Hybrid Alpha’s Prettiest Obsession

fangs and war 1

Mina

The growls grew louder, but suddenly there were footsteps—heavy, urgent—and a blur of movement. Someone tackled the rogue, sending it sprawling across the dirt. I twisted my head to see... what? A group of prisoners fighting off the remaining rogues… It was blurry. I was sure. But their faces looked determined to let the rogues go back to whatever hell they all crawled out of. Relief washed over me, and pain itched all over my back, but I didn’t move. Not until I was sure Tito was safe.

Tito groaned beneath me, shifting slightly. “Mina… you’re crushing me.”

I huffed out a breathless laugh, even as tears continued to slide down my face. “Too bad,” I whispered. “I’m not letting go.”

Tito sniffed, wiping his face with the back of his hand. “You’re such a pain,” he muttered, but his voice was soft, and his grip on me never loosened.

“Yeah, Tito. I am the only one you have, too.” I whispered silently.

************************

#Malakai

I sat in my office, glaring wearily at the scattered papers on my desk. I had been going over reports all evening, lost in the routine of running a pack. Everything was in order, or so it seemed. Now, as I scanned the latest updates from the western borders, my fingers tapped rhythmically on the armrest of my chair. Routine. Just routine.

And yet, something wasn’t right. There was an irritating crawling beneath my skin—something of an unexpected unease that had been moving about all day. I chalked it up to exhaustion, maybe even irritation from my earlier encounter with Natalie and her insufferable father. That man knew how to get under my skin, and I had to keep my temper in check in front of the pack. General Seif felt he had an entitlement since he helped defeat the pack. Pttff. His words glued like poison, as his mockery of the Elders reminded me that the political games never stopped. But this was different. I could feel it in the air.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.

“Yes.”

Conrad entered quietly, his face unusually tense. He shut the door behind him with a deliberate motion.

“Something’s off,” he said before I could ask.

I leaned back, frowning. Wulfgar rarely spoke unless necessary. If he was here, then it was more than just his usual wariness. “What is it?”

“There’s been an incident,” he began, keeping his voice calm. “But it’s not what you’re thinking. It’s not our fault this time.”

I raised an eyebrow, my fingers tightening around the armrest. “Then whose fault is it?”

He hesitated, which wasn’t like him. Wulfgar was always sure, always precise. “It’s a breach. The humans and halflings… Something happened on their side, and the wolves—our wolves—were caught in the middle.”

My blood went cold. A breach? That was impossible. We had secured the borders; everything had been fortified since the last attack. Perhaps it was the subtle rebels again? But the look in Wulfgar’s eyes told me this wasn’t a simple misunderstanding. “Where?” I demanded clearly. He should understand that I wasn't pleased.

“The southern edge, near the Pit,” he said grimly.

The Pit. Of course. That cursed place was always on the brink of disaster. I wasn't concerned just because of the humans or the dangers always lurking in depths. It was because of her. Because of Mina. But no, that wasn’t why I cared. I didn’t care about her. She was a prisoner, a halfling, nothing more. I couldn’t afford to care.

It wasn't a luxury.

“I’ll handle it,” I said, rising from my chair. “But this has to be contained, Conrad. The last thing we need is for the noble elites to get wind of this. The alliance within them is already fragile.”

And that was a bloody issue already.

Wulfgar nodded, his sharp eyes assessing my next move. “I’ve sent scouts to check the situation. But it looks like there’s already bloodshed.”

My jaw tightened. “What kind of bloodshed?”

“Both sides. Our side, humans, and... halflings. It’s a mess down there.”

I swore under my breath. A war. The last thing I needed was a war, especially one I hadn’t started. If word got out that my wolves had been involved in a conflict with humans, it would destroy everything we had built, and I’d be left cleaning up a mess I didn’t create. I couldn’t allow that.

“Who exactly is in charge of this mess?” I snapped at Wulfgar, who seemed taken aback.

“Rogues.”

For crying out loud! He finally said that one word. Those filthy things. The pot was doomed. I grabbed my coat, throwing it over my shoulders. “I’ll go down to the Pit myself.”

Wulfgar looked at me like he wanted to protest, but he knew better than to argue when I had made up my mind. He stepped aside, letting me pass without a word. I made my way through the darkened corridors of the pack's fortress with my mind a mess. The Pit was always a source of hypertension, and I had been foolish to ignore it for as long as I had.

