Fated to the Alpha's Brother

The crash of glass against the floor echoed through the kitchen. Audrey flinched but didn’t move. She’d learned long ago that standing her ground made her mother angrier, but so did walking away. “You evil child! How can one person bring such bad luck?” Lillian slurred, her eyes bloodshot, her words cutting deeper than the shards scattered across the tiles. “If your father hadn’t left, I wouldn’t be stuck with you.” The words stung like they always did. “When will you ever stop blaming me for your life’s misfortune?! I’m not happy either!” Audrey said with emotion. She then sighed when she realized that this was the line she’d used for over five years, but it meant nothing. “You freaking fool! How dare you?! I'll make your life as much hell as you've made mine!” Lilian yelled. Audrey’s eyes burned with tears, but her throat was too tight to reply.. Instead, she grabbed her jacket, slammed the door behind her, and walked into the thick darkness of the night. “Yes! Get out! And find your father while you’re at it!” Lilian yelled after her. As she stepped into the cold night, the tears began flowing, and she regretted not grabbing a box of tissues. “Why the hell is she so inconsiderate?! I just hate her! And myself! God! I don’t deserve this!” Her body shuddered as she took a seat at a bench by the sidewalk and continued crying. Meanwhile, on the other side of town…. “Oh, Adrian, you flatter me.” The lady in the bed with Adrian, the heir, giggles as he makes a compliment of her breasts. “The thought of your lips has undone me more times than I dare to confess,” Adrian replied as he caressed her breasts. “Adrian! You have a way with words. And I love the way they make me feel.” The lady said with rosy cheeks. “Oh yes, you make sin feel holy, and I've never been a man for prayers.” Adrian teased, and she lightly smacked him, staring at him with hungry eyes. “No, no, don’t look at me like that, unless you’re ready to be devoured….” Adrian begins, but a ring from his phone distracts him. He glanced at the screen and groaned. He gave the lady a quick kiss and jumped out of bed. “Give me a second, beautiful.” After being gone for over twenty minutes, she got up to look for him. “Adrian baby…” She called as she walked through his chambers. As she passed by his closet, she heard his muffled voice. He seemed to be talking about something so serious on the phone, as his voice sounded angry. She was about to turn back when she heard him. “Mum, did you really have to kill him?!” Adrian asked, perplexed. “Keep his mouth shut about what?.... But he was really close to Alpha.” Adrian asked. Panicking, she gasped and tried to hurry back to the room, but it was too late. “Who’s there? Allison, is that you?!” Adrian asked as he opened the door and saw her standing in front of the door. “The L-Luna k-killed someone?” Allison stammered in shock as she watched his face twist in anger. “Why were you eavesdropping on me, you b***h?! You shouldn’t have heard that!” Adrian angrily said, moving to strangle her. In a moment of fear and panic, she lifted her knee and kicked him in the crotch. Almost instantly, he fell to the ground, crying out in pain. “Aaaaah!” In that moment, Allison bolted like a deer hearing the c***k of a hunter's rifle. “Get back here b***h!” Her heels clattered against the stone floor as she tore down the corridor, heart pounding like a war drum. Two guards by the gates narrowed their eyes the moment they spotted her sprinting. “Stop! ” One barked. “There’s a fire!” she gasped, her voice breaking with terror. “The east wing—it’s burning!” Without another question, both men charged back the way she’d come, shouting for reinforcements. In the chaos, she seized her chance, shoving the gates open and vanishing into the night. For a few blissful seconds, freedom was hers. But then— “Wait!” a guard’s voice cracked through the air. “There’s no smoke—no fire!” A sick realization swept the courtyard. “She lied!” The alarm bell clanged, echoing through the compound like a death knell. Dozens of guards shifted, their wolves stirred, claws and eyes sharpening in the dark. The hunt had begun. “Find her!” The voice of the guard barked, and the wolves charged into the woods. Freedom was so close she could taste it. But then came the howls. A pack of shadows swept after her, fast—too fast. Branches tore at her dress, her lungs burned. She stumbled and nearly fell, but she couldn’t afford to stop. The city lights glimmered just ahead. She pushed harder. The wolves skidded to a halt at the tree line, snarls rumbling low in their throats. They were too exposed. Helpless, they watched as she disappeared into the streets, swallowed by the crowd. Adrian stood waiting at the gates, a whiskey bottle dangling carelessly in his hand. His smirk was gone. “Well?” His voice cut like a blade. The guards bowed their heads. “We… lost her, my lord.” Adrian’s jaw ticked, the bottle cracking under his grip. “Then find her,” he hissed. “Take the car. Tear the city apart if you must… but bring her back to me.” “ B-But sir, we didn’t really take note of her face.” The guard fearfully said. Adrian glared at him and massaged his temples. He then typed something on his phone. “I’ve sent you a picture. Now go!” The guard, Ronny, quickly glanced at his phone and nodded. Moments later, the men were on the road, showing her picture to different pedestrians, but no one seemed to have seen her. After about two hours circling the town, they were exhausted. “Ted, just park. This is useless.” Ronny said, sighing. “We’ve passed this same road about five billion times, but we still haven’t found her.” “Are you crazy? Didn’t you hear Master Adrian? We must bring her back.” Stevie, another guard said. Ronny stared at him blankly. “Okay..? Good luck with that. Can you even hear yourself? I’ll just call him and update him.” Ronny said with a tone of resignation. “Ron, you must be really crazy! How can you say…” Ted started, but Ronny shushed him. “Shhh!” Ronny pointed at his phone. He was ready to call Adrian. “Wait, wait, where’s the picture? Open it quickly!” Ted said with a serious face, aggressively tapping Ronny as he focused his full attention on something across the road. “Hey! Chill out! Here it is.” Ronny said They followed his line of sight, and their eyes went wide. Seated on the bench opposite them was a girl who looked exactly like their target. She sat on the bench crying and yelling to nothing. “Damn, I didn’t know the goddess was this kind!” Ronny exclaimed. “She just walked right up to us. Quick, let's go get her!”