My blood went cold. "I’ll never be yours."

He smiled. Slow. Predatory.

"We’ll see about that."

He stood up.

"Guys, heal her ankle. Feed her. And make sure she doesn’t run."

He walked to the door.

"Because little wolf... you’re not going anywhere."

The door slammed.

And I was trapped in the enemy Alpha’s house.

End of Chapter 2