CLAIMED BY DARK ALPHA

Dad cried again, and just like before, I felt the urge to cry with him, but I fought it back as hard as I could. My lips trembled, but I bit down on them until I almost tasted blood. I didn’t want to cry in front of him. I needed to be strong, even though inside I was breaking into pieces.“Dad, everything will be okay. Please, stop crying,” I whispered, forcing a steady voice. My hands clenched into fists. If he kept crying like this, I was afraid that I’d give up too... that I’d sink into the same hopelessness he carried in his eyes. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. I had my father and my brother to fight for. I had to stay strong for them, even if my own heart was already shredded.Dad’s red eyes dropped to my back. He had seen it... the broken egg that had been thrown at me earlier, its sticky yolk dripping down my torn clothes. He had seen my scraped knees, where stones had cut through my skin and made blood trickle down my legs. He had seen it all, and instead of anger, there were onl

The night was cold, but the air was heavy, suffocating even, as if the whole village had turned into a trap.“No! We have to leave, far from here. C-come on, they’re coming.”Dad’s voice broke into the silence. It wasn’t his usual steady, calm voice... it was trembling, shaky, the kind of sound that made my chest tighten in panic. I had never heard him like this before. He was afraid. My father, the strongest man I knew... was terrified.And that made my stomach twist so badly I almost couldn’t breathe.The first thing my eyes landed on was the blood dripping from his stomach. Thick, dark red. My mind refused to process what was happening. All I could think of was stopping the blood before it was too late.“Dad!” I cried out. With nothing in my hands to use, I rushed to him, my heart pounding like it wanted to tear out of my chest. I pressed both hands against his wound, trying to stop the blood from flowing out. My fingers were shaking so badly that I could hardly keep pressure on it.

- Third Person's POV -A monster, they called him. A terrifying creature, they said. But who cares? He doesn’t. Their whispers and curses mean nothing to him. His face is as cold as ice, his features sharp and intimidating, more frightening than anyone else could ever be.The man walked in the silence of the forest, his heavy steps echoing faintly on the damp soil. In his arms, he carried an unconscious little girl. Her fragile body looked so small compared to his strong build, almost like she weighed nothing at all. He had a heart of stone, or so he believed. No warmth, no mercy. Yet for reasons he couldn’t explain, something about this little girl bothered him. From the moment she appeared at his cave, wounded and weak, everything inside him shifted. She carried an alluring scent… sweet, rich, almost intoxicating. The very instant he smelled it, he knew. This little girl… was his. She belonged to him.He reached the road that cut through the edge of the forest. The night air was col

Maive’s POVI cried until my throat hurt. I missed my arrogant brother, who always teased me. I missed my father, whose arms were once the safest place in the world. Now both were gone.When the first light of dawn crept through the window, I forced myself up. The old couple was still asleep and so I walked quietly into the living room, observing their small but warm home.“You’re up early.”I froze. The voice came from behind me. Uncle Silas stood there, his eyes puffy with sleep.I nodded weakly, not trusting my voice.He walked past me to the small table, uncovering the dishes Aunt Vera had set the night before. “You didn’t eat?”My stomach twisted in guilt. “I-I forgot to,” I admitted. The truth was, I had been too shy… too broken to touch their food. My appetite was gone anyway.He gave me a small smile and patted my head. “Treat us like family, Maive.”Those words hit me harder than I expected. My father used to say the same. My throat tightened, and I quickly lowered my gaze, a

"Maive!"I heard Uncle Silas scream my name. My eyes flew open, and I was shocked to find myself perfectly standing on the ground. Not a scratch, not even a single sign of pain from what should have been a deadly fall. My mouth opened wide in disbelief. I was sure. I was completely sure that I was going to break my bones, that I was going to die from the height I jumped. Yet here I was, alive, steady on my feet as if my body had suddenly turned weightless.How?My heart pounded so loudly it almost deafened me. The memory of the snake on the branch flashed before my eyes, the terror of its fangs made my knees feel weak. I hugged the cat tighter, as if its tiny body was the only proof that I was still alive."Are you alright?" Uncle Silas rushed toward me, worry filling his voice. He checked my arms, my legs, as if expecting blood and fractures.I nodded, though my whole body was trembling. Inside, I was still falling. The fear had not left, but something else was stronger—confusion. Th