ALEX
I feel a slight sense of unease as I adjust my cuffs, the fabric of my shirt brushing lightly against my skin. My heart beats fast as I turn to face Hannah, her presence calming me somewhat. I draw her close, my arms enveloping her waist like a shield against the unknown.
We’re both in the dark as to why the Alpha King has summoned us here tonight, but despite the lingering unease, I can’t shake the feeling that it’s not for a bad reason. After all, I managed to convince him last time that I posed no future threat to my pack, that my leadership would be sound and my intentions pure.
We step into the grand ballroom, and my eyes immediately begin scanning the crowd, searching for any sign of the Alpha King. But he’s nowhere to be found.
I grab a drink from a passing tray, downing it in one swift gulp as if the burn of the alcohol could somehow numb the nerves that jangle beneath my skin. I hate feeling this way, so out of control, so at the mercy of forces beyond my understanding. But I force myself to push through it, to plaster on a smile and make the rounds, greeting familiar faces and exchanging pleasantries as if everything were perfectly normal.
By the time I’m on my third glass, a man with a striking resemblance to the Alpha King approaches us, his raven hair and piercing gray eyes unmistakable.
“Hello, Alex. I am Jeremy, the Alpha King’s brother,” he says, extending a hand in greeting.
“Hello, nice to meet you,” I reply, shaking his hand firmly even as my mind races with questions.
“The Alpha King has asked that you meet him in the same room as before and to come alone,” Jeremy continues, his expression inscrutable.
Finally, the moment I’ve been waiting for. I nod, kissing Hannah goodbye before making my way toward the room, my heart pounding in my chest with every step.
When I reach the door, I knock, waiting with bated breath for permission to enter.
“Come in,” the Alpha King’s voice rings out, and I step inside, my eyes immediately drawn to the imposing figure seated behind the desk. Beside him stands another man, a stranger whose presence only adds to the sense of foreboding that washes over me.
“Your Majesty,” I greet, moving to stand before him, my posture straight and my expression carefully neutral.
“Hello, Alex, how are you?” the Alpha King asks, gesturing for me to take a seat.
“Good, Your Majesty,” I reply, taking a seat in the chair across from him as my mind races with possibilities.
The Alpha King leans forward, his expression turning serious as he fixes me with a piercing stare. “I asked you here because I need your help.”
For a moment, I’m sure I must have misheard him. The Alpha King, the most powerful werewolf in the world, asking for my help? It seems impossible, and yet, as I search his face for any sign of deception, I find only grim determination.
“You need my help?” I echo, unable to keep the shock from my voice.
“Yes, son, I just said that,” the Alpha King grits out, his jaw clenching with barely contained impatience. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for him to admit to needing assistance, to show even a hint of vulnerability before a subordinate.
“How can I help, Your Majesty?” I ask, my mind racing with the implications of this unexpected turn of events.
“Do you remember the man who asked you to come to this room?” the Alpha King asks, his gaze never wavering from mine.
I nod, my throat suddenly dry with apprehension.
“He’s my brother, and word around the court is that he’s wishing to take my throne from me.”
I can’t help the gasp that escapes my lips.
The Alpha King nods, his expression grim. “Yes, Alex. I need your help if a civil war were to break out.”
My eyes widen, my heart hammering against my ribcage as the weight of his words sinks in. A civil war, a real war, with lives on the line and the fate of our kind hanging in the balance. It’s almost too much to comprehend, too heavy a burden to bear.
But before I can even begin to process the enormity of the situation, the Alpha King locks eyes with me, his boring into mine with an intensity that steals the breath from my lungs.
“So, which side would you be on, Alex?”
The room falls silent, the weight of the question hanging heavy in the air between us. My mind races, a million thoughts and considerations swirling through my head as I try to formulate a response.
I know so little about the inner workings of the royal court, the machinations and power plays that go on behind closed doors. My pack may be prestigious, but we’ve always kept our distance from the politics of the royal court, content to rule our own domain in peace.
But now, with the Alpha King himself asking for our support and our loyalty, I know there can be only one answer. To refuse him would be to court disaster, to paint a target on the backs of everyone I hold dear.
And so, with a deep breath and a silent prayer to the moon goddess, I meet his gaze head-on, my voice steady and sure.
“Yours, Your Majesty.”
A large grin spreads across the Alpha King’s face, his eyes shining with a fierce sort of pride. “I knew I could count on you.”
“I’m happy I didn’t disappoint,” I reply, the words feeling hollow even as they leave my lips.
“That’s all, son. You can leave,” the Alpha King says, dismissing me with a wave of his hand.
I rise from my seat, my legs feeling strangely unsteady as I make my way out of the room. The moment the door closes behind me, I slump against the wall, my mind reeling with the implications of what I’ve just done.
My pack, my people, thrust into the middle of a war they never asked for, all because of my decision. Because I couldn’t find it in myself to refuse the Alpha King, to risk his wrath and retribution.
But even as the guilt and fear threaten to overwhelm me, I know there was no other choice. If the Alpha King were truly unworthy to rule, surely I would have heard whispers of it before now. That’s why I believe this must be nothing more than a power-hungry brother, a usurper seeking to claim a throne that was never meant to be his.
