Alpha's Daughter: Surviving The Claim

Dance With Me

Killian examined the men in the room around him, carefully accessing his opponents. He was lounging against the banister, swirling his whiskey around in his glass.

It was a ridiculous affair, really. He and all of the men in the room would murder one another in a few short weeks— yet here they were, standing at the bottom of the grand staircase the females wolves would be escorted down— talking pack business, laughing, and making small talk as if they wouldn’t be slashing each other to shreds in the arena. Killian saw the front most of them were putting on in their suits, toasting each other with drinks as if the very reason for the whole event wasn’t to find each other’s weaknesses.

He didn’t participate in the banter. Christian sat silently beside him, his keen eyes watching the men around them. He recognized a few of the faces from the Conri girl’s claimaint list— none of them would be an issue for him to take down. In fact, a few of her claimants had recently bowed out after hearing of his entry, and re-enrolled in the claim for lesser females, mainly the omegas, for which they had a better shot. Most of the younger, more hot-headed alphas had decided to remain.

He watched as Alpha Felix Thorn sent a challenging glare in his direction, and Killian returned it with a smirk. He would enjoy ripping the cocky alpha to pieces and leaving the arena with the Silver Moon girl. Felix may be the only one in the claim that might make for an interesting fight. Not a difficult one— but interesting, nonetheless.

“She’s a piece of work, this one,” Christian snorted. “You sure know how to pick ‘em, Alpha.”

Killian raised an eyebrow at his Beta. “Had a lot to say, did she?”

Christian nodded discreetly in the direction of Alpha Thorn. “You’ll want to watch that one. His beta was talking him up to the girl. He’s going to try this old school. Win her over and get her to choose him in the arena.”

Killian sipped his whiskey as he stared at the handsome young alpha. “Did she seem taken by it?”

Christian scoffed. “I don’t have a feeling that the girl is the type to be taken by anyone, sir.”

Something about the way he said it piqued Killian’s interest, but he brushed it off, watching as Alpha Thorn marched in his direction.

“Looks like the battle starts long before the arena,” Christian mumbled as he stood, moving to stand to Killian’s left. Killian didn’t move. He was unbothered and unphased as Alpha Thorn stopped in front of him— his blue eyes bright and wild.

“Killian Black, I presume.” Thorn stated coldly.

Killian smirked around his whiskey. “You presume correctly, Alpha Thorn. Funny.. I thought you’d be taller.”

Thorn turned to glance up the staircase, anxiously awaiting the females arrival. “I know what you intend for her, Black. And I won’t allow it.”

Killian’s eyes flashed black as his wolf surfaced. “The only person who allows me to do anything is me, boy. Speak to me like you have balls again and see how quickly I make Shadowcrest pack my newest acquisition.”

Killian saw no fear in Alpha Thorn’s face— instead, he smirked at Killian, turning his attention back to the staircase.

“You don’t scare me, Black. Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe my new Luna is about to join us. I’ve heard she’s ravishing.”

Killian rolled his eyes as Thorn walked away. “As annoying as that mutt is,” Christian said, bored. “He is right about that, Alpha. She’s stunning. You won’t be bored, that’s certain.”

“I’m not here to play games with her, Beta,” Killian spat.

The sound of the large doors at the top of the staircase opening rang across the room, and all of the eager males instantly quieted, theirs eyes falling on the older men at the top of the staircase. Killian knew who they were instantly. He’d long since desired to rip Elder Beau’s intestines out of his body.

The men stared at the room, Elder Beau’s scrutinizing eyes landed on Killian briefly before gliding across the rest.

“Good evening, gentleman,” Elder Theo announced. “You are gathered here today for a much awaited moment. You will finally get to see and speak to the ladies in this year’s claim— but before we begin, we must set a few ground rules.”

“We encourage you to interact with them if you intend to make a claim in the arena,” he continued. “But it is absolutely prohibited for you to take the girls anywhere alone, and you must stay in this room. If you attempt to break the law and mark one of them here and now, you will be shot dead like dogs.” Theo’s eyes ran across the parameter of the room, where armed guards sat at every exit. “You will treat them with dignity and respect. Dancing and appropriate touching is allowed, but anything further will result in disciplinary action that could result in your removal from the claim.”

“The females will be introduced by order of pedigree,” Beau interrupted. “Omegas, then Gammas, Deltas, Bettas, and finally, our much sought after Alpha female. We ask that you stick to only speaking to the female whose claim you have entered, and nothing more.”

The elders each grabbed one of the double doors behind them, and they opened them, announcing the omegas. Killian zoned out briefly— realizing it would be a few moments before the girl was introduced.

If he didn’t need an heir, he would have never shown his face in the claim. He could have easily claimed a few of his own omegas that were entered in the claim this year, but that wasn’t good enough for him. He had been building a legacy— a legacy neither his mother nor father had been able to build successfully— and every kingdom needed a prince to inherit it. He wasn’t in too big of a hurry, really— werewolves aged slower than humans. They aged only about 1 human year for every five wolf years— an average lifespan of about five hundred years. But females were few and far between these days, and especially alpha females. And he wouldn’t have some half-breed omega mutt leading his pack. Children were power— a Luna meant power. Mated wolves were unmatched in strength compared to unmated ones, and children- children were power. Guarantees that everything he had built wouldn’t be for nothing.

He hated women. Everything they stood for— and he had his mother to blame for that. He rarely had any use for them other than satisfying his physical needs. But the continuation of his bloodline couldn’t happen without one, and he knew that much to be true.

“And last, the one who seems to have captured the eyes of so many eligible Alphas this year,” Elder Beau’s voice boomed with pride. “I’d like to introduce you to Catherine Conri of Silver Moon, purebred daughter of Alpha Thomas Conri.”