All Chapters of Alpha and Beta Chase Me Back: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

1

When I was eight years old, my Alpha mate Kieran saved me and adopted me. When I was twelve, Beta Ryan promised to protect me for life.But later, these two men who swore to guard me forever pushed me into the flames with their own hands. All to please their childhood sweetheart.……THUD!I was thrown brutally into the burning trial circle in front of dozens of pack members.The high-ranking wolves watching erupted in excited cheers. Everyone clapped and hollered with twisted delight.No one cared if I would make it out alive.I tried to escape the ring of fire, but without my wolf's help, I couldn't move. Thick smoke choked my throat as I let out agonized whimpers. I desperately called out to the people outside."Help me!""Please, someone help me!"But my cries for help only seemed to fuel their entertainment.Some were even roasting meat over the flames, drinking whiskey, turning it into a party. Others deliberately fanned the fires to make them burn higher. They laughed until they

2

Even now, thinking back to when the flames burned my skin, I can't help but tremble. My fangs chatter uncontrollably.Urgent footsteps echoed from outside the hospital room. Kieran and Ryan walked in one after the other.Scarlett came with them.She stood at the foot of my bed, her eyes slightly red."Miss Ember, I'm so sorry. I was completely out of line. I'll cover all your medical expenses and healing crystals. Please don't stay angry with me. I hope you won't truly hate me for this."Her tone was sincere, her expression soft and vulnerable. Completely different from the woman who had suggested that deadly contest by the fire circle.My brain buzzed. The places where the flames had burned me throbbed with massive pain. My wolf was still unconscious.I closed my eyes, enduring the agony.This action made Kieran and Ryan think I was holding a grudge against Scarlett.Kieran stood beside my hospital bed, looking down at me from above. He was as calm as always when he spoke."You're awa

3

The contempt in his words and mockery in his eyes were completely different from the Ryan I used to know.The first time I met Ryan was at Kieran's Alpha inheritance ceremony.That day, Kieran brought me back to Ironwood Pack and announced to all the pack members that he was adopting me as his sister.He said, "From now on, Ember is my sister. As long as I live, I will protect her for life. You must respect her the same way you respect your Alpha."Ryan had been invited to the ceremony. He was the Alpha of Stormfang Pack and Kieran's longtime friend. Ironwood Pack and Stormfang Pack had been allies for generations. When Ryan heard those words, he immediately looked up, his eyes studying me carefully.After a moment, he grinned widely. "Since the Alpha says so, then Ember is my family too. I'll protect you as well."Suddenly, all the stares - some curious, some contemptuous, some envious - focused on me at once.I panicked, not knowing what to do.But Ryan tossed aside his phone and pla

4

Just that?Was it really just that?Only then did I carefully study Scarlett's face.Especially her eyes. They really did look like mine.So that was it. I had only survived because I reminded them of Scarlett.The love I received was also because of Scarlett.Kieran and Ryan had only seen me as Scarlett's substitute.Thinking about it this way, all the changes made perfect sense.The real deal had returned. Of course they didn't need the fake anymore.I smiled with relief. This was actually good. This way, if I left, I wouldn't have any burden.After all, these years with them had just been a transaction.They got comfort for losing Scarlett from me. I got a new life from them.Let all the past die like yesterday.I stayed in the hospital for half a month. During that time, Kieran came occasionally, but only sat for a while before leaving.Ryan never came even once.But I received updates about him every day. He and Scarlett had gone hunting. Kieran worked overtime for half a month an

5

The guesthouse only had one or two guests occasionally. Most of the time, I was pretty idle, but my boss was generous with wages.After rent, I took home four thousand dollars.In my first month, I bought a new phone and got a phone plan.I used my boss's ID to get the phone plan.I asked him, "Aren't you afraid I'm a bad person? Like a fugitive or a rogue wolf spy? Maybe I came here just to avoid being tracked down."My boss looked down at me for a long moment. In his eyes, I saw mockery that wasn't quite mockery."Ha. With your skinny arms and legs, a fugitive? If we're being honest, I'm probably more likely to be the fugitive here."His expression turned fierce for a moment, but I wasn't scared at all.My boss, Jaxon Sterling, was someone with a sharp tongue but a soft heart.Days passed peacefully like still water.One day, while I was sweeping, Jaxon was watching videos with the volume turned way up.Suddenly, I heard Kieran and Ryan's names. My spine stiffened and I accidentally

