"I can walk on my own, I'm not a child," I tell Mary, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice.

  "I'm glad to hear it," Mary says, letting go of my arm and giving me a strange look. "Alpha doesn't usually like the ones who talk back." I don't reply to her, knowing she might just be trying to make me more nervous than I already am. I don’t know her after all. We walk up to the double doors to the tower, which are made of dark wood with two metal handles in the middle. Mary pulls a key out and unlocks one of the doors before pushing it open, and I follow her in. The inside room is a dome, with a spiraling staircase that stretches all the way up the middle of it to the top where there is a loft room. On the other side of the stairs, there is a fireplace, a large sofa and one bookcase. The room is spotless; there is not a single book out of place.

  "Light the fire for when he gets back and make yourself comfortable," Mary commands as she opens a curtain on the only window in the room, letting in the bright sunlight from outside. We never had sunlight like this before because we always had the tall trees of the forest blocking it out. I was always in the shadows, searching for the glimpse of light that broke through trees.

  "Are you leaving?" I ask Mary as she walks around me to the door and pauses at my question.

  "Yes. Don't worry, he never kills what is his. The brothers aren't as heartless as it is rumored they are,” she says, looking back at me with a tiny bit of sympathy in her eyes. “I’ve known them since they were young wolves. They look after their own, and you can trust me.”

  "So he might let me leave?" I enquire.

  "No, I never said that, Elodie," she says and walks out, slamming the door shut. I hear the key being turned only moments later, locking me in. I've traded one prison for another, but at least I might be able to escape this one. Maybe. I walk over to the window to look out over the views of the ocean. There is a beach just below the tower, at the bottom of a cliff. The waves look harsh as they blast onto the sand, but there are no clouds in the sky, no sign of a storm coming this way. The ocean is just angry like me, I guess, though I don't know the entire difference between anger and fear anymore. I was born with both emotions, and they have both been my close friends for so long that they have mixed together somehow.

  I look over at the fireplace and cross my arms against my chest. I'm not lighting any fire for someone that just wants to use me for sex and throw me away. I don’t want to be forced into anything. I look around the room, searching the bookcase but not picking up any of the books because they look old, priceless, and I'm not risking breaking one of them. My heart feels like it never stops pounding as I hear a key turning in the door, and I quickly turn around, walking to the middle of the room as the door opens.

  My alpha is back.

  Chapter 6

  Elodie

  My new alpha pushes the door open with his large hand, ducking under the door before pushing it closed behind him as he stands, looking me over. His very presence in the room makes me alert, it makes me nervous. Every inch of him is covered in blood like the last time I saw him killing my pack. All that blood dripping down him and dried in other areas is my old pack. The blood is in his long, black hair. On his leather clothes and serious face. On his large boots. It's everywhere, and the metallic smell drifts over to me as I try to swallow my own fear.

  I want to fear him for what he did, but my mind just feels happy that my old pack—and the bastards who treated me like a slave—are gone. They didn’t deserve to live, so why should I feel sad for their deaths? My alpha might have killed my parents today too; their blood could easily be covering him as they wouldn’t have submitted. Yet I don’t care. I am more scared of my parents and my old pack than the monster in front of me. I pull my eyes to him, just like I did when we met and find his dark eyes swirling with some emotion I don't understand.

  "Did Mary not tell you to light the fire?" he asks me, his voice gruff and deep. “It is cold.”

  "She did tell me to light it for you," I reply honestly, feeling my voice strong despite how this alpha is making me feel. He frowns before stomping over to me, stopping inches away from my face as he grabs my chin tightly.

  "Why is it not lit then?" he asks, a low growl escaping his lips as his eyes burn with anger.

  "It's simple, I didn't want to," I reply, and he growls. Not a low growl, not a warning. This one is downright terrifying as he scares me.

  "Kneel," he demands as he lets my chin go. I know if I don't, he will kill me. I can see it in his eyes. He wants to kill me. To get rid of the problem he invited into his home. I sink to my knees in front of him, my head only level with his upper thigh before I look up. I am not ready to die yet. I’ve fought too hard for life to die a simple death at an alpha’s hands.

