The Alpha's Hidden Heirs

BLOOD AND BETRAYAL

Aria's POV

"Get out." My voice came out steadier than my hands gripping the knife.

Derek laughed, wiping blood from his split lip. "Still trying to play tough? It doesn't suit you."

"Where's Marcus?"

"Dealing with my friends." He moved closer, and I raised the knife higher. "They're leading him on a nice chase through the woods. Giving us time to talk."

"We have nothing to talk about."

"We have everything to talk about." His eyes raked over me, disgust and desire warring in his expression. "You're wearing his clothes. You smell like him. You let him mark you."

"What I do is none of your business anymore."

"You're my fiancée—"

"Ex-fiancée." I corrected. "You ended that when you chose my sister."

"That was a mistake." He took another step closer. "Selena means nothing. She was just... available. Easy."

"And I wasn't?"

"You were perfect." His voice turned pleading. "Too perfect. Do you know what it's like, being with someone everyone sees as weak, knowing you're weak for wanting them?"

"So you're blaming me for your cheating?"

"I'm explaining why I made a mistake." He reached for me, but I slashed with the knife, catching his hand.

He cursed, pulling back. "You cut me!"

"I'll do worse if you touch me again."

"This isn't you." He cradled his bleeding hand. "The Aria I know wouldn't hurt anyone."

"The Aria you knew was a doormat." I kept the knife between us. "She died when she found you with Selena."

"Don't be dramatic. You're hurt, I get it. But running to Marcus? Letting him use you for his games?"

"He's not using me."

Derek's laugh was bitter. "You really believe that? Marcus Blackwood, who's never kept a woman longer than a night, suddenly wants you forever?"

"Yes."

"You're naive." He moved to the side, trying to circle me. "He wanted to piss off his father, challenge the pack hierarchy, and stick it to me. You were convenient."

"Stop."

"The marks on your neck? They'll fade. His interest? Already waning. By next week, he'll have moved on to someone else, and you'll have nothing."

"You're wrong."

"Am I?" He pulled out his phone, showing me a photo. "This was taken an hour ago."

The image showed Marcus with a beautiful blonde wolf, her hand on his chest, his hand on her waist. They looked intimate. Comfortable.

My wolf snarled, but doubt crept in.

"That's Stephanie," Derek continued. "His ex. The only woman who lasted a whole month with him. She came back to town this morning when she heard about you."

"You're lying."

"The photo doesn't lie." He moved closer while I stared at the screen. "He's already moving on, Aria. But I'm here. I choose you."

"After choosing my sister first?"

"I told you, that was a mistake—"

"No." I threw his phone back at him. "The mistake was me thinking you ever loved me."

"I do love you!"

"You love the idea of me. The weak Omega who made you feel strong." I backed toward the door. "But I'm not weak anymore."

"Because you spent one night with Marcus? That doesn't change what you are."

"No, but it showed me what I could be."

"His w***e?"

The slap happened before I realized I'd moved. Derek's head snapped to the side, my handprint blooming red on his cheek.

"Get. Out."

He touched his face, shock turning to rage. "You're going to regret that."

"The only thing I regret is wasting two years on you."

"Those weren't wasted—"

"Yes, they were." The truth of it settled in my bones. "Every moment I spent making myself smaller for you, weaker for you, less than for you—all wasted."

"I never asked you to—"

"You didn't have to ask. Every time you introduced me as 'just an Omega,' every time you spoke over me at pack meetings, every time you made decisions about our future without consulting me—you were asking."

"That's how relationships work—"

"No, that's how control works."

The door burst open. Marcus stood there, blood on his knuckles, murder in his eyes.

"Step away from her." His voice was pure Alpha command.

Derek submitted instantly, his body moving without his permission. "We were just talking—"

"With a knife between you?" Marcus's gaze found the blade in my hand, the cut on Derek's palm. "Doesn't look like talking to me."

"She attacked me!"

"Good." Marcus moved to my side, his hand finding my lower back. "Though next time, aim for the throat."

"This is exactly the problem," Derek snarled. "You're turning her into something she's not."

"I'm helping her become who she always was."

"She's an Omega—"

"She's magnificent." Marcus's voice held complete certainty. "And tomorrow, when I destroy you in the challenge circle, everyone will know it."

"If you make it to tomorrow." Derek's smile was cruel. "Stephanie's here. Your father invited her. Thinks maybe you need a reminder of what a proper Alpha female looks like."

Marcus went still. Too still.

"Is it true?" I asked quietly.

