Claimed By The Wrong Alpha

5

The shaman blew softly over the clay bowl, extinguishing the embers.

The darkness enveloped us completely, illuminated only by the glowing, incandescent silver shine of my own eyes.

"—Fate does not favor the impatient, Maddox," the old witch whispered, clinking the amulets on her necklace. "—Your soul is starving in the absence of the queen. But do not push her before her time. Let her understand her own strength."

I pressed the silver medallion into my palm.

The blue stones dug into my flesh, but the physical pressure was nothing compared to the burning in my chest.

I brought the jewel to my nose and inhaled deeply.

The scent of sandalwood, fresh snow, and pure blood hit my senses full force.

A low growl tore from my throat as the blood burned in my veins.

My libido, an unleashed force that had gone five hundred years without true satisfaction, ignited with brutal violence.

No woman on the continent had ever managed to ignite this fire within me.

I stepped out of the witch's tent. I mounted my horse and set off directly back to the Great Silver Palace.

Days later

"—Get out of here! Now!" I roared, tearing off my cloak with violence.

The woman with brown fur and a disheveled silk tunic froze on the edge of my bed.

Her golden eyes filled with tears of humiliation as she tried to cover her chest.

"—My Lord..." she whimpered, attempting to reach her hand toward my thigh. "—You said if I pleased you tonight..."

I caught her wrist in mid-air with an iron grip.

"—I said you could warm my bed for an hour, not that you would be my queen," I declared in a voice that shook the marble floor. "—I want you out of my sight in three seconds before I order you thrown into the dungeons."

The woman gathered her clothes from the floor amidst choked sobs and bolted out through the heavy oak doors, disappearing into the corridor.

I remained standing in the middle of the gloom, breathing heavily.

Frustration was eating me alive.

She was the third noblewoman I had tried to bring into my bed this week, and the result was always the same: a cold, purely animal encounter that did nothing to soothe the beast raging inside me.

As Wolf King and Supreme Alpha, my physical need was demanding, almost destructive.

For centuries, I had satisfied my body with fleeting lovers whom I ended up throwing out like garbage at dawn.

None smelled right.

None made my heart race.

None was her.

I picked up the silver medallion from the nightstand once more.

A single inhale from that piece of silver aroused more excitement and desire in me than any woman I had ever touched in my life.

Just then, the door to the royal chamber swung open.

Dante, my Beta and right hand, stepped into the room adjusting his sword.

He glanced sideways at the forgotten tunic on the floor and let out a sigh.

"—Another heartbroken noblewoman leaving your chambers in tears, Maddox," Dante said, leaning against the doorframe. "—The Council elders demand that you choose a Luna."

"—The elders can go to hell," I spat, clenching the medallion in my fist. "—I am not putting my mark on a superficial b***h who only wants my title."

Dante looked at the jewel in my hand.

"—You've been smelling that amulet like a possessed demon for days," Dante commented. "—If the girl survived and is at the Sanctuary of Shadows, why don't you send the guard to bring her by force?"

I turned my head slowly toward him. My silver eyes glowed in the dark with crushing intensity.

"—Because I don't want a terrified prisoner in my bed, Dante," I whispered in a deep voice. "—I need that wolf to understand the power of the blood she carries. Prepare the spies to keep the border guarded. No one touches her. And when the time comes... I will go personally to claim her."

Dante bowed his head in respect.

"—Make sure it stays that way," I added, turning my back to him. "—If any rogue or neighboring pack lays a hand on her, I will burn their lands until nothing but ash remains."

***

POV: Katerine

Three years later…

The metallic clash of claws against stone echoed throughout the forest clearing.

Destiny, my wolf with light gray fur and emerald-green eyes, lunged with feline agility against the flank of my Uncle Benjamin's colossal mahogany wolf.

The impact sent the enormous Alpha rolling over the damp earth. Before he could recover, Destiny stood pinned over his chest, baring sharp ivory fangs that stopped mere millimeters from his jugular.

A low growl echoed in my wolf's throat, demanding his surrender.

The shifting process no longer hurt like it did on the first day.

My bones rearranged themselves smoothly, and in a matter of seconds, I returned to my human form on my two feet.

Sara ran toward me immediately with a massive smile, handing me a dark blue linen dress that I quickly slipped on over my sweaty, dirt-stained body.

I grabbed a damp cloth to wipe my face, watching with fascination as the deep scratches on my arms closed and healed completely in seconds.

"—Insolent brat! I demand a rematch!" my Uncle Benjamin roared, returning to his human form while adjusting his pants with a crusty expression.

"—Benjamin, by the Goddess, she has already defeated you three times in a row this morning," Sara chimed in, laughing openly. "—If you keep insisting, all you're going to achieve is having your Alpha pride shattered in the mud."

I swallowed my laugh and turned toward my uncle, crossing my arms and wearing the most arrogant smile I could muster.

"—Thank you for today's training session, Uncle, but I still need to refine my strikes better."

"—All in good time!" Benjamin shouted.

However, the festive mood vanished the moment we crossed the threshold of the main courtyard.

A carriage of black wood reinforced with bronze and drawn by four dark steeds was parked in front of the entrance.

A group of four heavily armed sentinels bearing the emblems of the Central Council waited on the steps, inspecting every member of the pack with haughty glares.

The captain of the visitors stepped forward upon seeing my uncle arrive.

"—Alpha Benjamin," the man said in a cold tone, not bothering to bow. "—A general inspection has been decreed across all packs in the southern territory. The Supreme Alpha demands an updated census of all wolves of mating age."

I felt Destiny bristle deep within my chest, letting out a growl of pure aversion.

"—Our pack is fully up to date with all tributes, Captain," my uncle replied in a neutral voice, subtly stepping between the men and me.

"—This is not about tributes," the officer declared, locking a probing gaze on my face. "—The Silver King will host the Solstice Grand Gala in five days. The presence of all unmarried women is mandatory. Anyone who attempts to hide will be declared a traitor to the throne."

The man pulled out a parchment sealed with black wax and handed it to my uncle before turning around without another word.