In Between Two Alphas: Love for War

CHAPTER TWO

The woods were eerily quiet when two of the pack's warriors dragged Lila’s limp body to the edge of their territory. Zander stood a few feet away, watching silently as they dumped her roughly into the dirt. She was barely breathing, her skin pale, and her once vibrant eyes closed.

"She’s not going to survive this, right?" one of the wolves asked, glancing nervously back at the Alpha.

Zander’s cold gaze swept over Lila’s motionless form. "She’s already as good as dead," he muttered, turning on his heel. "Leave her here. No one will find her."

As the pack wolves disappeared into the shadows, a figure stepped out from the trees, having watched everything from a distance. His eyes narrowed as they fell on the dying woman lying in the dirt. Against all odds, he saw the faint rise and fall of her chest.

She was still breathing

Lila woke up to the sound of rustling leaves and the cold bite of the night air against her skin. Her head pounded, and the sharp pain in her stomach reminded her of Eira’s betrayal. Everything hurt. She tried to sit up, but her limbs felt weak, almost detached from her own body. She gasped, trying to remember how she ended up in the woods. Her memory was a haze of blurred faces, Zander’s dismissive glare, and the bitter taste of betrayal.

Eira poisoned me, she realized, her heart sinking.

Lila’s thoughts raced as she struggled to move. Every breath she took felt like fire burning her lungs. She wasn’t sure if she was dying, but the overwhelming sense of helplessness that washed over her told her she wasn’t far from it.

Suddenly, a shadow moved in the distance, stepping closer to her. Her vision blurred in and out, but she could make out the figure of a man—tall, muscular, and strangely calm for someone finding a nearly lifeless body in the woods.

“Who are you?” she rasped, barely able to speak. Her throat felt raw, her voice weak. The figure knelt beside her, and she instinctively flinched.

"Easy," the man said, his voice deep and soothing. "I’m not here to hurt you."

His hands gently brushed her hair away from her face, and for the first time, Lila felt a strange sense of safety. But why? Who was this man, and why had he found her?

“Stay still,” he commanded softly, inspecting her wounds. His dark eyes focused as he pressed a cloth against the puncture wound from Eira’s poison. His presence was overwhelming, almost suffocating, yet calming at the same time. Lila couldn’t help but be wary.

"Who...?" she started, but her voice gave out again.

“I’m Caius,” he said, his voice cutting through her confusion like a knife. “You’re lucky I found you when I did. What happened to you?”

Lila tried to gather the words, but they tangled in her mind. Telling him the truth could be dangerous. She didn’t know who to trust anymore, not after Eira’s betrayal. But looking into Caius’s eyes, she saw a depth of sincerity that made her want to believe in someone again.

“I was... betrayed,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

“By who?”

She hesitated for a moment. “The people I trusted. They left me for dead.”

Caius’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing. He simply lifted her effortlessly into his arms. Lila’s body felt limp, powerless against his strength.

“Where... where are you taking me?” she murmured as he carried her deeper into the forest.

“To my pack,” he replied. “We’ll treat your wounds there. You’ll be safe with us.”

Lila’s mind spun. A different pack? That could be dangerous, especially if Zander found out she was still alive. But as her eyelids grew heavier, she realized she had no other choice. Caius was her only hope. The last thing she saw before her vision faded into darkness was his intense gaze fixed ahead, his grip firm yet gentle.

---

Lila woke again, this time in a small, warm room. The pain in her body had lessened, though it still lingered beneath her skin like a distant ache. She blinked, trying to adjust to the dim light.

“I see you’re awake.”

Lila turned her head to see Caius standing in the doorway. He looked even more imposing in the soft glow of the room’s candles. His arms were crossed, and his eyes, though calm, held a certain sharpness.

“Where am I?” she asked, her voice still weak but stronger than before.

“You’re in the Bloodfang Pack’s territory,” Caius answered, stepping closer. “You’re safe here.”

Bloodfang Pack. The name was enough to send a shiver down Lila’s spine. They were known as one of the most ruthless packs, feared by many. What would they do to her when they found out who she was?

“What do you want with me?” Lila asked, her gaze narrowing in suspicion.

“I saved you because you were dying,” Caius said matter-of-factly. “You were left for dead, remember?”

Lila stared at him, unsure whether to trust his words. “And now what? Am I your prisoner?”

He shook his head. “You’re free to leave when you’re healed. But let me make something clear—once you walk out of here, you’re on your own.”

His words hung in the air like a warning. Lila’s heart sank as the reality of her situation settled in. She had no home to go back to, no one to trust. Zander and Eira had taken everything from her.

“You don’t have to tell me what happened,” Caius said after a long pause, “but if you want to stay here, you need to decide soon. My Alpha doesn’t take kindly to strangers, and if he finds out you’re here without a reason, things could get... difficult.”

Lila swallowed hard. The thought of facing another Alpha so soon after what Zander did made her stomach twist. But where else could she go? She was still too weak to run, and returning to the Moonstone Pack would mean certain death.

“I’ll stay,” she said finally, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides.

Caius nodded. “Good choice.”

Just as he turned to leave, the door creaked open, revealing another figure—a woman with striking features and an air of authority. Her sharp eyes scanned the room before landing on Lila.

“Who’s this?” the woman asked, her tone icy and demanding.

“This is... Raven,” Caius replied smoothly, glancing back at Lila. “She was attacked, and I found her barely alive.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, and Lila’s heart raced. She knew this woman didn’t believe Caius’s story, but before she could say anything, the woman stepped closer, her eyes locking onto Lila’s.