"She's here," Marcus confirmed, his jaw tight. "My father's attempt at manipulation."

"The photo—"

"What photo?" He looked at Derek's phone, his expression darkening. "You took this out of context. She grabbed me. I was removing her."

"Looked pretty cozy to me," Derek said.

Marcus moved so fast I barely saw it. Derek hit the wall, Marcus's forearm across his throat.

"You come into my home, threaten my woman, and try to manipulate her with lies?" His voice was deadly calm. "Give me one reason not to kill you now."

"Pack law—"

"f**k pack law." Marcus's arm pressed harder. "You lost any protection when you entered my territory uninvited."

"Marcus." I touched his shoulder. "He's not worth it."

"He threatened you."

"He failed." I squeezed gently. "Let him go."

Marcus held for another moment, then released Derek, who gasped for air.

"Tomorrow," Marcus said. "Dawn. Don't be late."

Derek straightened his shirt, trying to salvage his dignity. "This isn't over."

"No," Marcus agreed. "Tomorrow it ends. Permanently."

Derek left, slamming the door behind him.

Marcus immediately turned to me, his hands running over my arms, checking for injuries.

"Did he hurt you?"

"No." I showed him the knife. "I handled it."

"You cut him."

"He tried to touch me."

Pride flashed in his eyes. "That's my girl."

"About Stephanie—"

"Means nothing." He cupped my face. "She ambushed me at the pack house. My father's idea of reminding me what I'm giving up."

"What are you giving up?"

"A proper Alpha female. Strong bloodline. Political advantages." He leaned his forehead against mine. "Everything that should matter but doesn't."

"Your father won't accept this."

"My father doesn't have to." His thumbs stroked my cheeks. "But he will. Once he sees what you really are."

"A weak Omega who causes trouble?"

"A powerful wolf who's been hidden too long." He kissed me softly. "Speaking of which, we need to train."

"Now?"

"Now." He pulled back. "Your wolf needs to be ready."

"For what? I'm not fighting tomorrow."

"No, but Derek won't play fair. His friends will be there. Your sister. Others who think you're stepping out of line."

"You think they'll attack me?"

"I think they'll try." His expression darkened. "But they'll have to go through me first."

We spent the afternoon in the forest. Marcus taught me to fight—not just defend, but attack. My wolf was eager, stronger than I'd ever felt her.

"Again," Marcus commanded after knocking me down for the tenth time.

I lunged, feinting left before going right. This time, I managed to clip his shoulder before he pinned me.

"Better." He helped me up. "You're learning."

"I'm slow."

"You're untrained. There's a difference." He circled me in wolf form while I remained human. "Your instincts are good. Trust them."

"My instincts got me engaged to Derek."

"Your fear got you engaged to Derek." He shifted back, gloriously naked and unconcerned about it. "Your instincts brought you to me."

"My desire for revenge brought me to you."

"Same thing." He pulled me against him. "Your wolf knew what she needed. Who she needed."

"Marcus—"

A howl echoed through the forest. Then another. And another.

"Pack meeting," Marcus said, his expression grim. "My father's called everyone."

"Including me?"

"Especially you." He grabbed our scattered clothes. "Time to face them all."

The pack house was packed. Every wolf in the territory had gathered, their eyes following us as we entered. Whispers erupted like wildfire.

"The Omega w***e—"

"Marcus's latest toy—"

"Can't believe she'd betray Derek—"

Marcus growled, and silence fell.

Alpha Blackwood stood at the front, Stephanie beside him looking perfectly composed in a designer dress that screamed money and breeding.

"Now that everyone's here," Alpha Blackwood began, "we need to address the situation."

"What situation?" Marcus asked, though we all knew.

"The challenge tomorrow. The... complications involving Miss Winters."

"What complications?" I found my voice. "Derek cheated. I moved on. He's bitter. Seems simple to me."

Gasps echoed through the room. Omegas didn't speak at pack meetings without permission.

"You weren't given leave to speak," Alpha Blackwood said coldly.

"She doesn't need leave," Marcus interjected. "She's under my protection."

"She's causing chaos."

"She's exposing truth." Marcus faced the pack. "How many of you knew Derek was f*****g Selena? How many stayed silent?"

Uncomfortable shifting. Averted gazes.

"That's what I thought." His voice carried to every corner. "You all knew. You all let Aria believe she was entering a faithful mating while her intended and her sister laughed behind her back."

"It wasn't our place—" someone started.

