Stuck With The Alpha

Chapter 2

[Flashback]

Natalie dragged her muddy, bare feet through the woods, a blank look on her face and her head hung low in defeat. It's been three days! Three days of walking around without any destination in mind. Three days of crying, cursing and talking to herself. She couldn't feel her wolf's presence within her and she hoped it remained like that. It was the reason she got rejected afterall.

Her heart felt heavy and everything ached. All she could think of was Justin. How he smiled at her and brought her flowers at their secret spot in the woods, how he hunted rabbits and small animals for her as presents. He would make her laugh till she could hardly breathe. He knew every single thing about her. She remembered how they passionately made love by the bank of a nearby river, the moon shining down on them. She gave him her first time, her innocence. And he gladly devoured it.

He had always known that she was a Darkhound. She made sure not to hide it from him and he promised to that he would still love her regardless.

More hot tears streamed down her cheeks when it suddenly dawned on her that she'd been used. Or has she? Justin loves her right? He just doesn't love the monster inside her. He only rejected her because of his father, right?

Tiny water droplets suddenly began to fall on her, making her look up to the sky with cold, dead eyes. Of course the moon goddess choose now of all times to bring down rain, making her even more miserable. First, she is born as a cursed wolf, not knowing her parents. Then she's being rejected and thrown out of the pack for being something she didn't ask for. No matter how many times she had stuffed her mouth with any wolfsbane she could find, she didn't die. Now it was clear that even the moon goddess had something against her. Won't let her live happily, won't let her die miserably either.

The rain intensified and with it came heavy wind and lightning, but Natalie wasn't bothered by any of that. As a kid, she remembered being afraid of lightning and sound of thunder. However, it barely affected her now. She was too broken to care. She kept walking and walking till her legs finally gave up, making her fall with her face to the muddy, forest ground.

A whimper left her lips, but she just lay there in defeat, sobbing weakly. The rain came down on her even more violently, making her close her now heavy eyelids in exhaustion. Perhaps she could die like this. She smiled as the darkness took over her.

Soon enough, the rain died down and wildlife continued their activities. However, Natalie still remained in her position, her tattered, red, flowery dress now soaked with mud. Her breathing was slow and so was her heartbeat.

"Oi! Look what we've got here!" A scrawny looking male in raincoat and boots, suddenly emerged from the woods, walking towards Natalie's unconscious body.

He beckoned upon two others who were walking behind him and they sped up. They were rogues. One of the most dangerous and organized clan of rogues around.

"Bloody pack scum, this one eh!?" He chuckled, nudging her body with his boot. She remained motionless.

"She ain't dead." The second one said, eyeing her warily.

"No s**t Baldwin! But she'll be dead by nightfall." The first replied, looking back at the other two before popping out his claws.

"Better put her out of her misery." He grinned, flashing a yellow set of fangs.

He was about to strike, when the third one finally spoke. He seemed to be the oldest of the three and the leader. One side of his face appeared to have been burnt, making him look really menacing.

"Stop!" He yelled, making the first rogue's hand hang in mid air. He was about to s***h Natalie's throat.

"Don't you hear it, ya doofus?" The leader snarled, pushing him away from her body.

"Another heartbeat." He said, holding up his index finger and looking at them to make sure they listened.

"Oh f**k me!" The first rogue exclaimed, eyes widened in realization.

"This one's weak and pregnant." The leader said, pointing at Natalie's body.

"We're keeping her."

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[Present day]

Natalie's POV*

"Take off your mask!" Alpha Laird growled, his eyes glowing even brighter. I just found myself looking at him, unable to move.

"Now!" He bared his deadly looking fangs at me and I felt my knees buckle.

My hands slowly reached for my face, yanking off the mask. My hair was immediately let down, blown by a gust of wind and I was sure my nose had turned red by now. I gave him my best death glare, trying miserably not to appear intimidated. A low, rumbling sound came from his chest, as he looked at me, his eyes flickering between the bright red glow and their normal color. Was he having problem with control?

A smile suddenly spread out on his lips.

"A female. Good!" He said, making my glare morph into a look of confusion. He just wanted to confirm my gender?

"Let me guess. You were expecting your friends here instead of me?"

"Your fellow rogue thieves?" Alpha Laird hissed, slowly stalking towards me with his hands still folded behind him.

