NOT TODAY, FA-LPHA!

KIENA

"Ms. Vocci, last daughter of Alpha Dimitri, do you bind yourself to this man? To fight with, support, give heirs, and become flesh and blood with him, till death do you part?"

Xhecon stares at me expectantly, an air of arrogant dominance pouring off him in violent waves. I can feel the stillness of the air as the entire combination of Whitevalley and Dark forest packs hold their breaths in anticipation.

My response would be the key to securing an alliance that benefits no one but the Alphas involved, at least that's what it seems like to me.

My mouth moves before I can stop it. "No." The sound is feeble though, barely audible even in the hush of the cathedral.

I know the exact moment the pack priest catches my response. His breath hitches and his eyes widen to very large proportions. I would laugh, but that would mean death so...

"What did you just say?" Xhecon asks in a cold hum, his voice menacingly low.

I square my shoulders and raise my chin defiantly. I did say I would rather die than be forced into this mating sham, so here goes.

"I said no. I refuse to be mated, or bound if we're speaking more accurately, to Alpha Xhecon. I am not a trade piece."

Collective gasps ring out in the room, and my father booms in fury. "Kiena Vocci! I forbid you from going against your Alpha." He adds in a much lower tone, one that is supposed to be terrifying but really isn't; "That is an offence punishable by death."

"That is only if I am a member of that pack, father. I denounce the Whitevalley pack from this day, I am no longer one of your subjects."

Father's eyes are round in shock, his lips parted on an exclamation that would never have voice.

"You would not survive a day as a rogue, Kiena." Xhecon threatens softly from beside me.

"There's only one way to find out."

All of the panic I thought I had shoved aside comes back swarming in, clawing at my throat with renewed strength. Holy shit!

I didn't just! Did I just? Oh hell! Well fuck! Oh my...!

Before the exclamations finish fighting for dominance in my head, I dash off; racing away from the alter with a burst of speed no one anticipated.

"After her. Now!" Father commands as I race away from the ruined ceremony.

Footsteps ring out after me as trained hunters from our pack dive after me in hot pursuit.

I might not be trained, but I am sneaky, and my being annoyingly small gives me a lot of bonus points when it comes to running away. I know, I've tried.

I make it out of the building and head in the direction of the parked vehicles, but run straight into a wall. A very warm, very moving wall.

"What the fuck! Can't a girl just..?" The words die in my throat as a pair of rough hands grab hold of my shoulders, halting my fall.

My eyes rise on their own accord, passing by an impressively toned chest and working their way up to a set of muscular shoulders, over a strong neck, angled chin, somewhat hollow cheeks, chiseled jaws, until they come to a stop on a pair of obsidian orbs; staring down at me with cold intensity.

Holy shit! What in the name of masculine perfection is this?

"Step away from the girl." The command is low but firm, coming from one of the dimwits that had been sent after me.

"I am not going back in there with you, go back and tell them you lost me." My response is out even before I completely spin around to face him.

"They would smell my lie even before I completely told it, so please do not be an orchestrator of my death and come with me." His voice holds a pleading note, one that immediately reminds me of the terror that prompted my fleeing in the first place.

"Then tell them the truth. I sent you away because I am no longer a member of the pack and do not answer to any of them."

"He would do no such thing," Dad says as he steps outside with an enraged Xhecon by his side. "I must have spoilt you silly, that is why you think you have the right to make decisions on impulse and run away from your mating ceremony."

A laugh bubbles out of me, dry and humourless. "I don't think you can imitate the act of spoiling if you tried, at least not with me. I'm sure Zara can relate though, remind me again why she is not here?"

"Who is the man holding onto you?" Xhecon asks, ignoring my argument with my father, and drawing my attention to the tower of heat I had all but forgotten.

The obsidian-eyed god, who had been silent during the whole exchange responds. "Zedane Rhage, Alpha of the blackwater pack."

His voice is delicious, it sounds like the undercurrents of rumbling thunder; starting from his belly and vibrating its way through his chest and out his throat. I would moan just from the sound of it, if the circumstances were different.

Xhecon smiles a devilish smile at the introduction, "You grew quick."

"As would be expected of every healthy pup."

What the fuck? Am I hearing things clearly? Is he so young that Xhecon knew him as a pup? How old exactly is Xhecon?

Xhecon chuckles quietly, the sound ringing with the promise of violence. It's all the man knows.

"Nice to see you again after so many years, Zedane, but I'm afraid you have to step away from the girl. We have unfinished business." He says the last part with his eyes locked on mine, and I work really hard to suppress a shiver.

"It pains me to inform you of how I am unable to carry out that request." Is that humour I hear in Zedane's voice?

"Excuse you?" Xhecon asks.

"I cannot let Kiena go."

Wait what? Did he just say my name? He knows my name? Is this the right time to freak out over that fact? Because I'm freaking the fuck out.

"Why?" Both Dad and Xhecon question in unison.

"Because she is my mate."