Page 5 of Alpha Power

Zamorra breathed a sigh of relief. There was a small part of her that was afraid Luther was going to reject her and send her back with Cade. She couldn’t think of anything worse than being a prisoner to a werewolf pack.

“Hold out your wrist.” Luther commanded.

Her werewolf curled her upper lip at the order, and Zamorra had to remind her that this was how it was going to be for the next five years. Better start getting used to it.

“You can’t do this, Zamorra!” Cade yelled, the vein on the side of his neck throbbing like mad. “Vampires are our natural-born enemy. You’ll be a traitor to your own kind!”

Zamorra turned on Cade and let her werewolf breach the surface. Just enough for her eyes to flash silver and for her hands to change to her razor-sharp claws. “Werewolves have done nothing but kill everyone I’ve ever loved and terrorised my entire fucking life. I don’t give a fuck if you all think I’m a traitor. I’d rather be a traitor than your pack's personal incubator.”

Cade gaped at her words, and she felt a small sense of satisfaction.

Zamorra raised her arm, presenting the inside of her wrist to Luther. He plucked a golden ring from his finger. The large piece of jewellery had a small red jewel in the centre, and the letters LD embedded on either side. It was a truly gorgeous piece that Zamorra couldn’t help but admire.

He took a step towards her, his massive body towering over her much smaller one as he grasped her wrist between his fingers. Her pulse spiked at the contact, and she prayed he didn’t notice. His scent wafted up her nose and she had to suppress a moan. Rich, woody, with a hint of scotch and vanilla. She loved a man that smelled good.

Luther flipped the ring face-down so the letters pressed into her skin. He murmured a few words in an ancient language that Zamorra didn’t understand, and her wrist burned. “State your name.”

“Zamorra Vatali Solaris.” He repeated her name in the same ancient language, his voice deep and seductive, making her shiver.

There was a burst of raw, ancient magic. Dust swirled into the air like a mini tornado and swirled all around them as the wind picked up faster and faster. Her wrist burned brighter and she felt something lock deep inside her - a deep sensation right down to her core, her very being - and hold there. It made itself comfortable, digging deeper and deeper inside her until it felt like it had always been there to start with. There was a brief flash of pain, the smell of burnt flesh reaching her nostrils just as Luther lifted the ring and slipped it back on his finger

“It is done.” Luther turned to face Cade, his dark eyes cold and menacing. His power rolled off him in waves, smothering the air all around them and making the werewolves in front of her take a step back. She could feel that power clinging to her like a second skin, but instead of being scared like all the others, she was excited. “Now, I suggest you remove yourself from my territory before I do it for you.” A flash of red flicked through his eyes as those luscious lips of his curved up into an evil smirk.

His vampire minions stalked forward, muscles bunching and rippling under their expensive clothing. Cade was brimming with hostility as he backed up, his pack mates following their Beta.

With an angry snarl he pinned her with his gaze. “This isn’t over, Zamorra.” He leapt into the air, jumping over the tall iron-wrought fence and ran into the dense forest.

Zamorra watched as the werewolves disappeared into the night, relief quickly filling her up inside.

Her werewolf howled in victory at having thwarted Cade and his men, even though it came at a price. She raised her arm, inspecting the brand.

A Pledge of Servitude could be done a hundred different ways, as long as it ended correctly for each species. For vampires, it was a brand. Shifters, a bite. Mages, a spell, and demons, a blood oath. It was more or a less a contract for service, though she thought it was more like slavery to be honest, but whatever. As long as she didn’t have to pop out babies, she was content.

“Come along, Little Alpha,” Luther drawled.

She narrowed her eyes at his retreating figure but quickened her pace to catch up to him.

Zamorra stared up at him, which she had originally found surprising. She was used to being taller than most people, but Luther was at least a few inches taller, around 6’7 if she had to guess. She liked that. So did her werewolf. He was probably still taller than her even in her shifted form. She liked that too. She had a weakness for tall men.

Zamorra took stock of the other vampires around her while she walked. There was Red, who stayed firmly plastered to Luther’s side. She kinda gave off a real bitchy vibe that Zamorra definitely wasn’t feeling. It pissed her off a little, actually. She hadn’t even done anything yet to warrant that behaviour. Give her a few hours though.

A big, burly man with blonde hair and blue eyes, who was packed overboard with muscle like a damn Marine.

Let's call him Muscles.

Zamorra laughed at her werewolf’s suggestion. She liked to give people nicknames.

There was the brown haired, brown eyed vamp she had noticed earlier. Based on the way his eyes kept running the length of her body, she got the feeling he was a bit of a ladies’ man. Probably a douchebag too.

Her mother always used to tell her not to judge a book by its cover, but sometimes she just couldn’t help it. Most people who were as good looking as this guy tended to be assholes. It wasn’t her fault that was the stereotype for handsome men.

A shorter vamp with dark grey eyes and a shaved head was watching her with a stoic expression, his body tight with tension. His hand was plastered on the blade at his waist, and she chuckled softly. He clearly didn’t trust her and Zamorra couldn’t blame him. She probably wouldn’t have trusted her either. But she was a shifter with honour, as much as others didn’t believe it. She wouldn’t do something as foolish as attack her new ‘employer.’

She gave him a broad smile and he frowned at her.

Lastly, there was a tall slender vampire with shoulder length brown hair and bright green eyes. He gave her a wink as she looked him over and waggled his fingers.

She watched with amusement as he stuck a foot out to trip one of his comrades over, the handsome brown-haired vampire and couldn’t help but chuckle as he fell face first in the dirt.

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