The Dangerous Scent

Liora’s POV

“She is dangerous.”

Alpha Kael’s voice followed me like a shadow as the guards dragged me from the room.

My feet barely touched the floor as they hauled me through the doorway, their grips iron-tight around my arms.

The heavy doors slammed shut behind us with a thunderous boom that echoed through the corridor, sealing away the warmth of the chamber and replacing it with the cold breath of the fortress halls.

The stone beneath my bare feet felt like ice.

I clenched my teeth, refusing to give them the satisfaction of hearing me cry out as they pulled me along.

Torches flickered along the walls. The scent of smoke hung thick in the air, mixing with the smell of wolves everywhere.

Their presence pressed against my senses like invisible eyes watching from every corner. Even though I could not see them, I knew they were there and every single one of them stared.

Their gazes followed me as the guards dragged me past then a murmur rippled through the corridor.

“Is that her?”

“One of the girls the Alpha took tonight?”

“She smells… strange.”

I stiffened at the last whisper.

Strange?

My heart pounded harder.

One of the guards holding me shifted uncomfortably. His grip tightened for a moment before loosening again, as though he had suddenly remembered how hard he was holding me.

“Keep moving,” the other guard muttered under his breath.

We turned down another hallway, this one darker and narrower than the last.

The torches burned lower here, their light dimmer. The air felt colder too, creeping through the thin linen clinging to my skin.

I hated how exposed I felt. The thin fabric of the lingerie barely covered anything. Every step I took reminded me of that humiliation.

I forced my spine to straighten despite the guards dragging me along.

The guards suddenly stopped and a heavy iron door stood before us. My stomach twisted when I realised this was the dungeon.

One guard stepped forward and shoved the door open. The hinges screeched loudly, the sound echoing through the dark corridor beyond.

“Inside,” he said roughly.

Before I could react, they pushed me forward.

My bare feet slipped slightly on the cold floor as I stumbled into the cell. I caught myself just before falling, my hands pressing against the rough stone wall.

The door slammed behind me as I stood there for a long moment, breathing slowly, forcing myself to remain calm.

My thoughts kept drifting back to Alpha Kael Vorthrane. The most feared Alpha in the northern territories.

Even as a child I had heard stories about him. How ruthless he was in battle, how entire packs had fallen under his command, how enemies disappeared without a trace once they crossed him and now I belonged to him.

The thought made my chest tighten.

I hated it, I hated him, but more than anything, I hated my parents.

Sounds of footsteps approaching the dungeon broke the silence.

The iron door creaked open, moonlight from the corridor spilled into the cell and Alpha Kael stepped inside.

The air changed instantly. His presence filled the small space like a storm cloud rolling over the sky.

He looked different here in the dim light. He looked more dangerous.

The shadows emphasized the sharp lines of his jaw and the dark intensity of his eyes. His black shirt clung to the broad strength of his shoulders, the sleeves rolled up to reveal powerful forearms.

For a moment, neither of us spoke then he closed the door behind him. The click of the lock echoed softly.

My heart skipped as he began walking toward me, each step deliberate and predatory.

I forced myself to stand, even though every instinct screamed at me to run, but there was nowhere to go.

My back touched the cold stone wall and he stopped only a few inches away.

Up close, his scent was overwhelming. His eyes moved over me slowly, from my hair, to my shoulders, to the thin linen clinging to my body and a strange heat rose in my cheeks.

I hated that reaction. I hated that my body noticed him at all.

“What are you?” he asked suddenly, his voice low.

The question caught me off guard.

“What?”

His hand moved suddenly. Before I could react, his fingers gripped my chin, forcing my face upward.

The touch was firm and my heart raced beneath his fingertips.

“What are you?” he repeated quietly.

His eyes searched my face like he was looking for something hidden beneath my skin.

Anger flared inside me.

“I’m the girl you bought,” I said bitterly.

His expression darkened.

“No, you are something else” he murmured.

The word sent a strange shiver down my spine and my breath caught.

Something in his voice had changed. His gaze dropped to my neck then to the hill of my breasts.

His nostrils flared slightly as he inhaled and when I realized he was smelling me, my stomach twisted.

“What are you doing?” I demanded but he didn’t answer.

Instead, he leaned close enough that I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin.

A strange tension filled the air between us, thick and electric. His grip on my chin loosened slightly but he didn’t step away.

“You don’t even know,” he said quietly.

The words confused me.

“Know what?”

His eyes lifted back to mine.

“You affect my wolf,” he said.

My stomach dropped.

“What?”

“That shouldn’t happen.”

His hand slid from my chin to the side of my neck. His thumb brushed lightly against the spot where he had bitten me earlier and the skin there tingled.

My body reacted before my mind could stop it as a faint shiver ran through me.

His eyes darkened instantly. A slow smile touched the corner of his mouth.

His hand suddenly pressed me back against the wall. The stone was cold against my back and his body moved closer.

My breathing grew uneven.

“You’re dangerous,” he murmured.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

He leaned down slightly, his nose brushing near my throat with another slow inhale.

His eyes closed briefly and then his entire body went still.

His wolf surged to the surface so suddenly I felt it like a physical force pressing against my chest.

His eyes snapped open with gold flashing briefly within the darkness of his gaze.

His hand tightened on my arm.

A chill crept down my spine as his gaze locked onto mine and the next words sent a wave of dread crashing through me.

He leaned closer, his breath resting against my lips.

“Your blood....shouldn’t exist” he said slowly.