Enslaved by the Alpha

Chapter Thirteen: War

Clenching the paper in my fist, I dashed out of the room and retraced my steps. My feet moved quickly through the house, finding the exit into the yard with my gaze set on the pack house in the distance. As I neared it, many passerby's shot me odd looks, but I was too far before they could stop to question anything.

Hastily, I rushed up the stairs and out of the house, rushing for the office. Without any forewarning, I burst inside, pulling the door closed and immediately freezing in place at the sight before me.

It was Draven, who remained shirtless, with his arms around a gorgeous woman I've not once seen before, both pulling away at my loud entry, placing their eyes on me.

Her features resembled what it would feel like to cuddle with a partner wrapped up in a thick blanket, drinking hot coco by the fire on a chilly fall day. Her big hazel eyes, filled with life and warmth, burned through me, and her beautiful long chocolate-brown hair cascaded down to her hips. She has a body many women would envy and many men will drool over, very similar to the other three she-wolves I met.

Why do werewolves get blessed with a body that holds curves in all the right places? Us vampires just aren't given such ideal features. But it must be because we're all born human, and being a vampire only changes so much. Werewolves are the only creatures born into perfection.

The girl suddenly smiled massively and walked over, draining any little positivity I had forming with every nearing step until there was absolutely nothing left within me.

Who the hell is she?

"I'm Bethany!" She extended her hand and I narrowed my eyes at it, clenching my jaw with the growing desire to rip open the side of her neck and watch her bleed out on the floor.

"I suggest you see yourself out, Beth," Draven interjected. The two shared looks and she wisely heeded his suggestion, exiting the room without another glance back. I glared at her, straining to keep myself planted in this spot until the door closed between us.

"That was Luna Bethany. I've known her my whole life, we grew up together and even went to Alpha camp together. There is, and never was, anything going on between us," he explained without me asking, halting in his steps after I hissed at him.

Why does he feel the need to explain himself? Unless he feels guilty... And why do I feel so much hate for a woman I didn't know existed until now?

I don't want to feel this way.

"She's into girls," he added flatly.

My anger dissipated in an instant and his eyes analyzed my softening features. "Scarlett..." he trailed off in what sounded like concern, taking my hands gently in his.

I stared at him, frowning deeply with a lingering tightness in my chest. He stared back, his eyes bouncing between mine. A million thoughts raided his irises and foreign emotions confused me.

"You really believe I'd do that?"

His tone made me reluctant to answer, so I kept my lips sealed, too ashamed to speak. After everything, I still can't find it in me to trust him blindly with the one most vulnerable piece of me. I will put my life in his hands without blinking, over and over again, but when it narrows down to a specific piece of me, I just can't.

"What?" I resorted to feigned ignorance in a weak attempt to weasel my way out of this unnerving situation.

I don't care who he has relations with.

He's a werewolf. I'm a vampire. We're just too incompatible.

"I think you know," he answered in a low, serious tone, his confident eyes never straying from my anxious ones. One of his hands raised to my cheek and I sucked in a breath, holding it unnoticeably as he caressed the side of my face. "I wish I could read you, Red. I simply don't know what it is you want," he whispered to himself, furrowing his brows in slight frustration.

I want you, but perhaps that unfamiliar feeling is also part of Cyprian's compulsion.

"I..." My submissive words lost the battle against anxiety and my throat burned. He looked expectant, almost hopeful, and the silence following drained the glint from his beautiful bright eyes.

"Bonding with you was a mistake," I stated, watching the effect of my words plunge into him like a silver blade to the chest. "Nothing between us is real. Cyprian compelled me. This mate-bond isn't real, he made it up so you'd fall for an alliance! He's toying with us—with our heads."

Darkness flashed his eyes and he clenched his jaw, hurt briefly found his features yet anger overtook it in the same second. "Valentino does not hold any kind of power over me," he snarled, his next words coming out laced with venom as if his intent was to take a jab at me.

"I have free-will."

Stunned by his response, I swallowed the lump in my throat after taking time to let my poor choice of words digest. "Draven, I didn't—you're underestimating Cyprian, I'm—"

"Enough!" He said firmly. I shrank in my spot, goosebumps covering my skin at the sudden chills that ran through me. His expression remained cold. "If anyone's underestimating anyone, you're underestimating me. I get it. I'm too much for you, so you're yanking every string as an excuse to pull away. The truth, Scarlett, is that you're toying with me. You feel the bond between us and you know I'll protect you because of it. We might be drastically different on the outside, but just like you and everyone else, I have feelings—heightened ones. I'm not a personal bodyguard. I suggest you find someone else to leech off of, because I'm not just a senseless, lovestruck puppy that'll put everything on the line for someone who wouldn't even think to do the same."

