Born To Ride, Claimed By Alphas

Chapter 2-The Mark of His Protection

EVEREST

"Ugh... Everest," Solon groaned softly, sending shivers down my spine.

We were alone in his private office at the Black Fang Bikers Club headquarters, with me sitting close beside him. His hands rested firmly on my waist, while his face was buried in the crook of my neck. I could feel his warm breath brushing against my skin.

It had been a year since my life changed after meeting Solon.

I had slowly become accustomed to the life I shared with him. He took care of everything I needed and never once made me feel like I was a burden. What he had called his duty became part of my everyday life, and little by little, I stopped questioning it.

The respect I had never received before was something I finally experienced. People who once looked down on me now treated me differently. My name began to carry weight simply because I was Solon Hartlock’s mate.

I had also become more familiar with his world. I learned to ride on the back of his motorcycle without fear, speeding through dark and dangerous roads. I learned the hand signals the bikers used during races and slowly became comfortable around the people who once intimidated me.

Most of all, I got to know Solon better.

He remained cold and distant to everyone else, but with me, he was different. He gave me things I had never had before—security, respect, and a place beside him. He made me feel like I mattered.

"What do you want for a gift today? Just tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you," he murmured against my skin before pulling back to look into my eyes.

Today was my eighteenth birthday, and it also happened to be the day of the annual race, where the three elite biker clubs would compete against each other.

I looked at him, feeling my heart beat faster. "I don't want anything else, Solon. You've already given me everything I could ever ask for."

"You're driving me crazy... I want you so bad," he murmured.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, no longer able to hide what I felt.

"Solon..." I whispered.

He slowly lifted his head, his eyes filled with desire and possessiveness.

"When I win tonight, I'll finally have you all to myself. I've waited long enough, Everest. Promise me."

My breath caught as my heart pounded against my chest.

For an entire year, he had waited for me. He hadn't just given me luxury and comfort. He had given me respect, attention, and a place beside him. He had changed my entire life.

Tonight, I wanted to give something back.

"Yes, Solon," I answered softly, a small smile touching my lips. "I promise."

He pulled me into a fierce kiss, and I immediately wrapped my arms tighter around him. My heart raced as the kiss deepened, leaving me breathless.

When he finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against mine for a moment before stepping back. A small smile appeared on his face as he turned toward the window and began preparing for the race.

I watched him in silence, my eyes lingering on his broad back. Everything felt perfect. Yet an uneasy feeling suddenly twisted in my gut.

I didn't know why.

But deep inside, something told me that tonight was going to change everything.

*****

I decided to stay behind at the shop while Solon left early for the track. I wanted to cheer for him, but I needed to prepare a surprise for him tonight.

I went into the room and put on the matching red lingerie set I had set aside. Over it, I slipped into a crimson silk backless dress that Solon had personally chosen and bought for me.

I sprayed on his favorite perfume and fastened a heavy pendant around my neck—the Hartlock crest, the ultimate symbol that I belonged to his family. I was just about to leave the shop when my phone buzzed. An unknown number flashed across the screen.

I swallowed hard before answering. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Don't go to the victory party tonight," a voice answered, distorted by static. "Disaster is waiting for you if you show up."

"Who are you?! What are you talking about?" I demanded, but the line went dead.

Anxiety tightened in my chest. Doubt crept in, but I forced myself to ignore it. Tonight was important to Solon. I couldn't ruin his night because of some stupid prank call.

The venue was packed when I arrived at the Hartlock Luxury Hotel. The grand valet area was already lined with high-end sports cars, massive customized motorbikes, and luxury vehicles.

Inside the opulent hall, high society mingled with notorious members of the Beast Clans—tall men bearing intricate tattoos and glowing eyes, accompanied by women dressed in expensive gowns and dark leather attire.

The moment I walked through the doors, people started staring. Some bowed their heads slightly, offering quiet respect whenever they noticed the Hartlock pendant hanging from my neck—the unmistakable symbol of Solon’s protection.

As I made my way toward the upper lounge area, I caught sight of Lyra off to the side. She was with her clique of high-maintenance friends, wearing a revealing dress. They were glaring at me with obvious hatred. I ignored them completely and kept walking.

Seeking a break from the noise and crowd, I looked for a quiet path toward the balcony. But before I could step outside, a man blocked my path, carrying two glasses.

He was tall, with vibrant red hair, a toned build, and a dangerous charm.

"For the most gorgeous woman in the room tonight," he said with a smirk, handing me a glass. His playful eyes practically screamed trouble.

Confused, I accepted the glass. "Who are you?"

"Zephyr Grey. President of the Red Claw Biker Club," he replied, leaning in slightly with a grin.

"Shame Hartlock got to you first. What a waste. You’re exactly my type, Miss Everest."

A chill ran down my spine. Zephyr Grey, the powerful and feared Alpha of the Fox Clan.

He was known not only as the leader of the Red Claw Biker Club, famous for their terrifying speed and reckless driving on the track, but also for the endless trail of women he had been with.

"Enjoy the drink, gorgeous," he said with a wink before disappearing into the crowd.

I let out a deep breath. Just being around him made me uncomfortable. I took a sip of the cold drink to calm my nerves. As I stepped onto the terrace, a sudden thought struck me.

Why hadn't Zephyr participated in tonight's race when the three elite biker clubs competed every year?

Within minutes, looking out over the city lights, an unnatural heat suddenly spread through my body. The world began to spin. My legs felt heavy, and the view in front of me blurred.

I tried to grab onto the concrete wall, but my limbs gave out. My heart hammered in my chest until darkness swallowed everything, and I collapsed onto the cold cement floor.

