Alaric's POVThe first thing I did when I broke up with Lily was to go look for Samantha. I felt like a huge burden had been lifted from me. I desperately wanted to see her, to run to her, to breathe in the air around her. Even if I didn't say a thing, I just wanted to be in Samantha's presence because I couldn't tell Samantha the truth yet. I was only an Alpha heir, and my father still called the final shots, so I had to protect her still.I had stopped by her door and tried to sniff out her scent in the room. Even though I could perceive it, it wasn't strong enough to prove that she was in the room. Even Adrian's smell wasn't as strong either. Where could they have gone? It wasn't past Samantha's bedtime, maybe for Adrian, but Samantha could be at the lab. So I went there to find it locked. I mind-linked Adam; I was getting really desperate about it. I just needed a glimpse of her, then I could retire for the night. She didn't need to see me either. When I mind-linked Adam, I found
Samantha's POV The person I once loved the most and the person I hated the most were the very people hurting me right now, Alaric and Lily. My first love and my greatest bully.I had tried to maintain a professional countenance ever since I returned to Ravenfur Pack, but with each passing day, I grew more bitter. Like a jealous ex, I was starting to lose my mind for real. But then it dawned on me. I had let Alaric off the hook too easily and punished myself by avoiding any chance at romance. I hadn't even slept with or kissed any man in six years, and that heartless man had enjoyed every single day and year with the very girl who had bullied me.I wasn't healed at all. In fact, all my bruises, all my scars were starting to resurface, and yet I didn't even get a decent reason from him as to why he chose to take my innocence that night and crush my heart to the extent he did.What was I doing? And what was my heart even doing, beating for him? How could I even let him hug me back at th
Alaric's POV"No, no, you can't do this, Dad!" I said, taking to my heels to go save her, but Dad's voice came again."One more step from you, Alaric, and I'll order Conor to slit Samantha's throat. Don't worry, it would be painless. As long as she remains sleeping."Dad said, and tears began flowing from my eyes. So damn much, I felt weak to my bones. "I'll give you one last chance, Alaric. Take your time and reject Samantha. I'll let my guardians give you time, but if you try to play smart, they'll still overpower you, and they'll surely kill Samantha," he said.I didn't need him to convince me further; I knew they were going to kill her if I even attempted to play them.I swore not to reject her, but I swore to protect her, and I was going to do that, even if it meant crushing her soul and rejecting her.So I went back in and laid beside her on the bed. Then I kissed her forehead and lips, inhaling her scent as much as I could until it became a memory stuck in my head. I took my t
Alaric's POVI couldn't explain my joy; it was immeasurable. I tried to speak, but instead, a growl left my throat. Storm was in full control and started pushing me to her.That night, I had marked Samantha and claimed her by making love to her. Even when she told me that Lily had rejected her mate, I was shocked at first, since we had agreed not to, but I was too overcome by desire, and frankly, I didn't care. Lily rejected her mate, so she was going to have no romantic life for the rest of her life because I wasn't going to reject Samantha.Things didn't really go according to plan. Samantha and I were so into our lovemaking that we did it all night. She said a lot of things to me while she moaned to my thrusts. She confessed that she had always wished for it to be me, further confirming my belief that she had feelings for me prior to the mate bond. I was going to save my confession for later; I was going to tell her I loved her too before the mate bond as well.It was never in my p
Alaric's POVI had ordered Samantha to run to my wooden house despite the heavy rain because I didn't want her to witness what I was about to do to the boys. Once she was gone, I beat them up in the most inhumane way and then I tore their hands from their bodies, giving them a disability so they never got to hit a person in their life. Unfortunately, two of them went into a coma that day, and I learned the other two never got a mate.When I had gone to meet Samantha at the wooden house, the rain had washed a huge amount of blood from my body, but some of it still remained.I had told her to give me the names of everyone who bullied her in the pack because with all the anger I had, I wanted to punish more people. But instead, to my surprise, she asked about Lily and the rumors about us being together.At that moment, things became real to me. I could tell she was hurting badly, and because I loved her, I didn't want to drag her into so much mess. I'd wait for the mating festival, and i
Alaric's POV"If you don't agree to this, whoever your mate is will have to pay the price." Dad said, and I was shocked at his threat. "But first, I'll start with that blonde hair you tend to meet up with everyday at the wooden house."The moment Dad made a threat at Samantha, I was consumed by my rage. I could keep my temper for a bit more when he mentioned mate, but I completely lost it the moment he mentioned Samantha. In my rage, I lifted the table, throwing it across the room and shattering it into satisfying pieces. Everyone gasped, Lily screamed, and my mom tried to call me to order, but for the first time in my life, I rebelled and began moving closer to my father. I was ready to challenge him, to fight, and it was all because of Samantha.My dad's most loyal guard, Conor, a very deadly warrior whose best words of command were "kill," came in front of my father with his very sharp sword, ready to get my head rolling if my dad gave the order. His loyalty was sworn to my dad and