Claimed by the Alpha

Chapter 2

I woke up to the sun seeping through the window. I didn't want to get up. Despite sleeping all night, my body still felt exhausted. I blamed it on the worry of being away from home.

Finally, I forced myself to rise and walked over to the sliding door that led to a balcony. The view showed the back of the hotel, opening up to a beautiful forest that covered most of the area.

I wondered what my parents were doing right now. Guilt weighed heavily on me. I had brought shame to my family and my pack. Did Alpha Nicolas already know that I had run away? The thought of the repercussions my family might face made me feel even worse, but I kept convincing myself that leaving was the right decision.

After asking Marie, the receptionist, for directions to the best place to have breakfast, she recommended a nearby diner I had seen on the way in. She offered to make me a complimentary breakfast at the hotel, but I craved some fresh air.

The diner was slow for a morning around 10, and I found a booth toward the back to sit alone. A few minutes later, a brown-haired guy approached my table.

"Mind if I take a seat with you?" he asked, but didn't wait for my reply before sliding into the booth.

"Go ahead," I muttered more to myself than to him. It didn’t take much to realize he was a werewolf—and a strong one at that.

The waitress came by to take his order, and he requested coffee and pancakes. I noticed the way she gave him a lingering look, which I completely understood. He was attractive, with hazel eyes, a nice tan, and a solid build.

The waitress soon returned with his order, but the guy kept his gaze on me without saying anything. I remained quiet too, occasionally acknowledging his stare but pretending to focus on my book.

"You do know you’re trespassing, right?" he finally said, taking a bite of his pancakes.

"I wasn’t aware there was a pack here," I replied, meeting his eyes, "but either way, I’m just passing through."

He leaned back. "I'm Jace, Beta of the Midnight Moon Pack," he said, extending his hand.

"Leila," I replied, shaking it.

His grip was firm. "You know," Jace continued, "you give off an air of power. Yet, here you are, wandering alone in another pack's territory."

"Like I said, I'm passing through. I won't disturb your pack, and I’ll make sure to stay out of the forest," I said, keeping my voice even.

Jace c****d an eyebrow. "That doesn’t make you any less of a threat," he added, giving me a look my dad used to reserve for rogues he considered trouble.

"So, what would assure your pack that I'm harmless?" I asked.

He took a sip of his coffee. "Most rogues who cross our territory don’t leave alive," he said, his tone filled with warning.

I wasn’t intimidated. His aura confirmed he held authority as Beta, but he wasn’t the Alpha. The packless life I’d chosen didn’t make me susceptible to intimidation like other wolves.

"Are you implying I should be worried about your pack?" I asked, my voice steady.

"Depends on your intentions. When do you plan to leave?" he asked calmly, continuing to eat, as if we weren't discussing my potential demise.

"I’ll be gone by the end of the week," I assured him.

Jace appeared to be a few years older than me, maybe around 22. His eyes narrowed slightly. "That's plenty of time for trouble," he said. "Which means there's only one way to make this work."

"What’s that?" I asked, though my appetite had long vanished. The reality of rogue life was hitting me hard.

"You need to plead to the Alpha for permission to stay," Jace said, a smirk curling at his lips.

I stiffened. "I'll leave tomorrow," I blurted out, too quickly. The last thing I wanted was to confront any Alpha who might know Nicolas or my former pack.

Jace chuckled. "Why so nervous? Committed a crime you’re hiding from?"

I hesitated, unsure whether to confide in him or escape before he could force me to meet his Alpha. "I’m not nervous," I lied. "I just don’t handle authority well."

He raised an eyebrow. "What is it with rogues and hating rules?" he asked, shaking his head. "It’s why most don’t survive long. No pack to back you up."

I didn’t argue. I’d never lived as a rogue, but I’d seen how brutal it could be. "Sometimes," I said quietly, "it’s easier to rely on yourself."

"You look young," he observed. "Are you even eighteen?"

"I am," I answered. "You?"

"Proudly twenty-two," he replied.

"So," I ventured, trying to sound light, "can I stay for today without your Alpha finding out? I’ll be gone by morning." I added a flirty note to my voice, hoping to sway him.

He considered me for a moment, then leaned closer, rubbing his thumb over my hand. "If a pack wolf supervises you, maybe I can overlook your presence," he said, grinning.

"And who would that be?" I asked, my guard up despite the playful tone. Jace was handsome, but his intentions worried me.

He paid the bill, and we walked out to his sleek, gray car parked in front of the diner.

"Where to?" I asked as he drove off.

He smiled. "There’s about forty miles of open land between our pack and the next. It’s perfect for a run," he explained. "No wolf lingers near the outskirts."

The forest was breathtaking. We parked, and I went behind a tree to shift into my wolf form. My pure white fur was marked by four black paws, a family trait my father was always proud of.

Jace shifted nearby, carrying his clothes in his mouth. His wolf had light brown fur, matching his hair, and he was considerably larger than me. Without a word, I followed him deeper into the woods. Despite my instincts screaming not to trust him, I couldn’t resist the allure of the wild.

Finally, we reached a clearing, and Jace changed back into his clothes behind a tree. I did the same on the opposite side.

"It's just ahead," he said.

My breath caught in my throat as we emerged into the clearing. A vast, pristine lake sparkled under the sunlight, surrounded by a ring of ancient trees.

"It’s beautiful," I whispered, awestruck. Jace seemed satisfied with my reaction and guided me closer to the water’s edge.