I woke up shivering, utterly drained of strength. As I slowly opened my eyes, I found myself in an unfamiliar room. Panic seized me when I realized I had been stripped down to nothing but red lace lingerie.

I looked around the room and gasped in horror. On either side of the bed lay two tall, muscular men, completely bare and fast asleep. I squinted to make out their faces, and my heart nearly stopped.

One of them was Zephyr Grey—the Alpha Fox who had handed me the drink.

God... he spiked my drink!

Before I could scramble away, the door suddenly slammed open. I flinched at the deafening sound. Bright light flooded the room, and a familiar figure appeared in the doorway.

Solon.

My heart stopped.

He was still wearing his black biker racing gear, his leather jacket half-unzipped and his protective gear still strapped to his body. His black hair was disheveled, as if he had rushed here straight from the race.

But something was different.

There were fresh scratches across his cheek, a thin line of blood running from the corner of his mouth. His knuckles were bruised, and blood stained one of his hands, dripping slowly onto the floor. He looked like he had just come from a fight.

I stared at him in confusion, my heart pounding.

"Solon..."

His eyes immediately fell on the bed, and the moment he saw me lying between Zephyr and the other man, his expression hardened.

The rage in his face was unlike anything I had ever seen before. His icy blue eyes turned cold and murderous. His jaw tightened as his bloodied hand slowly curled into a fist.

I opened my mouth, desperate to explain.

"S-Solon, listen to me... please! I don't know what happened. They spiked my drink—"

But the words barely left my lips before his voice thundered through the room.

"Drag this woman out!"

My entire body went numb.

"Solon, please!"

I crawled toward him, tears already streaming down my face.

"You know me. You know I could never betray you. Please, just let me explain!"

But he didn't move.

He only stared at me, his eyes filled with rage, disbelief, and something far more painful. Behind him stood Lyra, clinging to his arm, making sure I saw exactly whose side she was on.

At that moment, I realized that whatever had happened to Solon before he entered this room didn't matter anymore.

He had already seen enough.

And in his eyes, I had betrayed him.

His men grabbed my arms before I could reach him.

"No!" I cried, struggling against their grip. "Solon, please! Believe me!"

They dragged me out of the room and into the main hall, right into the center of the crowd of beasts and humans.

They threw me onto the cold cement floor.

I was dressed in nothing but thin lingerie. I lay there as laughter, taunts, and disgust erupted from the hundreds of eyes staring down at me.

"Look at her, Alpha Solon!" Lyra sneered, her voice dripping with venom."

“The street trash you protected went and betrayed you. Who would’ve thought that behind that innocent face, she was sleeping with other men? And worse, with another powerful Beast Alpha!"

My eyes widened in shock.

Another Alpha?

The second man in that room was an Alpha, too?

How was any of this happening?

My mind was a mess. I couldn't understand how or why my life was falling apart like this.

Solon pulled me to my feet and forced me to face the crowd. His voice thundered through the hall as he gave his verdict.

"I, Solon Hartlock, officially reject and renounce Everest as my mate! I strip her of my protection, my name, and her title! From this night on, she is a stray with no rights on my territory!"

In a fit of rage, he ripped the pendant from my neck, the symbol of my standing, and crushed it beneath his boot.

"And Lyra will take her place beside me!"

"Prove it, Solon. Kiss me," Lyra smirked.

Driven by anger and the need to humiliate me, Solon pulled Lyra toward him and kissed her in front of everyone before turning his back on me.

I trembled, sobbing uncontrollably. I had nothing left, only shame and a dignity that had been ripped away from me.

This was supposed to be a special day for me. A day I had looked forward to, a day I thought I would spend happily with Solon. Instead, it had become my worst nightmare.

I didn’t even know what I had done wrong to deserve being punished like this. I had been a good daughter, a good sister. I had never intentionally hurt anyone or done anything cruel to the people around me.

So why was this happening to me?

Why did a day that was supposed to be special have to end like this?

Why was this the only reward fate had given me?

I had tried to be good. I had tried to do the right thing. I had spent the past year believing that my life had finally changed for the better. I thought I had finally found a place where I belonged.

So why did I end up here, with everyone looking at me like I was nothing?

Was this really my fate?

Was this truly the life I was meant to have?

"Hold on, Hartlock."

A voice cut through the noise, making everyone turn.

From the crowd, Zephyr Grey casually stepped into the light. Without hesitation, he took off his heavy leather jacket and wrapped it around my shivering body. The playful smirk he had worn earlier was gone, replaced by a cold, possessive stare.

"Too bad. I came to claim her," Zephyr said coldly, staring Solon straight in the eye.

Before Solon could respond, another man stepped forward. He had silver hair and carried an aura just as strong as Solon’s and Zephyr’s. My breath caught as I recognized him. He was the other man from the room.

His eyes locked onto me, and before I could understand what was happening, he scooped me up and threw me over his shoulder. He was shirtless, and the heat of his bare skin burned against mine. I froze, overwhelmed by his presence.

"You're coming with me, woman," he growled, sending a wave of panic through the room.

Solon’s eyes darkened, his fists balling as he prepared to tear the room apart over the two men claiming what used to be his.

But before anyone could throw a punch, the grand doors of the hall burst open. A unit of armed men wearing official Beast Law badges marched inside.

The Special Beast Officers formed a wall, blocking Solon’s path.

"Alpha Solon Hartlock," the lead officer stated coldly. "You are coming with us for questioning regarding last night's incident."

A deafening silence fell over the hall as three powerful Alphas stood on the brink of war over me, while I hung caught in the middle of an unraveling truth.