Hunted by Alpha Devil

CHAPTER 4

I looked over my shoulder and saw Ryan and Evan pushing through the crowd, their faces focused as they moved through the people. A strong man had a firm grip on my arm, pulling me toward a dim exit. In a moment of panic, I reached out and grabbed a cold metal pole next to the door, stopping him suddenly and interrupting our movement.

When he saw that I had a hold of the bar, he tried to pry my hands off of it, but I threw my head back and headbutted him.

His grip loosened, but it didn’t let go of me, so I used my tall, sharp heel, slammed it down onto his foot, and managed to wriggle out of his grasp.

He stood up straight again and tried to grab me again when I punched him in the throat, and he fell backward as I grabbed a beer bottle and smashed it over his head.

Ryan and Evan finally found me in the middle of the chaos. Ryan grabbed the attacker by the collar and pulled him toward the side door with determination. Evan stepped closer, looking at me with concern.

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” he asked, worry in his eyes.

I shook my head, still trying to understand what had just happened. “No. He didn’t even punch me,” I said, my voice confused.

Just as I was about to follow Ryan out the side door, everything in the club went quiet, and the chatter and music faded into an eerie silence.

“Amberly.” The voice roared, making me stop in my tracks. The loud music and chatter in the club fell silent as the crowd parted to reveal him and the strong warriors beside him.

A feeling of fear surrounded me, and the other club-goers looked scared; werewolves are much bigger and stronger than humans.

“Hi, Dad,” I said quietly, feeling nervous.

His face was angry, and his eyes burned with rage. He lunged at me, grabbing my arm and pulling me out of the club. My friends, shocked, followed us, their faces worried.

Ryan waited outside, and when he saw us, he looked confused and then disappointed as my father glared at him. Dad reminded Ryan that he had been told to stay home, which he clearly ignored.

“She’s coming home with me. She’ll see you tomorrow,” Dad told Ryan, who nodded in defeat.

Dad held my arm tightly as he led me to the car. Evan got in the back seat with me, looking sympathetic as the engine roared. We sped down the highway, the dark landscape flying by as we entered the pack’s territory.

At home, I felt my mom’s comforting hug. I knew I had just escaped danger; Dad had mind-linked her to say someone tried to kidnap me. Thankfully, my training had kept me safe, and Ryan had stopped the threat.

Dad still held my arm firmly as he took me to my room. He opened my wardrobe and went through my clothes quickly. He picked a few items and tossed them onto my bed.

“Put them on,” he ordered, his voice leaving no room for discussion.

“What are we doing?” I asked, feeling uneasy.

“You went clubbing tonight, which means you weren’t planning to sleep. Just because you’re home doesn’t mean you’ll be sleeping. Now hurry up and dress; you have five minutes.” His tone was urgent.

I quickly changed out of my dress and into a black and purple sports top, matching tights, socks, and running shoes. I rushed to meet Dad outside, feeling anxious as I followed him into the dark forest.

I felt panic rise as we arrived at the pack’s obstacle course where experienced warriors trained. The tall and complex structures looked intimidating.

“How many laps do you want me to do?” I asked, hoping for some leniency.

“Until I say stop,” he replied sharply, looking every bit the commanding figure he was.

He sat on a fallen tree branch while I felt his expectation weighing on me. After a quick warm-up, I jumped into action, racing through the course, pushing my body hard. I ran start to finish, and as I neared the return, I heard “Go again,” sharp and persistent.

The cycle continued through the night, my heart racing as I completed lap after lap. Hours passed, and dawn broke, painting the sky in soft shades of orange. That’s when Evan showed up, and Dad stood up, examining my condition critically.

“Alright. Morning jog. Then I’ll see you back at the house,” he instructed, turning away without another glance as he walked home.

Evan looked at me with pity and concern, but I brushed past him, determined. I began our usual jog, refusing to stop. Exhaustion pulled at me, but I kept my pace, never thinking about quitting.

When we got back to the house, I walked in quietly, ignoring my family. I felt drained, and the idea of a hot shower sounded perfect. I retreated into the bathroom, letting the hot water soothe my sore muscles.

“I’m sorry, Amberly. I tried to help as much as I could last night,” my wolf Ember said through our bond.

“I know you did. Don’t worry about it,” I replied, feeling more tired.

“He had you doing the advanced obstacles for five hours. How are you not angry right now?” she asked, surprised.

“Too tired to care,” I murmured, enjoying the steam wrapping around me like a blanket.

When the water turned cool, I wrapped a towel around myself and went back to my room to get dressed. Breakfast was ready, but I stayed silent, avoiding conversation with my family, lost in my thoughts and the heavy tiredness that weighed on me.

I know I messed up last night, but it feels like no one is acknowledging that someone tried to kidnap me. My dad seems more concerned about his anger that I sneaked out, leaving him to handle my punishment.

He has to be more creative with discipline since grounding me doesn't work anymore. The next day at school, Ryan came over to me right away, while Evan stood a few feet away and stayed quiet.

Ryan gently held my face in his hands and asked, “What did he do to you?” His voice showed he really cared.

“Don’t ask,” I replied softly, not wanting to think about what happened.

“He punishes worse than my dad,” Ryan said, and I nodded, knowing exactly what Dad could do.

Evan joined us soon, letting Ryan and me talk privately. “Did you find out anything from that guy last night? Did he say why he tried to take me?” I asked, eager for answers.

“No, I’m sorry. I was so angry at him that I didn’t think to ask,” Ryan said, frustration in his voice.

I nodded, feeling disappointed. I wished I could figure out who that guy was and why he wanted me. Ryan tried to keep me distracted throughout the school day, but I couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling from the night before. I had training later that day and needed to help the younger kids afterward.

When I got home, I dropped my things in my room and joined my mom, Evan, and the rest of the family for dinner. Dad wasn’t there again, but I didn’t care at that moment.

After dinner, I went back to my room to do homework, but my mind kept wandering. A knock broke the silence.

“What?” I called out, frustrated. The door opened to reveal Dad standing there.

“Can I come in?” he asked, sounding unusually hesitant.

“It’s your house. You can do whatever you want,” I replied, turning away from him in irritation.

He stepped in, closed the door gently, and sat on my bed while I stayed at my desk, my heart racing.

“Can you please turn around and look at me?” he asked softly. I sighed and turned to face him.

“What do you want?” I asked, trying to stay calm.

“I’m sorry about last night. I had to punish you so you would understand how serious this is,” he said, his voice firm but regretful.

“What are you talking about?” I shot back, irritation rising.

“You need to know that we’re serious when we say you should stay close to the pack and not go past the borders,” he continued.

“We’re teenagers, Dad. Do you really think those vague warnings mean anything to us?” I challenged, frustration boiling over.

“I guess not,” he admitted, his expression hardening. “But you saw what happened last night—you were almost kidnapped. Now, I can share something with you, but it stays between us. Understood?”

My curiosity grew, and I leaned in, intrigued.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, feeling tense.

“The pack is being watched. I don’t know why, and I’m not sure if the Alpha does. But they’re watching us closely and made their move when they saw you leave last night,” he explained quietly, as if sharing a secret.

“Who?” I asked, taking in what he said.

“Alpha Jack Cameron,” he replied.

“The Devil,” I gasped, shock coursing through me like ice water.