"Ssstayyy...a..way!" I managed to blurt out in terror, holding out a dagger in his direction with my shaky hand.

He paused for a few seconds to regard me, smirking ever so slightly at my shaky hands.

"Don't you come any closer!" I threatened, raising my voice this time.

"You're not going to stab your mate with a knife, are you?" He mused, raising an eyebrow at me.

I could see his facial features more clearly now and damn! He looked too good to be real. His sharp jawlines and cheekbones, his neatly shaved facial hair and red, glowing eyes that made him attractive in a scary way. He was built like a damn mountain, towering over me with ease.

"You don't know what I can do." I said, feeling a shiver run down my spine the more he looked at me.

"And I'm not your mate." I snarled at him, only managing to get a scoff from him.

"Must be all that wolfsbane I smell in your blood. It's messing with your head." He said, slowly circling around me. I just turned, following him with my eyes and pointing the dagger at him.

He's able to smell the wolfsbane?

"You smell weak, impure...toxic." He scrunched up his nose slightly.

He suddenly turned his face away from me and I took that as my opportunity to strike. I threw the dagger in my hand, aiming at his jugular. It only had to sink into him once and I'll watch his body drop down to the ground, writhing in pain. Except, none of that happened.

He casually swatted the dagger away with his fingers, just few inches from piercing him. Of course what do I expect from a freaking hybrid Alpha? I decided to try out my next option; making a run for it.

I turned back on my heels and was about to charge in the opposite direction when about four large wolves emerged from that part of the woods. That made me have a rethink immediately. These were warriors of Alpha Laird's pack. As vicious and fearsome as they were described by the rumors.

I slowly turned around to look at Alpha Laird, as he just stood, looking at me with an unreadable expression.

"You're a weakling, but you've got some guts." He said, looking into my terror filled eyes. His wolves were going to tear me apart very soon. I heard that's what they do to intruders.

"So I'm going to take you as my mate." He stated, making me glare at him.

Another male emerged from behind him, looking like a much younger version of him, save for the facial hair and red eyes. I could tell it was his brother.

"No." I blurted out, clenching my teeth. What kind of joke was he trying to play on me? His mate? He clearly got me confused for someone else or something because other than the fact that I found him oddly attractive, I felt no mating pull to him whatsoever. Besides, I don't recall ever accepting my last rejection. The half severed bond still lingers...and so does the pain.

"I'm not your mate. I can never be!" I protested frantically.

"It wasn't up for discussion." He said, making me even more upset.

"You can't just stand there and claim me as yours!" I shouted.

He was suddenly in front of me in a flash, looking down on me with the most intense eyes I've ever seen.

"You should be happy I'm not rejecting you. It's even a privilege for such a filthy, weak creature like you to stand before me." He spat, making look up at his eyes. Alphas had always had that in common, their overly bloated, fragile egos. It was always about a strong mate with them or a pure breed. They always love to see themselves as gods to be worshipped. I am going to prove this one wrong. I am going to hurt his ego and self esteem....just like it was done to me.

"I Natalie Grayson, of..." I was suddenly interrupted by the vicious growling and snarling of the wolves around me. Alpha Laird let out a low chuckle.

"Rejecting me would be an automatic death sentence for you." He said.

"You see... Here in my pack, we don't take too kindly to rogues, intruders...thieves." He clicked his tongue in dissapproval.

"The consequences are... excruciating." He brought his lips down to my ear to whisper, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Trust me, you can't handle it." He shook his head.

"And the only reason you're still standing before me without so much as an attempt on your life..."

"Is because they think you're my mate." He smirked.

"So yeah, go ahead and reject me."

"I dare you." His smirk had now turned into a full blown, malicious grin and it made my heart thump aggressively against my ribcage. The triumphant look in his eyes, he knew he had me already. I opened my mouth to speak, but could find any words.

"That's what I thought." He mocked

"I still need to think about it." I said defiantly. That wiped the grin off his face immediately.

"Please." I added.

I watched him shut his eyes tight, as if having an internal conflict with himself. He finally opened them, looking me in the eyes again before turning around and walking away.

"I'm sure you wouldn't mind thinking about it in the dungeon." He said, making my eyes widen.

Some male wolves were already grabbing onto my arms from behind and I struggled desperately against them. He wasn't seriously going to throw me in the dungeon right? I heard they have flesh-eating rats there. A total nightmare.

"Lock her up!"