Mated to the Devil Alpha

CHAPTER 3

As the storm's wrath raged outside, the carriage rocked beneath us, its wind howling like a beast trapped in the dark. As though the carriage's walls were closing in on me, the tense, oppressive air inside felt oppressive.

I was unable to escape. I was unable to avoid the man seated across from me, whose eyes I could sense even in the shadows.

Dorian Blackclaw.

His eyes were the only light in the carriage when the night was illuminated by the occasional flash of lightning, and he sat so still that his posture was commanding.

My chest tightened with a mixture of fear and something I wouldn't admit as his presence filled the room with an aura of power and danger. The words were still heavy in the air, and I hadn't spoken since he had claimed me.

However, I was unable to keep quiet any longer. I was being pulled into a world I didn't understand, a world that seemed like it might swallow me whole, and the uncertainty gnawed at me.

"What are you looking for from me?"

I could feel the tremor that revealed my fear beneath my sharp, demanding voice.

Slowly, Dorian turned his head and met my eyes. In the depths of his eyes, I briefly believed I caught a glimpse of something predatory flickering—something that made my heart skip a beat.

He took a while to answer, and I could feel his eyes moving over me as if he were waiting for something, examining me like a predator. Like a taut rope about to break, the silence drew between us.

At last, he spoke, his voice low, a growl rumbling deep in his chest. "My control is ruined by your scent."

The smallest trace of a smile that didn't quite make it to his eyes was visible when his lips slightly parted. "You're my mate."

I felt the blood drain from my face as his words struck me like a physical blow. I couldn't understand what he was saying, so I just stared at him. My body was immobile, even though I wanted to scream and run.

I had heard of wolves and their soul-binding bond, of fated mates. However, I never thought it would turn out this way. Not in this manner. Not with a man like him.

"No." The denial was quick and automatic, and the word was out before I even realized I had said it.

"I'm not your mate."

Dorian's eyes narrowed, and I could feel the intensity of his stare. The air between us felt heavy for a moment, and I could practically taste the simmering heat of his rage.

"You are."

Although the words were spoken in a whisper, they carried a tremendous weight. His breath was warm against my skin as he leaned forward, his face inches from mine.

"I've sensed it ever since you entered this world. I own you.

I pushed myself back against the carriage seat and backed away, but he remained motionless. His eyes glowed brighter, almost hypnotically intense, and his gaze held me captive.

"You believe you can ignore it?"

His voice was low and tinged with something primordial as he whispered. His mouth twisted into a sort of smile, but it was far from amicable.

"You have no idea how you're feeling.”

However, I sense you. Kaia, you are mine.

I shook my head in an attempt to suppress my heartbeat and make myself breathe.

No, this isn't possible. He wasn't using me as a plaything. What his eyes and words conveyed didn't matter to me. I refused to be controlled by him.

I pushed back against the overwhelming pressure of his presence by swallowing the lump in my throat and looking him in the eye.

"This is not what I want. I'm not interested in you. I quickly steady my voice after it faltered for a moment.

"I'm not your mate."

Something darker twitched Dorian's lips. I saw his eyes shift with something more dangerous, something fiercer, and his jaw tighten.

I sensed a growl rumbling deep within him, a wolf stirring beneath the surface. I was aware that I was near the brink.

The carriage's temperature dropped, and I could hear Dorian's chest vibrating with a low growl. It thickened the air, encircling me like a cloak of oppression. His voice was low now, almost a whisper, but it sliced through the tension like a blade as he said,

"You can deny it all you want."

However, it won't alter the reality. I own you. And I'll have you.

A mixture of rage and frustration was coursing through my veins, and I could feel the heat rising in my chest. I was being claimed by this man, this Alpha, as if I had no control over the situation and my wishes were irrelevant.

It infuriated me. His wolf's growl intensified before I could say anything more, reverberating throughout the carriage like a warning.

I went cold. Dorian's eyes flashed brighter, almost unnaturally intense, and the carriage shook slightly as the growing power within him surged.

Every inch of my skin pricked from the raw tension that seemed to be stretching the space between us. I sensed the change as the growl persisted, getting louder. His dark cloak caused his muscles to ripple as his body tensed.

I became aware that Dorian's restraint was eroding as the air became colder and more charged with primordial energy. I almost lost my balance when the carriage lurched violently.

Dorian shifted slightly, his jaw clenched, and a dangerous vibration rolled through the air, but his eyes never left mine. He let out a low growl once more, but this time it came from somewhere deeper and darker than his chest.

He had a restless wolf inside of him that was itching to be let out. The carriage abruptly stopped. My heart skipped a beat as I was startled forward by the abrupt stop. Something dangerous was outside, and I could sense the tension in the air.

In the distance, the howls could be heard. It was a familiar sound, but not the typical wolf call. These were bloodthirsty, primal, and wild.

Panic flooded my veins as my heart raced. Dorian was slow to speak. His expression was unreadable as he gazed into the night through the broken window.

I could see the fangs starting to show from his mouth as his wolf stirred beneath his skin. With a low growl that raised the hairs on the back of my neck, he whispered,

"We're being hunted."

Something wild flashed through his eyes as they met mine.

"Prepare." I started to reply, but before I could do so, the sound of howling got closer and louder. We weren't alone, and I could sense danger approaching.

Dorian moved again, his hand clinging to the seat's edge with uncontrollable vigour. His fangs were now fully exposed, sharp and lethal, and the air around him crackled with tension.

I could tell by the shift in his expression that the Alpha, the beast who was only interested in hunting, had taken the place of the man I had been talking to.

And I knew right then and there that this was just the beginning.