MATED TO THE SECRET ALPHA

Ryder glanced at the woman nestled in his arms. He was reluctant to leave, his gaze lingering on Reana's peaceful face, but the urgency in Marcus's mental call brooked no delay, and with a quiet sigh, he carefully extricated himself from Reana's side, his movements gentle so as not to disturb her, and swung his legs over the side of the bed, his eyes never leaving her face as he stood up.

"Unfortunately, I can't accompany you through the night," he whispered as he pulled the blanket up her chin, his fingers lightly grazing her cheek.

"See you at dawn, My Luna." With that, he turned, the look in his eyes swiftly turning cold, his expression transforming from tender to terrifying in the span of a heartbeat, as he strode towards the door, his movements fluid and deadly, like a predator stalking its prey.

Reana, blissfully unaware of the trouble in her pack, frowned in her sleep as if her source of comfort had been withdrawn, but when the scent of lavender wafted into her nostrils, her expression softened, and a gentle smile played on her lips, as if the familiar fragrance had become a substitute for the warmth and security she had lost, lulling her back into a peaceful slumber.

…

"Do you intend to be caught sneaking around the pack? Why is your hoodie off!?" Xavier growled, his eyes blazing with anger as he took in the sight of Mirian approaching him, her usual disguise abandoned. Despite her shaken and breathless appearance, Xavier's expression remained unyielding.

"I—" Mirian began, but the death glare from Xavier cut her off, silencing her. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible, as she stood before him, her eyes cast downward in a gesture of submission.

He rolled his eyes, "What took you so long?" Xavier's voice was still laced with irritation, his eyes narrowing slightly as he searched Mirian's face for any sign of what had delayed her, his gaze lingering on the faint tremble of her lips.

Mirian's eyes snapped up, her eyes locking onto Xavier's with a sudden jolt of urgency, as if finally remembering why she had to run. "I saw intruders heading to the pack house," she blurted out, her voice low and husky with alarm.

"They wore black and their faces were masked... I couldn't scent them. I tried to inform the warriors but the mindlink was blocked," Mirian's words tumbled out in a frantic rush, her eyes wide with fear as she grasped Xavier's arm, her grip tight with urgency. "I had to run to find you. I think they're trying to infiltrate the pack house, Xavier…"

"And…?"

Stunned, Mirian repeated subconsciously, "And...?" her voice laced with incredulity as she stared at Xavier, speechless at his nonchalant response to the potential threat to their pack. Her eyes widened in dismay, as if she couldn't believe he wasn't taking immediate action, her face pale with worry. "Don't you understand? The pack is in danger!"

"And what do you want me to do with that information?" Xavier's tone was laced with a hint of disdain, his eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. "There are warriors in the pack. Most especially, Beta Ryan. He is vying for the Alpha position...no, he sees himself as the Alpha, so it's his duty to protect the pack." His voice dripped with sarcasm.

Mirian blinked, taken aback by Xavier's nonchalance. "It's a sneak attack, Brother Xavier," she pressed on, her voice urgent. "Those intruders had no scent. Our pack warriors wouldn't detect them in time." She took a step closer, her eyes locked on Xavier's. "You're right about Beta Ryan, but I think you should shoot the flare to warn them. We can't just sit here and do nothing. It's our pack, our home!"

"We're not sitting here and doing nothing, Mirian," Xavier's voice dropped to a menacing growl, his eyes blazing with anger at the audacity of Mirian, a lowly servant and omega, daring to lecture him. "I'm fucking teaching you your place," he snarled.

Mirian's hackles rose, her hands flying to her mouth in horror as she stumbled backward, eyes wide with shock and fear. "I– I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" she whispered, her voice trembling as he closed in on her and the next second, shoved her against a tree. "Xavier, no!" she screamed as he pinned her to the trunk, his other hand tearing apart her dress.

"Please, don't do this to me!" she pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks, shoulders trembling with sobs, but Xavier had no pity. He never did.

….

The first group of assassins slid into the servant quarters, their dark silhouettes blending seamlessly into the shadows. With practiced ease, they navigated the narrow corridors, their footsteps muffled by the worn stone floors.

Their leader, a towering figure with eyes that seemed to bore into the darkness, raised a hand, signaling for the group to halt. They waited, poised and silent, as they listened for any sign of movement within the quarters.

Then, he pointed at a cabin and waved his hand, signaling his team to go in and fetch their target, Ryder. With a nod, the team sprang into action, their movements swift and coordinated. They burst through the cabin door, their weapons at the ready. They were ordered not to shift unless necessary, and right now, they had their scent altered.

But just as they burst in, before they could fully take in the view of the room, a giant black wolf pounced, its menacing teeth sinking into its victim's neck.

Blood sprayed everywhere as the wolf's teeth tore through flesh, and the room erupted into chaos. The team scrambled to react, but they were too late, already surrounded by a group of seven black wolves, eyes glowing like embers in the dark. The wolves closed in, their snarls and growls filling the air, menacing eyes locked onto their prey.

Suddenly, as if given a silent command, the seven black wolves attacked at once, lurching at the assassins before they could shift.

While there was a battle at the servant quarters, some activities was happening in the dungeon.