Claimed

Chapter 4: The Alpha

CHAPTER FOUR:

THE ALPHA

[SAVANNA HAUTE’S POINT OF VIEW]

    HE WAS INTIMIDATING, that is for sure. Instead of carving out of his way as I would normally do when I am in a k********g situation, I found myself doing nothing absolutely like that. I am now stuck by his side as he and his accomplice talk about work like they didn’t just drove me out of my house before whisking me out of my family’s reach. They had literally had me out of my life and here they are, talking bout work like this is something out of the ordinary. 

    Maybe it was.    

    Maybe I am nothing but a certain number of girls that they had abducted in a family.

    Slightly looking in the direction of the man who I was clearly interested in a couple minutes ago, I find something quite perplexed. The man was someone who you would see as someone who would grant anyone’s wishes or someone would possibly just be glad by being near him.

    He has the luxury to have such an expensive car.

    Why does he need to have me?

    We had been driving for minutes but I stayed idle, listening to their conversation as if that would help me realize as to why I am abducted by these men.

    “For four months, this is what all you’ve gathered? Nonsense?” He all but said, roughly showing them the file that seemed to have filled with details but are still pleasantly “nonsense” to him.

    “Alpha, that is all we could reach.”

    “Are you f*****g kidding me?” He asked solemnly, but one could feel the venom sipping out his mouth through every word. It was like he was cursing you with everything that he got, intimidating you with only words itself. Everyone went stiff as if one person couldn't possibly breathe right while being this close to him, “Are you guys slacking off? Is this what this stupid excuse of a report is?” 

    Whilst inside the limousine, I could see the glimpse of three males who seemed like delicate flowers when faced with this guy that they call as Alpha, cringing at every tone that would change its octave in his mouth. They seemed like leaves that are backing away from his touch.   

    Now, this is interesting. 

    Instead of seeing the tough men who once show an evidence of a gun to the car—proclaiming to end one’s life is now withering like a little flower in front of this man. Maybe they really are nothing but bluffing, spilling out lies to let me walk out on my own.

    Maybe they had investigated my case and know just what are the weakness that I have.

    For everyone who had researched about me knows the one thing that I am not good at—sacrificing one’s life for my own. Even I, someone who has parents who pay everyone to be my servant, knows that their life isn’t something that I could just pay.

    That was the reason why I didn’t want any bodyguards by my side, ready to catch a bullet in my honor. Never had I wanted anyone to die for my sake—that is nothing but wrong. Even if I will inherit tons of money when I am old enough, life is priceless.

    One shouldn’t pay others to die for their sake.

    Or maybe, that’s just my opinion.

    Alpha raised his head, facing his three men with eyes that seemed like throwing them dagger, “Are none of you going to answer me?”

    The red-haired guy jumped, cringing at what seems like something that I couldn’t comprehend, “I apologize, Alpha. We weren’t slacking off. Charles knew that you were onto him so they tighten all the security that he could.”

    “What did he do that was so hard?” Alpha asked.

    “He made all access that we needed into biometric passwords.”

    Three buffs, strong males were all whimpering and seemingly burned at his words. The very sight of them made me think that maybe, just maybe, these goons are nothing near tough. Their gun are probably the only thing that made me feel like they're dangerous. It was also in my memory that when someone whipped away from their car, all the manhandled weapon was placed there.

    I could break free from them! Yes! 

    I just need to figure out how and when. During times like this, time is very delicate. There is only a slim chance that they are way too distracted to notice that I was doing anything that they will suspect and it was in my disadvantage as they have the car.

    If you see it as such.

    For there is a forest around us, not letting any sort of car—especially this kind of vehicle to pass through it. As of right now, I need to look for their weak spots and be able to make a pass for myself. One little sight of weakness and I am out of here.

    Yes, I could do that.

    “How is that a problem? Someone needs to explain it to me as I don’t see a single problem that will hinder your missions,” Alpha asked, leaning towards them as he was sitting. Both of his elbows were placed on his legs, resting there, as he looks intimidating to these three men. He was waiting for an answer as I frown.

    If they were all biometric access, even if these men were to cry blood—they wouldn't be access anything. That is the beauty of biometric as it very hard to bypass, the very security is usually made for the higher-ups in the country—mainly the President, in order to press order for something involving the military.

    Biometric needed one thing to have it open, and that'll probably be a retinal scan which then requires an eye. If it's fingerprint access, they'll need a finger. Some even needed a phrase for them to say, which would be quite hard to interfere with. In some cases, they'll need both or three of those to finally open. Father even has a safe, which needed a series of phrases from his own voice to have it opened. 