And yet, the weight of responsibility sits heavy on my shoulders, the knowledge that the lives of thousands now rest in my hands. Are we ready for this? Are we strong enough, skilled enough, to emerge victorious from the chaos to come?
And the worst part was that any decision I made for my pack affected Hannah’s pack as well. I think back to the joint training sessions, to the way their pack struggled and stumbled, always a step behind the mine. The thought fills me with a sense of dread, a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that I can’t quite shake.
But I know there’s no turning back now, no way to undo the choice I’ve made. All I can do is move forward to prepare my family and my council for the storm that’s brewing on the horizon.
And as I make my way back to Hannah, my heart heavy with the knowledge of what’s to come, I can’t help but curse Collins and his damned article. If it weren’t for him, for the doubt and suspicion sown by his poisonous article, perhaps I would have never drawn the attention of the Alpha King, dragging me into this mess.
But there’s no use dwelling on what might have been, on the mistakes and missteps of the past. All that matters now is the future and the fight that lies ahead.
And so, with a heavy heart and a grim determination, I steel myself for the battles to come, knowing that the fate of my pack and perhaps the entire werewolf world now rests squarely on my shoulders.
May the moon goddess guide us through the darkness, and may we emerge from the flames stronger than ever before.
HANNAH
It’s almost comical how I find myself in the same position as last time, sipping champagne and waiting for Alex while he meets with the Alpha King. But at least tonight, the atmosphere feels less charged, less fraught with tension and unspoken fears.
As I set my empty glass down on a nearby table, I feel the sudden urge to use the restroom, my bladder protesting the copious amounts of bubbly I’ve consumed. Excusing myself from the idle chatter of the other guests, I make my way towards the lavish bathroom, my heels clicking against the polished marble floor.
I’m just finishing up, washing my hands, and checking my reflection in the ornate mirror when it happens. A hand clamps over my mouth from behind, stifling the scream that rises in my throat as another arm wraps around my waist, dragging me backward into the darkness of an adjoining room.
Panic floods my veins, my heart pounding against my ribcage as I struggle against my captor’s iron grip. The door slams shut, the lock clicking into place with a sickening finality, plunging the room into pitch blackness.
“Please, whatever I might have done to you, please forgive me,” I beg, my voice muffled against the hand covering my mouth. My body quivers with fear, my mind racing with the horrifying possibilities of what this person might have in store for me.
“You look pretty tonight, Hannah,” a familiar voice purrs, the stench of alcohol on their breath making my stomach churn.
“Collins,” I gasp, the realization hitting me like a punch to the gut.
“Yes, baby,” he growls, suddenly spinning me around to face him, his body pressing me back against the wall, trapping me in place.
“What are you doing? Why did you drag me in here?” I ask, feeling a surge of panic rising in my chest. I push at his broad shoulders, trying to put some distance between us, but he only presses harder, his weight crushing me against the wall. I can feel his breath hot on my neck as he leans in closer, and my heart races with fear and confusion.
“Because I want some alone time with you, Hannah. I need you,” he slurs, his words heavy with desire as his fingers clumsily fumble with the strap of my dress, pulling it down to reveal the delicate curve of my shoulder. His lips descend upon my exposed skin. I close my eyes, a wave of revulsion washing over me as tears prick at the corners of my eyes, my skin crawling with disgust.
“Get off me!” I scream, putting all my strength into shoving him away. But then I freeze, my blood turning to ice in my veins as I feel the unmistakable hardness of his arousal pressing against my belly.
Oh god, he’s getting off on this, on my fear and distress. The realization makes me want to vomit, to claw at my own skin until I can’t feel his touch anymore.
I keep pushing, keep fighting, and finally manage to break free of his disgusting mouth, my chest heaving with panicked breaths. Collins stumbles back a step, his words slurred and his eyes glazed with drunken lust.
“Do you know,” he begins, his voice thick and heavy, “that you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on?”
I stay silent, my gaze darting between him and the door, my mind whirring with desperate plans of escape.
“I value the mate bond, you know. I wouldn’t usually go for someone who’s already mated. But that bastard Alex… he doesn’t deserve you. And I just couldn’t resist your charms, Hannah. You’re beautiful, smart, selfless… the perfect mate for me.”
He straightens his shoulders, a twisted sort of determination settling over his features. “That’s why you have to forgive me for what I’m about to do. But know that I do it because I love you.”
My heart stops, my blood running cold as the implication of his words sinks in. No, no, no, this can’t be happening. This has to be some sick, twisted nightmare.
But then Collins is closing the distance between us once more, his movements surprisingly steady for someone so intoxicated. He leans in close, his breath hot against my ear as he whispers the words that will haunt me for the rest of my life.
“I’m going to mate with you, Hannah. I’m going to mark you, claim you as mine. Tonight, you become my Luna, whether you like it or not.”
I can only stare at him in abject horror, my body frozen with terror as the reality of the situation crashes over me like a tidal wave. This can’t be real, this can’t be happening. Not here, not now, not like this.
But as Collins’ hands begin to roam over my body, as his fingers dig into my flesh with bruising force, I know that this is no dream, no figment of my imagination. This is the worst nightmare come to life, and there’s no one here to save me.