Craving The Cruel Alpha

Talia's POV “Get up, omega. You’re not done yet!” Dylan barked, yanking my hair so hard I almost fell. He dragged me to my feet and half-pulled me across the cold floor toward the pile of Lydia’s clothes.“Please, you’re hurting me,” I begged, voice cracking. “I just wanted to eat... I was going to come back and wash them, I swear.”He sneered, tightening his grip. “Eat? You think you deserve to eat before you’ve done what you’re told? Wash Lydia’s clothes first. Lydia always comes first!”I winced, my scalp burning. “I’m not your slave... I’m your mate.”Lydia’s laugh rang out. “Mate? Don’t make me laugh. You're nothing but a slave to us. An ugly joke the pack’s laughing at.”Dylan smirked, pulling Lydia closer. “She’s a free slave, though, isn’t she? No strings. I can do whatever I want. Watch her crawl, watch her suffer. Hell, I love making her eat like a stray dog.”I choked back a sob.Lydia’s eyes glittered cruelly. “Look at her, begging like a whipped pup. It’s almost entertai

Vermont’s POVThe night air was cool, biting against my bare skin. I tossed my shirt onto the pile of clothes by the tree, rolling my neck to loosen the tension. I needed to run. Needed to forget the never ending nightmare.But then I heard it. Footsteps. Fast. Unsteady. Like someone was running for their life.I stilled, ears straining. Two heavier sets of feet thundered behind. Someone was being chased.I slipped on my pants, my eyes locked on the dark stretch of trees ahead. A cry split the night, chilling and desperate. A woman.My jaw clenched. This isn’t your business, I told myself. You said you were done saving people.Then her voice echoed again. “Please... my baby...”Fuck.I moved, weaving through the trees, keeping low. The clearing was small, just a patch of dirt and rocks under the moonlight. Two men stood over a woman sprawled on the ground. Dylan’s men. I recognized them, the pack tattoo on their neck.One had his boot planted on her stomach, grinding it in as she scre

Vermont’s POV – Chapter 5My hands roamed down her body, desperate to feel all of her, all at once.I kissed along her neck until I found the pulse hammering beneath my tongue, begging to be claimed.My teeth scraped gently, and a burning sensation spread through my chest. I tried to ignore it, grazing her skin again until she let out a bloodcurdling scream and shoved me away with surprising force.I staggered backward, stunned. She pressed her palm to her neck, now flaming red, before she sank to the ground, shaking and convulsing, refusing to meet my eyes.I stared at her, confusion knotting in my gut until it finally hit me.She had a mate.My jaw locked. I crossed the space in two long strides, hauled her up like a sack of potatoes, and slammed her against the wall. Her head snapped back, and I twisted her neck just enough to expose her skin. Sure enough, there it was, the tiny crescent moon tattoo etched into her flesh. Proof.My hand tightened around her throat. Her lips pulled

Talia's POVThe morning sunlight tickling my eyelids was what woke me up from sleep, and I groaned, turning around to bury my face further into the pillow. "I don't have all day, pumpkin," a voice drifted to my ears, jolting me halfway into consciousness."Go away," I groaned, barely registering anything, my mind still foggy from sleep. But midway into snuggling further into the sheets, I stiffened and shot up from the bed, my eyes flying open like I'd been electrified. My gaze, wide and shocked, took in Vermont leaning relaxed against a chair, a book in hand as he flipped through pages calmly.He looked up from the book, amusement dancing in his eyes, "Good, you're awake. I've been watching you sleep for the past hour since I got here. Do you know you talk in your sleep? You kept mumbling over and over about how you had to run," he chuckled, a lazy smile playing on his lips like he found me entertaining.Why was he acting like this was a normal morning? Like I hadn't just killed one

Chapter 8Talia’s POV“You don’t actually believe that, do you?”Vermont’s lips curled in amusement as he watched the stunned look on my face.“So you can actually get it up?” I asked quietly, a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding slipping free.“Are you relieved I can get my penis up?” He burst into loud laughter. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you wanted me.”He winked, then shut his eyes and stretched out on the couch like nothing had happened.I let the silence sit between us for a moment before speaking again.“Do you still want to talk about Lilith?” I asked softly.His eyes flew open at her name.“Why would I want to talk about her?” he snapped. “What business of it is yours?”The anger was back in his voice, the same sharp edge it had when he barged in earlier, like he might lunge at me any second.“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “You were talking about her before, so I thought you might want...”“Well, you thought bloody wrong,” he cut in. “Unless you have something be