An Alpha's Dark Secret

Chapter 5: Breaking Rules

-Evan-

I stormed back to my room and was about to close the door when the little orange cat decided she should come inside too. I blocked her with my foot, stopping her in her tracks.

“You know this is your fault, right?” I inquired.

She just looked up at me innocently, sitting down as if she felt quite pleased with herself.

“You led me to her! You made me...” I was furious. Everything felt like it was unraveling. That female... She was like a goddess come down to earth, with her long dark brown hair, soft pearly skin, and those sweet light blue eyes that showed nothing but kindness. No, she was too damn perfect, and she had been given to someone so broken. It wasn’t fair.

“Meow!”

“Yes, you heard me! Your fault!” I snapped.

I slammed the door in the cat’s face, hearing her scratch at it a little, but I didn’t let her in. Instead, I leaned my head against the door, feeling like I was losing my mind. My wolf kept showing me images of her.

I had only been able to watch her for a brief moment, but it was enough to drive me mad. I wanted her... I f*cking needed her. I looked down, realizing that part of me had come very much alive at the sight of her.

“F*cking hell,” I groaned.

I thought that part of me was dead. I was sure it didn’t work anymore. But just seeing her... it was enough to make me hard as a rock, and suddenly my pants felt uncomfortably tight.

“Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t,”

I stepped away from the door, pacing the room back and forth. My skin felt like it was crawling, and while my wolf growled desperately, urging me to go back and find the beauty we’d seen in the entrance hall, I felt trapped—caught between the present and my past.

“You will always be mine,” she says, her long fingers trailing over my chest, making my skin crawl. I wish she would stop. Sometimes, her lightest touches feel worse than when she tries to inflict pain. I don’t know why, but it makes my stomach churn. I would throw up if there was anything left in me.

“Maybe I should make sure you never forget,” she says.

I look at her, confused, as she smiles that sickening smile, her red lips parting to reveal her long, white teeth. Today, she has me tied to the wall, my arms shackled above my head, my legs and collar bound tightly. I’m still naked—she stripped me of everything when she had me brought here.

She runs her hand over my cheek, and I instinctively lean away as she walks deeper into her dark, red dungeon. She moves towards the fireplace, glancing over her shoulder with a wicked smile. I watch as she reaches for what I first think is a fireplace poker, but I soon realize it’s not.

Panic rises in me as she lifts the glowing stick. From where I stand, I can see the red-hot, circular end, not sharp but emblazoned with her initials: E.W., elegantly spiraled around it. I begin to yank at my chains, desperation setting in.

I don’t want her mark on my skin, but I can’t move. My powers have faded, weakened after being her captive for... how long? A year? Maybe more. Time has no meaning here.

“Shh,” she whispers. “It will only hurt for a moment.”

I let out a deep growl, but it barely escapes my throat before she presses the glowing brand against the lower part of my stomach, just to the right. The searing pain is immediate, the sound of sizzling flesh fills the room, and I scream as the agony overwhelms me.

I was drenched in sweat, lost in the memories. I lifted the hem of my black t-shirt, now soaked, and stared at where her mark used to be. After I’d escaped, I found a knife and cut around it, carving the skin away, leaving a large scarred crater.

It had healed fine, but running my fingers over it brought the memories rushing back. I quickly shook my head, heading for the bathroom where I took a long, cold shower, trying to make myself forget. The thought of her always made me see red, making me lose track of where I was.

After what felt like an eternity in the shower, I returned to my room with a towel wrapped around my waist and began searching for clothes. I pulled on another black t-shirt, dark pants, and dark boots, tying them up as I glanced at the clock on my phone. Damn! The dinner. I’d completely forgotten about it.

I stood up, but my mind wandered back to that beautiful female... Who was she? Then it hit me—Kate had invited her sister to join us tonight. The sister who had sacrificed herself so Kate could be with Chris.

