Heart Of A Broken Wolf.

"I don't have my wolf. I was cursed when I was nine," I stuttered, trying to block off the painful memories from my childhood days.

Alpha Matteo just stood at the door, his grey eyes lingering on me. His curly hair fell on his face, and his Adam's apple bobbed cutely, adding to his aura. For the first time in history, he didn't wear his eye patch, and it made him look even cuter.

"I'm sorry," I stuttered, fumbling with the new clothes on me. Despite the fact that they brought me out of the cell room and made me so comfortable yesterday without saying a word, I still had this fear bubbling up whenever he was around.

"Take off your shirt," he muttered, his eyes still glued to me. I looked up to see if he was joking, but I saw the seriousness on his face.

""I... I'm not wearing a bra," I stammered, feeling my cheeks heat up.

It's not like I'm interested in your chest. Just do as I say, little one," he said nonchalantly, stepping away.

I bowed my head shyly, slowly removing my clothes. My round, firm breasts stood pointedly, and I batted my lashes in shyness. I felt so weird—so much weirder being naked in front of a man for the first time.

He didn't make a move, just stared at me with his darkened eyes, giving me chills I had never felt before. As he trailed his gaze up and down my half-naked body, I bit my lip in tension, praying he wouldn't act silly like my stepmother's younger brother.

"Don't move. Just stay still," his cold voice ordered, this time with an angry expression as he stepped closer to me. He ran his hand along my neckline, tracing it slowly down to my belly button.

"These marks... they did this to you, didn’t they?" he whispered, turning me around to inspect my back. "Even these!" he said, pressing one of my wounds. I gasped in pain.

"To this extent, Hazel?" he snapped. "Why didn’t you run? Why didn’t—"

"Because that's my destiny. That's all the Moon Goddess created me for: pain or nothing," I mumbled, trying hard to hold back the tears forcing their way out of my eyes.

He dropped his shoulders, staring at me without saying a word.

Why can't he talk? Isn't he supposed to talk at this time? Maybe a little comfort would help. I dried my tears, trying to block the bad childhood memories resurfacing in my mind. I had never found peace in my entire life, and now, here I am, wanting comfort from the most devilish Alpha alive.

"How old are you again?" he asked, his voice colder than ever.

"I'm twenty-two. I'll be twenty-three in a few months."

"Put on your clothes," he said, swallowing hard and taking his eyes off me.

I did as he said and climbed onto my bed, feeling more comfortable at the distance between us.

"The maids are coming in to dress you in a short while. Eat some food and get ready. we're going to HighFeet Pack in a few hours," his words caught me off guard.

I parted my lips in surprise, staring at him. "HighFeet Pack? Are you... taking me back?" I sniffed. "Please, I'd rather stay here... I'd rather die in your hands than go back there," I sniffed more, pouring out all the tears I could while he just stood there, watching me silently.

"Just do as I say, pumpkin. You don't have to be so emotional about everything," he muttered before stepping out of the room.

I watched as his image faded into thin air. "Why HighFeet Pack all of a sudden? He should have killed me instead," I mumbled, burying my face in my knees. My thoughts drifted back to my former pack, and I let out a long sigh. How would they react? What would the Queen Mother say? What would my fate be if I ended up in their hands again?

"Dear Goddess Selene, please don’t let my enemies have their way," I whispered, feeling my heartbeat race.

"Ma'am, the water for your bath is ready," a maid said with a smile as she bowed.

______________

The whole pack fixed their eyes on me as we passed, walking to Kyle's office. Well, I'm not surprised—Alpha Matteo ordered some beauticians to work on me this morning. Even though I hadn't gained much weight, I was sure I looked a little better than my usual self.

"You're okay?" Alpha Matteo's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Yes, I am," I flinched a little as his arm held my wrist, intertwining his fingers with mine. I turned toward him sharply, but he had that same expressionless face, focusing on the direction of the office.

"Why is he so hard to read?" I mumbled under my breath, stepping into the office with him.

"You're welcome, Alpha Matteo. What shall we offer you, oh great one?" the queen mother said, releasing her usual fake smile.

Alpha Matteo didn't even spare her a glance. He just smirked loudly, focusing on the paper he was reading.

I let out a little laugh under my breath. If not for my uncertain fate in this meeting, I wouldn't have been holding back my laughter. "So glad she met her match," I mumbled, turning my face to the other side of the room.

"Alpha Matteo, I hope this sudden surprise visit is in peace?" Kyle said, strolling in with a smile. He came to a halt, his eyes filled with unspoken words as they landed on me.

"Have you forgotten the pack is indebted to me? Is there any peace for a debtor?" Alpha Matteo said nonchalantly, making Kyle's and the queen mother's faces squeezed. I almost laughed again.  

"Then what do we owe for this visit?" Kyle asked, taking a seat opposite us.

"Her," Alpha Matteo snapped, pointing at me. "The girl you threw at my feet brought me here." He grabbed me and raised my top slightly.

"But, Kyle... just take a good look at this. How could you all put these kinds of marks on your own family?" he scoffed. "I can be anything, but this right here? I could never do it to my own blood. Such a wicked act!"

Kyle smirked a little before standing up. "Alpha Matteo, you can't come here and start insulting us when you have no clue what she did in the past," he retorted, making my heart skip a beat.

Why are we talking about this all of a sudden? I turned my face to the other side of the room, letting out a few tears. Partially, I felt Alpha Matteo's eyes scanning my body.

"What happened in her past?" His husky voice demanded.

"She killed our father! She stabbed him, and since then, the entire pack despises her," Kyle said.

I turned toward the faces of my stepfamily—the wicked faces that had never given me peace in the past 13 years.

"I never did," I sniffed. "Father and I went to the forest to have some space with the meat and wine he ordered for my ninth birthday, only for a sword to slide through his stomach suddenly, killing him on the spot. I couldn't kill Father. His love was too much for me to do that," I said, trying hard to stop the tears running down my face as odd memories kept rushing in.

"Oh, you're trying to run your fake tears now?" the queen mother chimed in, laughing sarcastically.

"I believe her, Mrs. Susan!" Alpha Matteo cut her off. "How do you expect a toddler to kill her own father with a sword? Is this even a joke?" he barked, staring hard at them. Of course, they knew better than to utter a word at a moment like this.

"Well, I'm not here to argue with you." He collected an envelope from one of the guards and handed it to Kyle.

"What’s this?" Kyle asked, opening it.

"It’s an agreement to exchange her for the debt your pack owes me, meaning from today onwards, she's permanently mine!" He announced, shocking everyone in the room—including me.