Claimed by Two Alpha

ISABELLA'S POV The night my life changed, I was running for my life. The forest was unusually quiet. No birds. No insects. Not even the familiar sound of leaves dancing in the wind. Something was watching me. I could feel it. I tightened my black jacket around my body and glanced over my shoulder for the third time. "Come on, Isabella. You're imagining things," I whispered. But I wasn't. A strange scent had followed me since I left the village. It was intoxicating. Something between burning cedarwood, winter rain, and wild roses. My wolf, who had remained strangely silent for most of my life, suddenly stirred. Run. I stopped. "What?" Run, Isabella! Before I could understand what was happening, a deep growl echoed behind me. I turned. Two golden eyes stared at me from between the trees. My heart nearly stopped. A wolf. A massive black wolf. And it wasn't looking at me like prey. It was looking at me like something it had been searching for its entire life. I stumbled backwards. "Stay away!" The wolf took one step forward. Then another. Suddenly, a voice echoed through the darkness. "Leave her alone." The black wolf immediately lowered its head. A man emerged from the shadows. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dressed entirely in black. His dark hair fell carelessly over his forehead, and his cold grey eyes examined me from head to toe. He looked like someone who had never heard the word no. "Are you lost?" he asked. I swallowed. "No." "Then why are you wandering through my forest?" "Your forest?" His lips curved into a humourless smile. "You're standing on Blackwood territory, little Omega." My blood turned cold. Omega? How did he know? I had spent twenty-two years hiding what I was. And this stranger had discovered it in seconds. "Who are you?" I demanded. He stepped closer. "Alexander Blackwood." The name hit me like a slap. Alexander Blackwood. The Alpha of the Black Moon Pack. The most feared Alpha in the northern territories. I had heard stories about him. They said he had destroyed three rival packs before turning twenty-five. They said even other Alphas lowered their heads when he entered a room. And now he was standing in front of me. "What's your name?" he asked. "Isabella." "Isabella what?" "Rose." He repeated my name slowly. "Isabella Rose." Something changed in his expression. His nostrils flared. His eyes darkened. And for one terrifying moment, he looked almost... surprised. Then he whispered something I couldn't understand. "Impossible." ALEXANDER'S POV The moment her scent reached me, my wolf went insane. Mate. The word thundered inside my head. I froze. No. It couldn't be. I hadn't felt a mate bond in twenty-nine years, and I had stopped believing the Moon Goddess would ever give me one. But there she was. A beautiful, frightened Omega standing in my territory. My mate. My wolf pushed against my consciousness. Take her home. Protect her. Keep her. I clenched my jaw. I wasn't a man who followed instincts. I gave orders. Others followed them. Yet a single girl had managed to make my wolf beg. "Look at me," I commanded. She lifted her chin. Her eyes were unusual. A strange mixture of grey and silver. For a moment, I forgot what I was going to say. "Who brought you here?" "Nobody. I came alone." "That's a lie." Her eyebrows narrowed. "Excuse me?" I almost smiled. She was an Omega, standing in front of the most dangerous Alpha in the kingdom, and she had the audacity to argue. Interesting. Very interesting. "You're coming with me." "No, I'm not." My wolf growled. Nobody refused Alexander Blackwood. Nobody. But Isabella Rose simply turned around. And walked away. I watched her disappear between the trees. Then I heard my wolf whisper something that made my blood run cold. She will be ours. I pulled out my phone. "Find everything about a girl named Isabella Rose. Her family, her pack, her bloodline. Everything." "Yes, Alpha." I ended the call. For the first time in years, I was curious about someone. And curiosity had always been dangerous. DAMIEN'S POV The moment I entered the ballroom, I knew something was wrong. My wolf was restless. The Dark Moon Pack's annual gathering was supposed to be peaceful, but the atmosphere felt strangely heavy. I adjusted my black suit and accepted a glass of whiskey from a passing servant. "You're late." I turned. Alexander stood near the balcony. Of course. The arrogant bastard had arrived before me. "Miss me, Blackwood?" "Not particularly." I laughed. We had once been closer than brothers. Before the war. Before the bloodshed. Before our families destroyed everything. Now, we shared nothing except hatred. "Try not to kill anyone tonight," I said. "No promises." I shook my head. Then suddenly, my wolf lifted its head. A scent. Soft. Sweet. Familiar in a way that made no sense. Wild roses. My fingers tightened around the glass. "What the hell..." My wolf stirred. Mate. I stopped breathing. Across the ballroom, near the enormous marble staircase, stood a girl wearing a simple dark red dress. She was looking around nervously, apparently searching for someone. She had long dark hair and silver-grey eyes. Beautiful. But it wasn't her appearance that held my attention. It was her scent. My mate. I took a step forward. Then another. But before I could reach her, Alexander appeared beside her. His expression was unlike anything I had ever seen. The coldest Alpha in the kingdom was staring at a woman as though the entire world had disappeared. I looked at him. Then at her. And understood. No. Absolutely not. My wolf growled. Our mate. I slowly lowered my glass. "Alexander." He didn't look at me. "Step away from her," I said quietly. His grey eyes finally met mine. For a moment, neither of us moved. Then his lips curved into a dangerous smile. "You're too late, Knight." I looked at the girl again. She seemed completely unaware of what was happening. Poor girl. She had no idea that two of the most powerful Alphas in the kingdom had just discovered her existence. And neither of us was going to walk away. ISABELLA'S POV I hated parties. Especially royal parties where everyone looked at me as though I didn't belong. I had only come because my guardian, Mrs. Eleanor, had insisted. "Smile, Isabella. You're meeting important people tonight." I had smiled. For approximately five minutes. Then I escaped. I was standing near the staircase when a man approached me. He had warm brown hair, beautiful green eyes, and a surprisingly gentle expression. "Hello." I looked up. "Hi." "Damien Knight." I blinked. Another Alpha? Was tonight some kind of punishment? "Isabella Rose." His expression softened. "Beautiful name." "Thank you." Unlike Alexander, Damien didn't make me feel like I was standing in front of a predator. He smiled. "Would you like something to drink?" "Water, please." He nodded and signalled to a servant. For the first time that evening, I felt comfortable. Until I noticed Alexander watching us from across the room. His expression was unreadable. But his eyes... His eyes were fixed on me. And he didn't look happy. Damien followed my gaze. His smile disappeared. "Don't mind him," he said. "Why?" "Alexander doesn't like sharing." I frowned. "Sharing what?" Damien looked directly into my eyes. "Anything he considers his." Before I could respond, Alexander appeared behind me. "Having fun, Knight?" Damien turned slowly. "Immensely." Alexander's attention shifted towards me. "Come with me." I sighed. "Do you always give orders?" "When necessary." "Then it's a good thing I'm not one of your soldiers." Damien almost laughed. Alexander didn't. He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "You have no idea what you're doing, Isabella." I met his gaze. "Then perhaps you should explain instead of threatening me." For a second, something flickered in his eyes. Amusement. Then something darker. He stepped back. "Enjoy your evening." He walked away. I released a breath I hadn't realised I was holding. Damien looked at me. "Are you alright?" I nodded. But before I could answer, a sharp pain shot through my chest. I grabbed the staircase railing. My vision blurred. A voice echoed inside my head. Not one voice. Two. Mine. Ours. I looked up. Alexander stood at the other end of the ballroom. Damien was directly in front of me. Both men were staring. Both had golden eyes. And both whispered the same impossible word. Mate I stumbled backwards. Because suddenly, I could hear something else. A third voice. A voice that sounded exactly like mine. Run, Isabella. Before they discover what you really are. END OF CHAPTER 1