My throat swelled with tears and pure rage engulfed me under his icy stare. His spite took me by surprise and I no longer recognized the man before me.

Is that truly what he believes?

Why does this hurt so bad?

I unfolded and slammed the wrinkled treaty down on his desk. His dark, cold gaze followed the paper and softened as if he were surprised to see it was with me. "And I suggest you sign this paper before you get someone else around you killed. Don't expect me to swoop in and save anymore of you mutts, Alpha."

With that, I turned and stormed out of the room.

Those dogs are all the same.

#

Hours passed and I finally found myself coming up on what appears to be a large community. There were several houses that went beyond my visionary distance, big and small, and the familiar grey rock paved a trail right through it. And just before taking a step closer to explore this foreign world, I spotted a large green sign that read: Black River Township.

This must be the human's turf.

For such simple creatures, they're very creative and skillful.

Looking around to find the area was clear, I stepped past the sign yet was immediately taken to the ground by a strong, unforgiving force.

"What is it do you think you're doing? You think you can just leave?"

I was pulled to my feet harshly and a low hiss exited my mouth upon seeing King Valentino standing mere feet ahead of me. His lips were curled up into that same smug smile he flashed me all those years ago when his men escorted me out of the ballroom, holding me the exact way they are now.

Major Deja Vu.

"I'm not a pawn you can control anymore! I'm done with him—with them! I know about your compulsion, so go ahead, do your worst," I hissed. A small part of me was convinced I had nothing more to lose. My family betrayed me and Draven wanted me gone, they were all I had.

His blank eyes analyzed me closely and he suddenly c****d his head in amusement, like he could see everything that brought me suffering and relished in it. Then he stepped closer and tilted my chin using his hooked finger, gliding the tip of his tongue over his bottom lip with a growing smile. "And what is it you think I compelled you to do, darling?"

My confidence deflated and I answered hesitantly. "E-Everything."

He leaned in toward my ear. "Wrong," he whispered, leaning back to hover his face over mine. "Compulsion is all in the head, love, you can't compel someone to feel things. They make that choice for themselves."

"You're lying." My voice quavered and slight fear nipped at me.

He moved his hands to each side of my face, holding my head still, and panic struck me as my eyes connected with his and widened.

"I want you to remember." Was all he said, and an instant flash of heat surged throughout my body, tightening every muscle in me. The world around me blacked out seconds later and replaced with an unrecognizable memory.

I made the stuffed tiger in my hands attack the panda, growling out loud as they fought. "Ahhh! Help me!" I whisper-yelled, forcing the panda to shake as it struggled for freedom.

A dark figure whizzed by through the corner of my eye and I gasped, throwing myself back with a twist to look at my opened window. The curtains blew in the breeze and the trees rustled, creating shadows on my window sill. My frightened frown upturned into a nervous, playful smile and I turned back to my stuffed toys, though my frown quickly returned after realizing my toys weren't where I left them.

Turning back toward the window, my eyes widened upon seeing a tall figure standing above me. Before I was able to scream, he pulled me to my feet and covered my mouth with his cold, large hand. A metallic taste pooled over my tongue instantly and a lot of cold liquid slid down my throat. Fear dissolved inside me at the taste and I cried, staring up into his chilling orange eyes.

"You're going to feel calm whenever you look at me. You won't feel a thing." His soft, calm voice purred in my ears and my tears came to a stop. "You're going to kill your sister and make it look like an accident, and you're not going to remember us meeting like this. I don't want you to remember me at all. Not unless I say otherwise."

#

"Mom!" I screamed. Annette's expression crinkled in irritation and she crossed her arms, then our mother's voice yelled from the other side of the house.

"That is enough! Annette, stop trying to scare your sister!"

"It's not my fault Scarlett's such a big baby!" Annette shot back.

"If you two can't be nice, get away from each other!" Our mother answered, annoyance in her voice.

"I hope you die in a fire," she snapped, shoving me out of the way with her shoulder and I stumbled backward, reaching out to grab her by the hair. She came to an abrupt stop as I yanked her by the strands and we began throwing fists, scratching anywhere our nails landed and pulling at each other's hair.

