Chapter Three: The Alpha’s Claim
1017 Words
Sierra didn’t remember falling asleep.
But she knew the exact moment she stopped being alone.
“You shouldn’t call for me.”
The voice wrapped around her like a whisper against bare skin—low, familiar… dangerous.
Her eyes snapped open.
She wasn’t in her apartment anymore.
The air was colder. Thicker. The faint scent of earth and rain surrounded her.
The forest.
Again.
Sierra turned slowly—
—and there he was.
Kaelen.
Standing just a few steps away, shadows clinging to him like they belonged there. His presence filled the space, heavy and undeniable, like the forest itself answered to him.
Her breath caught.
“You…” she whispered. “This isn’t real.”
“It is,” he said, voice calm. “Just not the way you understand it.”
Her heart started racing again—but not from fear.
Not entirely.
“How am I here?” she asked.
“You're not,” he replied. “Your body is still in your world.”
He stepped closer.
“And yet… you’re here with me.”
Sierra swallowed, trying to steady herself as the distance between them shrank.
“This is insane.”
Kaelen’s gaze softened—just slightly.
“And yet you didn’t run.”
“I tried that already,” she muttered. “Didn’t work.”
A flicker of amusement passed through his eyes.
Then silence fell.
But it wasn’t empty.
It was charged.
The kind of silence that pressed against your skin… that made you aware of every breath, every inch of space between two people.
“You felt it, didn’t you?” he asked quietly.
“The mark,” she said.
“The bond.”
Her fingers instinctively moved to her collarbone.
“It’s getting stronger,” she admitted.
His jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
“Why me?”
That question lingered in the air longer than anything else she had said.
Kaelen looked at her like he was deciding how much truth she could handle.
“Because something in you answered me,” he finally said.
“That doesn’t explain anything.”
“It explains everything.”
Sierra frowned.
“I don’t even know what you are.”
His eyes flashed gold.
“Then I’ll show you.”
Before she could react—
He moved.
Fast.
Closing the distance between them in an instant.
Her back hit a tree this time, not a wall.
Her breath hitched sharply as his hand came up beside her head—not touching, but trapping her between his body and the rough bark.
Heat radiated off him.
Too much.
Too close.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
“Testing something,” he murmured.
“Testing what?”
His gaze dropped to her lips again.
“This.”
The word barely left his mouth before she felt it—
That pull.
Stronger than before.
Like something deep inside her was leaning toward him without permission.
Her body responded before her thoughts could catch up.
Her breath slowed.
Her lips parted slightly.
And for a moment—
Just a moment—
It felt inevitable.
Like he was going to kiss her.
Like she wanted him to.
Kaelen’s control snapped back just in time.
He pulled away abruptly, turning his head slightly as if fighting himself.
A low, frustrated exhale left him.
“Damn it…”
Sierra blinked, disoriented.
“What—what was that?”
His voice dropped, rougher now.
“The bond reacting.”
Her pulse was still racing.
“That didn’t feel like just a ‘bond.’"
“No,” he said quietly. “It didn’t."
Silence again.
But this time—
It was heavier.
More dangerous.
A sudden presence cut through the moment.
Cold.
Sharp.
Watching.
Kaelen’s entire body went still-
Then slowly—
He turned.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his tone instantly shifting.
Sierra followed his gaze.
And saw her.
A woman stepped out from between the trees.
Tall. Beautiful in a way that felt almost unreal. Her movements were smooth, controlled… predatory.
Her eyes landed on Sierra first.
And immediately hardened.
“Well,” she said coolly. “So it’s true.”
Sierra frowned. “Who is that?”
Kaelen didn’t answer.
The woman’s gaze finally shifted to him.
“You marked her,” she said, her voice tight with restrained anger.
“It wasn’t planned,” Kaelen replied.
“That’s worse.”
The tension between them was sharp enough to cut.
Sierra crossed her arms slightly.
“Okay, I feel like I’m missing a lot here.”
The woman took a step closer.
“And you are?” she asked, looking Sierra up and down like she was something unpleasant.
Sierra straightened.
“Sierra.”
A pause.
Then—
“Human,” the woman said flatly.
Something in Sierra snapped at the tone.
“Yeah. Last time I checked.”
The woman’s lips curved—not in a smile.
In challenge.
“You don’t belong here.”
Sierra tilted her head slightly.
“And yet… here I am.”
Kaelen’s eyes flickered briefly with something—approval… or warning.
The woman noticed.
And that’s when the air changed.
Her gaze darkened as she looked back at Sierra.
“You have no idea what you’ve stepped into,” she said.
Sierra met her stare.
“Then maybe someone should explain instead of talking in riddles.”
The woman’s eyes flashed.
But Kaelen stepped forward slightly, placing himself between them.
“Enough, Lyra.”
So that was her name.
Lyra’s expression tightened.
“You’re choosing her?” she asked quietly.
Kaelen’s voice was calm—but firm.
“I’m protecting what’s mine.”
The words landed hard.
Sierra’s breath caught.
Lyra’s eyes burned.
And just like that—
Everything became more dangerous.
Back in her apartment—
Sierra’s eyes snapped open again.
Her body jerked upright, breath uneven.
Her heart was still pounding.
Her skin still tingling where he had been close.
But one thing was clear now—
This wasn’t just about her anymore.
There were others.
And they were not happy about her.
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