CHAPTER 2 ALPHA ELENA

FIVE YEARS LATER…

“I don’t think we need to do this, Louisa.”

My eyes were trained on the window while Louisa rubbed scent-masking oil onto the base of my neck. We’d done this routine countless times over the last five years, and I was yet to get used to it.

“Yes, Astrid,” she muttered, rubbing calming circles in my neck. “You’ve handled rogue attacks, power struggles, and border disputes without blinking. One meeting won’t kill you.”

I let out a deep breath. Today, I was meeting the people who had tried to destroy my life. I wished I didn't have to, but Louisa was right. One meeting wouldn't kill me.

“It’s the Blackwoods,” I replied, the words carrying years of pain I thought I’d long buried.

Louisa’s hands paused at the back of my neck. Then she continued rubbing as if nothing had happened.

"You don't have to prove anything to anyone, Astrid. This is business, nothing more."

I stayed silent.

Finally, she sighed. "Then why are you really going?"

I mindlinked the driver to ready the car.

"To finish it."

 

 

I settled into the plush leather of the backseat, Louisa sliding in beside me. The tinted windows blocked out the world as the driver pulled our SUV out of the compound. Louisa already had three folders on her lap, neatly labelled and ready, but she hadn't opened any of them yet.

Through the window, I saw a little boy chasing after the warriors. A small smile touched my lips before fading.

My pup would never have that chance.

“Your heart is beating too fast,” Louisa noted quietly, not looking up from her tablet as we pulled onto the highway.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re deflecting,” Louisa countered, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper.

"I'm not deflecting. I'm driving."

"You're not driving, Astrid. The driver is driving."

Smartass.

“If you walk into that room all tense up like you are right now,” she continued, “they’ll notice.”

I forced my shoulders to drop, my features changing to pure stone. “They believe I’m dead. I promise you,” I turned to look at her, “they won’t be noticing anything.”

“Well, they might not,” she said sharply. “But Deborah will definitely be looking for a weakness in Alpha Elena. Don’t give her one.”

I turned my gaze to the dark windows, not giving her a reply.

When we reached the hotel, my nerves spiked. The hotel was a neutral zone, chosen specifically because it was filled with ignorant, ordinary humans. As my driver pulled up to the curb and opened my door, I stepped out and adjusted my leather jacket.

My scent was hidden. My walls were up. I was ready to face my killers.

I walked through the automatic glass doors, Louisa right behind me, along with five guards.

Across the lobby, the elevator chimed, and the one man I dreaded seeing stepped out.

Cage.

My world crashed.

The mate bond snapped into place like a chain around my soul.

Mate.

My wolf, silent throughout the years I loved him, suddenly slammed against my ribs. She howled, clawing at the confines of my mind, demanding I go to him.

The room spun. My knees locked to keep from buckling. Beside me, Louisa's hand found the small of my back and stayed there.

Five years ago, he'd betrayed me. Now I was learning he was my fated mate. The Moon Goddess had a cruel sense of humour. The pain of the past was so great, I almost fell to my knees.

I bit my cheeks until I tasted blood and forced my wolf into the darkest corner of my mind, slamming a mental cage over her.

I would not bend.

Across the lobby, Cage froze.

The file slipped from Cage's hand, papers scattering across the floor. He staggered back, his amber eyes locked on mine.

I didn’t care. All I cared about was what I came here for.

I walked up to him and extended my hand.

“Alpha Blackwood.”

He stared at my hand, then at my face. He looked like a man drowning, but just as quickly, he regained composure. Slowly, his large scarred fingers wrapped around mine.

A jolt of electricity shot up my arm, but I kept my face dead flat. I pulled my hand back immediately, ignoring the intense need to jump him and fulfill the mating bond.

“Alpha Elena,” his rough voice replied. “After you.”

I nodded and headed to the private conference room.

When we got there, the tension was thick enough to choke on. Cage sat at the head of the table, his eyes tracking my every movement. Deborah sat beside him with her hands folded, her icy eyes narrowed in suspicion.

And next to Cage sat Diana, covered in diamonds and her usual arrogance.

"Before we finalize these border coordinates," Diana said, her voice sickeningly sweet, "we need to talk about how the Dark Fang will be moving into our compound.” Beside her, Luke leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, a pen turning slowly between his fingers. “Our warriors aren't used to sharing space with... lesser packs. We're doing you a massive favour by protecting your borders, Alpha Elena. We expect your full submission to our guard rotation and pack."

Cage was too distracted by his own internal chaos to shut her down. But Beta Luke’s smirk widened. I’d always disliked the man.

Silence fell over the room.

I didn't raise my voice or bother standing up. She just wasn’t worth it. I released a little bit of my Alpha aura.

Five years under Garrick had turned my presence into a weapon. The air in the room instantly became heavy and the mahogany table groaned under the sudden, suffocating pressure of my dominance.

Diana choked. Her hands flew to her throat as the oxygen was violently forced from her lungs. She was shoved back into her chair, her green eyes wide with panic as my aura pinned her against the leather.

"Let us get one thing straight," I said. My voice was quiet, cutting through the room like a silver blade. "I am a reigning Alpha. You are an unmarked placeholder wearing expensive jewelry."

Across the table, Deborah stiffened instantly at the word placeholder.

"I am not here for your protection, Diana," I continued softly, letting my eyes flash the piercing, unnatural silver of a commanding Alpha. "I am here because your Alpha couldn't secure his own borders if he tried. Speak to me out of turn again, and I will rip your tongue from your mouth."

Diana clawed at her throat, tears spilling down her face.

Luke’s smirk vanished entirely. His hand twitched toward his hip. Deborah sat rigidly straight, her face draining of colour as she stared at me like she was seeing a ghost.

I pulled my aura back just enough to let Diana breathe. She collapsed forward against the table, coughing violently into her trembling hands.

"Are we clear?" I asked the room.

Cage finally found his voice. His amber eyes were dark, burning, and fixed entirely on me. I knew he wanted to say something, but he held back. Good. "We're clear."

The rest of the meeting went normally, and we agreed. I’ll stay at the Blackwood pack house until we’ve neutralised the threat.

I walked out of the room, Louisa trailing silently behind me. We made it halfway down the corridor before heavy footsteps followed us.

"Alpha Elena. A moment please."

I stopped, turning slowly to face Cage. He stepped into my space, searching my eyes for answers. "Why does my wolf want to tear this hotel apart to get to you? What did you do to me?"

I looked up into the eyes of the man who was supposed to be my fate, and I felt absolutely nothing.

"Control your beast, Alpha," I said softly, my voice dripping with absolute disdain. "If he tries to come near me, I will put him down."

I turned my back on him and walked out the automatic doors. My driver was already holding the back door of the SUV open.

I slid into the SUV and never looked back.