In The Arms of the Alpha

Jahiel didn’t cry when her parents sold her. She watched in silence as they signed the agreement—ink sealing her fate in exchange for royal favor and gold. Her mother wouldn’t look at her. Her father said nothing. Just took the coins and walked away. The silk clung to Jahiel’s body as two palace handmaids dressed her. Not a single word had been spoken since her parents left her at the palace gates—sold to a prince like livestock, without tears or goodbye. The white gown they picked out looked too clean for what was about to happen. The wedding was ceremonial and cold. David, the prince, didn’t smile as he claimed her with a kiss before faceless witnesses. He didn’t whisper promises, didn’t touch her tenderly. His black eyes met hers, and in them, she saw hunger—not for love, but for control. By sunset, she was standing beside Prince David, hands trembling as they exchanged binding vows. His fingers squeezed hers too tightly. He didn’t smile. Didn’t blink. He just stared down at her like a man unwrapping something he’d bought. When the ceremony ended, the crowd cheered. She didn’t. David leaned in and kissed her in front of everyone—not gentle, not soft. His lips crushed hers like a claim. His hand squeezed her waist like a warning. And then they were alone. In the chambers, he didn’t waste time. “Take it off,” he ordered, voice low. Jahiel froze. “What?” He walked toward her, stripping off his black robe. “The dress. Off.” She hesitated, but his eyes darkened—stormy and dangerous. With trembling fingers, she reached back and unfastened the buttons. The fabric slipped down her shoulders, pooling around her feet. She stood in nothing but lace underwear, her heart hammering, shame burning her skin. He didn’t speak. He circled her like a predator. “You’ll learn quickly,” he murmured, gripping her chin. “What I like. What I hate. How I take what’s mine.” She swallowed. Then he kissed her again—brutal, biting. His tongue pushed past her lips without invitation. His hands roamed her body roughly, tugging at her thighs, lifting her into his arms. He carried her to the bed and threw her down, the mattress bouncing beneath her weight. He crawled over her, yanking off his pants, hard and already ready. No warning. No buildup. He shoved her legs apart and slammed into her. She screamed. He groaned in satisfaction. “That’s it. Cry for me.” Her body tightened from the shock. He was big—too big—and her walls stretched around him painfully. His thrusts were brutal. Unforgiving. Fast. Slap. Slap. Slap. The sound of skin against skin echoed in the room, drowning out her breathy sobs. He pinned her wrists above her head with one hand and grabbed her hip with the other, forcing her to take every thrust deep. “You like that?” he growled. “You feel me inside you?” She shook her head. “Please—” He silenced her with another thrust, so deep it knocked the air from her lungs. “Say my name,” he demanded. She whimpered. “Say it!” “D-David!” “Louder!” “David!” He grinned wickedly, sweat dripping from his jaw. “Good girl.” He kept going—harder, deeper—like he was trying to break her. When he finally finished, he didn’t kiss her. Didn’t ask if she was okay. He pulled out, breathing heavily, and wiped himself with her wedding gown. “Clean yourself up.” Then he left, slamming the door behind him. --- Jahiel lay there, eyes wide, heart pounding. Her body ached—inside and out. Her thighs were bruised, her lips swollen. Her neck burned where he had bitten her. She wrapped herself in a robe and stumbled to the washbasin. Scrubbed at her skin until it turned red. The water stung where he’d been too rough. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Messy hair. Blood on her inner thigh. Bite marks. A stranger. She wasn’t a wife. She was a possession. And yet, something deep inside her refused to break. --- She walked to the balcony, letting the night air cool her burning skin. The palace grounds were quiet, moonlight painting silver across the trees. And then… she felt it. Eyes. Watching her. She leaned forward, heart thudding. There—at the edge of the forest—a pair of glowing blue eyes met hers. They didn’t blink. They didn’t hide. They watched her like she was a secret. A hunger. A mate. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. The figure stepped slightly into view—bare chest, tall, shoulders broad, hair tousled by the wind. His eyes locked on hers, glowing with power. She took a shaky breath. He tilted his head slowly, like he could smell her pain, her desire, her need. A flush crept between her thighs. She pressed her legs together, heat building again—not from fear, but from a raw, untamable ache. This wasn’t like with David. This was something else. Something feral. Primal. She didn’t even know who—or what—he was. But her body reacted like it knew him. Her lips parted. Her n*****s hardened beneath the silk robe. She clutched the balcony rail, breath catching in her throat. And he… smiled. Just slightly. Enough to make her legs weak. Then, just as suddenly, he turned and vanished into the trees. But the ache didn’t vanish with him. It deepened. Rooted in her core. She pressed a hand between her thighs, not to stop it—but to remember. The way he looked at her. The way her body lit up under his gaze. She didn’t know his name. But he had already touched her—without touching her. And something told her… he was coming back. Not to hurt her. Not to own her. But to claim her. And when he did—she knew it wouldn’t be soft.