6

I heard the grinding anger in his voice but didn't acknowledge it. I turned and went upstairs.The darkness in Ryan's eyes made my newly calmed heart tense up again.He was insane.Maybe Kieran didn't care about the past anymore, but Ryan clearly still did.I sat on my bed in a daze when suddenly there was a knock at my door.As soon as I opened it, someone pushed inside.It was Ryan, grabbing my wrist. Then another person entered.Kieran still wore his usual indifferent expression as he walked in calmly.With a bang, the door closed softly.Ryan gripped my chin, his eyes seeming to contain fire."Ember Blackthorne, you still dare to pretend you don't know me.""Why wouldn't I dare?"Seeing my coldness, Ryan froze for a moment. Then he laughed mockingly. "Three years apart and your temper's really grown.""Three years. I fucking searched for you for three years, and you were hiding in this godforsaken place."He looked around my room with disdainful clicks of his tongue."This broken-d

7

So he remembered my strange reaction when I saw that news report.Kieran and Ryan's group stayed at the guesthouse.They wanted to develop hunting grounds in the western territories, and Ravenshollow was one of their candidates.But Ravenshollow was so far from Ironwood Pack and Stormfang Pack. I couldn't believe Kieran and Ryan would come personally.I sat at the reception desk, listlessly looking at illustrations.Suddenly, a voice spoke up."Ember Blackthorne, let's talk."Scarlett still had that haughty demeanor, though now her spine didn't seem quite as rigid. Like she was forcing herself to stay calm.In the garden, Scarlett pulled an expensive bag of gems from her purse."These gems are worth five million dollars. Ember Blackthorne, leave."I was stunned. "Why would I leave?"Scarlett gritted her teeth, seeming furious but restraining herself from exploding."I'm sure you know that Kieran and Ryan have been searching for you these three years. Ember Blackthorne, surely you don't

8

Kieran and Ryan moved into the place next door. I could always see them around the guesthouse.Every morning, I'd catch glimpses of them through the window. Kieran would be sitting on the porch, pretending to read while his eyes tracked my every movement. Ryan paced the courtyard like a caged wolf, his restless energy radiating even from a distance.They never approached me directly, but their presence was suffocating."Those two are getting on my nerves," Jaxon muttered one morning, glaring at Kieran's silhouette. "Want me to kick them out?"I shook my head. "They'll leave eventually."But days turned into weeks, and they remained. Every time I stepped outside, I felt their eyes on me. Every time the door chimed with a new guest, my heart jumped, thinking one of them had finally decided to confront me.The tension was unbearable.One day, I needed to go out to buy supplies. We were running low on coffee and cleaning products."I'll come with you," Jaxon offered, but I declined. I coul

9

My body staggered backward. For a terrifying moment, I felt nothing but air beneath my feet.Time slowed to a crawl. I saw Kieran's face contort with horror. Ryan's mouth opened in a silent scream.Just then, urgent footsteps thundered through the trees. Jaxon burst into the clearing with a guard team behind him, all of them armed and ready for battle."Ember!" Jaxon's roar echoed off the cliff walls.Scarlett's eyes went wide with panic. "No! This isn't how it's supposed to go!"She grabbed me again and shoved me harder toward the edge."You're all lying to me! Everyone's lying to me!"My pupils contracted sharply as I felt myself falling backward, the cliff edge crumbling beneath my feet.In my peripheral vision, I saw Ryan moving. Not toward Scarlett, but toward me.The world tilted. I was falling.Then strong arms wrapped around me, and we both hit solid ground with a bone-jarring impact.When the dust settled, I was in Jaxon's arms, his body curled protectively around mine. He'd t

10

"Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded later, after the entourage had left."Because then you would have treated me differently," he said simply. "You would have been afraid of me, or wanted something from me, or felt like you couldn't be yourself. I liked just being Jaxon the guesthouse owner."I had to admit he was right.His father had him late in life and doted on him completely. But with that love came expectations - marry the right she-wolf, produce heirs, take over the throne.Jaxon had run away to Ravenshollow to escape all of that.On his father's seventieth birthday, Jaxon insisted on bringing me along."I have a favor to ask," he said nervously. "Could you pretend to be my mate? Just for tonight? Dad's been trying to set me up with every eligible female in the territory."I raised an eyebrow. "That's a pretty big favor.""I know. But you're the only person I trust not to make it weird."He was right about that. So I agreed.But I didn't expect it to be such an elaborate trap.

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