I punched her throat as I swept her legs out from underneath her, feeling her grip on my hair loosen and she gasped from the impact, crashing into the ground with a loud thud. A small wheeze left her parted lips and I stared at her, panting heavily to catch my breath, waiting for her to get back up.

Several seconds later, my rage drained quickly—almost as though it wasn't real, but a simulation, a dream where I was programmed to feel that way.

Many more seconds passed and she didn't budge, no sign of an eye twitch or the tiniest hint of a repressed smile. The muscles in her face were completely relaxed, too relaxed, and my heart began to race in fear.

"Annette?" Immediate tears filled my eyes and I dropped to the ground next to her, my entire body shaking violently as I hyperventilated. Confusion, shock, fear, sadness—all different emotions welling inside me, creating the same question: Why did I start a physical fight with her?

We've had our disagreements before, but I've never once laid hands on her no matter how mad I got. Neither did she. That wasn't us.

"Annette!" I sobbed, shaking her body only to see a whittled stick exit her neck, making blood spray from her artery. An audible retch left me from the warm blood that covered my legs and I jumped up, running only a few feet away before emptying my stomach in the grass, sobbing between each round of vomit.

How could I do something like this?

"Very queasy, aren't you? That will change soon, little one." A man's voice filled my ears and I straightened up, whipping around to find him. My watery eyes landed on a tall, pale man in a white tailcoat, a red shirt underneath, white pants, and expensive shiny black shoes. His black, straightened silk-hair ran down his chest, ending level with the middle of his torso.

I remained silent, watching him squat down next to my sister's lifeless body, unfazed, and remove the blood soaked hair from her face. He closed her eyelids then lifted his piercing orange eyes to me. "Let her rest, for her new life will require much energy."

New life?

A shaken exhale left me and a whimper followed. "Who are you?"

"My, my, where are my manners?" He asked, flashing me a small smile. He moved to his feet and approached me, taking advantage of the fact I was frozen in my spot. "I'm Cyprian Valentino."

"Scarlett Callidora," I answered with a sniffle, strangely relaxed by the stranger ahead of me.

"How old are you, sweetie?" He tilted his head and bent down to my height, his wide smile somehow voiding all emotion within me. The man's aura altered my feelings, replacing any and every emotion with nothing. I felt numb.

"Eleven."

"Do you want to know why you killed your sister?" He asked. I blinked, keeping quiet with a tiny nod that made his smile widen and he placed a cold, spine-chilling hand on my shoulder above my tank-top strap. "Because I compelled you to."

My eyebrows furrowed. "Why?"

"I have a wonderful couple back home looking for beautiful little girls to raise as their own, Scarlett," he replied gently, but a frown morphed on my face.

"Why kill?"

He pinched my nose and shook it lightly. "Because they're dead, darling, and in order to give them the daughter's they've always wanted, they must be too."

"You're taking Annette from me," I said slowly, my frown deepening.

"What kind of animal do you take me for? I'd never separate siblings. You're going with her, and you won't remember any of this." He stood upright and I stared at him, flickering my gaze onto my sister.

"Are you going to compel me to die now too?" I asked.

"No, you'll do that all on your own."

"How do you know? I don't want to die, mister."

"Because I know you love her."

I looked back at Annette's motionless figure lying in the grass and felt my heart pounding against my ribs, fighting to keep me from being exactly like her, just like I've done my whole life. We just always had to be different. And despite that, she was my best friend—my only friend.

"Love is the only acceptable excuse," I mumbled.

He appeared impressed with my word choice and raised a brow. "For dying?"

"For nearly anything."

His expression faltered and he silently stared at me, a newly formed spark in his eye. I walked over and got down next to Annette, wrapping her arm around me before picking up the blood-stained whittle and positioning it over my neck, closing my eyes then driving it through my throat.

"Oh... you love too deeply. I can already see that even in death, you'll let it consume you."

#

Elliot lunged for Cyprian who threw me into him. He landed on me and we hit the ground equally as stunned by the hard, unexpected impact of our bodies clashing. Then time stood still when a constricting force wrapped around my throat and forced my gaze upward, connecting with Cyprian's.

"Charm that damned Alpha to sign by tomorrow night. Forget this," he hissed, shoving my face down into the grass.

I lifted my throbbing head instantly only to see Cyprian and his men were gone and Elliot rush to Gia's side. She laid on the ground, holding the side of her neck, gurgling weakly, and a strong scent of blood filled my senses.

Gasping, reality came crashing back into me and I blinked. Cyprian stood in front of me and his men held my arms, the same positioning we were before the sudden return of my lost memories.

