The Cursed Alpha King's Mate

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Isla

I tried to hit out at him again, any attempt to get away, but he was too fast and had a hold of my arm before I could take two steps.

"Stop running away!" he snarled, his grip on my arm unyielding as he lifted me up and effortlessly threw me over his shoulder. My body shook with the impact, pain shooting through me.

"Put me down, you bastard!" I screamed, writhing in his hold. I punched at his back, my fists connecting with his muscular form as I struggled to free myself from his grasp. My heart pounded in my chest as I writhed against his grip, my body trembling with both fear and anger. He was the Alpha King, a man I'd heard nothing but dark rumours about. If he planned to kill me, I would not go down without a fight.

"Let me go, you caveman!" I spat, kicking at him with all my strength. My foot connected with his side, but it barely seemed to register on his hardened expression.

"Feisty one, aren't you?" he growled. "You've got no idea what you're in for." The words sent a shiver of dread down my spine, but I refused to let him see my fear. I balled my fists and slammed them against his back as he carried me through the shadowy woods, my rage fueling every strike.

“You’re a monster,” I screamed, but all I was met with was a growl of frustration.

"So you’ve said before. If that is the case then perhaps," he murmured, his hand sliding down to slap my ass hard, making me yelp in pain, "you should reconsider your defiance. You haven't seen caveman yet. Just wait till I have you bound to my bed." My blood ran cold at his words, and I felt bile rise in my throat. I'd heard of the Alpha King's ruthlessness, his unforgiving nature, but I'd never imagined he would stoop so low as to rape someone before ending their life. The thought was horrifying, and I struggled harder, refusing to give in to my growing terror.

"Please," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sounds of the forest. "Don't do this."

"Too late to beg now, little human," he said coldly, dragging me further into the night. Tears streamed down my face as I hung there, helpless in his grip, I knew that my life would never be the same. The man who held me captive was a monster, one whose dark desires threatened to consume us both.

“Don’t cry little one.” The softness of his voice surprised me as he began to caress my legs. “This is just fate.” Fate? I kept as silent as I could, apart from the small sobs that escaped my lips, as I felt his hand travel higher up my legs. The touch was almost soothing and gentle, and even above my pants I felt a shiver run through me as his hand passed over my ass again.

As we emerged from the trees, I saw the familiar outline of the barns surrounding the pack house looming, even from my vantage point of hanging over the brutes shoulder, I could tell we were almost back home. A wave of despair washed over me, knowing that once we crossed the threshold, my fate would be sealed.

"Please," I whispered, the word barely audible, as if saying it louder might somehow make it more real. "Please don't do this."

"Too late for that," he murmured, his voice full of dark promise. The Alpha King carried me to the pack house, my body draped over his shoulder like some kind of helpless prey. My arms ached from trying to fight him off and my legs trembled with exhaustion, but I refused to give in. The moment we reached the clearing, he unceremoniously dumped me on the ground, causing me to cry out as pain shot through my bruised body. My Father started toward me, then froze when the Alpha King let out a warning growl.

"Stay back," Tristan warned him, his voice low and dangerous. My father looked down at me with an apology in his eyes.

"Let her go," my father pleaded, his voice shaking with fear. "She's done nothing wrong." But the Alpha King didn’t even react.

He turned to another man and let out what sounded like a nervous chuckle.

“She’s a feisty one, that’s for sure,” he said, his tone almost amused. The man looked down at me with a smile. His honey eyes seemed to emit a level of warmth that was out of place in the current situation. He looked friendly, and not like his Alpha was about to kill me.

“I expect nothing less, Alpha,” he said, and I shook my head at the conflict in his words. The Alpha King turned back and looked at me, with something that I couldn’t place in his eyes. Was that really regret? He then took a deep breath and turned to the people behind me.

"Let this be a lesson to you all," he growled, the rumble of his voice sending shivers down my spine. “You cannot and should not defy me. I have no idea why you are acting in such a way, especially in keeping what is mine from me.” He waved his hand at me as he spoke. I let out a laugh that was probably more hysterical than funny.

