Her Ruthless Alpha

Bitter Fate

"Aunt Veronica, why do you have to do this to me? Why should I, of all people, be the one to pay for your crime? It’s so painfully unfair!" Zerra whimpered, her voice breaking as she addressed her stepmother with raw emotion. Tears she’d struggled to hold back finally overflowed, streaming down her cheeks and staining her flushed, pink cheeks.

"We’ve already discussed this, and I refuse to argue with you any further. Don’t you care about me or this family anymore? What about your father’s life? He’s hanging by a thread, struggling, and you’re standing there selfishly trying to turn your back on us. Is being with that useless, good-for-nothing fool more important than giving yourself a chance to be close to the strongest alpha in the entire west?" Veronica replied harshly, her patience dwindling with Zerra’s resistance to the situation. Her tone grew sharper, cutting through the air as Zerra’s show of defiance seemed to fray the last of Veronica’s nerves.

"But… Aunt, everyone knows Alpha Erdy. He’s heartless, cold, ruthless beyond measure. He might not even hesitate to kill me if I make a single misstep or say one wrong word," Zerra sobbed, trembling with genuine fear. She was fully aware of Alpha Erdy’s infamously terrifying reputation. His rise to power was due to his prodigious strength and near-mythical abilities as a werewolf, allowing him to inherit his father’s throne at an unusually young age. He wasn’t just powerful—he was fearsome, even to the most battle-hardened alphas in the surrounding regions. His wolf was the largest of any ever known, not just in his region but across all four territories. Despite the tenuous truce among the world’s four strongest packs, the alphas of the other three regions dreaded even the thought of crossing paths with Alpha Erdy. His bloodline was unique and unmatched, the last living descendants of pure royal werewolf blood. They hailed from the very ancestors who had been the first and most potent of werewolves, born with unmatched strength and supernatural prowess. Only those of pure blood, like Erdy, possessed claws with the power to instantly paralyze any creature that dared provoke them—even a scratch was enough to render an opponent immobile.

"That’s precisely why I keep telling you to behave and be on your best, most agreeable behavior. Who knows? Maybe he’ll take a liking to you beyond just that of a servant or concubine. It would bring enormous benefits, not only to you but to the entire family. You’d be an asset," her stepmother replied, her tone softer but with a hint of calculation.

"Enough of this pointless whining! We’re sending you to the kingdom now; we have no choice but to face reality. We can’t risk making the alpha wait any longer, or we’ll all be dead by morning!" Zerra’s father, Jared, the Beta of the Blood Moon Pack, barked with anger. His commanding tone left Zerra silent with fear. Despite her deep dread, she had to obey. She had long feared her cruel father, whose brutality had only worsened since her mother’s untimely death. Her life became so miserable and hopeless that every day she wished her mother would somehow reach out from the afterlife to take her away from this torment.

On the way to the Red Kingdom, Zerra couldn’t help but brood over the real reason she was being delivered, almost like a sacrificial lamb, to the coldest and most merciless alpha alive. The memory replayed vividly in her mind, stirring a storm of resentment and despair.

"How could you have made such a stupid mistake? Were you really that careless?" she remembered hearing her father say, his voice filled with fury as he berated her stepmother, Veronica.

"I never thought that Lory would betray us in the end. She was supposed to be loyal!" Veronica snapped back, seething with resentment as she gritted her teeth.

"And what did Minister Albert say about it?" Jared asked, his anxious tone betraying his desperation.

"He said that news of my actions has already reached Alpha Erdy. It’s out of our hands; a decision has already been made," Veronica answered, her voice trembling slightly as fear set in.

"And what, exactly, was the decision?" he demanded, panic flashing across his face.

"You know how our alpha operates. A life for a life—there’s no other option. I’d have to pay for this with mine. That’s why I planned to offer Zerra in exchange," she said, her tone dripping with callousness.

"For the sake of our future, we have no other choice. We can’t just send anyone. Zerra is our only viable bargaining chip," Jared said, nodding slowly as if convincing himself. Trembling with horror and heartbreak, Zerra had to fight back the urge to scream. How could they so heartlessly use her as the price for her stepmother’s crime? Veronica had killed one of Alpha Erdy’s most trusted aides, sparking fury beyond anything the alpha had ever shown before. Now, to pacify him, Zerra was to be sacrificed in exchange for her stepmother’s life. The knowledge of this arrangement wounded her deeply, and she could hardly believe it. Her father had chosen his wife, a woman who was only family by marriage, over his own flesh and blood.