    The silver-haired guy gulped, “I couldn’t possibly hack their network when the needed keys are his retinal scans and fingerprints. Even the strongest hacker couldn't tap on that without the needed figures.”

    As I have said! 

    “Why not?” He counterattacked.

    Excuse me?

    Does he not understood basic knowledge?

    “Alpha, I—”

    “You need an eye and a finger,” he cut his words before lifting a single finger, looking at the three men before him, “why didn’t you scrape Charles’s eyes out and break his damn finger? That would solve all of these problems. Then maybe you wouldn't hand me an empty case file.”

    My body shuddered in fear, frozen in place as heard his words. 

    What on earth?

    Scrape an eye and break a finger to access the biometric security? One could kidnap the person and force his eye to get scanned or his fingers—but cutting them off of the body just to have files?

    Who in the world would think of something so cruel?

    Just what in the world did I get myself involved to? Why did this have to happen in my life? What is happening? 

    Gone was my confidence in walking out of here alive, as I can seem to understand why this man warned me not to make him chase towards me. He'll probably do worse upon having to catch me.

    I could get killed if I tried running away and they ended up catching up on me.

    I know from the tone of his voice that he was serious with his advice to these three men. This man seems to honestly think that his men were smart enough to know that it was the only way to solve their distress.

    To scrape an eye and break a finger just to have access in a biometric security.

    They kidnap people—and they also kill people?

    Oh no, where does that leave me? 

    I'm getting killed, that's it- isn't it? 

    This is it. 

    I couldn’t stop myself to think of the thousands of ways that they could kill someone like me. Despite my best interest, I have never entered a self-defense class to have some upper hand in any casualties that will fall beneath me. My mother was always sure that I was always guarded by her own men—unnecessary to have myself trained into a thing that I wouldn't have to cross.

    Oh, how wrong were her judgments were.

    If only my mother knew that I would face a certain situation just as like this, she would have been terrified. My brain isn't suited enough to think of a more smarter way to have myself alive for more than 24 hours in this place. 

    Now there is a man who can kill me, and I don’t have a fiber in my body to stop him.

No ways of defense that would have me be able to make me live if they ever decided to kill me in ways that they wanted to. I wouldn’t have a say to what they will do to me—and that terrified me. All my life, I was someone who had control over my life.

    “Savanna,” he called, gaining my attention.

    The small screams that escaped through my mouth speak in volumes, explaining how I felt right at that very moment. Realizing who he was and how dangerous he was in my life helped me to instantly feel nothing but absolute fear to the man. It was times like these when my mind is hazy with thoughts that I couldn't control my emotions. I instantly moved away from him. Fear and worry were written boldly into my eyes as I look towards the man who is not a stranger to violence and murder.

    He could kill me.

    He can kill me.

    He's going to kill me.

    Oh my heavens.

    I could see the surprise lingering his eyes as his hands were pushed by my own, terrified to be even this near him. How will I be able to breathe normally fully knowing that he has the very capacity to end my life in his own will? That is something that is terrifying to know—that one person has my life in his hands, ready to say the kill if he wanted to.

    Emotions settled into his eyes, one that seemed different from his usual ones but I was too scared to understand him or how he was feeling. All the thoughts inside my head were that they were going to kill me.

    Dead.

    I’m going to die.

    “Savanna,” he called again, scooting over to my side.

    My hands shot forward, stopping his attempts, “N-no! Don’t come closer! Please stay there!”

    “Why? Is something—”

    “No! Move back!” I screamed back, stopping him immediately.

    I continued to back away from him even if I was already hitting the damn door, hugging myself together as my eyes were hazy in front of him. Coldness and fear coated my body like a second skin, making me shake at the mere thoughts inside my brain.

    Why is this happening to me? 

    “Savanna—”

    My lips accidentally let out a whimper when he didn’t listen, and that seemed to shut him out completely. There was surprise lingering on his face, one that seemed to find it nothing but confusing to have me react to the way that I am now—someone who only shows nothing but fear to the very existence of him.

    All his attempts to move towards me seemed to have reached its ending as he froze in his spot. His eyes glistened in an emotion that was familiar with my eyes; it was an emotion that was always present in my father’s eyes whenever I wanted to go to my grandfather’s domain.

    He was worried.

Not just worried about something else—but worried about me.

