The Alpha Christmas claim

Chapter 3 Rules of the wolf

Lila stood frozen in the center of the Alpha’s suite, her hands still clutching the warm ceramic mug. The simple sound of the lock clicking, followed by the urgency in the departing voices, was more terrifying than Rhys’s growl. It was proof that the madness wasn't localized to him; it was an external, organized threat.

“Victor is asking for you.”

The name was a cold stone in her gut. She pictured the headline: “Missing Woman Found Dead in Woods After Cult Abduction.” This wasn’t a delusion she could cure; this was a game of life and death, and she didn’t know the rules.

She tentatively set the mug down and moved to the heavy oak door. She didn’t try the knob, knowing it was futile. Instead, she leaned her ear against the wood, listening to the muffled sounds of the massive house—the low thrum of voices, the occasional heavy footfall, and something else, an undercurrent of animalistic tension she had dismissed earlier but now recognized as fear.

After ten minutes of agonizing silence, the door swung inward.

It wasn't Rhys. It was the woman whose voice Lila had heard: Evelyn. She was tall, lean, and utterly devoid of the warmth or panic Lila expected. Her black hair was pulled back severely, and her deep brown eyes were sharp, missing nothing. She wore tailored clothes similar to Rhys's—expensive, functional, and severe. She looked like a highly paid security consultant, not a fantasy character.

Evelyn didn’t waste time on pleasantries. "You’re off the bed. Good. We don't have time for hysterics. The Alpha is currently engaged. I am his Beta, Evelyn. You will address me as such, or as Evelyn. You will address him only as Alpha or Rhys, depending on the formality of the situation."

Lila swallowed hard. "The formality of the situation? I was kidnapped and told I’m someone's soulmate, and now a rival 'Alpha' is at the gate. What situation exactly are we in?"

Evelyn merely raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "The one where you either cooperate or you endanger the entire pack, including yourself. Now, we are going to cover five rules. You will listen."

Lila, surprisingly, listened. Evelyn's composure was a strange, solid anchor in the swirling chaos. She laid out the immediate, non-negotiable terms in a calm, clipped tone that made them sound like mandatory evacuation procedures.

Rule One: You are under the protection of Alpha Rhys, and this is his territory. You do not leave the pack lands. You do not approach the gates. If you feel compelled to run, remember that the moment you cross the perimeter, Rhys’s claim mark becomes a target beacon for rogues. They will not stop to talk about psychology. They will tear you apart for defying an Alpha.

Rule Two: Your scent is highly potent. It’s what allowed Rhys to find you. It’s what Victor has smelled. You will stay in this wing unless escorted by the Alpha or myself. Do not wander. The Pack is aware of your existence, but your identity as the Mate is private for now.

Rule Three: Do not, under any circumstances, contradict Rhys in front of the Pack. He is the leader. His word is law. Your survival depends on his unchallenged authority, especially now.

Rule Four: The Mate Bond is real. It is not a delusion. Denying it is like denying the tide. It affects him—he is more volatile, more protective. It affects you—you are healing faster, feeling an unnatural sense of safety here. Embrace the protection it offers, or risk being consumed by its rejection.

Rule Five: You have no ties to your past life. Do not mention the cheating boyfriend, the coffee shop, or your human friends. They are ghosts. You are now a part of this world, and any weakness you show will be exploited by Victor.

When Evelyn finished, the silence was heavy. Lila didn't feel hysterical anymore. She felt cold, focused, and utterly stranded.

"The Alpha... he said I was a target," Lila whispered, the enormity of her situation finally settling. "Who is Victor?"

Evelyn's face finally showed a flicker of emotion—disgust. "Victor is an Alpha of the Blackwood Pack. He thrives on chaos. He thinks Rhys’s territory is weak, and finding a human mate—you—is a sign of that weakness. He believes if he can steal the Mate, he can steal the Pack. He’s here now, using the cover of a ‘holiday truce’ to scout. Rhys needs you to be the Mate he claimed you to be."

Lila took a slow breath, the spicy, primal scent of the room suddenly feeling like an obligation, not just a smell. The crushing weight of her lost life—the broken watch, the shabby apartment, the betrayal—suddenly felt small, insignificant. This was truly her new reality.

A wave of grief, sharp and potent, finally hit her. It wasn't about the cheating; it was about the loss of choice. The loss of her easy, comfortable predictability. She wrapped her arms around herself, trembling. "My parents, my sister... they'll think I just ran off. They'll be looking for me."

