The Alpha Breeder

Chapter 1

WITH blood pumping through my hollowed ears, I kept running. I ran and ran, and ran until I couldn’t breathe. My lungs constricted inside, blocking the oxygen from giving me enough air. Grinding my teeth, I hastily tried to breathe with my nose. Crazy glazed eyes from an owl perched on top of the tree glared at me with suspicion. I spotted a small current of water flowing from between the wet muddy ground. I followed the current the whole way, knowing that I would find water sooner than I thought. If I could find water, I could find a boat. I would think about what to do once I was there, but right now, I needed to get somewhere.

My eyes skimmed the woods, the deep forest I was in. It was dark, vast, and cold. The darkness swallowed me whole, ingested my presence until I was only a spot, nothing inside the enormity of the jungle. I pivoted my hip to avoid a tree bark hanging loosely from one of the branches. I pushed myself to my full potential, never stopping once to look back.

I knew the moment my feet faltered and I looked back, my will would waver. I would give up this eternal running, and I would go back to that godforsaken place. Though, all my senses were on full alert so I could keep an eye at the back of my head on the grinning, most ruthless, self-entitled asshole that would cage me if I ever got caught.

However, just as I could hear the streaming of water coming closer and closer, I heard another thing breaking the silence of the night. The dark sky hummed in fear as a wild growl penetrated through the wood. The sound was so terrifying it made the trees shake. The birds fled from their nests, animals took cover, and even the wind stopped whistling.

The growl shocked me to my feet until I couldn’t move anymore. I wasted no time in spinning around because I knew the source of the growl. It roared under the moonlight, notifying everyone within the area that he was there.

He was ready.

He was on the hunt.

Determination flashed between my eyes as I pumped more ammunition into my blood. My feet moved on their own right now, entirely shifting with instinct. I could no longer taste the blood in my tongue, from biting it too hard. The itch in my mind to get to that stream is getting higher. I kicked a branch and dodged a few obstacles expertly, triumph gloating inside of me as I could see the water from where I was.

Sweat sticks to my skin throughout my body, slicking my flesh and leaving trails of salty fret. I was anxious. I was in a panic. I needed to get away from him. I needed to escape.

A little bit more.

Only a bit more and I would reach that place. I didn’t know what I would do yet if there was no boat I could use. Maybe I would swim, anything to get away from here.

Just a little bit more.

Until I was literally thrust to the left. My body shoved so hard I could hardly breathe. I gasped when I crashed into a huge tree. My lungs stopped working for a few seconds. My body was thrown forcefully. My chest ached with pain. So much pain.

My head was pounding from the impact.

Was the trees swaying or was it my own head? I didn’t know anymore. Everything felt heavy.

There was a strange breeze in the wind. I swallowed back the bile at the thought. I knew why there was an unusual gust in the area. Before I could even start properly breathing, I caught sight of the large man standing above me.

A piercing, golden-eyed gaze teased me, his body standing rigidly. His eyes are enough to hypnotize an unsuspecting rival. A jaw-clenching smirk ignited a spark of rage from within my heart. I could recognize that smile anywhere, from any distance. The gut-wrenching feeling I would harbor every time I came across it.

The man standing above me is not just a man. He’s inhumane. An entirely different species. He towers over everyone else, standing just shy of seven feet of ruthlessness. His eyes always glinted with the promise of torture, agony, and suffering. It would torment me my whole life. His body is packed with hard muscles all along the limbs. The smirk curled into a snarl. His fingers drifted over the smooth skin of his arm. Brown, sun-kissed skin, glowing under the moonlight like sparks, set fire to it.

The deepest shade of golden swirled around an onyx pupil, the fog clearing in the wood as the whites of his eyes rolled backward. His jaw opened, wide and dangerous. The guttural sound that escaped his lips made my body shiver in anticipation. He smelled the night air, air rushing in, his smile deepened as his canines chipped away at his lips. He looked down at me, iridescent swirl stilling at the eye contact.

My throat swelled and I hastily went to look backward, looking if he got any more of his kind with him. But, of course, none. He was always faster, stronger, and scarier than normal creatures were.

“Rhys.” His name sounded sweet from between my lips even though it followed with absolute disgust. I shifted uncomfortably on my feet. My body swayed on shaky knees. I held on to the tree, dragging myself up with the last remaining of my strength.

Something ticked on his jaw. He looked down at me with apprehension. When he talked, the air stilled, the trees stopped moving, and the night sky trembled with expectancy. “Marigold,” he chided.

His voice is rich. A cavernous and rough sound that could make even the bravest of the brave slightly quiver on their knees. It always reminded me of whiskey. His voice sounded like an old bottle of brown whiskey, rolling down his tongue, leaving a taste of burning fire trailing in mine.

“You have been a very, very, very naughty little girl, aren’t you?”

I closed my eyes, taking a sip of the whiskey before suddenly I knew that the drink is poison. The arrogant jerk moved in that split second of distraction. Before I knew it, I was suddenly slammed into the tree behind me. My hands are restrained by a tight grip above my head.

That was entirely my fault.

I blinked up at his eyes. His very golden, very pissed eyes. Stunned at the turn of events, I could only take a sharp breath, feeling the pain on my back upon getting in contact with the jagged tree.

I gulped, angling my body so I didn’t have to be so pressed against him. His large, rough hand held both of my wrists above my head. It wrapped like manacles around me. His other one clutched my neck in a terrifying grip, cutting off the air in my throat.

I could feel his much larger, muscular body thrust into mine, his chest warm and hard.

I was going to die.

“Marigold, my darling. Surely, you didn’t think you could escape me, right?”

I held my tongue from biting back an answer that would earn me a slap. His legs restrained mine, rendering me completely immobile, and I knew right then and there that I wouldn’t be able to escape anymore tonight.

His breath invaded me. His snapping teeth grazed my cheek, and he licked my ear as he said, “You will never be able to escape me, Marigold. You are mine. Mine to own. Mine to touch. And only mine to use,” he growled. “You’ll feel pain. Bleed to death. Scream for agony. But, only at my mercy. So,” his hands moved to my hair, jerking my head back until my chest arched toward him, and he pushed me even closer. “Never try something like this again. Or your death will come sooner than you expected. And the pain will be excruciating.”

I could only sag against the tree, feeling my body lose its will to move and my mind deprived of the early determination to run away.

I could never escape Rhys Ethelwulf, the most ruthless and cruelest Alpha King.

Because I, Marigold Cathwolfe, am sold to him to be his one and only breeder.

Only to realize that the beast is fated to be my mate.