OBSESSED ALPHA

Chapter2

The door slammed behind Kane, and I stayed on the floor, back pressed against the cold wall. My lips still burned from his kiss, the taste of his blood sharp on my tongue. My wolf paced inside me, whining, pulling at the mate bond like it wanted to drag me after him. I hated it. Hated how even death hadn't killed the pull.

I pushed myself up, legs shaky. No more. This time I wouldn't let the bond win. Five years ago well, five years from now, I had begged for his attention. Crawled after scraps. Let him use my body in the dark while he paraded Lila in front of everyone. Never again.

My hands trembled as I changed into fresh clothes. Simple black tunic and pants. Nothing pretty. Nothing that would make him look twice. I braided my dark hair tight, staring at my reflection. The girl looking back had fire in her green eyes now. Real fire. Not the desperate spark from before.

A sharp knock came again, but softer. "Elara? It's me, Mia."

My best friend. At least she had been before everything fell apart. I opened the door. Mia stood there, short brown hair messy, eyes wide with worry. She smelled like fresh bread from the kitchens.

"You okay? I heard yelling."

"I'm fine," I said, stepping past her into the hallway. The pack house was quiet this early, dawn light barely touching the stone floors. "Just a bad dream."

She fell in step beside me. "Kane again?"

I didn't answer. We walked toward the training grounds. My body remembered this routine. Back then I trained hard, hoping to prove I was worthy of being Luna. Stupid. This time I'd train for myself. For survival.

The air outside was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and wet earth. Warriors were already sparring, grunts and clashes filling the space. I spotted Kane immediately. He stood at the edge, arms crossed, watching. His gray eyes locked on me the second I appeared. Heat crawled up my neck.

I turned away, grabbing a wooden staff from the rack. Focus on the fight. Not him.

Mia paired with someone else. I found a lone target post and started drilling, swinging hard and fast. Each strike sent vibrations up my arms. Sweat beaded on my skin. Good. Pain kept me sharp.

"You’re avoiding me."

His voice was low, right behind me. I spun, staff raised. Kane stood too close, shirtless from training, muscles gleaming with sweat. The mate bond flared, sending unwanted heat low in my belly. I remembered his hands on me, rough and demanding. The way he’d growl my name like a curse and a prayer.

"Move," I said.

He didn’t. Instead, he grabbed the end of my staff, holding it still. His fingers brushed mine. Electricity shot through me.

"What the hell happened last night?" he demanded. "You rejected me. No one rejects their mate."

"I just did." I yanked the staff free and swung it at the post again, harder. The wood cracked. "The bond doesn’t own me. I choose who I want. And I don’t want you."

His jaw clenched. That dangerous hunger flashed in his eyes again, darker than before. He stepped into my space, forcing me to back up until my back hit the post. The other warriors slowed their training, watching.

"You’re mine, Elara," he said, voice rough. "Moon Goddess picked you for me. You think you can just walk away? After all the nights you begged for my touch?"

Shame burned my cheeks, but I lifted my chin. "Those nights are over. Find someone else. Like Lila."

His brows drew together. "Lila? She’s nothing. Just…"

"Just what? Someone you’ll choose over me when it matters?" The words slipped out bitterly. I saw the execution platform again, his cold stare as the rope tightened. My chest squeezed tight. Betrayal still felt fresh, like a knife in my ribs.

Kane’s hand came up, cupping my jaw. Not gentle. Possessive. His thumb traced my bottom lip, still swollen from our kiss. "You’re acting crazy. Talk to me."

I slapped his hand away. "Don’t touch me unless you want me to scream rejection in front of the whole pack."

Something shifted in him. His breathing got heavier. The obsession was already sparking, the more I pushed. He leaned in, lips brushing my ear. "You reject me now, but your body remembers. Your scent changes when I’m close. Wet for me already."

Heat flooded my face. My core clenched traitorously. I shoved him hard. He barely moved, but the push created space. I dropped the staff and walked away fast, heart pounding.

Mia caught up to me near the trees. "What was that? He looked ready to throw you over his shoulder."

"Nothing," I muttered. "I’m done chasing him."

She grabbed my arm. "Elara, he’s the Alpha. The mate bond…"

"I said I’m done." My voice cracked just a little. The pain was real. Five years of loving him, only to die for it. I wouldn’t cry here. Not in front of anyone.

We kept walking until the pack house faded behind us. The forest felt safer. Birds called overhead. Leaves crunched under my boots. I needed a plan. The rival packs would attack in a few years. Kane would be vulnerable. This time I wouldn’t warn him. Wouldn’t fight for him. Let his cruelty cost him everything.

But the bond pulled anyway. A constant ache in my chest.

By midday, I was back in my room, cleaning weapons. A knock. Not Mia this time.

Kane entered without waiting. He closed the door, locking it. His presence filled the space, pine and smoke and pure male power.

"You left training," he said. Not a question.

"I don’t answer to you."

He crossed the room in three strides. Grabbed my wrist, pulling me against his chest. Hard muscles pressed into me. His heart beat fast under my palm. "You do. You’re my mate. Act like it."

I tried to pull away. He held tighter. His free hand tangled in my braid, tilting my head back. The kiss came savage this time. Teeth and tongue, claiming. I bit him again, but he only growled into my mouth, pressing me against the table. Something fell and shattered. His hands roamed down my sides, gripping my hips like he owned them.

For a second, I kissed him back. Hate and want mixed ugly inside me. My wolf howled yes. But the memory of the noose flashed, his voice calling me traitor.

I shoved him with everything I had. He stumbled back, lips red, eyes wild.

"Get out," I panted. "Or I’ll make sure the pack knows their Alpha forces himself on an unwilling mate."

He stared at me, chest heaving. The obsession burned brighter now. "You’re playing with fire, Elara. And I won't lose what’s mine."

Kane left, but not before slamming his fist into the wall, leaving a dent. The sound echoed.

I sank onto the bed, body aching with need and fury. Tears finally came, hot and angry. I wiped them fast. This was the path I chose. Avoidance. Distance. Let him become obsessed. Let him break.

But deep down, fear twisted with satisfaction. How far would he go to make me submit?

Later that evening, as the sun dipped low, another knock came. This one official. A pack messenger.

"Alpha Kane requests your presence at the council meeting. Now."

My stomach dropped. He wasn’t giving me space. He was pulling me closer.

I stood, fists clenched. The game was on, and Kane was already changing the rules.

As I walked toward the meeting hall, his scent lingered on my skin. The bond hummed stronger. And somewhere inside, I wondered if refusing him would destroy us both.

The doors opened. Kane sat at the head of the table, eyes locking on mine with

dark promise.

This time, I wouldn’t save him when the enemies came.

But would I survive his obsession?