Harper pov
We stood by the riverbank, just before the pack’s slave quarters, when a deep growl echoed through the air. I locked eyes with Alpha Ethan, our gazes intense. I raised my chin and spread my hands, signaling my confusion. He hesitated, a grin flickering on his face.
“What’s that noise about?” he asked, urgency lacing his tone. A chill ran down my spine as the growl grew louder. “I don’t know, Alpha. Something feels off,” I replied, ready to move when he suddenly pulled me back, his grip firm on my arm as he spun me around.
I turned reluctantly, and in that moment, everything shifted. A romantic atmosphere enveloped us, and I could almost hear a soft melody playing in my mind as our eyes locked.
“Harper, you look stunning, even without fancy clothes,” he murmured, his hand still on my arm, making me feel a bit uneasy. Yet, his words somehow eased the swirling tension in my mind. I shook my head slowly, trying to dispel the daydream.
“Um… Alpha Ethan, I really need to understand what’s happening. Plus, Alpha Lucas might be wondering why you haven’t shown up, especially with all this noise,” I said calmly. He offered a weak smile, pressing his lips together. “Alright, if you insist, Harper.”
As Alpha Ethan released my arm, I felt a strange mix of relief and disappointment. The air between us was still charged, but the urgency of the situation took over.
“Let’s move,” he said, his demeanor shifting to one of seriousness. “We have to find out where that growl is coming from.”
We hurried toward the slave quarters, the sound intensifying with every stride. The pack slaves were clustered together, fear visible in their expressions.
Alpha Lucas broke through the crowd, his gaze sweeping the area before settling on us. “Ethan, what’s happening?” he inquired, his tone authoritative.
“We’re not sure yet,” Ethan answered, his eyes scanning the surroundings. “We heard a growl and came to check it out.”
“There’s nothing to check. He’s clearly looking for Harper. Maybe he thinks you’ve taken her,” Amelia whispered, standing at the entrance of the hall, her reddish hair cascading over her shoulders, legs crossed. I stayed quiet, standing beside Ethan in front of Alpha Lucas’ throne.
What did Amelia mean by that? How could she even suggest that Alpha Lucas was searching for me? It seemed so inconsiderate. Suddenly, I felt Alpha Ethan’s hand on my arm, guiding me closer to Alpha Lucas, my heart racing as we approached. Alpha…
“Alpha Lucas, we would like to take a full day away from the pack without interruptions,” I observed as Alpha Ethan made his request smoothly, his voice steady and composed.
The expression on Alpha Lucas’ face was anything but welcoming, and it was clear he was displeased with the request. The tension escalated when Amelia stepped forward, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. “No, Alpha Ethan, Harper is yours,” she said with a slight chuckle.
“You don’t need permission; you can go with her.”
“Who revealed that information to them?” Lucas’s voice cut through the tension as he rose from his chair, his eyes filled with a sharp sarcasm that hinted at a deeper threat.
I felt a tremor of fear as his furious tone sent chills down my spine. It was unexpected that Luca would oppose my pursuit of happiness, even though he had never been fond of me.
Amelia’s statement lingered in the atmosphere, presenting a challenge, while Alpha Lucas’s expression grew more intense.
“How dare you,” Lucas snarled, his voice low and threatening. “Do you believe you can simply take Harper away from here without my consent?”
Ethan’s grip on my hand became firmer, a quiet reminder to maintain my composure.
“Alpha Lucas, I assure you, our intentions are honorable,” Ethan replied, his voice steady. “We mean no offense.”
Lucas’s eyes blazed with fury. “You are not members of this pack. You cannot just take one of my own without facing repercussions.”
Mine? A wave of indignation washed over me. Did he truly consider me as mere property?
Amelia stepped in, her voice smooth and persuasive. “Alpha Lucas, surely you are not overlooking the treaty? Harper’s freedom was assured.”
Lucas’s gaze turned sharply towards Amelia, his face contorted in revulsion. “Do you really believe a mere piece of paper holds any significance for me?”
The atmosphere grew heavy with tension. Ethan’s grip on my hand was the sole support anchoring me in that moment.
“Alpha Lucas,” Ethan spoke, his tone calm and deliberate, “we are not demanding much. Just one day of freedom, that is all we seek.”
Lucas’s laughter echoed ominously, sending chills through me. “Freedom? You believe Harper is worthy of freedom?”
His words struck a painful chord within me. I felt a surge of resentment, yet Ethan’s reassuring squeeze on my hand kept me from responding.
“Enough,” Lucas retorted sharply. “I will grant your request, but understand this: Harper will return to me, and you will bear the repercussions of your defiance.”
Ethan nodded, his expression inscrutable. “We comprehend.”
As we exited the throne room, Amelia’s hushed warning trailed behind us:
“Be cautious, Harper. Lucas will not allow you to leave without a struggle.”
“What struggle are we discussing? Alpha Ethan is here to maintain peace, yet he issues a threat instead. Alpha Ethan is my mate, and nothing can alter that, not even you, Alpha Lucas.” I declared, my voice dripping with venom, tears streaming down my face as adrenaline surged through me, standing my ground, only to be met with a sharp slap across my cheek.
“Silence, Harper! I will not tolerate your insults,” Lucas hissed, his hand still poised in the air. In a fit of rage, Alpha Ethan retaliated with a punch to Lucas’s jaw.
“What just happened?” Did he really do that for my sake? I was still reeling from shock when Amelia seized my arm and shoved me to the ground.
