The Rogue Alpha’s Claim

“What do you know about werewolves?”

Claudia’s gaze drifted upward, her eyes searching the ceiling as if the answer were written there, and she tilted her head before shaking her head. “I don’t know, not much except for those awful series.”

“Hmmm.” Ariel nodded her head, not sure her friend would be able to take what she was going to tell her. “Promise you will not freak out.”

“I don’t know. Should I?”

Ariel only had a comforting smile to give, and she began to download everything she knew-everything that had happened to her-without leaving any stone unturned.

The relief was almost instantaneous-the fact that she had someone to share it with-and the reveling at the anger Claudia felt made her happy that there would always be someone beside her. And she had taken the news well, a little blinded by Kane’s betrayal to care about her friend not being a human.

“How dare he?” Claudia screamed out her anger, hitting the space beside her. “He will be gone when I get hold of him.”

“You know he is a werewolf, right?” Ariel reminded her, a little smile playing on her face. She felt a little guilty for taking advantage of her anger, but she deserved it.

No one had really stood behind her without Kane’s interference.

“I don’t give a fuck; he has no go!” Claudia screamed out her anger, and it took a while before Ariel could calm her down. “What are you going to do now?”

“I don’t know. I think I will stay in this pack for as long as possible and maybe look for a job here.”

“You know you can always come back to Australia; I will be more than happy to house you.” Claudia reminded her

“I know, thank you.” Ariel couldn’t let her know that she couldn’t leave, not until she had gotten her revenge. And even when she had, she knew it would be almost impossible to do that. She had been grounded here, and somehow Claudia could tell.

“Where do you stay?” Ariel was about to protest, but Claudia cut her short. “I know, protocol blah blah, but I need to be reassured by your presence and be assured that no harm comes to you.”

“You are already far away, Claudia; I see no need for you to know my address.”

“Ariel!” Claudia called in a voice that left no argument, and she sighed.

“Fine, I will share my location with you.”

“See, it is not so hard.” Claudia stuck her tongue out, and Ariel rolled her eyes.

“Alright, enough about me. How are you doing? Have you decided to stay in the job?”

“I know you are trying to divert my attention, but it is fine. Anyways…” Claudia began to chatter excitedly about her day, and Ariel listened, hanging on to each word.

Since her life was pretty much upside down, this was the only way to live vicariously, and she welcomed it.

The talk went on for a long time, and the girls talked about anything and everything, and for the first time in a while, Ariel was happy.

She had missed her friend so much, and she made a promise to visit Australia when everything was much calmer.

***

Ariel woke up with a smile, and she stretched her limbs, feeling the satisfying crack of her joints as she arched her back and extended her arms above her head.

The alpha had allowed her to keep the laptop for the short time she would be around, although it was rather restricted.

But anything was better than staring at the wall all day.

She skipped downstairs, her bodyguard in tow, as she went for breakfast. She was satisfied with sitting alone in her corner and munching whatever they had provided.

She wasn’t here to make friends, even though it contradicted her nature, but she must focus on her goal.

Ariel finished her meal and went back to her room, heading straight for the shower.

She came back with a towel wrapped around her frame, humming to a song that had been stuck in her head when she caught the bright red envelope on the bed.

For a moment, her heart skipped a bit as she walked towards it, wondering if she had begun to gain admirers in the pack.

Christmas was still far away-although the werewolf could care less about human tradition-so it couldn’t be a Christmas gift.

She picked up the envelope and removed the note that was inside, curious to see what was written, but that was her undoing.

As soon as her eyes landed on her name, she recoiled, dropping the letters as if they had suddenly turned to hot coals in her hands.

She could never forget that handwriting. She had seen it scribbled in their room; she had seen it in every document that was in the pack. There was no way she could miss the familiar scrawl that was almost illegible.

She picked up the letter again with a trembling hand, and she began to read it.

“Dear Ariel,

It had been a while since you left the pack, and I have left you to your own device, thinking you would come to a reasonable conclusion. But I think the time you have spent away has made you delusional. I will have to remind you that we are mates and you are still bound to me. I will give you a little freedom, but be well reassured that I will be coming back for you. And I won’t take no for an answer. Best regards.”

The sender hadn’t signed his name, but Ariel knew.

She read the letter again, just to be sure her mind wasn’t playing tricks with her, and again, until the words were etched in her memory and she let out a loud scream.

She didn’t stop screaming when her guard, whose name she didn’t know, ran inside; she didn’t stop screaming when he pry the letter from her hands, nor did she stop screaming when the alpha came in.

She was lost in her mind.

Kane had found her yet again, and this time he had promised not to let go of her.

“Ariel!” The alpha snapped at the screaming girl, annoyed that he had to take on such responsibilities.

“He has found me; he will take me away; he will come for me.” Ariel continued screaming like a broken record, and the alpha held her shoulder, shaking her violently to calm her down.

“You are safe here; nothing can harm you as long as you are under my protection.” But she shook her head.

It was a lie.

She had been trying to learn about Kane and had gotten some books in the library, and it was horrific learning about him.

He wasn’t the saint he had claimed to be.

He wasn’t the devil that your parents warned you about.

He was worse.

Kane would kill anyone as long as there was a price tag attached to it, and you could never escape his claws, and now he was coming for her.

“That is why you need me.” The Alpha’s voice broke her reverie, and she looked at him with unfocused eyes. “You need to tell me what you know so we can join forces and destroy him and his pack completely.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Destroy?” Her voice was high-pitched in shock.

Yes, she hated him and wanted nothing to do with him, but trying to destroy him and his pack was out of the question.

“Yes. That is the only way you can truly be free. Now come sit and tell me all you know, and I promise to help you get rid of him once and for all.”

Ariel looked at him with a slightly open mouth, wondering how she had dug up such a hole for herself, but she allowed him to lead her by the hand, and she sat on the bed.

“Now tell me all you know.” There was a hidden threat in his words that would have gone unnoticed if she hadn’t been so observant.

So she sat and did as she was told.