CHAPTER 5: Between The Alphas

The howling wind of the Shadowfangs Pack sent chills down my spine as I stepped out of the sleek black SUV. The towering, fortress-like mansion loomed ahead, dark and unwelcoming, it's irregular peaks piercing the stormy sky. The pack lands were eerily silent, the thick pines around me swaying ominously in the wind.

I inhaled sharply, the wild, musky scent of this territory setting my nerves on edge. Alpha Darius emerged from the vehicle beside me, his imposing frame as commanding as ever.

“Welcome to Shadowfangs" he said, his deep voice smooth but heavy with dominance. “I trust you'll find your stay... memorable."

I kept my expression neutral, though my stomach churned uneasily. 

“I'm sure I will" I replied evenly.

As we entered the massive hall, I couldn't ignore it’s grandeur. Gleaming black marble floors reflected the flickering light of crystal chandeliers, while mounted trophies of slain beasts lined the walls like silent threats. Pack members paused to eye me curiously, their whispers fading as Darius led me deeper into the mansion.

We reached his chambers at the top of a grand staircase—a private sanctum that screamed both luxury and menace. Dark wood and steel dominated the space, the centerpiece being a massive bed draped in crimson sheets.

My muscles tensed when the door closed behind us, the sharp click of the lock echoing in my ears.

“Relax" Darius said with a low chuckle, but his tone only heightened my unease.

Without warning, he stepped closer, brushing my hair aside to tilt my chin upward. His fingers grazed the pulse in my neck as he leaned in, inhaling deeply. A grin spread across his face, sending a chill through my body.

“Good to see your father didn’t lie" he murmured smoothly. “No mark. No mate."

I swallowed hard, praying he couldn’t sense the storm brewing inside me. What he didn’t know was that I did have a mate—a mate who wanted nothing to do with me.

Darius’s grin faltered as he studied me, his dark eyes narrowing. 

“Interesting" he drawled, his breath ghosting against my cheek. “Tell me, Nevaeh... are you hiding something?"

I shook my head quickly, keeping my voice steady. 

“No, Alpha."

“Good." His grin returned, sharper this time. “Then you'll have no objections to becoming my Luna." He chuckled darkly, his hand cupping my chin.

His eyes darkened as they roamed my face. 

“You're a rare find, Nevaeh. Someone as unclaimed as you, with beauty like yours? A prize."

I flinched at the word. He noticed but didn’t care. His hand slid along my jaw, his thumb brushing my cheek with sickening familiarity.

“You’d make a fine Luna" he murmured, his breath dangerously close to my lips.

Every instinct screamed at me to act. Before he could close the distance, I shoved him back with all the strength I could muster.

“Don’t touch me!" I snapped. 

Darius stumbled, his expression darkening with rage. 

“You dare defy me?" he growled, grabbing my face roughly with one hand. His fingers dug into my skin, forcing me to meet his blazing eyes.

“You will become my Luna, and that is final!" he snarled. “Your place is here, right beside me, and you will learn to obey."

He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a venomous whisper. 

“The sooner you accept your reality, the easier your stay will be."

With that, he released me and stormed out. The sharp click of the lock sealed my fate, leaving me alone with the crushing weight of what had just happened—and what was still to come.

••••••

I sat stiffly on the edge of the plush armchair, staring at the plate of fruit Darius had placed on the table in front of me. The vibrant colors—red, yellow, green—seemed too bright, too cheerful. It was as if he were trying to force normalcy into an already suffocating situation.

Darius hovered nearby, his usual calm demeanor intact, but his gaze was sharp, studying me like a hawk. His unrelenting focus made my skin crawl.

“Go on, try it” he coaxed, his voice smooth—almost too smooth. “You’ll find it tastes better than you think.”

I didn’t move, still staring at the fruit as though it were a trap.

“I'm not in the mood" I replied calmly.

Darius sighed, a low, almost playful sound. 

“I’ll admit, you’re hard to please” he mused, stepping closer with the plate still in hand. “But I’m not going to let you starve. Not while you’re here. Not while you’re mine.”

The words hit harder than I expected, like a slap. The possessiveness in his tone, the finality of his claim, settled in my chest like a weight. I swallowed the discomfort but couldn’t fully shake it.

“Your family will be here soon” Darius continued. “They’ll have to adjust to life here, just like you. But don’t worry. I’ll take care of them, Nevaeh. They’ll be safe—under my protection.”

My heart skipped at the mention of my family. The thought of them living in this place, under his rule, made my stomach twist.

“What do you mean, take care of them?” I asked, striving to keep my voice neutral, though a flicker of worry crept through. “You’re talking about my parents, aren’t you? They’ll never accept this.”

Darius’s lips twitched, but there was no humor in his eyes—only a glint of something darker. 

“Your father already has. The rest don’t have a choice. I won’t give them one.”

I wanted to argue, to tell him my family wasn’t like that—that they would never bow to someone like him. But I bit my tongue. What good would it do? He already had my fate sealed, and I had no power to change it. Not yet, at least.

He placed the plate of fruit on the table between us and leaned in, just a little too close.

“What is it you want, deep down? You’ve fought me every step of the way, but you must know by now—resistance is futile.”

“I want nothing from you” I shot back, my tone steady despite the anger bubbling beneath the surface. “I want to leave. I want to be free.”

A slow smile crept across his face, but it didn’t reach his eyes. 

“That’s not going to happen” he stated. “You’ll learn to accept your place. Eventually.”

I opened my mouth to retort, but before I could, a loud crash echoed from outside the room. My head snapped toward the door, my pulse racing. The sound was followed by angry, panicked shouts, then silence.

Darius tensed immediately, his expression hardening as a flicker of concern crossed his face.

“What the hell?” he muttered under his breath. He didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, he shot to his feet.

I rose too, hesitating for only a moment. Something was happening—something big. And I needed to know what it was.

“Stay here” he commanded before striding out.

But I didn’t stay. I couldn’t. Curiosity—or fear—pushed me forward, and I followed him into the hallway.

The chaos outside was overwhelming: shouts, hurried footsteps, and then the unmistakable thud of bodies hitting the ground.

I froze as I stepped into the corridor, my breath hitching. Darius’s bodyguards lay sprawled on the ground—dead. Every single one of them.

Standing in their midst, his eyes cold and burning with fury, was Kane.

A shiver ran down my spine. His dark clothes clung to his frame, his posture radiated danger, and he seemed completely unfazed by the carnage around him.

His gaze lifted, locking with mine.

Time stopped.

Darius’s breath hitched as he stepped forward, his jaw tight with barely concealed rage. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he barked.

Kane didn’t flinch. His eyes remained fixed on me, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. 

“Just cleaning up a mess” he replied, his voice calm, almost mocking.

I stood frozen, my heart pounding in my chest. Kane was here. In Shadowfangs. And he had killed Darius’s guards without hesitation.

“You don’t get to do this. This is my territory, Kane” Darius advanced, fists clenched.

Kane tilted his head, the smirk deepening. 

“Do you know what happens to men who take what’s mine?” His voice was a low growl, a promise of violence.

I didn’t know what to think or feel. Kane had come for Darius because of me?

And I was caught in the middle of it all.