2: Alpha Bastian

ROSENTINE

My fingers wouldn’t stop scratching at my arm, a nervous tick that only got worse as the she-wolf beside me sobbed, her cries echoing in the empty room with nothing but large windows.

We were all gathered on the floor, not tied up, not restrained, but huddled together in a way that made us look like captives anyway.

“Fuck! Can you stop with the pathetic crying?” the same woman who’d mocked me earlier spat at the weeping girl. I didn’t need to see to know that it was her, after all, her voice was really distinct.

I wanted to react, but I couldn’t. My whole body trembled, chest tightening like a fist was squeezing my heart. The blindfold pressing against my face, the helplessness, it all dragged up memories I thought I’d buried for good.

Childhood nightmares, resurfacing just when I needed them least.

“You won’t understand me! because, unlike you, who shamelessly volunteered, I was forced to be here!” The crying woman’s voice broke, raw and desperate as she shouted back. “Who would want to be a breeder for that Alpha? Don’t you know who he is? I bet you just volunteered because of the compensation!”

“So what?!” The other woman snapped again, anger radiating off her in waves. “I am here out of the goodness of my heart, you stupid bitch! Besides, I am willing to risk my life to save my brother, so I have a reason for volunteering! And for god’s sake, stop crying like a baby! It doesn’t change anything!”

Their argument filled every inch of space, voices bouncing off the walls, stinging my ears and making my bones feel hollow. I wanted to speak, to tell them to stop, but the words caught in my throat—a hard, aching lump that refused to let anything out.

For a moment, I hesitated, hand halfway to the blindfold. But even before I could touch it, the door slammed open, the sound abrupt and jarring, causing my hand to drop to my side.

“You.” A warrior’s voice made my blood freeze, sending chills down my spine. His footsteps echoed as he got closer to me, making it very clear what he intended to do.

“No, not me,” I whispered, my voice shaking as I clawed at my arm, desperate for something to hold onto. But he was faster; his hand shot out, clamping around my wrist, halting me in place. 

Then, without warning, he yanked me upright, his grip tight and strong.

“No!”

I fought back, wild and panicked, but all I could see behind the blindfold were memories, the way the rogues had grabbed me, dragged me along the ground like I wasn’t merely a kid.

It was the same now, the same helplessness. 

And when I remembered what they did back then to punish me—the taste of crawling insects forced into my mouth—I froze, my fear twisting into something cold and quiet.

“What? You’ve given up already?” the warrior laughed mockingly. “Did you realize how pathetic you look when you struggle? Relax, you’re not here to die.”

I didn’t say anything, not when the present completely slipped away from me, and my mind was overtaken back there again to the past.

My hands started to tremble and suddenly I couldn’t tell what was real and what was only a memory. Before I even realized it, I’d lost control. My arm shot out and landed square across the face of the man holding me.

He staggered, releasing me, and I didn’t waste a second. I ran, tore off the blind fold covering my face, blinking rapidly until my vision came into focus.

I sprinted down the dimly lit hallway, moonlight spilling through the tall windows that lined the walls. My legs trembled, on the verge of collapsing beneath me. After all, I felt utterly drained after everything that had happened since this morning.

Yet, the rush of adrenaline and fear chased away my exhaustion, fueling my legs to keep moving until I spotted a room where I could hide. 

It was empty. 

Quickly, but silently, I shut the door behind me and pressed my back against it, gasping for air as I tried to steady my racing heart.

The room was shrouded in darkness, but it offered little protection for my escape. In the corner, I noticed a cabinet and hurried over to it, flinging the door open.

Without hesitation, I snatched my wedding gown and squeezed myself inside, pulling the door shut beside me. Fortunately, the cabinet’s louvered doors allowed a thin light to seep in, illuminating my hiding place just enough to keep me sane.

I exhaled slowly, focusing all my energy on staying calm. Once I managed to break free from the memories of the past, I took a deep, slow, shaky breath, pulling myself together piece by piece, trying to remember how to be brave.