Don't get me wrong.

This wasn’t about her.

Shite. It wasn’t about Mina!

She was just another prisoner. I needed to go there because the Pit was the weakest point in our defences, and if the rogues, humans, and halflings were planning something, that’s where they would strike. I kept telling myself that as I descended the stone steps, the cold air of the underground tunnels bit at my skin. It wasn’t about her.

But I was lying. And I knew it.

*****

Pompeo made sure the Pit was a place of nightmares. It was suitable as a dark, sprawling hell beneath the earth where the worst of our enemies were kept.

There were also the pleasure spots too—that was heaven in hell. I designed it anyway, or at least it was partly my idea. Humans and Halflings alike—all thrown together in a twisted prison of pain and pleasure. It was dangerous, volatile, and the perfect breeding ground for rebellion.

It was exciting to know that such a place existed. I could feel the shift in the atmosphere, like something was about to break. The atmosphere was already thick when I arrived. My guards stood at attention, their faces unsmiling as they watched over the important guests, who were growing increasingly restless. Oh, they were all here.

And who was guarding the humans and halflings below? I sniffed in the scent of blood that hung in the air. Faint but unmistakable.

“What happened?” I demanded. My rumbling voice cut through the noise, startling the guards. One of the guards stepped forward, his face pale.

“There was a breach, Alpha. Rogues. They attacked first, but it wasn’t planned. It was chaos.”

It was always chaos with those outcasts. “Who started it?” I asked sharply.

The guard swallowed hard. “It was a group that called themselves… eh…” he paused. “Rogues?”

I sighed. He certainly wasn't the brightest one. “Get me Pompeo!” I thundered, feeling tired already.

The guards scurried about, and the devil, Pompey, finally came out with a shaky smile. He bowed like the cunning fox he was. “Your royal Alphaness.”

“Keep that title for yourself.” I snarled, not in the mood. “What happened to the ‘’24/7 security” down there at the pit?”

“A minor error.” Pompeo instantly replied, wiping a nonexistent sweat from his forehead. I noticed he didn't seem to care much about the prisoners down there. “I heard some rogues chose the right time to act. This was their time. They came to collect their wages.”

“You fool.” I spat, causing everyone to freeze. “Don't you know what is happening? The prisoners will use this chaos to escape! How do YOU know it's not the subtle rebels behind this?”

Pompeo had no reply as sweat finally trickled down his face. Suddenly, a group of trembling guards came forward.

“Some prisoners escaped...” They began whispering towards Pompeo, but Pompeo’s terrified attention was already on me. He looked like he could piss on himself any moment from now on.

“Escaped?” My voice was deadly calm, but inside, I was seething. “How did they escape?”

Pompeo flinched under my gaze. “We don’t know, Alpha. The gates were secured, but they must have found a way through the tunnels. The same with the Rogues.”

Of course they did. The tunnels were a maze, impossible to fully secure. And now, because of one mistake, we were on the verge of war with those bloody things called Rogues. Not forgetting the fact that some stupid humans...

... chose to escape.

I pushed past the guard and made my way deeper into the Pit. The farther I went, the louder the sounds of fighting became—growls, screams, and the clash of metal on stone. It was chaos. Dirty furry things were ripping into Halflings, unfortunate humans were caught in the distractions, and the blood of all three species stained the dirty ground.

My claws dug into my palms, drawing blood. This wasn’t my fault. It wasn’t my doing. But I would be the one to clean it up.

And then I saw her.

I spotted her as I moved through the bodies. Her not so delicate frame was curled against her brother, holding him as if the rogue would have at him if she let go. Her vibrantvibrant, blueluey spirit now looked shattered… she frantically scammed the area, her eyes here and there, watchful…

And the sight made my chest tighten.

She was a mess. Her hair, usually in a rough bun, was wild and dirty. I could count the tangles in her hair. Dirt streaked her face, mixing with dried blood that traced jagged lines down her temple. Her face! Her clothes were torn and stained, hanging from her shoulders like rags, exposing a large cut and bruises across her pale skin.

Those were f*****g claw marks! She looked like a ghost—like someone who had been dragged through hell and barely survived to tell the tale.

Her eyes... they haunted me—darting everywhere as exhaustion made them seemingly hollow and dark yet with a stubborn refusal to leave her f*****g brother and save herself. She was a mere striper, desperate for a f**k and a wealthy wolf to take her home.

But...