IN BED WITH THE WRONG ALPHA

6

KANE

Fool, my wolf snarled the second I exited the school building.

Letting her walk away just to uphold your silly beliefs.

It was the arrangement, and the public display was enough, I fired back. I cannot give in to all of your desires.

The beast rumbled beneath my skin, clawing at my chest. It wanted her desperately, but one of us had to keep a clear mind. No matter how attractive a woman was, I had to make the best choice for our future. The stability of this entire nation depended on me.

But my wolf didn’t care about political strategy; it hadn’t rested for a single second since we touched last night. While we were still battling mentally, my driver pulled up right in front of me.

I got into the car immediately, and the vehicle sped off.

“Where to?” I asked.

"Your mother called three times," my driver, Elias, replied, catching my eye in the rearview mirror. "The council has already assembled at the Thorne Estate. They’ve seen the news all over the media.”

"Of course they have," I muttered, settling back into the leather seat.

The drive back felt like an eternity. Before long, the heavily guarded borders of the Supreme Estate came into view. The fortress stood as a monument in the center of the pack—stone walls, towering iron gates, and armed guards who fell to one knee as my car sped past.

When I entered the council chamber, the tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. But I was no longer the twelve-year-old boy who used to stand quietly behind his aging father, too afraid to face the elders.

Twelve councilmen sat around the circular stone table. At the head of the room, standing near the arched windows, was my mother. Her brows were etched with worry, her fingers tightly clasped.

"Kane," Elder Vincent spoke first, his graying brows furrowing as I took my seat at the head of the table. "You have been the acting Alpha Supreme for less than a week, and already the Thorne Nation is in an uproar. You publicly paraded a Blue Thorne woman across campus before even granting an audience to the remaining two candidates of the prophecy."

Another elder chimed in, slamming his hand flat against the stone table. "You have drawn unnecessary attention to the Supreme Throne at a time when we should be projecting absolute stability. And worse, you have dragged Elizabeth Ford's daughter into the center of it."

My mother shifted her gaze toward me, her eyes narrowing slightly at the mention of the name.

"The Supreme Throne has an ugly history with Elizabeth," Vincent warned, his voice dropping. "Her late husband was Thorne's greatest warrior, yes, but the two bloodlines carry... complications. Parading her daughter as your chosen woman is a dangerous provocation."

“One filled with pointless sentiment,” I interrupted smoothly.

Vincent blinked, caught off guard by my sharp tone.

"I do not inherit sentimental battles, because I have no business with love," I said, locking eyes with him. "Robyn Ford is my current choice because she serves a purpose. I request one week from the pack, and I intend to use that week to observe her. Putting her under my protection gets Leon off her back. I am not doing this because I care about her; I am doing it because I need her to draw out the other candidates, and to punish Leon for insulting the throne."

I stood up, slowly adjusting the cuffs of my shirt.

“Besides, you would have a field day if you actually knew what your prized Alpha was up to,” I added, watching Vincent's eyes darken.

If they already knew about Leon's secret, I didn't give a damn.

"If there is nothing else of actual importance to discuss, have a good day, chiefs.”

The elders muttered angrily under their breath, but none of them dared to stand or challenge me. Pack law was absolute, and the Alpha Supreme did not ask for permission.

As I strode out of the chamber, a soft footstep echoed behind me in the corridor.

"Kane," my mother called out.

I turned around, speaking before she could. "I know I—"

"Kane," she interrupted softly, stepping into my space.

The icy, formal demeanor she held in front of the council melted away, replaced by a warm, genuine smile.

"I believe in your judgment," she whispered, reaching up to gently touch my face. "The way you stood up for yourself in there... that is the mark of a ruler who knows exactly what he is doing.”

I froze, caught completely off guard. I had spent my entire life preparing for a battle against everyone—including my own family. To have her simply offer peace made something tight inside my chest loosen.

She leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek, before turning and walking back toward the council chambers without another word.

I stood alone in the quiet hallway for a long moment before shaking off the sentimentality. I took the elevator down to the underground garage. Elias walked up to me, but I flagged him off.

“I am going alone,” I said, heading toward my black sports car.

The engine roared to life, and I sped out of the estate. A lot had happened within twenty-four hours, and I needed time to clear my head before meeting Robyn again.

Shit, why did I think of her?

As the trees blurred past the windows, my mind continuously dragged me back to her. Her honey scent filled my nostrils as memories of last night flooded in. Her flushed skin, the tight grip of her fingers on my shoulders, the way her lips parted as she groaned my name... she had been warm, wild, and entirely mine.

And you didn't even touch her this morning, my wolf growled, taking instant advantage of my distraction. The beast pushed the memory forward, flooding my veins with a sudden, volatile rush of heat. You stood inches from her mouth and you used her for a crowd. You should have tasted her.

Heat coiled in my gut, and my eyes caught the rise in my pants. My grip on the steering wheel tightened.

My wolf was doing this on purpose, and I hated how easily my control was slipping. I was the Alpha Supreme; I could not lose control of my own body over a woman I had known for less than a day.

The beast fought back, filling my mind with the vivid image of Robyn beneath me.

I gritted my teeth, my vision blurring slightly as I tried to force the monster back down. I was so focused on fighting the battle inside my own skin that I didn't see the curve coming.

Suddenly, a pair of blinding headlights flashed through the heavy mountain fog.

An oncoming truck was completely in my lane, swerving wildly as it rounded the blind corner.

My eyes snapped wide.

I reacted at the last possible microsecond. I slammed my foot onto the brake, yanking the steering wheel violently to the right. The tires screeched in a deafening wail as the car spun completely out of control, and my life flashed before my eyes…