Taken by the Alpha

Clarice Mont

The six wolves stared at the King and his men, their eyes wide. The news they’d just received had shaken them to their core. Alpha Crest was hurt and disappointed. His eyes welled up as he wondered where he’d gone wrong.

“Tears are for children, not grown men. Wipe your face and grow up. You were never cut out for your role. Now it’s being taken from you. Go find Mattel, bring him here, and then leave.”

Ex-Alpha Crest frowned but didn’t respond. He reluctantly left his former territory to find the man who would replace him.

“Now that that’s settled, let’s wake these little wolves up, shall we?” The man’s eyes sparkled with a dangerous glint as he looked at the small, delicate wolves still unconscious on the ground.

“W-wait! They’re not dressed!” Kim interrupted, her eyes teary and her legs shaky. She looked at her small pup with flushed cheeks. The man smirked.

“That’s what their fathers are for. Take off your shirts and look away.”

Kim swallowed hard, watching her husband as he moved away from her to remove his shirt. He then placed it next to Clarice, with George doing the same. They were now dressed in thin, white t-shirts that did little to protect them from the breeze.

The man flicked his wrist and all the men turned their backs on the small wolves. With a light tap on the wolves’ noses, they quickly sprang to their feet, whimpering in fear.

“Shift!” the man commanded, his authority resonating with everyone except the Royals.

Greta’s wolf shifted back smoothly. She quickly put on the nearest shirt and ran into her mother’s arms, crying. Clarice’s wolf growled, baring its teeth, not ready to shift back. But the man had other plans.

“My King, this one seems to be defying me.”

Nathaniel’s eyes widened and Kim felt a pit in her stomach. She looked at the King through tear-filled eyes, struggling to breathe properly out of fear for her pup.

The King shook his head and stepped forward. The auburn wolf reached just below his torso, growling continuously.

“Shift, pup!” the King ordered. His voice was a surprise to them all—smooth and deep, yet utterly terrifying. The power in his voice was stronger than both of his men combined. It shook every tree, the ground, and their bodies, echoing through the woods.

In a split second, Clarice’s wolf shifted back. Small whimpers escaped her lips as she returned to her human form. Her cheeks flushed as she realized she was naked in front of strangers. She quickly put on the shirt that had been neatly laid out for her.

Once she’d buttoned it up, she looked at the tall man in front of her, her eyes wide. Her bottom lip trembled at the sight of him. Her nose twitched involuntarily and she took a deep breath, her stomach tightening as she struggled to exhale the scent that made her eyes lighten.

Kim and Nathaniel looked at her with caution, puzzled by the unusual change in her eyes.

“Claire, sweetheart? Come here,” Kim coaxed, reaching out for her daughter. But Claire was too absorbed in the man standing before her to even register her mother’s call.

Nathaniel observed that his daughter hadn’t once lowered her gaze before her King. She had been staring directly into his eyes since she shifted back—a blatant sign of disrespect in the werewolf hierarchy.

“Clarice!” he bellowed, his voice filled with anger. The sound jolted her, causing her to finally look away, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

“Daddy?” she asked tentatively, her eyes darting between her parents and the Beta standing behind them.

“My King, I apologize for her disrespect. She’s just a child. She didn’t mean it,” Nathaniel quickly explained. He then strode over to his daughter, grabbing her forearm. His actions were more forceful than he intended, his emotions running high.

Clarice let out a soft whimper of confusion. She bowed her head, her wolf pacing restlessly within her. Her eyes shifted from their natural color, lightening and then darkening again.

“Release our ‘Regina’,” the King’s third in command commanded. His head was lowered, but his eyes, visible beneath his dark lashes, glared at Nathaniel with an intensity that suggested he was ready to attack.

“No, this is Clarice. My daughter,” Nathaniel retorted, pulling her closer to his chest. Clarice grunted uncomfortably, feeling like a small child.

Greta and her family watched the unfolding scene in silence, their Beta standing beside them. Everyone was confused.

“Let go of her!”

The King’s voice suddenly boomed, directed at his third in command. His eyes darkened to a deep coal color, causing Kim to whimper in fear. She was terrified for all of their lives.

“Shut your mouth, Rettacus, and back away!” the King commanded, his hands clenched at his sides as he glared at his second in command.

“But she is your—”

“He means nothing to me. She’s just a child, their child,” he spat, his lips curling in disgust as he fought to keep his inner wolf under control.

Clarice recoiled in her father’s grip before pushing him away. She turned to face her King, who had his back to her.

“Am I really nothing to you?” she asked, her voice innocent. Her lips turned down in a frown as she looked at him with sad eyes, trying her best to hide the hurt she felt.

Her father grabbed her hand again, his glare intense. He wasn’t angry with her, but he knew the King wouldn’t tolerate her disrespect.

“Clarice!” he warned, reminding her of the person she was daring to question.

“Everyone may leave, except Clarice,” one of the King’s men ordered. The room gasped in surprise. They didn’t want to leave, but the stern look on his face left them no choice.

“Claire, be careful, sweetheart,” Kim said, her voice filled with sadness. She took her husband’s hand and they walked away reluctantly, leaving their daughter alone with the ruthless King.

“If you want an answer...” the King began, his gray eyes boring into the small girl standing in front of him, her cheeks flushed pink, “then yes. You mean nothing to me.”

“But... don’t you feel this?” she asked, placing her trembling hand over his. The simple touch sent a jolt of electricity up her arm, making her gasp.

The King grunted and pushed her away. She fell to the ground, taken aback by his sudden harshness. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes.

“I feel nothing,” he repeated, his voice a low growl. He turned and walked away, his men trailing behind him, leaving Clarice alone on the ground.

She watched him leave through her tear-blurred vision.

The sight of his long legs striding away from her, his strong posture showing no sign of regret, made her cover her mouth to stifle the sob that threatened to escape.

She couldn’t believe it.

She knew she was young, just a teenager, but the bond was so strong. She could physically feel her heart being crushed in his large hand, ripped from her chest the moment he pushed her to the ground without a hint of remorse.