The Alpha's Forbidden Mate

"You're nothing but a burden to this family, Wendy. At least your sister knows how to be useful." My stepmother's words hit me like ice water, but I keep scrubbing the floor, pretending I don't feel the sting. My knees hurt against the hard wood, but showing weakness only makes things worse. "The Alpha will be here tomorrow night," she continues, her voice sharp. "Everything must be perfect for Vera's engagement." My hand freezes on the cloth. Vera's engagement? But I'm the eldest daughter. I'm twenty-one, three years older than my stepsister. The Alpha was supposed to— "Don't look so shocked," my stepmother sneers. "Did you really think Alpha Byrde would want someone like you? A girl who can barely shift properly?" I bite my tongue hard enough to taste blood. My wolf, Luna, whimpers inside me, weak and fading. Years of being starved and beaten have left her barely alive. Sometimes I wonder if she'll disappear completely. "Mother, should I wear the red dress or the silver one?" Vera's sweet voice floats in from the doorway. She looks at me with fake concern. "Oh, Wendy's still cleaning? Maybe she needs help?" "Don't be ridiculous," my stepmother waves her hand. "She has one job. She can at least do that right." I watch them leave, my chest tight with anger I can't show. After my mother died when I was eight, Father brought home his new family within a month. Like they'd been waiting. Since then, I've been nothing but their servant. Tomorrow night, I was supposed to meet Alpha Byrde for the first time. Father had promised. He'd actually looked me in the eye last week and promised. But promises mean nothing in this house. Late that night, I sneak into the kitchen for scraps. My stomach has been empty for two days—punishment for accidentally breaking a plate. As I reach for bread, the back door opens. My father stands there, and he's not alone. The man beside him makes my skin crawl. Old, with thin gray hair and yellow teeth. His eyes move over me like I'm meat. "This is her," Father says coldly. "Wendy, meet Beta Marcus. Your future husband." The bread falls from my hand. "What?" I whisper. "The arrangement with Alpha Byrde was always for Vera," Father says, like he's discussing weather. "But Beta Marcus here has offered a generous bride price for you. You'll leave with him tomorrow night." "I won't." The words escape before I can stop them. Father's hand cracks across my face so fast I don't see it coming. I hit the floor, tasting blood. "You will," he says quietly, which is somehow worse than yelling. "Or I'll throw you to the rogues myself." Beta Marcus chuckles, the sound making me sick. "Feisty. I like that." After they leave, I stay on the floor, shaking. Tomorrow night, while Vera meets the Alpha everyone says is young and powerful, I'll be sold like property to a man old enough to be my grandfather. Luna stirs weakly inside me. Run, she whispers. We have to run. But where? I have no money, no friends, nowhere to go. I drag myself to my tiny room in the attic. Not really a room—more like a closet with a mattress. But it's mine. I pull out the only thing that matters: my mother's journal. Her recipes, her healing knowledge, everything she wanted to teach me before she died. A knock makes me freeze. "Wendy?" It's James, the stable boy. The only person who's ever shown me kindness. "I heard what happened. You okay?" I open the door slightly. His green eyes are worried. "I have to get out," I whisper. He nods, glancing around nervously. "Tomorrow, during the party. Everyone will be distracted. I'll make sure the back gate is unlocked." "James, if they catch you—" "They won't." He presses something into my hand. Money. Not much, but more than I've ever held. "My cousin runs a diner two towns over. Tell her I sent you. She'll help." Tears burn my eyes. "Why?" "Because you deserve better than this." He squeezes my hand. "Be ready tomorrow." The next evening, the house buzzes with excitement. Vera floats around in a stunning silver dress while servants rush everywhere. The smell of roasted meat and fresh bread makes my empty stomach ache. I'm in my room, wearing my only decent dress—a plain blue thing with patches—when my stepmother appears. "Change of plans," she says, holding out a red dress. It's beautiful but cut low, too revealing. "Beta Marcus wants to see you properly dressed." My hands shake as I take it. She watches me change, her lip curled in disgust. "At least try to look grateful," she snaps. "Beta Marcus is doing us a favor taking you." She leaves, and I hear the lock click. My heart pounds. She locked me in. The window is too high, too small. The party starts in an hour. James will be waiting, but I'm trapped. Then I remember something. Months ago, I found loose floorboards in the corner. I'd been too scared to explore, but now... I pry them up. There's a crawl space leading to the room next door—a storage room. My dress catches and tears, but I don't care. I squeeze through, emerging covered in dust and cobwebs. The house is chaos. Music plays, voices laugh. I slip through shadows, my heart hammering. The back door is so close— "Going somewhere?" I spin. Vera stands there, perfect in her silver dress, smiling like a cat. "The party's about to start," she says sweetly. "Father's looking for you. Beta Marcus is eager to meet his bride properly." "Please," I whisper. "Vera, please. Just let me go." She laughs, the sound like breaking glass. "Let you go? But then who would clean the floors? Who would Father blame when things go wrong?" She opens her mouth to call for guards. I don't think. I push her hard. She stumbles backward, hitting the wall with a gasp. Before she can scream, I run. The back door. James. Freedom. My bare feet slip on grass as I sprint toward the gate— A hand grabs my arm, spinning me around. But it's not a guard. It's not Father or Beta Marcus. It's a man I've never seen before. Tall, dark-haired, wearing clothes that scream wealth and power. But his eyes—dark brown, almost black—stare at me like he's seeing a ghost. His scent hits me like a physical force. Pine and smoke and something wild. Luna, barely alive inside me, suddenly surges to life. Mate, she gasps. The world stops. "You," he breathes, his grip on my arm tight but not painful. "It's you." Behind us, I hear shouting. They've discovered I'm gone. "Please," I gasp. "I don't know who you are, but please—" "Byrde," he says, and my blood turns to ice. "Alpha Byrde." This is the man Vera is supposed to meet tonight. The Alpha. My sister's intended. And my mate. The shouting gets closer. Any second, they'll find us. Byrde's eyes narrow, his jaw clenching like he's fighting something inside himself. His hand is still on my arm, his thumb brushing over my racing pulse. "You're running," he says. Not a question. "I have to. They're selling me to—" I can't finish. The voices are too close now. He looks toward the sound, then back at me. Something shifts in his expression. Something dangerous. "Get in the car," he says, nodding toward a black vehicle I hadn't noticed. "Now." "But you're here for Vera—" "I said now." The authority in his voice makes my knees weak. Luna whimpers, wanting to obey our mate even though our mind screams this is insane. Guards round the corner, their eyes landing on us. "There she is! Stop!" Byrde steps in front of me, and the guards freeze. The power rolling off him makes the air thick. "Mine," he growls, and the single word changes everything.