A fierce ALPHA before a loving Mother

Chapter 1

Lila stood at the edge of the dense forest, the moonlight casting eerie shadows on the ground beneath her feet. The familiar scent of pine and earth filled her senses, mingling with the faint, lingering smell of wolves. Her wolves. Her pack. She’d spent years dreaming of this moment, yet now that it had finally arrived, she hesitated.

Five years had passed since she’d fled from this place, broken and humiliated. Five years since she’d last laid eyes on the people who had ridiculed her, shunned her, and turned their backs when she needed them most. She’d left as a meek, defeated Omega, but tonight she was returning as something else entirely.

Lila took a deep breath, steeling herself. She was no longer the weak girl they had known. She had spent every day of the last five years pushing herself, honing her abilities, and unlocking the power that had been dormant within her. The power that marked her as an Alpha.

Her hand instinctively went to the scar along her jawline—a constant reminder of the night she left, the night Alec had shattered her heart and everything she’d believed in. The memory still stung, but it also fueled the fire within her. She wasn’t here for revenge, she reminded herself. She was here because something dark was threatening her pack, and despite everything, they were still her people.

Lila’s heart pounded as she took her first step out of the shadows. The soft crunch of leaves underfoot seemed to echo in the silence of the night. Every step closer to the pack’s territory made her more aware of how much she had changed. She could feel the power thrumming just beneath her skin, ready to be unleashed at a moment’s notice.

As she approached the edge of the clearing where the pack’s border began, Lila heard the low growl of a sentinel. She had been expecting this, but her pulse quickened nonetheless. A large wolf stepped out from behind a tree, its eyes glowing a menacing yellow as it sniffed the air, sensing an intruder. Lila stood her ground, her posture calm, though her muscles were tensed and ready to fight if necessary.

The wolf hesitated, its growl fading into a confused whine. It recognized her scent, though it was different now, layered with the dominance of an Alpha. Lila watched as the wolf shifted forms, a young man now standing in its place, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief.

“L-Lila?” he stammered, his eyes wide.

“Hello, Damien,” she replied, her voice steady, betraying none of the turmoil within her.

Damien took a step back, as if unsure whether to welcome her or call for reinforcements. Lila saw the recognition in his eyes, but also the confusion. This wasn’t the Lila he remembered. And she wanted him to know it.

“You’re… You’re back,” he said, as if stating the obvious was the only thing his mind could process.

“I am,” Lila replied. She crossed her arms over her chest, her stance casual but unyielding. “I need to speak with Alpha Donovan.”

Damien blinked, still processing her presence. She could tell he was struggling with the aura of authority she now carried, an authority that was unmistakably Alpha. But he nodded, his instincts telling him not to question the change in her.

“Of course. I’ll… I’ll take you to him,” Damien said, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

As they walked deeper into the pack’s territory, Lila could feel the weight of her past pressing down on her. Memories of whispered insults, cruel laughter, and Alec’s cold, dismissive gaze flooded her mind. She pushed them aside, focusing on the task at hand. She had a job to do, and she wasn’t going to let old wounds distract her from it.

The pack house came into view, its large structure looming in the darkness. Lights flickered from the windows, and she could hear the muffled sounds of conversation and laughter inside. For a moment, it almost felt like nothing had changed, like she could walk in and everything would be as it was before. But Lila knew better.

They reached the front door, and Damien hesitated again. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” he asked, his tone more concerned now that the initial shock had worn off.

Lila met his gaze, her eyes hard. “I’ve never been more ready.”

He nodded and pushed open the door. The warm light from inside spilled out, casting a golden glow on the porch. Lila stepped inside, her eyes quickly scanning the room. The familiar faces of her packmates turned to her, their expressions ranging from confusion to disbelief to outright hostility. She could feel their eyes on her, feel the weight of their judgment. But she stood tall, meeting their gazes with unwavering confidence.

“Lila Graves,” a voice boomed from across the room. The crowd parted, and Alpha Donovan stepped forward, his towering figure imposing even from a distance. His eyes were cold, assessing her with a mix of suspicion and curiosity. “What brings you back to my pack?”

Lila didn’t flinch at his challenging tone. “I have unfinished business,” she replied, her voice carrying the strength of her newfound authority.

The room fell silent, the tension thick in the air. Donovan’s eyes narrowed as he studied her, sensing the change in her demeanor, the power that radiated from her. “You left this pack as an Omega,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “But you return with the scent of an Alpha. Explain yourself.”

Lila met his gaze head-on, refusing to be intimidated. “I’ve come back to protect this pack,” she said, her voice unwavering. “There’s a threat coming, and you’re going to need all the strength you can get.”

Donovan’s eyes flickered with something unreadable, but before he could respond, the door behind her creaked open. Lila’s heart skipped a beat as she sensed the presence before she even turned around. The scent was unmistakable, familiar in a way that made her stomach twist.

Alec Thorn stood in the doorway, his icy blue eyes locking onto hers. Time seemed to slow as they stared at each other, the weight of their shared history pressing down on them. He hadn’t changed much—still tall, still exuding that quiet, dangerous confidence. But there was something different in his gaze, something she hadn’t seen before.

Desire.

The air between them crackled with unresolved tension, and Lila forced herself to remain calm, to not let her emotions betray her. But it was impossible to ignore the way her heart pounded in her chest, the way his presence stirred something deep within her that she thought she had buried long ago.

“Lila,” Alec said, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine. “You’re back.”

Lila swallowed hard, forcing herself to keep her voice steady. “Yes, I am.”

Alec’s gaze softened for a fraction of a second, but it was enough to make her question everything. She couldn’t afford to let old feelings resurface, couldn’t let him see how much he still affected her. Not now. Not when so much was at stake.

But as she stood there, facing the man who had once broken her, Lila realized that this return would be far more complicated than she had anticipated. And as Alec took a step closer, his eyes never leaving hers, she knew that the hardest part was yet to come.

Lila had come back to save her pack, to protect them from the darkness looming on the horizon. But as she looked into Alec’s eyes, she wondered if she could protect herself from the storm that was already brewing within her.

Because one thing was clear: the past wasn’t as far behind her as she had hoped.

And neither was Alec.