Chapter 4 - GROWING ATTACHED TO HER?

ALPHA DRAVEN

The moment the guard said Adan, my patience ended. He had no right to be there so late. I released Moira and put on my shirt. I made a mental note to slap him for making me put on my shirt again.

As I walked to the door, I noticed her scent still clung to my chest where she had fallen against me. My wolf settled inside my head like it had finally found silence after years of noise.

I didn’t like that but I wasn't complaining. Nothing about this situation made sense.

I decided to focus on the current thorn in my side— Adan. Moira followed behind me. We can’t be far apart. I almost forgot.

I knew she wanted to speak but she stayed quiet until we got to the hall.

I turned to watch her for a moment. The mark on her wrist still pulsed. My wolf stirred again.

Mine!!! The word moved through my mind quietly. I ignored it.

The fortress hall was already tense. Warriors stood along the walls with their hands near their weapons. The air smelled like iron and hostility, two of my favorite things.

Adan stood in the center of the hall with five royal guards behind him. They were armed and prepared. That alone irritated me.

Adan knew better than to walk into my territory like this. His eyes met mine as I walked towards him, brimming with rage. Before he could say anything, I slapped the smug look off his face. His guards made a move but stopped when he put up a hand. They were lucky.

“That’s for making me put on my shirt again.” I growled angrily. “Now tell me why you’re here before you lose your men.”

He smiled. “I wanted to congratulate you. You’re a little too tense for a man who just got married.” he said.

“You have five minutes.”

He sighed. “We had an agreement.”

Yes, we did. The memory replayed in my mind. Adan’s plan had been simple. Marry the girl, stabilize the bond, then he would come to collect her from my hands. Simple enough.

The omega Luna would quietly disappear into royal custody, locked away somewhere no one cared about.

I had agreed at the time.

When I turned around, Moira had a look of hurt betrayal on her face. I ignored the look and whispered to her, “Go upstairs. Lock yourself in our room.”

I pulled off my silver ring and pushed it into her finger. It would nullify the effect of the bond for a while acting as a tether like I was there with her. “Don’t let anyone in.”

She turned and ran up without hesitating. One of the royal guards made a move and lost his arm immediately. I checked my sword to make sure it wasn’t bloody.

Adan took a step forward. “This isn’t what we agreed, uncle.”

I didn’t respond.

His smile looked sinister. “Don’t tell me you’ve already grown attached.”

Silence stretched between us. The guards behind him didn’t move but they were tense. Good. They were smart after all. The one handed man had managed to cover up his stump.

“Uncle. Let’s not waste time.” Adan scoffed. “You never wanted the girl anyway.”

That’s true. An omega bride was as useless as a pen in a fight. But my wolf moved again. Protective. I couldn’t get Moira’s scent out of my lungs.

I folded my arms. “The terms changed.”

Adan blinked once. Then his expression hardened. “What?”

“I’m keeping her.”

The hall went silent. One of Adan’s guards shifted his stance but didn’t move. Adan stared at me like he thought he misheard. “That wasn’t the agreement.”

I shrugged. “It is now.”

His voice sharpened. “You gave your word.”

“I did.”

“And now you’re breaking it?”

“Yes.”

Adan stepped closer. I could smell the anger coming off his aura. “You took the girl because I allowed it,” he said coldly. “That was temporary.”

“No,” I said calmly. “That was permanent.”

His jaw tightened. Behind him the guards waited for a signal. I smirked. This was getting interesting.

Adan lowered his voice. “You’re making a mistake, Uncle.”

“I know.”

“She’s an omega.”

“I noticed.”

“She’s weak.”

“Yes.”

“She’s useless.”

My wolf growled quietly inside my head. I ignored that too. “Your five minutes are up. It’s time to go, Adan.”

Adan’s smile faded. He looked like I’d said something impossible to believe. He gestured for his guards to get Moira but my warriors blocked their path.

“You’re starting a fight with the crown prince… over an omega?”

I tilted my head. “You’re in my house.”

Adan cussed. “Fuck! Well if you want her so bad then you can keep her.”

“But understand something,” he continued. “She’s still my mate.”

He nodded for his guards to leave. They were walking towards the door when he stopped and turned. “You’ll never fully claim her while that bond exists.”

Adan leaned closer with a grin. “You’re babysitting my problem.”

I wanted to bash his pretty face in but I growled instead and said, “ Goodnight, nephew.” 

They left and the fortress became quiet once again. I wanted to channel my frustration at some training dummies in the arena but something pulled at my attention.

Moira.

I turned toward the stairs leading to my chambers. My wolf stirred again. Something was off. I walked back to the room and noticed the door was slightly open. I told Moira to lock it.

I pushed it wider to find the room was empty. The window stood open letting in a gust of cold air.

I picked up the scent of wolves in the room. My wolf exploded with fury. Someone had been here and whoever it was took Moira.