“You wretched girl! You’re pleased, aren’t you?”
“No, Amelia, I am not pleased with the current situation; I simply desire peace,” I replied, still seated on the floor, my eyes fixed on her as she stood defiantly, arms crossed. I despised being accused of such things.
Engaging in a struggle for something that does not belong to you is misguided.
“Harper is my mate, and I do not expect you to contend for her, Lucas,” Ethan declared, directing his finger at Lucas’s face, his eyes widening in disbelief at the sight of Lucas’s fervent defense of me.
Lucas’s complexion flushed crimson with fury. “How dare you!” he growled, his voice reverberating against the walls.
Ethan remained steadfast, his gaze intense. “You have never prioritized Harper’s happiness. To you, she is merely an object.”
Amelia stepped forward, raising her hands in a gesture of peace. “Please, both of you, this is escalating.”
Yet Lucas was beyond reason. “Do you believe you can simply stroll in here and take her from me?” he spat.
“I am not taking anything from you,” Ethan countered. “Harper has the right to make her own choice, and she has chosen me.”
A wave of emotion surged within me. Ethan was standing up for me, for our connection.
Lucas scoffed. “You think a few days together qualifies you as her true mate? I have known her since we were children.”
Ethan’s eyes blazed with determination. “That means nothing. Harper’s heart belongs to me, not to you.”
The atmosphere was thick with tension. Amelia’s anxious gaze flitted between the two alphas.
“Lucas, please stop,” she urged. “You will regret this decision.”
But Lucas was engulfed in his fury. “You will pay for this, Ethan. And Harper… you will return to me.”
Ethan’s arm encircled me, drawing me close. “Never,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.
With one last scornful look, Lucas stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
The silence that followed was stifling. Amelia finally spoke.
“Harper, are you certain about this?” she inquired softly.
I nodded, my heart unwavering. “I choose Ethan.”
Alpha Ethan swiftly embraced me, while Amelia stood beside us. I silently prayed for them to allow me to accompany my mate. I observed as she intensely flared her hair, casting a warm gaze upon us without a moment’s hesitation.
Clearing her throat, she interrupted our tender moment. Although I relished the embrace, Amelia had a knack for disrupting my cherished experiences.
I gently disengaged from the hug, my gaze fixed on the ground. “You both cannot go out anymore; Alpha Lucas wants us to have dinner with this slave, Harper,” she stated, raising her brows slightly.
My heart sank at Amelia’s announcement. Dinner with Alpha Lucas was the last thing I desired.
Ethan tightened his grip on my hand. “That will not happen,” he asserted, his tone resolute.
Amelia’s demeanor shifted to one of seriousness. “I’m afraid it is not optional. Lucas has made it clear: you will attend dinner, Harper.”
A chill ran down my spine at the thought of being alone with Lucas; it was perilous.
“Tell him I’m unwell,” I proposed, desperation seeping into my voice.
Amelia’s expression softened, yet her response remained unwavering. “I’m sorry, Harper. Lucas will not accept any excuses.”
Ethan’s eyes burned with resolve. “I will not allow you to face him alone.”
Amelia’s tone turned cautionary. “Ethan, do not provoke Lucas further. He is already on edge.”
The atmosphere between them was charged with tension. I understood that Ethan was intent on safeguarding me, yet Amelia’s remarks carried an underlying caution.
“What are Lucas’s intentions?” Ethan inquired, his tone low and threatening.
Amelia paused before answering. “I don’t know; you both are asking too many questions. Why not get straight to the point? Let’s proceed,” she replied calmly, though I could see the depth of her thoughts reflected in her eyes.
“Let us go.”
I felt a surge of eagerness to begin.
Amelia’s sudden shift in attitude surprised me, but Ethan’s gentle pull on my hand urged me onward.
As we trailed behind Amelia, my thoughts raced with uncertainty. What schemes did Lucas have in mind? What prompted this unexpected dinner invitation?
The grand dining hall of the pack came into view, the aroma of roasted meat and fresh herbs filling the air.
My stomach growled, revealing my anxiety. Hunger and apprehension battled within me.
Amelia stopped at the entrance, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on Lucas.
He was positioned at the head of the table, his gaze locked onto me with an unsettling intensity.
“Ethan, take a seat,” Lucas commanded, his voice laced with malice. “Harper, come sit with me.”
Ethan’s grip on my hand tightened, but I managed to break free, bracing myself for what was to come.
As I settled into my seat next to Lucas, Ethan took his place across from us, his eyes fixed on mine.
The dinner laid out before us was extravagant, yet my appetite had completely vanished.
Lucas’s voice pierced the stillness. “Harper, may I inquire how you plan to follow Ethan to his pack?”
His tone was superficially amiable, yet I could sense an underlying threat.
“I’ve… adapted,” I responded with caution.
The smile on Lucas’s face sent a chill down my spine.
“Ethan, it seems you have quite an affection for Harper,” Lucas remarked, his eyes fixed intently on Ethan.
Ethan’s demeanor remained impassive. “She is my mate.”
Lucas laughed, a sound that sent a wave of unease through me.
“We shall see about that.”
Lucas, must you persist with this conflict? These two are in love; let them be, unless you wish to rekindle the bond you once shared with her. My eyes widened in disbelief as her question registered.
How could she possibly know that I had once been mated to Alpha Lucas? The spoon in my hand froze mid-air. Is Amelia spying on me?