  “You do what I say, anything I tell you…or you will regret it,” the alpha demands. I look up from where I’m kneeling, staring into his almost stormy eyes that seem to change colour depending on his mood.

  “Yes, Alpha.”

  Alpha stares me down for a moment longer before he steps back and walks up the stairs.

  "Follow me," he gruffly demands, and I quickly stand up, jogging to the stairs to follow him all the way up to the top which opens up into a large bedroom with two windows that overlook the sea. There are light curtains that move in the breeze as one of the windows is open a little, and I look over as Alpha goes to the large bathtub in the room and turns on the tap. There is a gigantic bed against the wall near the open window, with red sheets perfectly folded back on the coverlet. There is a cupboard on the wall next to it, the doors closed. There is little else to the room though. Nothing personal or messy in the slightest. Either Mary is a good cleaner, or Alpha likes his own space to be clean and anything but personal.

  "Sit on my bed," my alpha demands, and I walk over as I look back at him, his eyes watching me the whole time. I sit down on the edge of the bed, smoothing out my dress just as the alpha begins pulling off his clothing like I am not even here, and I can’t stop watching. He takes his shirt off first, revealing his muscular chest that is littered with old cuts. Not that it makes him any less attractive. He throws the shirt into a basket next to the bed before pulling off his boots, lining them up neatly by the tub and then pulling his trousers and socks off. When he slips his boxers off, I look away on instinct until I hear his gravelly voice calling to me.

  "Look at me, Elodie. I want you to see what you will have inside of you soon," he demands, and like a sailor being lured into the sea by a siren, I look over at him. His seductive words calling to me. He is exquisitely handsome; every inch of his body is made of muscle and no doubt trained to be strong enough to rule a large pack. When I pull my eyes to the large, hard cock in the middle of his legs, I can't help the words that come out of my mouth.

  "That is way too big to fit inside me anywhere!" My comment makes the alpha surprisingly burst into deep, howling laughs that I can't help but chuckle along too. His laugh is nice…really nice. He looks at me in surprise as his laugh dies off, and I almost miss hearing it. It makes him less intimidating and more…well, normal. He reaches and turns the tap off, and then climbs into the bath, showing me his muscular back, which has dozens of old scars like whip marks on it. Only outcasts or no claims are whipped, so why was he?

  "Trust me, Elodie. I will make sure it fits soon," he finally says before washing his face with water, washing the blood away and making him look more normal. For a moment, I almost forgot about the blood and where I am. "I have not laughed in such a way in many years."

  "They say laughing is good for you," I reply, forgetting where I heard that one before.

  "Do they now? I much prefer pain and loyalty. That is what is good for me," he firmly replies, and I don't really have an answer for that. "Come and wash my hair, Elodie."

  I know a demand hidden in a light tone when I hear one. I’ve never washed somebody’s hair before. It seems like an intimate thing to do. I slide off the bed and walk over to him, seeing his water is brown from the dirt and blood coming off his body. Alpha hands me a small bottle of shampoo, and I squeeze some into my hands before putting the bottle down on the floor. I pause for only a moment, my hands shaking from nerves before sliding them into my alpha's hair and trying to relax. I'm surprised to feel how soft his hair is as I wash the soap in before stepping back, and he sinks his head under the water. I wipe my soapy hands on my dress before walking back to the bed, freezing in place when he gives one more command.

  "Strip that dress off. Now."

  Chapter 7

  Elodie

  "What?" I question him, needing him to repeat his demand, but I don't turn around as I ask because I know the answer. There is no avoiding this now.

  "You heard me, Elodie," are his only words for a reply. I did promise I would do what he wanted…or I’m dead. I’ve been through a lot of pain in my past; the scars on my back will show him as much. They are almost as bad as the ones he wears. He said he likes pain—no needs it—because he thinks it’s good for him. I guess I hoped I wouldn’t be the one giving him what he needs. I swallow the knot of fear in my throat as I pull the sleeves of my dress down and slide my arms out. I undo the string lace at the one side, every string I pull out makes me more nervous and more frightened that he won’t like what he sees when the dress is off. I am not special. I am a no claim that no wolf wanted. This alpha should not want me, it doesn’t make sense. The dress falls off my body, leaving me completely naked with my back to the alpha as my deep breathing, the drip of the water from the tap, and the sea wind outside are the only sounds in the room for a long time.