    “Okay, I now understand,” he nodded, moving towards the other end of the seat, as he seems to be giving me the space that I needed to calm myself down, “I’ll leave you alone. Please calm yourself, okay?”

    I didn’t have time to answer as he instructed the driver to hurry up the speed, casting silence inside the vehicle. The three men who were used to be as scared as I was now looking at my direction with the same emotions as Alpha. Instead of feeling nothing but utterly scared to the man beside me, something was consuming them more than ever.

    They were worried—but most of all, hurt.

    Which is crazy, I know. 

    Trust me.

    I know.

    The mere idea that they were worried or hurt seemed crazy to me, the victim. It was enough to have me thinking that I was too worried or scared about what my life would be that I was imagining things that were out of proportion.

    For who in the world is a kidnapper that would be worried or hurt that their captors were scared of them?

    They should be glad, more than ecstatic, that they had that upper hand in this type of scenario. One should be glad that I was terrified, understanding how they stand and now would do whatever they said to live. Even if I am not scared of my own life, I am scared of how my father would handle my death.

    He is someone who is a devoted father, someone who lived every day upon making sure that I am happy and alive.

    My father loved my very existence and because of him, I tried my very best to never lose my light.

    He had told me that whatever I needed to do, I shouldn’t show fear. From a young age, I was always told that fear is the most dangerous thing to show to enemies.

    “Alpha, about the information about the ha—”

    The Alpha puts up his hand, automatically stopping the man from the words that was to escape from his mouth. It would seem like he was determined to keep this specific detail private, “We’ll talk later, Red. Call out all my men into the pad as soon as we are home. We'll talk from there, any issues there was to talk.”

    “Of course, Alpha.”

    Seemingly satisfied with the answer given to him, he grabbed another folder and kept himself busy with that bearing in mind. All his men were lost in their own world, making it look like they were giving me the space that I needed to calm myself down. 

    Silently, I thanked each and every one of them for at least trying for me. Even if it seemed weird, I internally thanked them. 

    All of them were passing folders, nodding at something like they were all talking in their damn minds. It seems like work couldn't stop them from making me calm myself down. 

    What are they planning?

    Are they—

    “Red.” 

    I jumped in surprise when I heard his rough voice, cutting me through my own thoughts. Never had I feel something so strange to a person—not only was I physically attracted of his face, but I am now seeing a part of him that isn’t safe. As if realizing my reaction, his words stilled. He looked towards me direction and upon seeing my scared upfront, he was nothing but sad.

    All he did was frown at my very reaction as his eyes shifted into an emotion that seemed to mimic one where he was feeling utterly nothing to how I react to his action. A little sigh escaped through his lips before looking back at his men. 

    “Contact Jordan immediately and tell him to place all the needed documents in my table. Put the most important folders in the top compartment. I expect to see everything in there as soon as I reach my office.”

    My senses automatically calmed down when he lowered his voice, gone were the roughness of it. All that remained was the normal tone that his voiced used to have when I first met him—one that sounds like a treat.

    Even though I didn’t voice it out, I was slightly grateful for that. 

[THIRD PERSON’S POINT OF VIEW]

    SAVANNA WAS STUNNED when they suddenly stopped, seemingly out of nowhere. They turned towards the forest earlier, when they had to change cars as a limo will not be able to travel well in a rough road such as what they see. She was so confident that she missed the warning about it being private property. 

    Now all she saw was nothing but trees; there were still no signs of civilization to where they stopped. Even then, however, they had faced a somewhat paved road, not a couple of seconds of it being nothing but a rough path—then again, it was a forest and she wondered why are they traveling from inside it. She feared for the worst, thinking that this is where they were going to kill her. Upon noticing that all the males were looking at her, the beating of her heart was going haywire.

    This is it.

    She’s going to die.

    “Alpha,” someone called from behind her.

    The voice was enough to make the woman scream and run straight to Hendrix, aiding for his help—which in turn, surprised Hendrix. He was so sure that the woman is nothing but terrified of his very existence, that is why he is nothing but surprised to have her rush to her side when there is a conflict near her. His wolf could only feel nothing but pride—seeing that in some sense, she was still being obedient to the pull.

    It seemed like a natural reaction for her, however, as her father would always be by her side during every disaster and that would, of course, lead to her thinking that seeking his help was an immediate reaction. Savanna has her hands wrapped in his arms while looking at the man who was looking through the car door.

    He was a man, having the same built as the three. The man was extremely dangerous to look at—someone who must have been a marine or someone who fights people if needed. His eyes were nothing but solemn, looking at her very soul in what seems like determining her role to whatever was to happen.

