THE ALPHAS SINFUL CLAIM

Chapter 2

I should have run.

Every instinct inside me screamed at me to get up and run as far away from him as possible.

But I could not move.

Kael Draven stood in front of me like a force of nature, impossible to ignore, impossible to escape. The air felt heavier with every step he took closer, like the world itself was reacting to his presence.

“You are trembling,” he said quietly.

I hated that he noticed.

“I am not,” I replied, even though my voice betrayed me.

A low sound escaped him. Not quite a laugh. Something darker. Something that made heat rise to my face despite the cold night.

“Lying will not help you here.”

He stopped just a step away from me.

Too close.

I could feel the warmth of his body. The faint scent of him. Something deep and dangerous that wrapped around my senses and refused to let go.

My heart began to race for an entirely different reason.

“I did not mean to cross into your territory,” I said quickly. “I will leave.”

I tried to stand, but the moment I pushed myself up, pain shot through my legs and I stumbled forward.

Straight into him.

His hands caught me before I could fall.

Strong. Firm. Unyielding.

For a second, everything stopped.

My breath.

My thoughts.

Even the pain.

His grip tightened slightly, steadying me, but he did not let go.

Instead, his gaze dropped to my lips.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

And something in his expression changed.

“You are injured,” he said, but his voice had lowered, rougher now.

“I am fine,” I whispered, even though I was not.

His thumb brushed lightly against my arm where the branches had cut into my skin earlier.

The contact was brief.

But it burned.

I sucked in a sharp breath, my body reacting before my mind could stop it.

His eyes darkened instantly.

That was when I realized my mistake.

I pulled back, trying to create distance between us, but his hand moved to my waist, stopping me.

“Do not move,” he said.

It was not a request.

It was a command.

And my body responded to it in a way that terrified me.

“I need to go,” I insisted, forcing strength into my voice.

“You are not leaving.”

My heart skipped.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

His grip tightened slightly, not enough to hurt, but enough to remind me exactly how easily he could overpower me if he wanted to.

“This is my territory. You entered it. That makes you my responsibility now.”

“I am not your responsibility,” I snapped, anger finally breaking through the fear.

For a moment, silence stretched between us.

Then he leaned closer.

Close enough that I could feel his breath against my skin.

“Everything that steps into my territory becomes mine to deal with,” he murmured.

The words sent a shiver down my spine.

“That does not mean you own me,” I said, even though my voice came out softer than I intended.

His lips curved slightly.

Dangerously.

“We will see.”

My pulse quickened.

Something about the way he said it made my stomach twist.

Not in fear.

In anticipation.

And I hated that even more.

A distant howl broke the silence.

Kael’s expression changed instantly.

Sharp. Alert. Deadly.

He turned his head slightly, listening.

Then his gaze snapped back to me.

“Someone followed you.”

My blood ran cold.

“No… that is not possible.”

But deep down, I knew.

I had not been careful. I had run blindly, without thinking, without covering my scent.

If my former pack wanted to track me, they could.

And if it was Ronan…

My chest tightened painfully.

Kael stepped back slightly, his entire posture shifting into something far more dangerous.

Predatory.

“Stay behind me,” he ordered.

“I do not take orders from you,” I replied instinctively.

His eyes flicked to mine, sharp and filled with something that made my breath catch.

“You will,” he said calmly, “if you want to survive the next few minutes.”

Another howl echoed, closer this time.

Too close.

Panic clawed at my chest as shadows moved between the trees.

Figures.

Fast. Closing in.

Kael did not look worried.

If anything, he looked… pleased.

A slow, dangerous smile spread across his face as he rolled his shoulders slightly.

“Good,” he murmured.

“This night was starting to get boring.”

My heart pounded as I realized something that made my fear deepen.

Those wolves were not the only danger here.

I was standing next to something far worse.

Kael glanced back at me one last time.

And the look in his eyes made my entire body freeze.

Dark.

Possessive.

Unforgiving.

“If they came for you,” he said quietly, “they will leave empty handed.”

My breath hitched.

Because I understood what he meant.

Not just protection.

Claim.

And something told me that once he decided that…

There would be no escaping him.