  "Lie on the bed," he demands, and no part of his voice is gentle. His voice makes me move my shaking legs forward as I hear him climbing out of the water, the lavender smell of the water drifting over to me. At least it’s much better than the smell of blood. I walk over to the bed, climbing on before lying down, facing the stone ceiling and counting the bricks to distract myself from the overwhelming fear I feel getting worse. I hear my alpha drying himself with a towel, and every moment, I feel more scared until the counting cannot distract me anymore.

  I nearly cry out in fear as the alpha climbs onto the bed, climbing up my body and parting my shaking legs as he holds himself over me. I feel his large cock pressing into my stomach, the hot smoothness of it actually feeling good in a strange way. His body feels warm pressed against mine, the weight of his body actually comforting in a strange way. His damp hair falls around his face, tickling the side of my head.

  "You are untouched?" he asks me, the question almost softly spoken, and I can only nod for a moment until the silence becomes too much, and I have to answer.

  "Y-yes," I manage to say.

  "I want your first time. I want you as mine," he tells me, and I look up at him, shocked not only by his words but the bits of color I can see in his eyes this close up. It’s like he has the stars in his eyes, all of them swirled around so you only see lights across a dark blue background. It’s unique, much like I suspect Alpha is.

  "Are you going to claim me?" I question.

  "No. You have no claim, and that will never change. I never want a mate, and that will never change. I want your body, Elodie, and you will give it to me. If you fight me, if you resist, I will have you and then throw you out into the forest to be an outcast," he tells me, and from the way he looks at me, I know he is not joking in any way. My alpha gets what he wants. Always. Or he takes it. I know that from the little time I’ve had with him.

  "If I don't resist? If I let you take me?" I say, and I bravely lift my hand to place on his chest. There is a little soft hair across his chest that feels nice under my hand, but everything else about him is hard.

  "You will be in my pack, and that means you will be free. I and the other two alphas are the only ones allowed to have your body; that is your only rule. You will be given money, food and looked after here. My pack will never treat you the way your old one did. You will never be a slave to anyone again, Elodie," he tells me everything I’ve ever wanted. I’ve never been free, and I always said to myself I would do anything to be. Yet from what he just said, I will be free but still owned by him and his brothers. That isn’t truly free, but it is better than my old life or one as an outcast with no wolf. I can’t hunt, nor do I have a clue how to find shelter. That doesn’t even include the risk of running into other outcasts that I cannot fight on my own.

  "If I say yes, I have one condition," I whisper, rubbing my thumb across his chest and feeling his muscles tighten in response.

  "You may ask it. I might not give it to you, Elodie," he says, moving our faces inches apart so I'm nervous to even ask.

  "Don't hurt me. Ever," I whisper, and he frowns. “If you think for even a second you are going to hurt me, then you tell me to go.” There is a big pause before he firmly nods his head once.

  "This first time will hurt a little, but I vow never to hurt you in any other way if you give me your body," he tells me, moving his lips close to mine. “I will keep you safe, my pretty Elodie.”

  "Then you have a deal," I reply, the words feeling like they seal my fate, and my alpha smiles, a victory smile before he kisses me. The kisses are brutal, full of desire and lust, and I can't help but enjoy the way he kisses me. I run my fingers into his hair, loving his soft groan against my lips before he pulls away and moves down my body. He roughly grabs one of my breasts, rubbing my nipple until it is rock hard, and I squirm on the bed from the pleasure. I gasp as he leans down, running his tongue around my nipple, and it feels incredible. I didn't know anything could feel as good as this.