    Hendrix didn’t suppress his chuckle before shaking his head, amused just how the mind of his mate works. Her mind is nothing but a gift of wonder. Then again, it must have slipped his mind when Valir mentioned that their daughter was an innocent girl. The guard who was just as surprised as Savanna didn’t cover his emotions either. No one in the pack was aware that their Alpha was coming home with his mate.

    No one, but his assassins.

    “Arden, open the gates. I'm sorry for having to miss formalities but we are in a rush,” Hendrix announced calmly, being extra cautious to not increase the fear inside his mate. 

    Savanna looked at Hendrix in surprise, confused at how he had uttered words, “Gates? Where? I don't see any gates.”

    “Look forward, tesoro,” he replied.

    Without even remembering the fiber of her fears, Savanna carefully sat straight and looked through the front of the car. Before them were a large gate that seemed like it was two stories high and with its width, she could safely assume that it could accommodate five cars passing through at the same time. It was covered with ones, and you would think it was nothing but a part of nature if you were not to look close.

    This looks like the gates of heaven, was all Savanna could think of.

    "We-welcome back, Alpha," Arden replied while looking at their Luna.

    Instead of seeing a house or two upon passing the gate, what caught Savanna’s attention was the sight of the palace that was a distance away from them. It was nothing but magnificent, holding the most beautiful place she had ever visited. The very place looked like it was stripped of a magazine, holding nothing but beauty and nature all in one.

    This was paradise if it were to exist.

    She was a goner if there were natural beauty before them, especially when everything was this exteriorly beautiful. All she could think of was the sight of the place during the night and how the moon would glow from the lake from behind the beautiful castle which was neatly placed from a couple of distance from it. The whole place was beautiful, complemented by the colors of the leaves in the trees that changed due to the fall season.

    As they get closer to the palace, the place even grew more beautiful as Savanna could finally see the houses that the people reside in. They were all cozy looking house the complimented the palace very well. Seeing the moon in this place seemed rather euphoric to her. 

    “Everyone already heard about this, Alpha,” Red commented upon noticing that the eyes of the people were in their tinted vehicle, “Arden must have slipped the information in his mind, everyone is going haywire.”

    Hendrix only shrugged, not really minding everything that was spilled, “I don’t intend to hide it. Have everyone prepared so I'll have it under wraps since I wouldn't want everyone too excited and spook everything.”

    Just as he was supposed to grab another folder was when he realized his current position. Savanna, due to her appreciating the scenery, still hasn’t taken her hands off of him. It was fairly easy to read that Savanna was too lost in her own world to notice that he couldn’t help but take what he’s being given. Whilst they ride through the castle, he could see the excitement bubbling inside of her.

    He was more than glad that she approves of the place.

    After all, he had made it in this way—hoping that his mate would find it absolutely magnificent. There were a couple of things that he had changed, but he sees it for the better. Even before, this place was beautiful as it was filled with people who took great care of it. 

    That means it wouldn’t take long before she settled well in this place. After all, this was now her home. Whether she accepts it now or after, it was already settled. For she was his mate—one who is bound to reside in this place and rule everyone who faced her.

    “We’re here, Alpha,” River announced.

    Hendrix nodded, “Thank you, Rivers. I’ll update you on your next carriage as I would probably take a long time before needing your assistance.”

    “Of course, Alpha.”

    As soon as they were out of the car, the help inside the castle was looking through the windows of the castle to get a glimpse of their Luna. His mate, however, was so engrossed with the interior of the house to care of who was looking at her or to even know that everybody was looking at her. 

    “The beta and Delta are already in your office. They are waiting for you,” Red announced.

    Hendrix nodded his head, leading the way inside the obviously large domain that he calls home, “While I take care of everything, prepare everyone to the hall. I will talk to them as soon as we’re all done. Be sure to tell the mother’s the usual rules.”

    "Sir!"

    "Dismissed." 

    The three ran back with the folders that were already settled since they have now departed to the both of them—that now just leaves Savanna with Hendrix. Without even knowing that there is an invisible pull between them, Savanna was confused as to why her senses and emotions were sometimes getting crazy when she’s alone with Hendrix.

    Never had she felt like this to anyone, the need to be always near him. To feel like the very existence of a person was too much for her to tackle. Never had she read about mates or knows what one should feel when they are attracted to someone.

    She was new with this as anyone is. 

    “I have a question,” Savanna mumbled upon reaching the second floor.

