Page 65 of Alpha's Hated Mate

That’s when something clicks into place. I’ve been fighting Ellis all wrong. Brute force against brute force—a game I can’t win against someone with his size and experience. But I’m not just any wolf. I’m a Neutral. And like Saffron, I’m unique in ways I’m only beginning to understand.

I close my eyes, shutting out the jeers and shouts of the crowd. The world narrows, slows, quiets. I focus inward, sensing the patterns of energy flowing through me, around me. For the first time, I actively reach for that part of myself that makes me a Neutral—that allows me to balance the chaotic power of a Scarlet.

Ellis, frustrated by my silence, pulls his fist back to strike again. “Answer me!”

My eyes snap open. I move with a fluidity I’ve never known before, twisting at the last possible second. Ellis’s momentum carries him past me as I redirect his force with a simple pivot. He stumbles forward, nearly falling face-first into the dirt.

Gasps ripple through the crowd.

Ellis spins, his face contorted with rage. “Lucky dodge,” he snarls. “Won’t happen again.”

I rise to my feet, calm settling over me like a second skin. I can sense Ellis’s next move before he makes it—the subtle shift of weight, the tensing of muscles. When he lunges again, I’m already countering, using his own weight against him with minimal effort.

Again and again, Ellis attacks. Each time, I redirect, deflect, or evade—conserving my energy while he burns through his. I smell the change in his scent—sweat pouring from him, anger turning to frustration, then to fear.

“Fight me properly, coward!” he spits, his breathing ragged.

“I am fighting,” I say. “You’re just not paying attention.”

Ellis charges one final time, throwing everything into a desperate attack. I step into his space rather than away from it, surprising him. With precise movements, I sweep his legs and drive him to his knees, locking his arm behind him. Just enough pressure to control, not to break.

“Yield to me,” I command, my voice carrying across the suddenly silent field.

Ellis struggles against my hold. I press my knee into his chest, increasing the pressure just enough to make my point clear.

“Yield to me,” I repeat, quiet but firm.

The fight drains from him. His body goes limp beneath my grip.

“I submit to you, my Alpha,” he forces out through gritted teeth, the formal acknowledgment carrying to every ear present.

I release my hold and rise to my full height. Ellis remains kneeling, head bowed in defeat. The entire council chamber watches in stunned silence as I survey them, meeting each gaze directly.

“Hear me now!” My voice fills the space with authority. “I am your Alpha. Saffron Kamaria is my Luna. Anyone who cannot accept this is welcome to challenge me as Ellis did—or to leave.”

Silence hangs heavy for several heartbeats. Then, one by one, the elders and council members begin to clap, bowing their heads in acceptance. The reaction spreads like wildfire until the entire crowd erupts in cheers.

“Alpha! Alpha! Alpha!”

Apparently, they just needed a good fight to believe in me.

My eyes find Saffron again, and I move from the ring toward her. She watches me with a mixture of pride and lingering apprehension, the scent of roses growing stronger as I approach. I extend my hand to her, letting my expression soften in a way that’s reserved only for her.

Saffron places her hand in mine and she gives me one of her endearing smirks.

Councilmen Bennett and Thompson carry two ornate thrones to the center of the ring. As Saffron and I walk toward the chairs, pack members lower their heads in deference.

I guide Saffron to the smaller throne beside my own—the seat traditionally reserved for the Luna of the pack. As she takes her place—the first Scarlet wolf to occupy the position in Clarion’s history—the importance of the moment is not lost on either of us.

We sit together, united as Alpha and Luna, facing our pack as one.

As we stride through the expansive corridors of my family manor, I notice a shift in the faces around us. The earlier disdain has morphed into something foreign—respect aimed at a Scarlet wolf. They bow to both of usas we move past, and a swell of pride almost overshadows the sharp ache in my side.

I know every bow, every “Luna” or “my lady” spoken from the lips of my pack means something profound to her after years of being treated like a pariah. The victory over Ellis wasn’t just about securing my position; it was about changing everything for her.

We reach my chambers and I push open the heavy oak door, leading Saffron into my private sanctuary. The moment the doorcloses behind us, I let my shoulders slump. A sharp pain shoots through my ribs, and I stagger slightly.

“Aydan!” Saffron catches me before I can stumble further. “You’re bleeding.”

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