  I almost protest as he moves his lips from my breast, kissing his way down my stomach before spreading my legs. I’m confused for a moment what he is going to do before he dives into my core, his tongue swirling around the nub at the top, making me cry out in overwhelming pleasure. He slides one large finger inside of me slowly, and I moan loudly at the way he controls my body. It doesn't feel like I'm giving anything away to him in this moment. It feels like I would beg for this pleasure. A pressure builds and builds as he moves his finger in and out of me before my mouth parts on a scream, my back arching from the pleasure that blasts through my body. I don't even notice my alpha climbing up my body, parting my legs until his hard cock presses into me. Even the tip feels like too much, like it is stretching me.

  "Look at me as I make you mine," the alpha demands, his hands resting on each side of my head as he slowly inches inside me. I cry out in pain as he hits my barrier, pushing through it and burying himself fully inside. He doesn't move as he stares down at me, his cock making me feel full as the pain slowly disappears into a much better feeling. My alpha's dark eyes lock with mine as he slides out and then pushes back in. This time it's sore, but there is a blast of pleasure with every movement.

  "Kiss me," he demands, and I lean up, sliding my lips against his, and then he snaps, sliding his tongue into my mouth as he pounds in and out of me. I moan against his lips, the feeling of him inside me is incredible and overwhelming. I've been missing out on too much. The alpha lets out a loud roar as he comes deep inside me, setting off another blast of pleasure for me that makes me cry out. We are both breathless as he stares down at me, and I can only look back at him, in awe of this moment. He pulls out of me, which hurts, before pulling the blanket over us both and resting his head down. He goes to sleep next to me, not a care in the world, and not long after, I find myself drifting off too.

  Chapter 8

  Elodie

  I slowly wake up, hearing the sound of running water and the smell of what I think is bacon and pancakes filling my senses. I sit up, holding the blanket close to me as I see the bed is empty, and Mary is turning off the bath water before she turns and sees me. Today, she has a white dress on that is covered in tiny little yellow and purple flowers. It really suits her. I make sure the bedsheet is pulled around me, my cheeks burning red at the look on her face as she sees I am awake. One eyebrow arches as she places her hands on her hips.

  "That dress is for you. A present from Letric, and you might want to say thank you to him. Do clean up, and you have a good day. The alpha has expressed you are to sleep here tonight once again," she simply says, before walking out the room as I see the blue dress hanging on the wall by the stairs. It's tight at the top, extending into a long skirt at the bottom, and it's made of a shiny, soft-looking blue material. There are little flowers embroidered into the bodice, and it is most likely the prettiest dress I’ve seen. There was nothing like this one in my old pack. We had old material, reused because no one knew how to make dresses like that anymore. I can’t believe that dress is mine.

  Following the smell, I see a pile of pancakes, bacon and a glass of juice on a long wooden tray hanging over the end of the bathtub. I still move my eyes back to the bed, a strange empty feeling hurting my heart that my alpha left this morning before I woke up. He held me until I fell asleep I think, and I remember his warm breath on my cheek later on in the night. I guess I wasn't that good at sex. Though Mary said he wants me back here tonight, so I must have been of some interest to him.

  Even though I feel sore, I still smile and touch my tilted-up lips with my hand. I enjoyed last night. I thought it would be terrible like the girls in the pack whispered about when I listened in on their conversations. They said sex was painful, annoying and, if you were lucky, quick. Though there was a little pain, the pleasure was so much more that I simply forgot about it. He made me forget everything but the pleasure of the moment. I know I will never forget last night, no matter what happens from now on.

  I slide out of the bed, leaving the sheet on the bed, and climb into the bath. I eat my food, enjoying every last bite because I'm so used to having pack leftovers that I can't remember the last time I had a full meal like this. I also never leave any food behind. It’s a habit from all those years of eating next to nothing. I climb out of the bath and use one of the towels to dry myself off before hanging it over the now empty bath. I pull the new dress on, feeling that it fits me like a glove, and I'm super impressed. I run my fingers through my hair before looking at myself in the mirror. I’m surprised at how different I look. My pale cheeks have a little color to them, my eyes seem brighter somehow, and my hair is glossier. I'm sure I am just seeing things, but it is interesting to notice any changes.