A Bride to the Devil Alpha

Chapter 4

“Where are you dragging me this time?”

Varek did not answer.

His hand locked around Mira’s wrist and pulled her across the courtyard to the training grounds.

“What do you want now?” she asked in frustration, just as always he remained silent.

She was tired of his testing and studying her like an ancient mystery.

He tossed a sword to her; Mira looked at it and back at him in confusion. “Why are you giving me a sword,”

“I want us to spar.”

Her stomach dropped.

“Rather than telling me to spar, you can kill me now.”

Mira held the sword out to him but he did not take it.

He walked past her to the rack at the edge of the field. He pulled another sword out of its sheath, checking out its weight and balance.

Mira bent and slowly lifted the weapon. The metal felt heavy and wrong in her grip.

Varek raised his blade.

“Attack.”

She didn’t move.

His eyes darkened.

“Attack, Mira.”

She rushed forward awkwardly, swinging the sword with both hands as Varek stepped aside with ease.

Their swords clashed a moment later, the sound sharp and loud across the empty field.

His strike slammed into her arms, sending her sprawling onto her back.

Varek laughed, and she took the chance to kick his legs, knocking him down on top of her.

His nose twitched at Mira’s scent. He leaned closer to inhale more of her warm, sweet vanilla and almond scent. His stomach tightened, his pulse racing. He shook his head, trying to clear the rush, but every breath pulled him in deeper.

Mkra flinched when he brought his nose closer, a flicker of disgust crossing her face. Confusion slammed into him. Can’t she scent me?

“Your mine Mira.”

“Get away from me, you p*****t!” she shouted.

She drove her knee into his groin and shoved him off. In the same breath she grabbed her sword and rushed at him. Varek stepped aside and dodged the strike.

Mira gritted her teeth and swung again but Varek blocked it without effort.

Her breath came faster now. Each strike made her arms shake.

“Focus,” Varek snapped. “You fight like you expect to lose.”

“I do expect to lose!” she shot back, barely dodging his next strike.

He advanced again.

Their swords collided once more. The impact pushed her back across the grass.

“Stand your ground.”

The next strike knocked her blade aside. Pain tore across her side as the tip of Varek’s sword sliced through fabric and skin.

Mira gasped.

The sword dropped from her hand as she pressed her finger against the wound.

“At least, you aren’t immune to something,” he muttered and walked away.

Mira watched him walk away.

He is leaving!

Heat rushed through her chest. Her hands clenched at her sides.

She planted her palm against the grass and forced herself to rise, but pain shot through her side.

She hissed under her breath, fighting the dizziness.

Before she could stand fully, Varek walked back across the field with a roll of bandage hung from one hand and began wrapping the bandage around the wound.

Mira blinked in surprise.

“What..”

Before Mira could finish her words.

He bent down and lifted her as if she weighed nothing.

Her breath caught.

“What are you doing?” she demanded weakly.

“Stop struggling.”

His voice was calm but firm.

Mira froze as he carried her toward the castle.

His scent was like leather and cinnamon.

She could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat through his chest.

“Stop it, Mira,” she whispered, looking down, hoping he wouldn’t see her cheeks flush.

When they reached her room, he set her gently on the bed.

“Get a proper sleep, so you can do better next time, “

“Why do you care?” she asked quietly.

Varek didn’t look at her.

“I don’t.”

His eyes lingered on her a little longer, his lips parting like he had a question to ask.

“At the training ground, did you feel anything like a bond,”

“No,” She answered, her eyes widening in confusion.

“No!!”

“I didn't feel anything, why did you ask,”

“Nothing,” he stared at her once more before leaving the room.

Mira leaned back against the pillow, shock still stirred in her chest.

This was the first time I had seen him soft.

Whatever he found interesting in her, she hoped it would last before she found another way to get out of here.

Varek stepped into his studyroom, maps and ledgers covered the heavy oak desk and the light was dim, shelves filled with books were at each side of the room.

A guard came in, giving a low bow.

“Greetings Alpha Varek,” the guard stepped forward and handed him a scroll. “This is all the information we found on Mira.”

He scanned it quickly. “Go on.”

“She’s the daughter of the former Nightshade Pack. Her parents died on the full moon, the day she was born. They blamed her and mistreated her.”

Varek’s eyes narrowed. “That’s what happens to weak people.”

“She was handed over to you as compensation after their pack caused trouble with ours."

"That's typical of the Nightshade," he said, "handing out crap they don't like as gifts.”

“Are the reports true?”

"Yes, sir. I questioned plenty of the Nightshades, and they all gave the same answer.” The guard confirmed.

Varek dismissed the guard with a curt nod, his mind already processing the report.

There was that old myth: only werewolves blessed by the Moon Goddess with rare powers were born under a full moon. Could Mira be one?

He noticed she didn’t react to the bond at all, and a spark of curiosity and unease tugged at him.

Was she pretending!!

Another thought ran to his head. What if she was sent by her pack as a spy.

Back in Mira’s room. Her eyes fluttered open. The room was quiet, and bright.

She froze as she saw Varek, standing by the window, his gaze fixed on her .

“What… what do you want?” she whispered, pulling the covers closer.

He walked slowly toward her, his hands inside his pocket.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Mira’s voice shook.

Varek’s lips twitched, but he didn’t speak. His wild, calculating gaze made her skin crawl.

He circled the bed slowly, like a predator assessing its prey.

“I…” she started, but the words faltered. Fear made her chest tighten. “Are you… angry?”

His eyes flicked toward her hands, then back to her face. “I’m trying to understand you,” he said finally, his voice low but sharp.

“Everything about you… it doesn’t make sense.”

Mira swallowed hard. “What do you see in me that's making you so obsessed?”

Mira’s eyes burned. Tears filled them but refused to fall. She sat up, fists tight in the bedsheets.

“Because I’m a curse.” Her voice cracked. “My parents died the day I was born. Rogues attacked our pack that same night. They killed everyone who mattered.”

She drew a shaky breath.

“I’m nothing but dead weight they dumped on you. Nothing is special about me.”

She wiped her cheek and turned away, her chest rising fast as she shut herself off again.

“I'll believe you, this once. But If I find out that you’re a spy, your end begins that day.”