CHAPTER 2: The Future Alpha’s Mate

Nerissa POV

My breath became uneven.

The whisper echoed again inside my head.

My wolf had never spoken before,not even once.

Fear crawled through me,the stranger outside the gates still stared directly toward the storage room window, his cold gray eyes sharp enough to make my entire body tense.

“Who is that?” Harper whispered beside me.

I swallowed hard. “I-I don’t know.”

But something about him felt dangerous,not ordinary Alpha.

The warriors surrounding him stepped aside respectfully as Alpha Magnus, the current leader of Red Claw Pack, hurried down the steps of the pack house himself.

That never happened. Alpha Magnus hated greeting visitors personally.

Yet now, he bowed his head slightly toward the stranger.

“Alpha Zayden,” Alpha Magnus greeted.

The name alone made the entire yard stir nervously.

Alpha Zayden Crowe. The ruler of Obsidian Keep.

The most feared Alpha in the northern territories.

Stories about him spread across every pack:wolves whipped publicly,rogues slaughtered without mercy,enemies skinned alive after Alpha challenges.

Some even whispered he enjoyed bloodshed.

Harper’s grip tightened around my wrist.

“What is he doing here?”

“Nerissa!”

I jumped,the storage room door slammed open.

Aunt Mara’s eyes narrowed after catching us near the window.

“Instead of working, you’re hiding?”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“You should be!” she snapped before looking toward Harper. “And you. Stop wasting time with this cursed girl.”

Harper reluctantly stepped back.

Aunt Mara pointed toward the hallway aggressively.

“The guest rooms. Now.”

I hurried out quickly with my head lowered.

As I passed through the yard carrying cleaning clothes, I could feel eyes watching me.

I fought the urge to look toward Alpha Zayden again.

But the closer I moved across the courtyard, the heavier the pressure around me became.

Like his presence controlled the air.

“You.”The deep voice stopped me.

Every wolf in the yard froze and slowly, I turned.

Alpha Zayden stood only a few feet away now. He is tall and literally terrifying.

The dark coat around his broad shoulders shifted slightly as wind moved through the yard.

Up close, the scars across his hands became visible.

His gray eyes locked onto mine without softness.

“Yes… Alpha?”

“What is your name?” he asked.

My fingers tightened around the clothes in my arms.

“N-Nerissa.”

Something unreadable crossed his face briefly.

Behind him stood another wolf I recognized from rumors. Beta Darius Kane.

Unlike Zayden, Darius looked calm and observant instead of brutal. His dark eyes studied me.

Alpha Magnus suddenly laughed nervously.

“She’s just an omega servant, Alpha Zayden. Completely harmless.”

I flinched slightly at the emphasis on omega. Zayden ignored Alpha Magnus completely.

His eyes remained on me. “How old are you?”

“Nineteen.” I said

“And your wolf?” he asked

Heat flooded my face,every wolf knew mine was weak.

“I…” My voice faltered. “She doesn’t speak much.”

A low scoff came from somewhere behind Alpha Magnus. I recognized Rowan’s voice.

“Because even her wolf is useless.”

Laughter spread quietly among some warriors nearby.

Pain tightened inside my chest.

Alpha Rowan Blackthorn stepped forward confidently beside Calista Wynter. A beautiful,elegant, perfect future Luna material.

Everything I wasn’t. Rowan smirked openly at me.

“You’re wasting your attention on her, Alpha Zayden.”

His arm wrapped possessively around Calista’s waist.

“She’s the cursed omega I told you about.”

Calista’s blue eyes swept over me with disgust.

“So this is her?”

“Yes,” Rowan said carelessly. “Half the pack believes she brings death.”

Another ripple of laughter followed. My nails dug into my palms.

“Enough.” Zayden said

The single word silenced the yard.

Even Rowan stiffened. Zayden stepped closer toward me.

“You fear them,” he said flatly.

“No, Alpha.”

A rough finger suddenly lifted my chin.

My breath caught.

“Lying is dangerous,” he murmured.

His eyes looked even colder from this close.