Evelyn’s expression softened momentarily, a hint of something resembling pity crossing her features. "The Alpha is working on that. We can’t contact them directly, but we can plant evidence to show you left willingly to 'start a new life.' It will hurt, but they will be safe. You cannot compromise their safety by linking them to us."

The door opened again, and this time, Rhys stepped through. He dismissed Evelyn with a silent, flicking glance. He looked tired, the golden hue in his eyes banked down, but the tension in his shoulders was immense.

He noticed Lila, standing alone, shaking slightly, not from fear of him, but from the immense sorrow of her severed human connections.

He didn't stride forward with dominance. Instead, he approached the table where the mug sat and picked up the half-eaten crusty roll. He held it out to her.

"Eat," he ordered, the word softened by a surprising underlying empathy. "You need strength. And you need warmth. It’s going to be a long night."

Lila took the roll. It was warm, soft inside, and she hadn't realized how ravenous she was. She took a bite, the simple act of chewing grounding her. Rhys sat down on a nearby leather armchair, watching her.

"Evelyn told you the truth," he said, his eyes scanning her face, looking for lingering hysteria. "The Pack senses the Mate, but they sense your confusion. They sense the vulnerability. That can’t happen when Victor is here."

"I... I understand the danger," Lila managed, her voice steadier now. "I understand the rules. I just don't understand the why. Why me? Why a barista who saves for months to buy a cheap watch for a man who doesn't care? Why the Mate?"

Rhys leaned forward, his elbows resting on his powerful knees. He looked less like an Alpha and more like a man burdened by an enormous responsibility. "I don’t know why the Goddess chose you. I only know the fact. I have spent decades preparing for the possibility of finding my Mate. I expected a Luna, a fighter, someone raised in the knowledge of our world." He gave a humorless laugh. "I got a fragile, terrified human who smells like despair and cinnamon."

He paused, his eyes holding hers. "But every time you look at me with fear, I feel the bond pulling. When I touched you in the alley, I felt a deep relief—a peace I haven't known since I was a child. The bond works, Lila. And it is the only thing keeping us both anchored. I promise you this: the life I offer is one of absolute security, value, and belonging. Something Mark, that pathetic excuse for a human, could never give you."

He stood up, his gaze intense. "But we are out of time. Victor is here. He has brought a handful of his best wolves to intimidate us. He expects me to hide you. He expects me to show weakness."

Rhys walked to a large wardrobe and pulled out an elegant, deep crimson dress—the color of Christmas wine and a bold statement against the white snow. It was soft silk, simple yet undeniably striking.

"You will put this on," he commanded, placing the dress on the bed. "You will show no fear. You will act the part. This is not a request; it is an order. Every wolf in this room, from the lowest sentinel to Victor himself, will be trying to read your reaction to me. You will meet their gaze, and when you look at me, you will act as if you believe the claim. Do you understand?"

Lila looked from the beautiful, defiant dress to Rhys’s serious, guarded face. The choice was no longer about escaping; it was about performing. It was about survival.

She put down the roll, the last piece of her humanity, and met his golden gaze. "I understand. What do I do when I see him?"

Rhys’s lips curved into the faintest, most chilling semblance of a smile. "You do not break eye contact with me. You stand where I place you. And you let me claim you again."

He turned to the door, his hand resting on the knob. "When we walk down those stairs, you are the Mate. You are the Luna. And you are mine."

Rhys opened the door, waiting. Lila walked over to the dress, picked it up, and began to change. As the crimson silk slid over her skin, the scent mark on her neck thrummed, and the fear was overtaken by a shocking surge of protective defiance. She was terrified, but she was no longer just the victim. She was the Alpha's claim, and she was about to face the enemy.

"Ready," she said, her voice surprisingly steady.

Rhys nodded, satisfaction flickering in his golden eyes. He grabbed her hand, the immense heat from his palm immediately merging with her own cold skin. The sensation of the Mate bond was electric, a lifeline, and a shackle, all at once.

They stepped out of the private suite and onto the dark oak landing overlooking the grand Pack Hall. Below, in the enormous, stone-floored room decorated with surprisingly elegant Christmas greenery, a group of large, intimidating men stood. Two of them were staring directly up at the staircase.

In the center of the hall, next to the towering fireplace, stood the man whose face radiated cold, smug arrogance. Victor.

Rhys’s grip tightened on Lila’s hand, a painful, possessive reassurance. They descended the wide, creaking stairs together, two figures in the gloom, walking directly toward the conflict on Christmas Eve. The pack war was about to begin.