That realization made things even worse, but I couldn’t use it as an excuse to skip dinner. If she was destined to be mated to someone else, someone more worthy, I had to go down there and pretend I wasn’t completely consumed by her, that I hadn’t been on the verge of acting like a caveman and dragging her to my cave or room to claim her as mine in every way possible.

I sighed and rubbed my neck, tired and frustrated, but this couldn’t be avoided. I couldn’t hide up here. So, I finally left my room and made my way to the dining room. Everyone was already there, but I barely noticed them. Even when the king spoke to me, I didn’t register it.

All I saw was her, sitting beside Chris, smiling that sweet smile of hers. Even a quick glance was enough for me to see her clearly and smell her intoxicating lavender scent from across the room. It almost drove me mad.

I nearly lost control, ready to walk over and take her right then and there. Even my wolf was as obsessed with her as I was.

Mine...

I tried to block him out as I sat down in front of her, acting as though I didn’t notice her, trying to keep my distance. But I knew when she was watching me, and when she spoke, it was like hearing the sweetest, purest melody. Her voice was so soft and light that for a moment, I forgot where I was.

Let’s take her. Now!

I groaned quietly, pretending not to listen to my wolf. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice. Everyone’s attention was on Kate’s sister, Madeleine. Her name was as sweet as she was, and when I heard Selene say it as she called out to her, it nearly pushed me over the edge, tempting me to do what my wolf wanted.

I gripped the armrests of my chair so hard that it creaked under the pressure. I could almost picture myself taking her right here in front of everyone, just so they all knew who she belonged to.

James, sitting beside me, glanced at me, clearly hearing the sound of the creaking chair, but I shot him a look that told him to ignore it. He turned away, but just as I refocused on Madeleine, I saw Chris place his hand on her shoulder.

F*CK NO!

My wolf and I were in complete agreement on this. While Chris was clearly devoted to Kate—and it was obvious she was the only female he wanted, especially after everything they had gone through together—there was no way he should be touching Madeleine so casually. She was mine.

I was growling loudly before I even realized it, the sound deep and menacing, causing all the glasses, plates, forks, and knives on the table to rattle and shift. Everyone turned to look at me, but my eyes were locked on Madeleine and the hand resting on her shoulder—his hand, which had no right being there.

I shot to my feet, slamming my hands down on the table, glaring at Chris with deadly intent. The message was clear: if he valued his hand, he had better remove it, or I would do it for him.

“Do not touch her!”

That wasn’t my voice—it was my wolf speaking, more a growl than words. Chris seemed to understand the message, though clearly not the reason behind it. He stood up, stepping slightly in front of Madeleine, and I hated that. Even though part of me agreed she was probably safer with him in that moment, it only fueled my rage.

“What the hell, Evan?” Chris asked, his own alpha instincts likely triggered by my threatening behavior. Even though he had given up his title and ties to his old pack, he was still an alpha by blood.

“What the f*ck is your problem?” he demanded.

“I said, don’t touch her, unless you want me to cut off your hand!”

“Evan!” The king cut in this time. There was one very clear rule about the dinner table: no fighting, no weapons. That rule had been established when the first female joined us for dinner, and it became even more important with children now in the mix.

“Evan! I’m talking to you!” the king barked.

I finally turned my dark eyes towards him. He had narrowed his gaze, clearly ready to step in and stop me by any means necessary. I knew this behavior wouldn’t be tolerated, and if the king had to drag me out of here, I’d likely end up causing some damage to him as well—and nobody wanted that.

I saw James rise to his feet, trying to play the peacemaker, but I growled at him, a deep warning to stay back. He wisely did as I commanded, knowing he’d only escalate the situation if he got too close.

“Evan, what the f*ck?” James growled back.

James and I shared a close bond—both broken, both quiet—but I would kill him if he came near me now. My entire body vibrated with rage, my wolf and instincts spiraling out of control because of the little female sitting right in front of me, driving me absolutely insane.

“Evan!” the king slammed his hand on the table, causing the babies to cry loudly. “You know the f*cking rules!”

I did, but as my eyes shifted from him to the little female with her wide blue eyes staring at me, I simply forgot them.