Captured by the Cruel Alpha

She's a Menace

*Varek*

Several days have passed since we brought the princess to the castle. So far, I’ve ignored her. Ronan visits her from time to time and is constantly updating me about her, even when I don’t ask. Especially when I don’t ask, it seems.

But then… I never ask.

After the battle, we have some shoring up to do, despite the fact that we were the clear workers. I visit the injured in the infirmary every day. We lost a few warriors, but I visit their families and make sure they have everything they need. Whenever a warrior dies in battle, their family falls under the care of the Alpha. Ordinarily, it would be the Luna Queen to handle that, but I don’t have one.

I don’t need one.

I can manage everything by myself.

Ronan sits in my office across from me, an amused expression on his face. I wish I had the time to be so jovial, but I have a stack of reports to go through and a million other things to do that require me to pay close attention to the task at hand and not to be giggling like a schoolgirl about, well, anything.

“She’s giving Liora a run for her money, that’s for sure,” my cousin says, still chuckling.

That’s when I realize he’s talking about Princess Fiona again. ”I’m not sure what your fascination with her is, Ronana, but you know she’s not staying, right? As soon as I break her, we’ll be able to sell her to another kingdom for a hefty price. I’d say she’ll be out of here in two to three months.”

He laughs even louder. “You clearly don’t know her, Alpha. She’s not going to break in two to three months. Hell, I’ll be shocked if she breaks in two to three years.”

“I will break her.” I have no doubt, by the time I’m finished with the woman, she’ll be a subservient, docile vessel ready for whoever buys her to use as a breeder with no issues whatsoever.

“If you say so.” He stands and heads to the door. “I’m going to go check on the new recruits. I’ll see you later, Alpha.”

“Bye.” I go back to what I was doing, glad to be rid of him. If I had a best friend, it would probably be Ronan, but I don’t have time for friends. For me, it’s better to be alone.

My wish to be ignored fades quickly as Lucian walks in. He sighs and shakes his head. “We have to change out the guards on the stairs again.”

Confused, I set aside the report I’d been reading. “What stairs? What do you mean?”

“You don’t know? This is the third time this week that f*****g princess has almost gotten out. This time, she racked one of the guards so hard he needs surgery and broke a serving tray over the other one’s head. She’s more than feisty, Alpha. She’s a f*****g menace. I know Ronan thinks it’s cute or some s**t, but I just think she needs to be put back in the dungeon.”

I stare at him for several seconds, not sure what to say. “This is the third time?” If Ronan reported any of this to me, I don’t remember it.

“That’s right. She’s broken an arm, cracked a sternum, pushed one down the stairs so he split his head open, and choked another one until he passed out. We’re running out of guards who are willing to take that post. Not that I give them a choice, but they’re calling in sick.”

“How is this happening if the door is locked?” I’m perplexed.

“When her meals are delivered. There’s no slot in that door.”

“And Liora? She can’t stop her?” I ask, running a hand through my hair.

“She’s not there all the time. The woman doesn’t attack if she is there, but when she’s not, well, she’s doing her damndest to escape. I have no idea where she thinks she’d go. There are more guards at the bottom of the stairs, not to mention a locked door. Maybe she thinks we’re stupid enough to unlock both doors at the same time.”

I blow out a hot breath and set my paperwork aside. I really don’t have time for this s**t. Pushing up from my seat, I head out the door.

“Are you going to go teach her a lesson?” Lucian is right on my heels as I make my way down the hall.

“Something like that,” I reply without looking over my shoulder. “Why don’t you go check on the injured guards?”

“All right, but be careful. She’s a lunatic. I wonder if we should just take her back to her father.”

I turn and face him, both of us stopping. “Absolutely not. She’s the most valuable noblewoman in all the land. Her father has gotten offers from dozens of Alphas, some from hundreds of miles away, all of them vying for her to bear them children. He could have rented her out a thousand times or sold her for a fortune large enough to build an army that could’ve saved him. Instead, he foolishly put his heart before his brain and wanted to protect her. It surprises me that someone who can steal land and kill all of our pack members who lived there with such a lackadaisical attitude thinks his daughter is worth protecting and not our daughters.”

Lucian listens to my tirade and says, “She’s every bit as ruthless as her father. You’ll see.”

Shaking my head, I turn around and continue on my way to the tower where Princess Fiona is being housed. I remember how fragile she looked the first time I saw her, pressed against the wall in the entryway to her castle. If I hadn’t been in my wolf form, I would’ve been tempted to break her right then and there. But we were in the middle of a battle, and I just needed her to be taken prisoner so we could finish the job and get out of there.

At the bottom of the stairs, two guards stand at attention, both of them a bit pale. I pause to address them. “Are you all right, Creed? Gibbons?”

“Yes, Alpha,” they both say. But then Creed continues, “We were here when they carried Hines away. He looked… awful.”

Gibbons adds, “Nester didn’t look much better.”

“It’s fine,” I tell them. “She’ll calm down in a day or two. Besides, she won’t ever get down here.”

“We go on that shift next, up there,” Creed explains. “I… don’t want to make a mistake, Alpha.”

I nod and smile. “It’ll be fine.” These are two of my best guards, and a dainty little princess has them terrified. Well, f**k me.