Page 2 of Tamed By the Alpha Wolf

And suddenly, I hated him for it.

“What’s the matter?” I taunted, circling him like prey. The others shifted on their feet, fighting that battle between stepping in or making themselves scarce. “Afraid to put me in my place? Afraid you’ll turn into the big bad wolf if you show a little backbone?”

“That’s enough, Elise.” His voice had an edge now. A warning.

But I couldn’t stop. Didn’t want to stop. I hated the way he looked at me with understanding in his eyes. Hated the compassion I saw there, the silent acknowledgment of my pain.

I wanted him to yell. To bare his fangs and force my wolf to heel. To give me an excuse to fight and unleash the storm raging inside me.

I helped overthrow my father. I dealt the final blow. I walked away from my duty to the pack.

But he just stood there, taking it all, refusing to give me what I needed.

“What kind of alpha are you?” I snarled, stepping even closer. “You can’t even stand up to your own second. How do you expect to keep your pup alive when you can’t even?—”

“Enough,” Rafe snapped.

His voice thrummed with alpha power, and the weight of it pressed down on me. My wolf railed against the reminder that we belonged to another. That I owed him loyalty and respect.

“Shift,” he ordered. “Now.”

The command struck hard and fast, exactly as he intended. My bones cracked and shifted before I could even think to resist. Fur sprouted along my skin as I fell to all fours, clothes shredding. My wolf surged to the surface with a snarl as I faced down our alpha.

Rafe’s wolf was larger than mine, his gray coat gleaming silver in the rising moonlight. We circled each other, fangsbared, growls rumbling in our chests. The pack gave us a wide berth and watched in tense silence.

How many times had they witnessed the same scene?

Submit.

Pressure filled my ears. The alpha order settled over me like a heavy blanket. All I needed to do was submit to my alpha and avoid a world of pain.

We lunged at the same time, a tangle of teeth and claws and fury. I snapped at his flank, but he dodged to meet my attack head-on. Rafe’s paw caught me across the muzzle, the impact rattling through my skull.

Submit. Obey.

My wolf raged against the order. I threw myself at him again and again. My attacks grew wilder, more desperate. Some distant part of me knew I was losing control, but I didn’t care.

Pain lanced through my shoulder as Rafe’s teeth found purchase. I yelped but twisted free, scoring a bite to his hind leg in return.

The world narrowed down to a singular focus—fight. Survive.Win.

My wolf howled with savage joy, reveling in the scent of Rafe’s blood. Power surged in my veins as we grappled, rolling across the forest floor. My jaws snapped inches from his throat. One good bite and I could?—

Horror flooded through me. What was I doing? I didn’t want to kill Rafe. I didn’t want to be alpha.

Did I?

Rafe’s teeth closed around my scruff, shaking me roughly. The dominant gesture sent conflicting signals through my body. Part of me wanted to melt into submission. The other part howled for blood.

I bucked, throwing him off balance. As he stumbled, I saw my opening. One leap and I could have his throat. I could end this. I could take what was rightfully mine?—

No!

With a monumental effort, I wrenched control back from my wolf. Before she could take over again, I dropped to the ground. Slowly, fighting every instinct, I rolled onto my back. I bared my throat to Rafe, whining softly.

For a long moment, the only sound was our ragged breathing. Then Rafe’s teeth grazed my exposed neck—not biting, just a gentle reminder of his dominance. Of my place inhispack.

Shame and self-loathing crashed over me. I scrambled to my feet and backed away from my alpha. His expression softened, and I wanted to claw it off his face. That look. That fucking pity. It made my skin crawl.

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