Forsaken By The Alpha

Chapter 2: The Bride of the AlphaLucian's POVI watched her freeze, eyes wide, her small, fragile frame shaking under my gaze. She was so much like a cornered rabbit-all soft edges and panic, ready to bolt. I found it quite amusing. She thought she could run? From me? No one ran from Lucian Blackwood.I leaned against the doorframe, crossing my arms over my chest, my expression blank as I evaluated her. She wasn't what I had expected-less fire, more fragility. Darius had mentioned nothing of her being this. vulnerable. A maid in her own house, sold off like a piece of livestock. It wasn't much different from what I'd expected, but still, something about her felt incomplete. Too soft. Too human.Her lips parted, but no sound came out, and I lifted a brow over at her struggling to find words. It almost made me laugh."I—" she stammered, then stopped, swallowing hard. Her throat bobbed as she took a shaky breath. "I didn't know… you were coming.""I wasn't," I said flatly, pushing off t

Chapter 4: The Trap TightensLucian's POVThe air within my estate was thick as I stood at my study window, looking out as the moon was consumed by thick clouds. It was storming, but I wasn't sure if it was approaching in the sky or in my stomach. My plan was simple-take Elara and force her into this marriage before breaking her piece by piece. It wasn't meant to be difficult. Yet, since I'd set eyes on her, nothing had gone according to plan.She was different. Where her defiance should have been no more than an empty gesture, it was fire beneath the surface-fire that burned quietly, but burned hotter. Most people went to pieces under my stare, their resolve softened long before I had to raise a hand. But Elara? She didn't break so easily.I leaned against the frame of the window, exhaled in a slow hiss, trying to shake the thoughts creeping into my mind. Thoughts of her.She was mine now, my pawn in this macabre game of revenge. I repeated it to myself as often as possible, yet with

Chapter 6: Shadows of the GatheringElara's POVTime seemed to blur as the hours dragged by like slow-moving water before sundown. It was hard for me to pay attention to much of anything besides what was waiting for me later in the evening—Lucian's gathering. I had no idea what it would consist of, only that he seemed to want me to be present as the dutiful wife. My pulse began to race as I thought of my chance at slipping away in the darkness and chaos.I took a deep breath, steeling myself in front of the mirror. The dress they'd left for me was a deep, midnight blue, draping over me in an almost ethereal way. Surprisingly simple, the elegance made me look… different, as if the dress had been designed to give me some role in Lucian's cold, relentless world. Perhaps that was exactly why he'd chosen it.The door groaned open behind me. I jumped, turned to face the same guard from this morning. His eyes were firm, his expression unreadable."It's time," he said briefly, motioning for m

Chapter 8: The Wolf’s WarningElara's POVLucian dragged me back towards the estate. His fingers around my arm were unyielding, hot as a brand, and each step he took echoed with controlled fury. My skin prickled at the intensity of his silence, each beat of it pressing down on me like weights. I'd failed, and he was letting me feel every bit of it.He didn't utter a word, tugging me down the hall and pushing me into the confines of my room. The heavy door slammed shut behind him as he followed me inside, the sharp sound making me flinch despite myself.His tall frame cast a long shadow in the dim room; his eyes, dark and smoldering with anger, locked onto mine. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?" His voice was low, steady-more dangerous than if he'd yelled.I didn't cower. "I tried to leave," I said simply, lifting my chin. My voice shook only a little, but I clung to the flicker of defiance sparking inside me. "That's all.Lucian laughed; the laughter was bitter and devoid

Chapter 10: Defiance RekindledElara's POVThe house felt emptier than usual, a hollow silence pressing down on me from all sides. I paced the length of my room, my thoughts a whirlwind of frustration and determination. My failed escape was still a heavy weight on my shoulders, but I refused to let it extinguish the fire inside me. I would find another way—there had to be another way.I couldn't let Lucian win.The soft creak of the door pulled me from my thoughts, and I whirled sharply, my heart racing with expectations of one of Lucian's guards, or even the man himself. But it was not him.Jade stepped into the room, casual confidence maddeningly consistent. She shut the door behind herself, her sharp green eyes locking onto mine."Well," she said, leaning against the doorframe, "you look like hell.""Thanks," I shot back, crossing my arms. "What do you want, Jade?"Her lips curved into a smirk, the same infuriating one she'd worn the first time we met. "I was passing through and th