Then, I shut my eyes to concentrate on masking my scent this time. 

However, after just a few seconds, the door creaked open, and I quickly clamped a hand over my mouth, terrified that whoever it was would catch my presence.

Luckily, they didn’t seem to notice me yet, but the heavy silence that filled the room felt overwhelming.

“Fuck,” a man’s voice muttered, rough and close. His footsteps were muffled by the thick carpet, and then the bed creaked as he sat down heavily.

Slowly, I peeked through the narrow gaps in the cabinet door, heart hammering, and saw him perched right at the edge of the bed, facing directly toward me as he manspread.

It didn’t seem like the warrior, whom I was escaping from, because his voice was different. Regardless, I closed my eyes again and prayed to the Moon Goddess that he would leave soon.

But then the quiet was shattered by the unmistakable sound of a belt unbuckling, then a zipper’s hiss. I couldn’t help it, I opened my eyes, and what I saw made my face burn: his hand wrapped around his massive erection, pumping up and down, slow at first, then faster.

I could see it clearly, after all, it was illuminated by the moonlight pouring through the window.

I squeezed my eyes shut again, mortified, cheeks flushed and hot. This wasn’t what I’d expected when I’d come here to hide.

Not even close.

And yet, here I was, trapped, forced to witness someone perform sexual acts.

“Haaah,” he breathed, the rough sound echoing in the silent room. When I risked another glance, I saw him toss his head back, face lost in shadow, only the hard line of his jaw visible in the thin light.

His chest rose and fell rhythmically, and his lips parted as if he was lost in pleasure. I nearly swallowed, but I caught myself, terrified that the sound would be loud for him to hear.

I knew I should have looked away, tried to ignore it, but I also knew that any movement might give me away. One tiny shift, one accidental creak, and it would all be over.

So, I stayed perfectly still, hands trembling, and just as I was about to shut my eyes again, he turned his head and looked directly in my direction. The sharp glint of his gray eyes in the dark made my heart nearly stop.

“Who’s there?”

My breath stuck in my throat as the silence pressed down on me. The sound of shifting fabric and the quiet snap of a zipper made me bite my lips.

Footsteps crept closer, stopping in front of the cabinet. Just then, I felt his presence looming, the hush between us louder than anything. 

Suddenly, the door swung open, and I flinched, unable to stop my gaze from darting toward his pants before I tore my eyes away.

My whole body shook, every muscle locked in place, trembling.

“Look at me,” he said, his voice low and menacing, causing goosebumps to prickle across my skin as I forced myself to look up. 

He was standing so near, one hand gripping the cabinet door as his gaze locked down onto mine, cold and unyielding.

That was when I recognized him.

The sharp gray eyes and the shoulder-length hair, along with the wolf’s head tattooed on his bicep—it had to be Bastian Frenier. The Alpha who had wiped out an entire pack of rogues in his teens.

The most ruthless and powerful Alpha in the North.

“You,” he muttered, his brow furrowing as his hand seized my chin, the same freaking hand he’d just used to pleasure himself. My stomach twisted in revulsion, and I slapped his hand away without thinking; the sound echoed in the quiet.

In that instant, a wave of regret washed over me, but I held my tongue and didn’t apologize. Instead, I braced myself for whatever was coming next. I felt completely drained, my body too weary to put up any more resistance.

“After you watch a show for free, you’re acting like this?” he scoffed.

Just then, he tugged my arm out of the cabinet, but the trailing hem of my wedding gown tangled around my feet. I stumbled, pitching forward, bracing myself instinctively against his chest, while his arm circled my waist.

He tried to steady me, but the momentum sent him toppling backwards onto the bed, and I landed right on top of him.

A small whimper escaped my lips, but as soon as I felt the hard ridge of his shaft pressed against my thigh, I jerked backward, pushing myself as far as possible away from him.

However, he caught my arm, pulling me back toward him, his eyes filled with mischief.

“I choose you,” he said out of nowhere, his gaze holding mine as if he knew I was part of the choices from the start, “You’ll be my breeder.”