Let The World Burn

The ride to the pack house felt longer than it was.

Alana sat in silence , she would occasionally steal a glance and Kayden and all she could see was satisfaction written all over he his face.

His grand plan was a success and he couldn’t resist the urge to rub it in her face.

Her wolf, still joyous and increasingly annoying leaped up and down like a little toddler. She urged Alana to trust him and the mate bond.

No .

Not yet and not Now .

Her wolf didn’t give a damn as long as if was happy.

They finally drove onto a private road and ahead of her she could see a lineup of trees that looked like they were placed in some kind of formation.

Huge iron gates towered in front of them, tall ,cold and unmoving. They screamed money and power. At the very top of the gates, a silver wolf emblem gleamed in the moonlight, snarling down at the world below.

The gates slowly creaked open as if they had a mind of their own.

The driveway stretched out in a perfect black strip, lined on both sides with those same perfectly planted trees. Not a single branch out of place.

Alana rolled her eyes. “Alpha wannabe,” she muttered under her breath.

Kayden either didn’t hear her or just didn’t care.

The pack house stood in the middle of the land like a damn castle. It wasn’t just big….it was massive. Three floors of white stone and black glass windows, sharp edges, and wide balconies that overlooked the woods. Pillars stood at the entrance, each carved with symbols she didn’t recognize.

There were security cameras tucked into the corners of the roof. Two warriors stood by the doors in black, unmoving. Statues of wolves huge, fierce, and snarling sat on both sides of the steps.

It was clear this pack didn’t just have power.

They wanted everyone to see it.

Kayden opened the car door and held out his hand. “Welcome home.”

She stared at it for a second, then placed her hand in his.

Warm.

Solid.

Sure.

Her wolf practically squealed. Alana gave her a mental slap.

“Don’t make it a big deal,” she muttered, climbing out.

They didn’t even make it inside before two familiar faces appeared, Zaide and Zayne.

They both stopped in there tracks like they saw some kind of horror.

“What the hell, Kayden?” Zaide blinked, eyes bouncing from Alana to Kayden. “You brought her here?”

“Oh no you didn’t!” Zayne’s response followed.

“Why did you bring the stripper girl here,”he whispered, like that was some unforgivable crime.

Alana’s stomach tightened.

Her fingers curled into fists,this was one of the things she didn’t want. She was a stripper and most people knew, well people who visited the…. underworld.

Kayden didn’t hesitate. His voice dropped, low and sharp. “Watch your mouth.”

Zaide looked like he wanted to argue, but then Kayden stepped closer. His jaw tight. Eyes dark. That Alpha energy pulsed off him like a wave.

“I’ll say this once.” His voice was like thunder. “Don’t ever speak about my mate like that again.”

They both stiffened.

“M-Mate?” Zayne choked out.

“ So you weren’t hallucinating huh ?“ Zaide

Kayden smirked. “Yeah. My mate. ”

He turned to them fully, “ and as my Beta and delta I expect your full support and respect towards her.”

“ Call everyone. Now. I want the Majority of pack outside in five minutes.”

“ Welcome home, ” Zaide gave a playful salute to Alana. They scrambled away without another word.

Alana blinked. “You really had to go all Alpha mode?”

“Yes,” he said simply, guiding her up the steps.

Five minutes later, the front yard was full. Omegas, warriors, elders, women, teens. Even pups clung to their mothers as they watched their Alpha step forward with a woman on his arm none of them had seen before.

“ Thank you all for coming here , I can tell by the looks on your face that you’re wondering who this gorgeous looking woman is.”

“This is Alana Wynter,” Kayden said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “My mate.”

A hush fell.

“I expect you all to respect her and treat her like your Luna,” he said, his voice like stone. “Not whispers. Not rumors. Not looks. If I hear one damn word out of line, you’ll answer to me.”

Alana swallowed hard. She felt a hundred eyes on her, sizing her up.

Her heart beat faster.

A little voice in her head whispered, Run ,You don’t belong here.

But Kayden stood like a wall next to her solid, fierce and unbothered.

Unshakeable.

Some of the pack bowed, others hesitated.

But one of them stood out , one of the maids in the back slipped away quietly away from the crowd , phone clutched in her hand.

“ He brought another woman,” she whispered through the phone , making sure no one could hear her.

An hour passed. Kayden gave her a quick tour, never letting go of her hand.

“That’s our room where you and I will be sleeping and ….”

Out of nowhere, the front doors slammed open.

Silvia.

Tall , gorgeous, blinding smile.

But her eyes? Ice cold.

“So the rumors are true,” she said, her heels clicking on the floor as she walked in like she still owned the place.

Alana stiffened.Her wolf growled.

Silvia’s gaze swept over her like she was trash on the sidewalk. “So this is what you brought into our home?”

“Our?” Alana’s wolf repeated.

“I’m sorry,” Silvia smirked, turning to Kayden. “But are we just pretending the last years didn’t happen?”

Kayden didn’t even blink. “ Are you fucking serious right now?”

Alana felt her heart race, unsure if she wanted to fight or hide.

“You don’t belong here,” Silvia hissed, stepping closer to her. “He’s mine. He’ll always—”

The sound of the slap cracked through the air.

Kayden had moved before anyone could react. His hand dropped to his side, but the red mark bloomed on Silvia’s cheek.

“Haven’t you done enough? Haven’t you been embarrassed enough huh?”

“ For heaven sake you’re pregnant with someone else’s child, what more do you want ?”

“Get out,”he growled.

Silvia held her cheek, stunned. “You hit me for her?”like she didn’t hear a single word he said.

“I’d do worse,” he snapped. “Speak to her like that again, and I’ll tear out your damn throat.”

Everyone froze.

“You’re not welcome here. Ever again.”

Silvia turned to look at Alana, eyes burning with hate.

Kayden stepped in front of her. “Look at her again, and I’ll finish what I started.”

“ Get out !”

But she didn’t move a muscle.

Kayden forcefully grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her out of the house. He threw her out like she was some piece of shit , making that the second time.

The silence she left behind was heavy.

Alana grabbed his arm. “Kayden,” she whispered, “You didn’t have to—please, don’t make more enemies for me. Not because of me.”

He turned to her, eyes furious but voice firm. “I’d let the world burn for you.”

Her breath caught, butterflies bloomed in her stomach a feeling she hadn’t experienced before.

Her wolf sighed like she’d waited years to hear that.

Alana just looked at him.

And for the first time in a long time…

She didn’t want to run.