The Alpha's Captive

Prologue Astrid vanished, leaving me utterly alone. A wave of anger and anxiety, a buzzing sensation that felt almost physical, washed over me. I took off running, the pounding of my feet a frantic rhythm against the earth. The men were hot on my heels, their shouts echoing closer with every stride. I didn't dare look back; fear glued my eyes to the trees ahead. I didn't dare look back, fearing what I might see. Instead, I kept my eyes fixed on the trees ahead, my heart racing with fear. Suddenly, I tripped over a root and fell, skinning my knee on the rough bark. I cried out in pain and shock, scrambling to get back to my feet. That's when I saw him. A massive wolf, his fur a thick gray coat, his eyes piercing yellow. He was approaching me, his teeth bared in a snarl. "Well well,little one," he rumbled, his voice a low growl. “You shouldn't have run. Look at you now…injured” Terror froze me to the spot. I tried to retreat but I couldn't bring myself to. "You're quite elusive," he his eyes gleamed, a look of amusement in his eyes. "I appreciate that." And then, something strange happened. I felt a surge of adrenaline and fear, and my body began to change. My muscles tensed, my bones shifted, and my senses grew sharper. And then, the bizarre began. Adrenaline surged, a potent cocktail of fear and something else, something primal. My body contorted; it was like watching a time-lapse of metamorphosis. Muscles tightened, bones shifted, senses sharpened – a dizzying cascade of changes. I glanced down in horror. My hands were transforming into paws, my skin thickening, fur sprouting. I was becoming a wolf, a literal werewolf, mirroring the beast before me. It was utterly surreal. Standing on four legs, I felt utterly dwarfed by the alpha wolf. He was a mountain of muscle and fur, while I was a wisp in comparison – a pathetic, tiny thing. He regarded me with a mixture of disgust and disdain. The alpha wolf's eyes narrowed as he took in my small size. He looked at me with a mixture of disgust and contempt. He took a step back and transformed into his human form. He stood tall, his muscular body towering over me. His eyes still held a hint of disdain as he looked at me. He was completely naked, but he didn't seem to care. In fact, he seemed completely unbothered by his lack of clothing. It was as if being naked was the most natural thing in the world to him. "You're... a joke," he spat, his voice laced with venom. "A weakling. What am I supposed to do with you?" Humiliation burned alongside the fear. I tried to stand tall, but my legs trembled. He stepped closer, his eyes blazing. The alpha wolf took a step closer to me, his eyes blazing with contempt. "You're not worthy of being my mate" he sneered. "You can't keep up with me. With my pack” “You're not worthy to be my mate,” he sneered. “You can't keep pace with me, with my pack.” His laughter was cold, devoid of humor. “You're not even a *real* wolf. You're…a thing. A pathetic thing.” I felt a surge of anger and humiliation. I whimpered, a pathetic attempt at a growl. He recoiled, his disgust palpable. "You can't even growl properly," he scoffed. "What use are you to me?" He turned away, muttering something about the rules, his back to me. "I'm stuck with you, I suppose," he muttered. "The rules are clear. The first alpha to catch a female wolf must accept her as his mate. No matter what." I felt a pang of uncertainty and fear. What did this mean for me? Was I doomed to be the alpha's unwanted mate? The shame was overwhelming. My body began to revert, the transformation reversing itself. I was naked, mortified, and the alpha wolf was watching, his expression a mix of surprise and amusement. “We'll, this is awkward." The alpha word dripped with sarcasm. I quickly scanned my surroundings, looking for something to cover myself with. I spotted a nearby pile of leaves and quickly grabbed a handful, trying to cover my body. "Ah, don't bother," the alpha wolf said, his eyes gleaming with malice, "I've seen better… You're not exactly... impressive." He shook his head. “ You're everything I didn't want.” Anger flared. “Shut up,” I mumbled, clutching the leaves tighter. “You're not even worthy of being in my presence, let alone being my mate or my queen. Your weakness is an insult… you yourself are an insult to me and to the very concept of strength itself” he said, his words having more negative effects than they should have ever had. “You don't even know me! Why are you being so mean?!” I screeched, a tear escaping from my eyes. “I blame the moon goddess. What satisfaction will I get from a fragile thing like you?” he growled. “Your existence is a cosmic joke, really” “You're nothing but a monster!” I lashed out, my voice a mixture of fear and fury. The alpha wolf took a step closer to me, his eyes fixed on mine. "You're so... passionate," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm sure that will make our mating all the more... interesting." Rage boiled over. “I'll never mate with you!” I spat, my voice surprisingly steady. “I'd rather die than submit to a disgusting creature like you!” The alpha wolf chuckled again, his eyes glinting with amusement. "We'll see about that," he said, his voice dripping with confidence. "You'll come crawling to me soon enough. They all do." My defiance hardened. I would not yield, not to this arrogant brute. I would fight him to the death rather than submit. "I'll never crawl to you," I said, my voice firm. "I'll never submit to you. You can kill me, but you'll never break me." The alpha wolf's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing and cold. His face twisted into a snarl, his lips curling back to reveal sharp teeth. "You're brave, I'll give you that," he said, his voice low and menacing. "But bravery is nothing without strength to back it up. And you, little one, are weak." He took a step closer to me, his eyes glinting with a fierce light. "You think you can defy me? You think you can refuse my claim? I'll show you what happens to those who refuse me. Your spirit, your will, your body. You'll be a shadow of your former self.” Fear threatened to overwhelm me, but I wouldn't yield. I stood tall, my heart pounding in my chest, and met his gaze with a fierce determination. "I'll never submit to you," I said, my voice firm. "I'll never give in to your cruelty and your arrogance." The alpha wolf's eyes blazed with contempt as he spoke. "You're a discard, a reject," he spat. "Your own mother didn't want you. She threw you away like trash, all so she could curry favor with the elite pack. And now, you think you're worthy of being my mate?" His voice dripped with venom as he sneered at me. "You're nothing but a pathetic, unwanted little wolf. A charity case, taken in by the pack out of pity. You'll never be one of us, no matter how hard you try. You'll always be an outsider, a reject." He took a step closer to me, his eyes blazing with disdain. "And yet, despite all of this, you have the audacity to defy me? To refuse my claim? You're either very brave, or very stupid. And I'm not sure which one it is." His voice dropped to a growl, every word dripped with malice and hatred. "But let me make one thing very clear: you will submit to me. You will accept my claim, and you will do as I say. Because if you don't... I'll make sure you regret it. I'll make sure you suffer for your defiance.” I h ated the way he looked at me. His promise hanging my fate in the balance.