Marked by the Alpha I Was Never Meant to Love

POV: Aria In the Estate, the snow has settled everywhere, soft and silent like powered glass, making our pack look calm and peaceful. It's the first snow of the season. As I recalled pressing my hands against the cold marble table in the kitchen, I shivered despite the warmth from the crackling fireplace. Then, I perceived the smell of fresh bread, roasted coffee beans, and melted chocolate drifting from the ovens, almost enough to make me forget how chill it is outside. Almost. “Aria. Sit.” Kael’s voice, low and commanding, cut through the kitchen like a whip. Even though we were in the heart of our home, surrounded by the familiar comfort of our parents’ estate, his presence made everything else fade. My older brother, the Alpha of Silvercrest Moon pack, leaned against the counter in his dark coat, eyes scanning the room with that unrelenting, sharp precision that always made me feel exposed. I swallowed and forced a smile, trying to sound casual. “Morning, Kael.” He didn’t acknowledge the greeting. His gaze followed me with quiet intensity, making my fingers tremble as I reached for a steaming mug of cocoa. I could feel him measuring every movement, every twitch of my lips, every glance I dared to throw toward the windows. The Alpha’s eyes were always watching, always calculating. Just then, one of the male servants, a new young man named Derek, approached me with a tray of pastries. His hair was slightly tousled, his uniform neat, but there was a careless, teasing lilt in his smile. “Good morning, Miss Aria,” he said, leaning closer than he should have, the scent of cologne drifting faintly in the cold kitchen air. “You look… even prettier this morning. Did you sleep well?” I froze, my heart skipping a beat. I hadn’t expected anyone to talk to me like that. Kael’s head snapped toward him, his dark eyes narrowing like a wolf scenting a trespasser. The air between them thickened immediately. “I…uh…I just thought…” Derek started, trying to cover his nerves, but Kael’s presence alone cut the words short. “That’s enough,” Kael said, his voice dropping to that dangerous low tone that made the entire kitchen fall silent. Derek froze, his hand shaking on the tray, and I felt my stomach twist. “Kael… he didn’t…he didn’t do anything wrong.” My voice was soft, almost pleading. He stepped closer, and suddenly, the warmth from the fireplace didn’t matter. His shadow fell over me, tall and suffocating. “He looked at you the way no one is allowed to look at you. Not in my house. Not in my family. Not ever.” I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. I wanted to protest, to insist he was overreacting, but the weight of his stare pinned me in place. There was no arguing with him…not here, not ever. Derek’s face went pale. “I… I didn’t mean anything…” Kael’s jaw tightened. “Pack your things. Leave. Now.” I felt my hands clench around my mug, almost dropping it. The man’s eyes flicked to me, full of embarrassment, fear, and something else I couldn’t name, hope, maybe, that Kael would forgive him. He didn’t. Not for a second. He left silently, the tray shaking in his hands. I exhaled shakily, trying to calm my racing thoughts. I dropped the mug in the kitchen and left, but as I walked the mansion hallway, another male servant, younger, not as confident, appeared next. His name was Leo, a trainee from the east wing. And before I could even look away, he grinned at me and said, “Miss Aria… you always smell like winter itself, like snow and cinnamon. Can’t blame a guy for noticing.” My face heated instantly, and I took a small step back and smiled, replying with a little, “ Thanks, Leo.” But immediately noticed kael at my back, he was coming from behind me. I didn't even notice his footsteps. Kael’s eyes snapped to him, sharp and cold. His hand brushed against my shoulder as if to pull me closer, but I wasn’t sure if it was protective or warning. “Leo,” Kael said, his voice low, steady, and terrifyingly controlled. “Consider this your final warning. Leave.” Leo froze mid-step. His grin faltered, replaced by a nervous, almost comical, pale panic. “I…uh…I was just… complimenting her…” Kael’s shadow seemed to grow, and the temperature around dropped by degrees I could feel. “Compliments are not allowed. Not when they involve her.” The rest of the staff exchanged worried glances. Whispers moved like ghosts through the Pack, and I felt my stomach twist again. I wanted to laugh at their fear. I wanted to tell Kael he was ridiculous. But I didn’t. Because the truth was, I understood. Even if I hated it, even if it made my pulse jump, he wasn’t just my older brother. He was my Alpha. And in this pack, he set the rules. I just left and went to school. The next morning, as I took a careful sip of cocoa, tasting the chocolate and cinnamon, I forced my gaze toward the window. Outside, the snow fell more heavily, thick flakes blanketing the estate in quiet. The world seemed innocent, untouched. But inside, under this roof, everything I did was watched, analyzed, and controlled. My every smile, every movement, every word could provoke his wrath or worse, his attention. I pushed my toast around my plate, glancing up as Kael walked into the kitchen. The room immediately went quiet. Even the servants moved faster, eyes down. Kael took the seat across from me. “You’re not eating.” “I am,” I said, taking a small bite. His eyes narrowed at me. “You’re thinking.” I sighed. “I want to go into town today.” “With who?” “My friends.” “Which friends?” “Kael.” “Names, Aria.” I dropped my toast. “You can’t interrogate everyone who talks to me.” “I can if they’re male.” “No one is trying to kidnap me.” “They don’t have to try. Looking is enough.” I stared at him. “You’re impossible.” “I’m alive,” he corrected calmly. “And you are safe.” I softened slightly. “I’m not a child, I will be eighteen soon.” “I know,” he said quietly. “That’s why I worry more.” I glanced at him, finally daring to speak. “Kael… why are you like this with me?” He didn’t answer. He never did when it mattered most. Instead, he turned his head slightly, eyes still fixed on me, as if measuring the very air I breathed. And then, just as I thought the tension might ease, a low growl slipped from his throat. I froze. The sound was faint, almost imperceptible, but it wasn’t coming from the fire or the wind outside. It was him. Kael. I tried to breathe, tried to convince myself it was just a warning. But my wolf, I felt it stirring, quivering under my skin, recognizing the dominance, the possessiveness, the danger. My heartbeat quickened, and my pulse thrummed in my ears. The staff didn’t move, not a single soul. They were too afraid to breathe. Even the servants who had spoken to me just moments ago looked like statues, frozen by the invisible tension Kael radiated. I wanted to run. I wanted to throw open the doors and leave this cold, perfect house behind. But deep down, a part of me didn’t want to. Because even as terrifying as his presence was, there was a part of me that felt safe. Protected. Desired and owned in a way that made my chest ache. Kael’s eyes flicked to the window, and for a fraction of a second, they softened, or maybe it was just the reflection of the snow. Then they sharpened again, scanning the room like predators marking their territory. My body tensed, knowing without a doubt that nothing was ordinary in this house. Not anymore. And then the growl deepened, rolling through the kitchen like thunder. My stomach twisted. I realized, with a sick twist of anticipation, that the storm in this house wasn’t the snow outside. The storm was him. And I was already standing in the middle of it. His growl echoed again, louder, angrier, and for the first time, I thought I might actually be afraid of him.