“I don’t belong to you,” I spat. “You have no claim on me.” The Alpha King stopped and looked down at me, his large frame imposing. He kneeled down in front of me and reached out a hand towards my face. I slapped it away again.

“You are mistaken little one,” he whispered as he caught my chin in his hand. “Not only are you mine, but if you continue to be defiant, I will enjoy breaking you until you summit.” His eyes were cold and hard and held no humour in them. I knew he meant every word, and it terrified me. He must have been happy with the fear in my eyes as he nodded and left go of my face, before standing back up again.

I looked up and saw my family, their eyes wide with terror, staring at me. The other members of the Cragg High Pack huddled together nearby, surrounded by Tristan's warriors, their expressions a mixture of fear and shock.

"Alpha King Tristan, please," my stepmother pleaded, her voice trembling. "She doesn't know what she's getting into. She's just—"

"Silent, woman!" he snapped, cutting her off. His gaze never left mine, the intensity of his blue eyes almost as chilling as the cold ground beneath me.

Something inside me snapped. I couldn't bear to see the fear in my family's eyes any longer, especially not when it was because of me. In that moment, all I wanted was to hurt him, to make him feel a fraction of the pain he'd caused me. With every ounce of strength I had left, I pushed myself off the ground and swung my hand across his face, connecting with a satisfying slap. The sound echoed through the night air, silencing everyone around us.

"Go to hell," I spat at him, my chest heaving with rage. "I will never be yours." For a moment, his expression was one of sheer astonishment, his hand raised to the reddening imprint my fingers had left on his cheek. And then, slowly, the surprise turned to fury, and I knew I'd made a terrible mistake. A collective gasp echoed around us, but I didn't care. My body shook with fury, and I swung my hand back for another blow. This time, however, he caught my wrist in a viselike grip, squeezing painfully. His blue eyes blazed with anger, and I could feel the heat of his glare searing into my skin.

"Did you really think that would work?" he snarled, his voice dripping with contempt. "You're only making this harder on yourself." His words should have terrified me, but instead, they stoked the fire within me even more. I refused to let him see me cower, to let him know how much power he had over me. But all the defiance in the world couldn't mask the undeniable pull I felt toward him, the illicit desire that wound its way around my heart and threatened to choke me.

"Do it already," I hissed, my voice shaking with emotion. “If you're going to kill me, then do it already. But leave my family out of it.” His grip on my wrist tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might just snap my arm in two. Confusion seemed to flash across his eyes before the anger returned.

"What don't you understand?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "You're not just some plaything for me to discard when I'm done. You're my fated mate, and that means I'll do whatever it takes to make you mine." His words echoed through the clearing like a death knell, and I could feel my resolve crumbling beneath their weight.

"Is this some sort of twisted joke to you?" I shouted, my eyes blazing with anger. "You're nothing but a brute and a bully!" His expression darkened, his grip on my arm tightening painfully.

"I assure you, little one, there is nothing funny about this," he growled. "Finding one's fated mate is the most serious matter for a wolf." Tears streamed down my cheeks as I looked around at my family. My stepmother sobbed into her hands, and my sister clung to her husband, both of them crying silently. My father's face was a mixture of terror and fury.

"You must be mistaken," I insisted, shaking my head vehemently. "There's no way I could possibly be your fated mate."

My words seemed to enrage him even more, his blue eyes flashing dangerously. His growl vibrated through the air, a menacing sound that sent shivers down my spine. With a forceful tug, he yanked me against his hard, muscular body. His anger was palpable, and I could feel the heat of it radiating off him as he pressed himself closer.

"Listen to me, little one," he snarled, his voice low and threatening. "I don't have this wrong. Your scent calls to my wolf, and you're trying to fight it. Surely, you can scent me too." I shook my head, feeling the weight of his gaze on me like a physical touch.

"I can't scent you," I whispered, my voice trembling. "And I wouldn't be able to anyway... because I'm human." As the words left my lips, I saw his eyes widen in shock. It was clear that he hadn't known about my humanity, and for a moment, I dared to hope that this revelation would change everything. But then I saw the way his expression darkened, the shadows deepening in his blue eyes as his grip tightened around me. I knew, without a doubt, that our story was far from over, and that whatever came next would be nothing short of explosive.