THE ALPHA'S CLAIM

CHAPTER 5

Accepting My Fate

In an instant, his hand was on my face, his grip firm, fingers pressing against my cheek with a strength that forced my head up. Blood rushed to my face, a warmth of humiliation as I met his unfeeling gaze.

“You don’t have to cry,” he said, his voice as cold as his stare. “We’re not monsters. Just do your job, and you’ll survive this. We’ll both get what we want.”

What do we want? How could he know what I wanted? I hadn’t even known myself until now. I wanted the life that had been ripped from me, the dreams my own father had betrayed.

My father. He had lied to me, deceived me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. And now? Now he has sold me off. Sold me as if I were nothing more than a tool, a means to an end.

A breeder.

The word cut into me, making my chest ache. I’d spent years keeping myself safe, preserving every part of me for the one I believed would be my true mate, the one I would meet under a full moon. And now…sold off for someone else’s gain. My dreams, my innocence, shattered in a moment.

“No—no, please, I can’t be your breeder, I can’t do this,” I begged, falling to my knees before him. “I’ll be anything else—a maid, a servant, I’ll work for you my whole life. Just…give me a chance to find my real mate, to find the love I’ve waited for…”

Alpha Logan’s eyes were as cold as stone. He looked down at me with indifference, and it made me feel small, unworthy. He stood there, towering over me, unmoved by my desperation.

“I’ll work to repay every dime my father owes,” I added, my voice cracking. “I’ll earn it back, whatever the cost.”

“You don’t understand, do you?” Beta Xavier cut in, his tone sharp, biting. “You could work until your last breath and it wouldn’t cover a fraction of what he took.”

I scanned the room, my gaze flicking to each person, hoping one of them might show some sign of compassion. But they all stood still, heads down, eyes averted. No one would dare defy the Alpha.

Weak, drained of energy from my tears, I crawled to Beta Xavier, clutching at his leg. “Please,” I whispered, my voice hoarse, barely audible. “Don’t make me do this…”

I felt Alpha Logan’s stare like a weight pressing down on me. I looked up, locking eyes with him for the briefest moment, and a chill ran through me. His expression was fierce, eyes simmering with a barely-contained anger.

Then, in a flash, I saw it. The door to my room stood open, just a few feet away. A glimpse of freedom, just steps beyond my reach.

Without thinking, I broke free, launching myself toward the door, a desperate attempt to escape. I didn’t care where I would go, or how I would survive; anything was better than this.

But I didn’t make it far. Strong hands caught me, throwing me down with a force that knocked the breath out of me. I gasped, struggling, clawing at the floor.

“No! Let me go!” I screamed, my voice raw with panic. “Please, I can’t stay here!”

Alpha Logan’s voice was like ice. “Did you really think you could run in your state? Weak as you are?”

The truth was sinking in—if he wanted, he could end my life right here and now, and no one would speak against it.

I looked at Beta Xavier, my desperation clawing at me, but he remained expressionless, unmoved. “Take her to my room,” Alpha Logan commanded, his tone final, his gaze dark and unyielding.

“But Alpha Logan,” Beta Xavier spoke up, his voice hesitant, though his face remained unreadable. “The pack’s nurse said she’s not fit to conceive yet…”

Conceive. The word felt like a slap, twisting my stomach into knots. What did they mean? Why was that so important to them?

A sick feeling washed over me as I slumped back to the floor. The pieces were starting to come together, forming a picture I didn’t want to see. I wasn’t chosen by chance. They had planned this, calculated my value long before I even knew I was part of their scheme.

I was a rare hybrid, born of a witch mother and a werewolf father. I’d always felt different, even powerful, but now I realized the horrifying truth. My bloodline, unique and ancient, was valuable to them, something they wanted to exploit. They saw me as a breeding vessel, a way to create an heir who would carry powers beyond their own—a child who would ensure the Alpha’s legacy was unstoppable.

I would never find love. I would never have the bond I had dreamed of. I was nothing more than a tool to be used and discarded when my purpose was fulfilled.

Alpha Logan stepped closer, and his looming figure cast a shadow over me. His eyes were like daggers, pinning me in place.

“This is your fate, Freya,” Beta Xavier’s voice was firm, emotionless. “Accept it. And don’t think of running.”

A glint of metal caught my eye as he touched the gun at his side, a warning. The message was clear: try to escape, and they would end me without a second thought.

A chill ran through me, sinking into my bones. This was my reality now—bound to Alpha Logan, forced into a life I had never wanted.

“Bring her to my room in five days.” The Alpha’s voice was cold as he turned to leave, his back to me.

My heart pounded as I looked up, desperation blazing in my eyes. “But what if I refuse?” My voice trembled, the question escaping before I could stop it.

Alpha Logan froze, and for a second, I thought he might ignore me. But slowly, he turned, fixing me with a dark, intense stare. “Then you will simply…disappear. And your family with you.”

The threat lingered in the air, heavy and terrifying. His expression was cold, merciless as he knelt down, bringing his face close to mine, his gaze unyielding. I felt his hand grasp my chin, his fingers digging into my skin as he held me in place.

“I’ll cut your body into pieces and bury each one far from the others.” His voice was barely a whisper, but it sliced through me like a blade.

My throat tightened, my heart hammering wildly as beads of sweat dotted my forehead. There was no escape from him, no way out of this nightmare. I was trapped, bound to this fate.

Slowly, I forced myself to breathe, gathering the last scraps of courage I had left. I straightened, looking up to meet his gaze, refusing to show my fear. “And after I give you this heir you want—then what?”

For a moment, he said nothing, his gaze shifting as if considering my question. Then, his expression softened ever so slightly, and he looked away, his voice a strange mixture of calm and cold resolve. “Then it will be your choice,” he murmured. “Either stay here in NorthRidge…or leave.”

And with that, he turned, his footsteps fading as he walked away, leaving me alone with the horror of what lay ahead.