Around us, the entire yard remained frozen.

Aunt Mara suddenly rushed forward nervously.

“My apologies, Alpha Zayden! She forgets her place sometimes.”

I immediately pulled away and lowered my head again.

Aunt Mara grabbed my arm,

“She still has duties inside the pack house.”

I thought Zayden would stop her but he released me.

“Go,” he said coldly.

Relief and confusion crashed into me together.

I hurried away beside Aunt Mara while everyone continued staring.

The moment we entered the hallway, Aunt Mara shoved me against the wall.

“What did you do?” she hissed furiously.

“N-Nothing.”

“Then why was he looking at you like that?”

“I don’t know.”

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“You better stay away from Alpha Zayden.”

“I wasn’t trying to….”

Another slap landed across my cheek.

“You attract trouble everywhere!”

Tears burned my eyes.

“You’ll clean the western hall alone tonight,” Aunt Mara snapped. “And if I hear you embarrass this family again…”

She leaned closer, “I’ll throw you outside the gates myself.”

“Yes, Aunt Mara.”

She stormed away.

I remained against the wall for several seconds trying to breathe normally again.

“Nerissa.”

I turned, Harper stood near the staircase, worrying covering her face.

“He touched you.”

I looked down.“It was nothing.”

“That wasn’t nothing.” Her voice lowered nervously.

“Do you know how many wolves avoid even looking Alpha Zayden directly in the eyes?”

I wrapped my arms around myself.

“I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I know.”

But Harper still looked unsettled.

Like something dangerous had already started.

The rest of the afternoon passed. I scrubbed floors,washed dishes and prepared guest rooms.

Everywhere I went, whispers followed.

“Alpha Zayden noticed her.”

“Impossible.”

“Maybe he enjoys broken things.”

By sunset, my body ached badly.

The western hall remained the final place left to clean.

Most wolves avoided that side of the pack house because important guests stayed there.

Including Alpha Zayden.

I quietly carried fresh towels down the dim hallway while trying not to panic.

The guards outside the largest room barely glanced at me before allowing me through.

The room looked nothing like the rest of the Red Claw Pack.

It had dark furniture,large windows,and expensive wolf pelts across the floor.

The scent of rain and cedar filled the air.

I quickly placed the towels down.

Then a deep voice suddenly came from behind me.

“You tremble constantly.”

I spun around and nearly fell.

Alpha Zayden stood near the balcony doors watching me.

Moonlight spilled across his dark clothes.

“I-I didn’t know you were here.”

“You didn’t answer my question.” he said

“I’m sorry if I disturbed you, Alpha.”

He slowly walked closer. “You apologize too much.”

I backed away,his eyes narrowed at the movement.

“Do all wolves here treat you this way?”

“No.” I said

Another lie and somehow he knew it.

“You fear your own pack more than rogues.”

I stared at the floor because answering honestly could actually get me punished later.

Zayden stopped directly in front of me.

“You are weak,” he said bluntly.

The words hurt more than they should have.

“But weak things usually avoid surviving this long.”

Confusion flickered through me.

What did that mean?

The door burst open,Rowan entered first.

Calista followed beside him looking equally furious.

The moment Rowan saw me standing near Zayden, his eyes darkened.

“What is she doing here?”

I stepped back immediately.

“I was only delivering towels.” I said

“I didn’t ask you.” he said

His sharp tone cut through me.

Zayden’s expression changed.

Rowan looked between us suspiciously.

“The mating ceremony is tomorrow night,” he said coldly while staring directly at me.

“And I think it’s time everyone remembered their place before things get… confusing.”

Calista smirked beside him.

“Oh, don’t worry,” she said sweetly. “I’m sure the Moon Goddess would never make a mistake big enough to pair someone like her with an Alpha.”

A gasp escaped my lips as my knees nearly buckled under me.

My wolf cried out inside me and Rowan froze.

Calista’s smirk vanished instantly and Alpha Zayden’s cold gray eyes darkened dangerously as the scent of the mate bond suddenly filled the entire room.