"It's always our place to protect pack members from betrayal." Marcus's eyes found my parents in the crowd. "Especially those who should have protected her most."

My mother stepped forward. "We didn't know—"

"Liar." The word left my mouth before I could stop it. "You knew. Dad knew. You just didn't care as long as I married well."

"Aria, sweetheart—"

"Don't." I moved away from her reaching hand. "You let them humiliate me. You let them make me feel worthless."

"We were protecting you," my father said quietly. "Your wolf... it's different. Special. If people knew—"

"If people knew what?"

Silence.

"Tell her," Marcus commanded. "Or I will."

My father looked at Alpha Blackwood, who nodded grimly.

"You're not just an Omega," my father said finally. "You're a Luna wolf. The first in three generations."

The room exploded in shock. I stood frozen, the words not making sense.

"That's impossible," Derek shouted. "She can barely shift!"

"Because we suppressed it," my mother admitted, tears in her eyes. "With herbs in your food, dampening spells from the healer. We kept your wolf weak to keep you safe."

"Safe from what?"

"From those who would use you," Alpha Blackwood said. "Luna wolves are rare. Powerful. They can strengthen any pack they join, any Alpha they mate. Wars have been fought over them."

"So you... poisoned me?" The betrayal cut deeper than Derek's ever could. "My own parents?"

"We protected you—"

"You crippled me!" My wolf rose, fury and power flooding through me. "You made me believe I was weak, worthless, less than everyone else!"

"It was for your own good—"

I shifted without meaning to, my wolf exploding forward in a surge of silver light. But this time, I was even bigger, even stronger. Power radiated from me in waves that made every wolf in the room step back.

Even Marcus looked surprised.

I stalked toward my parents, a growl building in my chest. They'd stolen years from me. Made me doubt myself. Let others hurt me.

"Aria." Marcus's voice, calm and steady. "Not like this."

I wanted to ignore him. Wanted to make them pay.

But his hand found my fur, grounding me. "They were wrong. But killing them won't change the past."

I shifted back, Marcus immediately wrapping his jacket around me.

"You had no right," I said to my parents, my voice broken. "No right to make that choice for me."

"We're sorry," my mother sobbed. "We thought—"

"You thought wrong." I turned to face the pack. "All of you thought wrong. You saw a weak Omega and dismissed me. Ignored me. Let me be humiliated."

"But now you know the truth," Alpha Blackwood said. "You're valuable. Special. You could mate with any Alpha in the country—"

"I don't want any Alpha," I interrupted. "I want—"

I stopped, realizing what I'd been about to say.

Marcus stepped forward, his hand finding mine. "Say it."

"This is ridiculous," Stephanie finally spoke, her voice cultured and cold. "She's been awakened for one day. She has no idea what she wants."

"Don't speak for her," Marcus warned.

"Someone needs to." Stephanie moved closer, every inch the perfect Alpha female. "She's overwhelmed, confused, latching onto the first strong wolf who showed interest—"

"Careful," Marcus's voice dropped dangerously.

"It's true, and you know it." Stephanie touched his arm. "We had something real, Marcus. Built over time, not one night of revenge sex."

"We had nothing," Marcus said flatly. "You were an experiment. An attempt to feel something I couldn't."

"Because you were waiting for her?" Stephanie laughed. "This nobody who didn't even know what she was?"

"Yes."

The simple word silenced everyone.

"I was waiting for her," Marcus continued, pulling me closer. "I didn't know it, but my wolf did. That's why no one else ever fit. That's why you never lasted."

"This is insane—"

"This is fate." He turned to his father. "Tomorrow's challenge stands. When I win, Aria chooses her own path. No interference from you, the pack, or anyone else."

"And if Derek wins?" Alpha Blackwood asked.

"He won't."

"But if he does—"

"Then I'll challenge him again." Marcus's eyes went gold. "And again. And again. Until he understands she's mine."

"I'm not—" I started.

"You are," Marcus, Derek, and half the pack said simultaneously.

The weight of it crashed down on me. Luna wolf. Power. Expectations. Everyone suddenly seeing me differently, wanting me differently.

"I need air," I said, pulling away from Marcus.

"Aria—"

But I was already running, shifting mid-stride, my wolf desperate for freedom.

Behind me, I heard Marcus curse, heard him shift to follow.

But also heard others.

The hunt was on.

And this time, I wasn't running from something.

I was running toward it.

Toward a destiny I never knew existed.

Toward a power I'd never been allowed to feel.

Toward a choice that was finally, truly mine.

The only question was: what would I choose?