MATED TO THE SECRET ALPHA

Inside the forest, Mirian pulled what remained of her tattered clothes around her to cover her privates, tears streaming down her red and swollen eyes.

Xavier, fastening his trousers, glanced at her, looking irritated. "What's this about? It's not like it's your first time, so cut the bullshit," he huffed.

Mirian's eyes flashed with anger and hurt, her retort heavy on the tip of her tongue, but she bit it back at the last minute, afraid of what he'd do if she went against him. She looked away, her gaze falling on the forest floor as she struggled to compose herself.

Xavier rolled his eyes, his expression disdainful. Once he'd finished dressing, he retrieved a small pouch from his clothing and tossed it at Mirian's feet. "That should cover your runt family's expenses for the month," he said curtly, his tone dripping with dismissiveness.

Mirian glanced down at the small pouch, her fingers itching to take it, but after the humiliation, she didn't want to have anything to do with this man anymore. Yet, desperation clawed at her insides. She thought of her mother, frail and sick, and the coming winter, and the responsibility that weighed on her shoulders.

The memory of Xavier's brutal grip, the way he'd forced her to submit, made her stomach churn. As he said, it wasn't her first time with him - that had been stolen years ago, when he was drunk. He'd sworn never to do it again, and for years, he'd kept that promise. Until tonight.

A question still lingered in Mirian's mind, one she'd never dared to ask: why hadn't Xavier shifted when he was getting drunk? Their kind only got drunk in human form; once they shifted, the alcohol's effects dissipated. It was as if he'd wanted to get drunk.

The trauma of that incident had left Mirian shattered, her anger and devastation threatening to consume her. She'd tried to break free, to walk away, but Xavier had brutally demonstrated his power, forcing her back into his grasp. Now, she felt trapped, with no escape, no savior. The urge to kill him had once simmered in her mind, but the consequences of such an act were too terrifying to contemplate.

Xavier's father was a respected elder in the pack, and her family would be the ones to suffer the repercussions of her actions. The weight of that reality had kept her shackled, a prisoner of fear and circumstance.

"Also, this," Xavier's voice sliced through her thoughts, his tone detached. He tossed her a small, delicate porcelain bottle, the kind used for storing pills. "There's only one pill inside. See that it's added to the Luna's dinner tomorrow." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Mirian sitting there alone.

…

Reana walked calmly inside the dungeon, the council and warriors trailing behind her. Her calm exterior belied the unsettling aura she was exuding. With each deliberate step, the atmosphere in the dungeon seemed to thicken, as if she was drawing the very air out of the space.

The prisoners cowered, their chests heaving with fearful anticipation. Even the council members and warriors behind her exchanged uneasy glances, fearing for the beta's life.

Beta Ryan's grip on the bars tightened, his knuckles whitening as he steeled himself for the confrontation. His heart pounded in his chest, and his senses were on high alert, drinking in the familiar scent of Luna Reana. The sweetness of her aroma was tempered by the tang of anger and the metallic hint of aggression, a potent combination that sent a shiver down his spine.

He hadn't seen her yet, but the soft echo of footsteps drew closer, closer, until his mind could conjure the vibrations beneath his feet. The beta could already picture the look on Luna Reana's face, a mask of icy calm face, her piercing eyes glinting like frost-kissed steel, and perhaps - just perhaps - a chilling smile to complete the unsettling picture.

However, knowing this was far from calming him, this mental portrait sent a shiver coursing through Beta Ryan's veins, his anxiety spiking with each approaching step.

Suddenly, the footsteps ceased like a held breath, leaving Beta Ryan suspended in a state of tense anticipation. His heart thudded faster, pounding against his ribcage like a drum, as he wondered what had caused the halt.

The silence that followed was oppressive, heavy with the beta's dread and curiosity.

Meanwhile, Reana's gaze settled on the cell adjacent to Beta Ryan's, where a figure shrouded in black was bound by silver chains to the wall, his face obscured by a dark leather mask. If Mirian was here, she'd have screamed that he was one of those she saw at the forest.

As Reana strode into the cell, the chains binding him to the wall creaked and rattled, as the prisoner jerked violently against his restraints. A low, menacing snarl rumbled from his throat mixed with the pain from his burning limbs, as he was feeling extreme pain from the silver cuffs growing tighter around his wrists.

But Reana was unfazed, taking calm and unhurried steps forward until she stopped.

Ignoring his pain, the prisoner lurched forward, his movements wild and uncontrolled, but upon reaching a mere feet away from Reana, the chain reached its limit, yanking him back with a jarring clang. He whimpered from the burning pain, further intensifying his rage. He stopped straining against the chains, but his snarls escalated into frenzied roars that reverborated in the dungeon.

"Release him," Reana ordered, her voice firm and authoritative, cutting through the prisoner's enraged bellows.

The guards hesitated for a moment, exchanging uneasy glances, but seeing that the elders and warriors weren't bothered, one of them stepped forward to unlock the chains.

The prisoner was startled, unsure why she wanted him released. His probing gaze locked onto Reana's but couldn't decipher what her thoughts were. She looked extremely cold, beautiful, and composed. A capable leader indeed. For a moment, the prisoner felt a pang of regret that they stood on opposing sides - he would have proudly fought by her side, had circumstances been different.

But the moment was fleeting, and reality soon reasserted itself. His master's voice echoed in his mind, reminding him of his duty, and the prisoner's eyes hardened, his jaw setting in determination.

Just as the chains hit the ground, the prisoner lurched at Reana with a ferocious growl, his hands aiming for her throat.