The Forbidden Alpha

Chapter 1:The Betrayal Party

A few months ago…

Amelia shouldn’t have been at that party. But she also shouldn’t have overheard her father’s conversation with the pack’s alpha. Hearing that conversation changed everything. It was the first step in the domino effect that would lead her to the black wolf. The first step that would turn her from the beloved daughter of one of the most traditional packs in the country into the mate of the most feared criminal wolf on the continent.

But Amelia didn’t know that as she followed Ana through the trees.

The words she had overheard from her father, without him knowing she was listening, still echoed in her head: partnership, deal, profits, Aidan.

Amelia couldn’t believe her father was planning to sell her as a mate to the alpha’s son. She always knew her parents had plans for her future, but this was too much, even for them.

The pack members believed Amelia had a perfect family. Her father was the strongest beta in the pack, the commander of the clan’s military forces, and responsible for most of the successful actions against rogue and criminal wolves in the region. Amelia’s mother was an omega admired by everyone, responsible for various social actions and combating moral deviations that went against traditions. She was also one of the most beautiful females in the territory.

Amelia’s parents didn’t have a partnership bond, but that didn’t matter. In her pack, partnership bonds were seen as legends. What really mattered were connections to produce good heirs, a balanced mix of strength and wisdom, and if that came with beauty, then the partnership was worth it. Love was just a non-essential detail.

Her parents didn’t love each other. Despite maintaining the appearance of a passionate couple in front of others, when no one was watching, they acted like two business partners in a profitable deal. Amelia thought their relationship was normal until the day she saw a couple with a true partnership bond. The love of that other couple was contagious, overwhelming. Unfortunately, love wasn’t enough to keep them together, and when the female went into heat, the other wolves ambushed the beta who had the partnership bond with her. As Amelia watched the tragic end of that couple, with the female consumed by the pain of the broken bond while crying over her dead partner’s body, Amelia’s father smiled at her and said that’s how unplanned partnerships ended. He also said she didn’t need to worry about that.

Amelia had never really understood his words until that night.

“You need to stop thinking,” Ana, the only young female Amelia was close to in the pack, grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to the circle of torches among the trees. “You came to the party to forget your problems.”

The party was Ana’s idea. After Amelia overheard her father’s conversation, she called Ana to vent because she didn’t know what to do. The idea of being united with Aidan was unacceptable. Aidan wasn’t just the alpha’s son; he was also an egocentric male known for his cruelty, especially towards females.

When Amelia called Ana and told her about her father’s plans, Ana was silent for so long that Amelia almost thought she had lost the connection, but in the end, Ana seemed to come back to herself and suggested they go to a party to forget their problems.

Amelia had never been to a forest party. She had never done a lot of things. She was raised strictly, spending most of her life studying at the best human schools in the state and learning all the things her mother deemed appropriate for an omega, leaving little time for any kind of fun. Not that she was having fun at the party with Ana.

“I’ll be right back,” Ana let go of her hand, moving away before Amelia could protest. They had agreed not to separate, and Amelia had no idea how to act at a party like this. The music around her made her dizzy, and she had the impression that most people were staring at her.

It wasn’t every night that they saw the reclusive young woman from the pack mingling with the other young people. Few people knew who she really was. Her father always kept her identity hidden from anyone not part of the pack, saying it was for her safety, and Amelia believed him. Her father was the biggest enemy of the rogue wolves, and the last thing she needed was for the criminal wolves to recognize her while she was outside her pack’s territory.

This meant that those people at the party were probably staring at her for another reason. She was almost sure it was because of her clothes.

Amelia was beautiful, with clear eyes, long hair, and flawless skin. Being beautiful was one of the implicit obligations of being the daughter of such a perfect couple as her parents. The problem was that Amelia didn’t dress to highlight this beauty. Her father used to say she needed to dress like a respectable female. Now she wondered if he said that just to encourage her to dress in a way that wouldn’t attract other males’ attention. After all, she was meant for Aidan.

The thought made Amelia want to tear the dress she was wearing. The dress was white, long, and plain, so plain that it stood out among all the other females at the party, who wore tight and attractive clothes. She wanted to leave but didn’t know how to get home without Ana, so she stayed where she was until Ana returned.

“I brought this for you,” Ana pushed a cup of soda into her hand. “Let’s dance a little.”

“I want to leave,” Amelia raised her voice to be heard over the music. Ana held her hand.

“We walked too far to get here, now let’s enjoy it,” Ana guided her to the middle of the other people. “Drink the soda, you’ll have fun. Trust me.”

After protesting a bit more, Amelia gave in. She drank the soda and pretended to have fun while wondering why she had followed Ana there. She was angry at her father, but going to a party in the middle of a forest she didn’t know wouldn’t change what her father was doing.

However, with each sip of soda, Amelia felt lighter and less worried. At first, she thought the feeling was good, like floating, with her problems seeming more distant from her mind. But after a while, she realized she could no longer control her movements or the laughter escaping her mouth. She looked at Ana with a mix of confusion and despair and saw Ana smiling.

“You’re so selfish,” Ana looked at her with disdain. “Isn’t it enough to have all the pack’s attention? Why did you have to want Aidan too?”

Amelia felt her back hit a tree; she hadn’t realized she was backing up. She lost her balance, but Ana caught her.

“You’re pathetic,” Ana continued, with tears of anger in her eyes. “How can you think you’re too good for Aidan? But don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re not good for anyone else.”

Amelia couldn’t understand what Ana was saying. Did she think Amelia wanted that union with Aidan? Was she angry because of the union? It didn’t make sense. Amelia tried to say this, but the words wouldn’t come out. She blinked, seeing small black spots at the edges of her vision. She was losing consciousness. She wanted to ask what was happening, why Ana was acting like this, but she couldn’t speak. She could barely stand.

“Sorry?” she mumbled in confusion, her voice slurred and weak. Ana slapped her face and smiled.

Amelia passed out before she saw who Ana called to carry her.