Tasked To Be The Mate Of The Alpha

Scarlett’s POV

“Love is a battlefield, and I’m armed with claws and a broken heart.”

The elevator to Nathan’s office reeked of ink and old leather, a sterile scent that did little to calm the storm raging inside me. My fingers trembled as I clutched my phone, the screen blurring through unshed tears. I was no stranger to pressure—years as a pack warrior had forged me into steel—but today was different. Today, I carried a secret that could shatter the fragile world I’d fought to build.

My wolf paced restlessly within, her energy spiking as the full moon loomed, only two nights away. The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open to reveal the Alpha’s wing, its dim hallway lit by flickering sconces. My pulse thundered each step toward Nathan’s office a march to war. Before I could knock, the door swung open.

“Scarlett,” Nathan’s voice cut through the silence, sharp as a blade. His golden eyes locked onto mine, unreadable yet piercing, like he could see the truth I hadn’t yet spoken.

My stomach twisted. “I was just—”

“Inside.” His tone was clipped, a command that made my wolf bristle. I stepped into the office, the door clicking shut behind me like a trap snapping closed.

“Are you okay?” I asked, catching the tension in his stance—shoulders rigid, jaw tight.

He ran a hand through his dark hair, exhaling sharply. “Sit.”

I didn’t. My hand instinctively pressed against my stomach, grounding me. “Nathan, I need to tell you something.”

His jaw clenched, but he nodded. “I have something to say too.”

I swallowed hard. “You first.”

He looked away, his voice low. “I’ve accepted a new mate bond. My mother arranged it—her final decree as Luna.”

The world tilted. My wolf howled, claws scraping at my insides. “What?” The word was a whisper, barely audible over the roar in my ears.

Nathan’s gaze flickered to the floor. “It’s always been the plan. An alliance with Everleigh’s bloodline to secure the pack’s future.”

“You marked *me*,” I said, my voice rising, raw with betrayal. “You chose *me*.”

“I had no choice then,” he said, his tone heavy. “And I have none now.”

Rage surged, hot, and blinding. My wolf snarled, her presence flooding my senses—fangs lengthening, nails sharpening. “And our pup, Nathan?” My voice broke, the secret spilling out like blood. “You knew I was pregnant, and you’re doing this?”

Silence crashed down, heavy and suffocating. Nathan’s fists clenched, his eyes darkening with something—guilt? Regret? It didn’t matter.

“You *knew*?” I stepped back, my hand gripping the desk for balance. “And you’re throwing us away for *her*?”

“It’s not that simple,” he said, softer now, as if gentleness could dull the knife he’d plunged into my heart. “An Alpha’s duty—”

“Duty?” I spat, my voice trembling with fury. “I fought for you, Nathan. I bled for you when the pack turned on you during the border wars. I gave you *everything*.” Tears burned my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. “Was it all a lie?”

He flinched, the first crack in his stoic facade. “I never lied to you.”

“But you never told me the truth,” I hissed.

The air crackled with tension, our wolves circling each other through our locked gazes. My pulse pounded, drowning out reason. Then, a sound—a faint creak from the hallway. My senses sharpened my wolf on high alert. Someone was listening.

Before I could react, Nathan stepped forward. “Scarlett, calm down—”

“Don’t touch me!” I snarled, shoving past him. My control snapped, and I flipped the desk with a roar, wood splintering against the wall. My body shook, half-shifted, claws gleaming in the dim light. “You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to break me and walk away.”

His eyes flashed with regret, but I was done with his guilt. I stormed toward the door, yanking it open—only to freeze. Everleigh stood there, her amber eyes glinting with triumph, her dark hair cascading over a ceremonial robe. The scent of her dominance hit me like a slap, her alpha bloodline undeniable.

“Trouble in paradise?” she purred, her smirk cutting deeper than any claw. “Nathan, you didn’t tell me Scarlett was still clinging to you.”

My wolf lunged forward, barely restrained. “Stay out of this, Everleigh.”

She tilted her head, unfazed. “Oh, Scarlett. You’re so… *breakable*. Did you really think you could keep an Alpha?” Her gaze flicked to Nathan, possessive and deliberate. “He’s mine now. The mating ritual is set.”

Nathan’s voice was a low growl. “Everleigh, enough.”

But her words ignited something primal in me. My vision tunneled, and before I could stop myself, my claws slashed out, grazing her arm. Blood welled, and she hissed, her own wolf rising to the surface. The hallway erupted into chaos—Nathan shouting, Everleigh lunging, and my wolf roaring for blood.

I dodged her strike, my training kicking in. “You want him?” I snarled, circling her. “You’ll have to kill me first.”

Her laugh was cold, predatory. “Tempting. But I don’t need to. The pack’s already chosen me.”

A new scent hit me—pack warriors approaching, their footsteps heavy. Nathan grabbed my arm, pulling me back. “Scarlett, stop!”

I wrenched free, my chest heaving. Everleigh’s smirk widened as the warriors appeared, their loyalty to her bloodline clear in their stances. I was outnumbered and outranked. But I wasn’t defeated.

“This isn’t over,” I spat, my voice low and venomous. I turned to Nathan, my heart fracturing under the weight of his betrayal. “You’ll regret this. Both of you.”

I shoved past the warriors, their growls following me as I fled down the stairs. The cool night air hit my face as I burst into the courtyard, the moon’s silver light mocking my pain. My wolf screamed to shift, to run, to tear something apart. But I forced her down, my hand pressing against my stomach where our pup’s faint heartbeat pulsed.

A rustle in the shadows made me spin, claws extended. “Nathan, if that’s you—”

It wasn’t. A figure emerged, cloaked in black, their scent masked by herbs. A woman’s voice, low and urgent, cut through the night. “Scarlett, you need to run. Now.”

“Who are you?” I demanded, my wolf bristling.

“No time,” she hissed. “Camila knows about the pup. She’s sending hunters. If you stay, you and your child are dead.”

My blood ran cold. Camila, Nathan’s mother, the Elder Luna—her ruthlessness was legendary. But this? Hunting me for a child she didn’t even acknowledge? My mind raced, piecing together the betrayal. Everleigh’s smugness, Nathan’s guilt, the warriors’ loyalty—it was a trap, and I’d walked right into it.

“Why should I trust you?” I growled, stepping closer.

The woman pulled back her hood, revealing silver-streaked hair and eyes that glowed with defiance. “Because I’m the only one who’s ever defied Camila and lived. Now *move*.”

A howl echoed in the distance—hunters, closing in. My heart pounded, torn between fight and flight. But the pup’s heartbeat anchored me. I couldn’t fight them all, not yet. Not like this.

I nodded, and the woman tossed me a small vial. “Drink this. It’ll mask your scent. Head for the eastern ridge. You’ll find sanctuary there.”

I caught the vial, my eyes narrowing. “Why help me?”

Her smile was grim. “Because Camila’s not the only one with secrets. And you, Scarlett, are about to become her worst nightmare.”

The howls grew closer, and I bolted, the vial’s bitter contents burning my throat as I drank. The forest swallowed me, the moon my only guide. Behind me, the pack’s betrayal burned like a brand, but ahead? Ahead was vengeance.

And I’d be damned if I let them take my child—or my heart—without a fight.