The Ruthless Alpha

The Cost of survival

The day of my departure arrived too quickly, and I stood in front of the packhouse with my limited belongings stuffed into a threadbare bag. All I had to show for my 18 years with the Silverclaw pack was an extra set of clothes and a small necklace given to me by my mother. Although I never knew her, the small necklace always gave me a sense of belonging. I had never dared wear it in fear of what Cassandra would do if she ever found out I had it.

The morning air was cold, but it did nothing to calm the storm raging inside me. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a reminder of what awaited me.

The pack had gathered to see me off, though not out of kindness or support. Their gazes were filled with cruel amusement and morbid curiosity. To them, I was entertainment, a sacrificial lamb being sent to the slaughter. The air swept around my bare legs, and the overwhelming dress flowed freely. It was Cassandras. She had been furious when Darius demanded that she give it to me.

“You should wear one of your own,” she had demanded as she watched a maid stuff me into one of her blue, flowing dresses. It didn't fit my skin tone or the brown color of my hair, but it was nicer than anything I had ever owned. After I was done, Cassandre stepped around me, taking in my appearance, her golden hair gleaming, her lips curled in a mocking smile.

“You’ll look pathetic next to Kane,” Cassandra continued, her tone dripping with mock concern. “But I suppose that doesn’t matter. He won’t care what you look like, as long as you serve your purpose.”

Her friends tittered behind her, and my fists clenched at my sides.

“What purpose is that?” I had asked quietly, even though I didn’t want to hear the answer.

Cassandra’s smile had widened, and she leaned close enough for only me to hear. “You’ll be his toy, of course. His pretty little omega to warm his bed whenever he wants. And when he’s bored with you, he’ll break you. That’s what he does, Aria. Breaks people. And you? You’re already halfway there.”

The words had struck me like a slap, but I refused to let her see how deeply they cut. I looked away, fixing my gaze on the gravel beneath my feet.

“Enough, Cassandra,” Alpha Darius barked, stopping her torment for once. “Go inside.”

Now Cassandra was watching me like a hawk. She put one finger on her lips and liked it, caressing it with her tounge. It was clear what she was trying to indicate. My stomach twisted. I would not let her cruel mockery break me. But the mental image stayed with me. When people got married, there were certain expectations, but did that also count when it was a forced marriage? I shuttered. Cassandre clearly seemed to think so.

A low rumble filled the air, and I turned to see a convoy of sleek black SUVs pulling up the long dirt road toward the packhouse. The vehicles gleamed menacingly in the sunlight, their windows tinted so dark they were nearly opaque.

The Bloodmoon pack had arrived.

As the SUVs came to a halt in a neat line, the doors opened in perfect unison. Large, intimidating men dressed in black stepped out, their movements precise and deliberate. They carried an air of authority that made my stomach churn with fear.

One of them, a tall man with a scar running down his cheek, stepped forward and addressed Alpha Darius. “We’re here to collect the Alpha’s bride.” His voice was deep and emotionless, his words carrying the weight of an unspoken threat.

Darius inclined his head. “She’s ready.”

The man’s sharp eyes scanned the crowd, landing on me. His expression didn’t change, but I could feel his silent judgment, his assessment of whether I was worthy of the role I’d been forced into. Could he see how thin I was through the layers of fabric? Was the torment iny eyes readable? The look on my face was probably the only true thing about this, Cassandre would be as scared as I was right now if she was the one to actually marry Kane.

“Come,” the scared man ordered, jerking his head toward the SUVs.

My legs felt like lead as I took a step forward, clutching my bag tightly to my chest. The crowd parted for me, their whispers cutting into me like knives.

“She won’t last a week.”

“He’s going to eat her alive.”

“Maybe this will finally shut her up.”

I kept my head down, trying to block out their voices. My body moved on autopilot, one foot in front of the other, until I was standing before the scarred man.

“This way,” he said curtly, opening the door of the nearest SUV.

I climbed in, the leather seat cool beneath me. The door shut with a finality that made my heart sink.

Through the window, I saw Cassandra watching from the packhouse steps, a satisfied smirk playing on her lips. She raised a hand in a mocking wave, her words from earlier echoing in my mind.

You’ll be his toy. And when he’s bored of you, he’ll break you.

The SUVs roared to life, the powerful engines vibrating beneath me. As we pulled away from the packhouse, I couldn’t help but glance back. The place I’d called home, the place that had caused me so much pain, was growing smaller and smaller in the distance.

I should have felt relief to leave it behind, but all I felt was dread.

Because no matter how bad it had been, I knew what awaited me in Bloodmoon would be far worse.