Zerra had always admired the palace in her younger years, enchanted by its grandeur and magical aura. Every inch of the fortress seemed to pulsate with power, its sheer dominance casting a shadow over every creature within the kingdom and beyond. Yet as she approached the palace now, her admiration had turned to dread and despair.

"Straighten up and compose yourself. You look as if you’re heading to a funeral. Remember why you’re here—to save us all from ruin," her father snapped, his impatience growing as they neared the palace.

"Dad, do you really love Veronica more than me? I am your daughter, your own flesh and blood. Why are you willing to sacrifice me for her sake? You could always remarry, but why throw me away like this?" Zerra asked her father, her voice trembling with desperation. In her mind, it should have been her father’s duty to protect her, not the other way around.

"Don’t you dare talk back to me! This matter is already decided. Now go, hold your head high, and put on a pleasant face. I don’t care if it’s an act, but you had better make sure to please the alpha. Or else, we’re all as good as dead," Jared said, his voice cold and unyielding.

Zerra’s heart felt as though it was being torn to pieces as they entered the palace. Despite his precarious position, her father, as the Beta of their pack, still commanded respect from the guards and servants. Zerra’s heartbeat quickened as they drew closer to the court, her chest tight with fear.

"Alpha Erdy is expecting us," Jared informed the guards confidently. Four centaurs stood vigilantly at the entrance to the grand hall, their imposing forms and menacing red eyes making Zerra shiver.

"Greetings, Alpha Erdy. My family and I have come to seek your forgiveness for my wife’s terrible error. We humbly hope that you will accept our offerings and, in your wisdom, grant us mercy," Jared began, his whole family kneeling in a gesture of profound submission before the alpha.

"Offerings? And what offerings could possibly serve as adequate punishment for the betrayal you committed?" Alpha Erdy’s voice cut through the silence, booming with icy contempt. The depth of his anger sent a chill through every creature in the hall, as if his wrath had its own palpable weight, pressing down on them.

"I know what my wife did is unforgivable, but along with the precious gems we bring, I offer my only daughter to serve you in whatever capacity you wish. She will obey your every command without question," Jared said, his voice shaking as he lowered himself even further, his hands pressed to the floor as if it were holy ground.

Even the ministers and high-ranking officials in the court dared not raise their heads, sensing that Jared’s case was beyond hopeless and that nothing could possibly quell the alpha’s wrath.

"You disgust me, Jared. You’d trade your own daughter to save yourself and that worthless woman? I could end all of you right here, so why should I waste my time with your pathetic pleas?" Alpha Erdy growled, making Veronica burst into terrified sobs. Despite everything, Zerra couldn’t bear the thought of seeing her father die, and so she gathered her courage to speak.

"M-Mighty alpha, may I speak, please?" Zerra’s voice was barely above a whisper. Her head remained lowered, her hands fidgeting with anxiety. This was the first time she had ever dared to address the alpha directly.

Everyone in the hall, including Erdy, was taken aback by the boldness of the girl who dared to interrupt a conversation between two powerful werewolves.

"Raise your head and look at me. But heed my warning: if you say something foolish, I won’t hesitate to end you on the spot," Erdy commanded, his voice filled with authority. Zerra’s heart pounded violently, yet she obeyed, lifting her gaze to meet his. Her fear was momentarily replaced by awe as she looked upon Alpha Erdy. He was the most handsome man she’d ever seen, his aquamarine eyes framed by thick brows and lashes, jet-black hair falling over a sharply defined face that exuded a fierce, magnetic dominance. Even in royal garb, his muscular chest, broad shoulders, and powerful arms were unmistakable.

Erdy furrowed his brows, clearly irritated. Instead of speaking, this pretty girl merely gazed at him, entranced. He had seen many females gaze at him with admiration, but none had ever affected him. He was used to casting them aside. But this girl… his wolf didn’t agree.

"Are you going to speak, or are you wasting my time?" Erdy’s voice was colder than before, but he was beginning to grow frustrated as his wolf urged him to claim her.

"I am Zerra Holloway, Beta Jared’s only daughter. I never agreed with what they did to you, but as a daughter who’s already lost her mother, I don’t want to lose my father too. I beg you to take me and allow me to serve you, so I may atone for their crimes," Zerra pleaded softly, her words filled with sincerity that moved everyone around. Jared, noticing the sympathetic glances from the court, smirked inwardly, hoping this gamble might just pay off.