"What was that?" I asked in a breathless, freaked voice.

"Every time I ever compelled you," he answered.

"You lying s**t! You did compel me to hook up! You told me to charm—" His hand shot up and cut me off.

"I did say that, yes. I played a very minor role, love. Isn't the mind such a powerful tool?" He smiled, bringing a raging heat boiling within me. "I was responsible for your hot flashes, then that dog got into your head. Don't you just absolutely respect the placebo effect? It's a marvelous thing, darling. And that is what made you lustful. You had the choice to interpret my words in any way you wanted. A friendly hug? Sure. Handshake? Lunch? Why not?" He paused, a small smug smile finding his lips. "s*x? Oh, darling..." he trailed off, but I understood his point.

As much as I wanted to believe he was lying or messing with me, the fact stands that he couldn't possibly lie through compulsion. It would've been exposed. There is no picking and choosing which memories to give back and which not to.

"Fine, okay, so maybe that was choice—but then why can't I remember you telling me to get close with him in the first place?" I questioned in stirring panic, watching his amused features soften.

"Because I never told you to."

Words piled up in my throat and none of them found their way at out, creating a lump that I couldn't quite dislodge. My stomach flipped as silence possessed me. All I did was stare at him, choked up on the jumbled words. Seeing this, Cyprian signaled his men to release me and I stumbled, gazing at the ground with a million thoughts.

It was all real. Everything I felt—everything I feel—and I just threw it in his face like he was an ignorant, love stricken fool.

"That is quite an overreaction, isn't it?"

I looked up to meet his gaze, disbelief evident across my features and tears started to fill my eyes as the situation began to settle in. He examined my expression then his smug, amused smirk gradually fell neutral and his face softened.

"Oh, darling... In my eight hundred years of life, I have not seen such absurdity before," he added, bewildered, and more silent tears streamed down my cheeks.

"You're in love with a werewolf."

I closed my eyes to stop the tear flow.

"Why leave?" He asked, redirecting my teary gaze back onto him.

"I thought it was a lie," I whimpered, choking on a stifled cry. His face remained neutral.

"It was fear," he corrected.

"You got into my head and constantly f****d with us! It's your fault!" I cried.

His smile returned. "Darling, don't give me all the credit. You're the one who'd rather believe it was all a lie than believe that anything you felt was real, raw emotion for someone so vastly different. You wanted it to be a lie."

"No." A ragged, unsteady breath left me and the heat in my throat tightened painfully.

"You're afraid of mortality. That's why you chose the lesser of the two. You know he'd never turn for you and you left with the belief it was a hoax so you wouldn't have to see what lies at the end of it all—what'll always lie at the end: loneliness."

An uncontrolled sob escaped me at the truth that poured from his lips and my legs gave out, sending me crashing to my knees on the cold, damp ground. He's right. I'm afraid. I'm afraid to love, but I'm afraid to be alone.

"Enough tears. Don't sicken me. Now that I've wasted enough time on you, hand over the treaty," he demanded. I raised my head to look at him, ice coursing through my veins after realizing why he came after me. However, my silence simply annoyed him. "Were you too incompetent to get his signature?"

Although his voice didn't raise, I felt the rage growing behind his sharp tone and couldn't force myself to admit my failure.

"Fine. If that runt won't agree peacefully, I suppose I'll just have to force him. I was afraid it'd come to this," he sighed calmly, sharing looks between both his men. "Ready the troops, we make our first strike now."

They bowed and ran off. I panicked, my cries coming to a stop as I jumped to my feet, my voice quavering with anxiousness. "This won't grant you an ally! You'll only start a war that'll go on until one of us kills off a an entire species! You can't do this!"

Disgust filled his face and he eyed me with a scrunched nose. "My love, you have it all wrong. I wasn't seeking an alliance, I was seeking the power that came with it. Peace or war, it doesn't matter, the result is all the same. I'll win. I'd prefer to rule with respect, but if fear is my only option, then so be it."

"No, please, you—" He slapped me silent.

"I've waited peacefully long enough." He narrowed his eyes and wrapped his hand around my throat, making me wheeze desperately. "And don't think I'll spare you if you get in my way, Callidora."

He shoved me back and I stumbled, losing my balance and falling into the ground with a loud wince, breathing heavily. By the time I looked up, he was already gone, and I raised my hand to rub the sore skin on my throat. In that same second, a group of loud, drawn howls filled the air in the distance and my body froze.

War has begun.