Page 15 of The Alpha's Forbidden Heir

The drive back to the park house does little to calm me. My wolf is pacing inside me, restless, agitated, and snarling at the edge of my control. By the time I storm through the doors, the tension in my chest feels like it’s about to explode.

The guards in the foyer snap to attention as I pass, but I don’t acknowledge them. My eyes catch a younger guard leaning against the wall, his weapon slung casually over his shoulder as he chats with another.

“Do you think this is a goddamn vacation?” I bark, my voice slicing through the air like a whip.

The guard stiffens, scrambling to stand at attention. “N-no, Alpha! I was just—”

“You were just slacking off while the rest of us actually do our jobs!” I growl, taking a step toward him. “Do you understand what’s at stake here? What happens if someone gets in because you’re too busy running your mouth?”

“I’m sorry, Alpha!” He stammers, his face pale.

“Sorry doesn’t fix a bullet in someone’s chest,” I snap, shoving past him.

I stride into the main hall, my eyes scanning the space for any sign of something—anything—that isn’t perfect. My patience is nonexistent. A guard moves too slowly to open the door for me, and I glare at him.

“Do I need to teach you how to use a damn handle, or can you manage that much on your own?” I snarl.

The room falls silent, the air thick with tension as everyone scrambles to stay out of my way.

But it’s not enough.

The boiling rage inside me doesn’t subside.

A commotion at the gate catches my attention, and I storm outside to find a guard fumbling with his weapon, his movements panicked and clumsy.

“What the hell is going on?” I demand.

“Alpha, I—I thought I saw something, but it was just—”

“You thought you saw something?” I interrupt, my voice rising. “And instead of calling for backup or following protocol, you almost shot one of your own!”

The guard swallows hard, his hands trembling.

“That’s it,” I growl. My fist connects with his jaw before I can stop myself, sending him sprawling to the ground. “If you can’t handle the responsibility of this job, you shouldn’t be here!”

“Bane!” Rook’s voice cuts through the chaos as he steps between me and the guard, his hand on my chest. “That’s enough.”

“Move,” I snap, glaring at him.

“No,” Rook says firmly, his eyes locking with mine. “You’ve made your point. Let him go.”

My chest heaves, my wolf snarling to assert dominance. “Are you seriously defending him, Rook?”

“I’m not defending anyone,” Rook replies, his voice calm but unwavering. “But this? This isn’t you, Bane. You’re not thinking straight.”

I step closer to him, my fists clenched at my sides. “I’m the Alpha. You don’t tell me what to do.”

“And I’m your Beta,” Rook says, his tone firm. “It’s my job to make sure you don’t tear down everything you’ve built because you’re too blinded by anger to see straight.”

My eyes narrow. “You think you’re in charge now? That you can lecture me?”

“No,” Rook says, his voice steady. “I’m reminding you who you are. You’re the Alpha, Bane. Start acting like it.”

The words hit like a punch to the gut, and before I can stop myself, I throw a punch at him.

Rook catches my fist with ease, his grip like iron. “You want to fight me, Bane? Fine. Let’s get it out of your system.”

I pull back and swing again, but Rook ducks, his movements controlled and deliberate. He doesn’t strike back, but he doesn’t back down either.

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