    Hendrix immediately stops to his tracks, looking back at his mate with nothing but an expression that seemed to be curious to her words, “And that is?”

    “You have a beautiful home, a beautiful car, a driver and everyone who can amends to your needs,” Savanna carefully list everything while lifting a single finger whenever she would list the luxury in Hendrix’s life. Looking at the eyes of the man who was standing one step ahead of her, she wasn’t sure why she was needed in the equation.

    Even the money that her parents have—this seemed to be out of proportion for someone of this level to kidnap someone like her.

    To the extent of his home and the number of people serving in this house alone, she can’t think of a single thing of why the man would want her or her father’s money. Not only does that seemed like coin to the man, but it would seem like he had made such efforts for someone who was little like her?

    She doesn’t get it.

    “And?” He urged her, confused about how she had stopped all of a sudden.

    “Then why did you kidnap me? What am I to add to your collections?”

    A frown formed into Hendrix’s lips, carefully shutting the folders into his hands while he seemed extremely affronted by her words. Kidnap? His mate? When did he ever do such a thing? Even if she was the daughter of the hunters who had plagued their kind—never had he thought of abducting his mate.

    Not only was that disrespectful but he knows full well that it wouldn’t be good for his mate’s mental health. He would hate it if they were to start their relationship but her being aware that she was kidnapped from her home.

    He talked for hours with Valir to have his blessing into having his mate, explained every little thing for him to understand how Hendrix was fixed in his daughter’s life. Without being aware of things, Savanna’s Mother has arranged things that look like he was taking her out of their home without her parent’s knowledge.

    “What do you mean?” Hendrix asked with a frown, not understanding the complex mind of his mate, “I didn’t kidnap you, Savanna. That's something that I will never do.”

    Savanna frowned back at him, “You didn’t kidnap me."

    "What?" He asked back, now more confused as he was before.

    "T-those two men did," she uttered, pointing towards the way where his men left just a couple seconds ago, "They’re you’re men, aren’t they? So they acted towards your orders, hence you are responsible as to why I am out of my parent’s reach.”

    “I think you misunderstood something, Savanna,” Hendrix carefully answered her questions, clueless at whatever was happening.

    Due to the weight of his words, he seemed to remember how her adoration towards him suddenly turned into fear upon seeing Red and Ashton. That would also explain why she was running away from those two and the way she acted towards the car when he heard him say something so vile. Her action connoted nothing but fear and he had thought wide and clear as to why she would react to that way.

    He was sure that he was nothing but gentle to her, showed her kindness and saved her from the man who was taking her away from her fame. Then again, he was surprised by the news given to him. His actions were misjudged, as she possibly miscalculated everything.

    She was being extremely cautious because she had accustomed that they were enemies.

    Great. As if Hendrix didn't have enough on his plate into explaining everything to his mate about wolves and how she was mated to probably a man who has thousands of men lining to kill him. 

    “That’s why you’re flinching around me,” he sighed, holding the side of his head as the headache starts to consume him, “That damn impulsiveness of your mother."

    "Excuse me?" Savanna snapped, hearing something displeasing towards her mother, "Let me-"

    "You need to understand things here, tesoro," Hendrix cut her words softly, never want to hear a thing or two from her mouth that would speak ill about him. Not only does that hurt him but also when she realized everything, he didn’t want her to feel guilty. So with a heavy heart, he uttered, "I didn’t kidnap you.”

    His words complicated everything, which was letting things much harder than they should be. Hendrix was extremely stressed to have her mother's mistake to fix—not that he has any choice as Savanna was his to care about. It also feels like she would doubt his words or anyone's words. 

    Only one person could fix this.

    “I’ll have your father explains things for now so you’ll be sure to believe as that is your father after all,” Hendrix commented before grabbing his phone. 

    He was about to dial Valir’s number when then rumbling of Savanna’s stomach disrupt his attempts. That seemed to get his attention, remembering that the female had not had her food since they left her home. She had already slept when they had met and she was in a comfortable state to even feel like she hadn’t eaten everything. Looking back to his watch, he all but cursed upon realizing that it was already close to noon, which would explain the rumble of her stomach.

    “They’re already preparing your food down at the kitchen,” he assured her before ushering her forward, pointing her to a room that she needed to enter, “For now we’ll wait for the food in my office while you talk to your father. Would that fix things for you, Savanna?”

    Savanna nodded her head, "Thank you, Alpha. That would be great." 

    "Alpha?" He chuckled, shaking his head.