Chapter 2: The Alpha King’s Claim
1109 Words
Reina’s POV
The air in the Silverclaw Pack's courtyard is thick with tension. Every werewolf around me has gone completely still, their heads bowed in submission. Even Alpha Luke the man who just shattered my soul with his rejection seems frozen in place, his cocky smirk wiped clean from his face.
And all because of him.
The man standing at the pack's border radiates pure dominance. His presence is overwhelming, making my knees feel weak. The scent of smoky cedarwood and something undeniably powerful fills my lungs, and my wolf, who had been silent since the rejection, suddenly stirs inside me.
"Mate."
The single word from his lips sends a shiver through my entire body.
My heart pounds in my chest as his piercing blue eyes lock onto mine, dark and filled with possession. I don’t know whether to feel terrified or relieved. A part of me wants to run this is the Alpha King, the most powerful werewolf in existence. But the other part of me... the broken, rejected part... feels drawn to him.
A second chance mate.
Kyle Carter. The Alpha King.
He takes a step forward, his powerful frame towering over me, clad in a black shirt that hugs his broad chest and muscular arms. His presence alone is enough to make every werewolf in the courtyard drop to their knees.
But I can’t move. I can’t breathe.
Because this can’t be real.
I was just thrown away like trash. And now the most powerful man in the world is standing before me, claiming me as his mate?
Luke finally regains his composure, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "Alpha King," he says, his voice respectful but stiff. "What brings you to Silverclaw?"
Kyle doesn’t spare him a glance. His gaze is locked onto me, unyielding, intense. "I came here for her."
Whispers ripple through the crowd.
"Did he say… her?"
"That omega? No way."
"This must be a mistake…"
Luke’s expression darkens. He looks at me, then back at Kyle. "I don’t understand. Reina is an omega. A weakling. She"
Kyle moves before Luke can finish his sentence. One second, he’s standing a few feet away. The next, he has Luke by the throat, lifting him off the ground as if he weighs nothing.
The gasps of the pack fill the air.
Kyle’s voice is ice cold. "Say that again, and I’ll rip your throat out."
Luke struggles against his grip, but it’s useless. No one can match the strength of the Alpha King. His face turns red, and only when he nods weakly does Kyle release him, letting him drop to the ground with a heavy thud.
Silence.
No one dares to move.
Kyle turns back to me, stepping closer. "You are my mate," he says, his voice softer now, but no less commanding. "Come with me."
I stare up at him, my emotions tangled into a knot so tight it hurts.
"I…" My voice is hoarse. "This has to be a mistake."
Kyle tilts his head slightly, his sharp gaze searching my face. "A mistake?"
I swallow hard. "I was just rejected," I whisper, as if saying it aloud will make the pain any less real. "I'm nothing. Just an omega."
His eyes darken. "You are not nothing," he says, his tone firm. "And I don’t give a damn what this pack says. You are mine."
I don’t know how to process this.
I spent my whole life being treated like I was worthless. Why would the Alpha King want me?
Kyle must sense my hesitation because his fingers gently touch my chin, tilting my face up toward his. "Do you feel it?" he asks, voice low and intimate. "The bond?"
I do.
Goddess, I do.
It’s like fire licking at my skin, warming every part of me that had gone cold from Luke’s rejection. My wolf is no longer silent she's purring, desperate to get closer to him.
But before I can answer, a sharp laugh echoes through the courtyard.
"How pathetic."
I turn just in time to see Clara, Luke’s sister, stepping forward with her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes glint with cruelty. "An omega? As your mate? The Alpha King must be desperate."
Kyle doesn’t even look at her. "Silence."
The single word carries so much weight, so much power, that Clara’s mouth slams shut immediately. She lowers her gaze, taking a step back.
He looks at me again. "Are you coming willingly, or do I need to kill someone first?"
My breath catches.
There is no hesitation in his words. He will kill for me.
The realization shatters something inside me.
For so long, I’ve been unwanted. Unloved. Nothing.
But now? Now I stand before a man who is willing to claim me, to fight for me.
Tears burn at the corners of my eyes, but I blink them away. "I…" My voice is shaky, but I force the words out. "I’ll come with you."
Kyle exhales slowly as if he is holding back something dangerous. He extends a hand toward me. "Then take my hand, Reina."
For the first time in my life, I choose for myself.
I reach out, placing my trembling fingers in his.
The moment our skin touches, something inside me clicks a rush of warmth, of energy, of belonging. The mate bond solidifies, and I gasp as a wave of strength pulses through me.
Kyle pulls me to his side, wrapping a strong arm around my waist. "You belong to me now."
And just like that, my world changes forever.
The Journey Begins
The ride to the Royal Pack is nothing like I expected.
Kyle places me in his jet-black SUV, and the moment the doors shut, he gives an order to his warriors. "Burn it down."
My head whips toward him. "What?"
Kyle doesn’t look at me. He watches as his men move swiftly through the Silverclaw Pack, lighting torches and setting fire to the place I once called home.
Panic seizes me. "You can’t just"
"I can," he cuts in, his voice steel. "They mistreated you. They abused you. That is unacceptable."
I open my mouth to argue, but… what can I say?
This place never felt like home.
It was a prison.
And now, as the flames consume the darkness, I realize something…
I don’t feel sad.
Kyle notices my expression, his thumb brushing over the back of my hand. "I will never let anyone hurt you again," he promises.
And for the first time in my life, I believe it.
- Writer
