Page 11 of Alpha's Forbidden Fate

The hot water from the shower stings against my skin, and I scrub vigorously, trying to wash away the memory. My hands tremble as I reach for the soap, dropping it twice before finally gripping it firmly.

I close my eyes, trying to shut out the vision of Mia’s lifeless eyes.

As I step out of the shower, I catch a glimpse of myself in the foggy bathroom mirror. The bruises from the struggle, the haunted look in my eyes –the person staring back at me seems like a stranger.

My phone buzzes on the counter, and I grab it, hoping for some distraction, but it is just a text from my roommate Annie, telling me she will be late because she has to work late.

She works as a nurse at the local hospital. I like living with her because she is rarely in my space.

I slide into my bed, blinking back tears.

If that man tells the council, and word gets out about the death of a werewolf, the secret of my whereabouts would be at risk. Any hint of my location, and Levi would hunt me down and drag me back to the mansion on the hill.

I have worked so hard to start over, and now it feels like everything is coming down around me.

I contemplate ordering dinner from Mariya’s, a restaurant that Annie introduced me to late one night. They have a wide variety of soups, and I have found that they sometimes help with the blood cravings. But I decide against ordering out.

I should not be around people. Who knows what I might do to the delivery person when they arrive?

I cover my head with a pillow, trying to push away the thought of blood and Mia’s lifeless body.

I need to get myself together before Annie gets home, or I could put her life in danger, too.

The adrenaline of it all is pushing me to feed.

Fuck! I cannot give in to it. I just cannot.

Chapter 4

Liam

The shovel digs into the soft earth, and I sweat under the moonlit sky. It’s not the first time I’ve had to bury one of our own, but it never gets easier. Mia, once a fierce brown wolf, now lies transformed back into the form of a girl. The guilt gnaws at me as I cover her lifeless body with dirt. She deserved better.

I stand over the makeshift grave, staring at the mound, lost in thought. The pack—her family—will want answers. They’ll want revenge. But reporting this to the council? That’s a whole different kind of mess. The elders will demand the vampire’s head on a platter, no questions asked.

As the Protector, it’s my duty to uphold the safety of all beings. But this situation is complicated. The vampire said she was defending herself. I can’t share what I know yet. The elders might rush into a decision that could lead to more bloodshed. No, I need to investigate this before making any moves.

The night is quiet, only the distant howls of other wolves echoing through the air. I decide to head back to the place where Mia’s body had lain, and follow the trail of blood that leads away from the scene. The scent is strong and unmistakable. The black-haired vampire, the one who took Mia’s life.

I drive slowly, tracking the scent and her car. It took me quite some time to bury Mia, but the scent is no match for my wolf abilities. Eventually, the scent leads me to an older apartment building. I park my car and watch. Then I spot her car, and there she is, still sitting behind the wheel.

She remains in the parked car for another ten minutes before she finally emerges and staggers to the building’s entrance. She seems to be struggling to stay upright.

She must be hurt.

Then I watch her disappear into the building.

I decide to get comfortable and wait, sitting in my car watching.

Minutes turn to hours, and I start to wonder if I should just give up for the night.

That’s when I spot her, the black-haired vampire, coming out of the building.

But she’s not alone.

Another girl, this one with brown hair, is helping to support her as she walks.

They exchange a few words in hushed whispers. The vampire looks even paler than before. She’s injured, clutching her side as they hobble toward a beat-up Honda Civic.

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