"Violet."
Alpha's commanding voice has my head snapping up before my brain is even functioning. I must have fallen asleep.
A threadbare blanket falls to the floor as I sit up; soone covered when I fell asleep on the couch. Several adult wolves had sward the clearing only minutes after my protector fled, and—thankfully—were not a part of the sexual haze of the Mate Hunt, but established and mated adults who quickly dragged ho, like a recalcitrant child.
What were you doing? they all asked in exasperation, like I wanted to be there.
No one listened when I tried to explain what happened.
"Alpha," I greet my adoptive father, clearing my throat when my voice croaks. "I'm sorry. I must have fallen asleep."
He waves one massive hand, scrutinizing with a frown. "Tell what happened."
Alpha's piercing gaze bores into , and I can't shake the feeling sothing's off. His usual stoic deanor has morphed into sothing unsettling. I swallow hard, my throat dry as sandpaper.
"I woke up in the middle of the forest during the Mate Hunt. My clothes were gone. I don't know how I got there."
He's shockingly unaffected by the words coming out of his mouth, looking more impatient than anything. "What else?"
"It wasn't safe, so I ran. I was trying to get ho, but got lost. A strange wolf found and kept warm when I got lost. Evan found us a while later and they both fought, and the wolf ran away."
With each word, Alpha's frown deepens, etching harsh lines across his face. The air grows thick, oppressive, making it hard for to breathe. Oxygen makes it into my lungs with shallow, open-mouth breaths as his aura presses down on .
I'm dizzy. And confused.
Alpha's never used his aura on before. He says humans are too weak to stand up to it. Now, I see why.
It's like he's stealing the air from around . Black spots dot my vision.
"Are you hiding anything from , Violet?"
His tone makes shudder. He doesn't sound like my adoptive father. He sounds… angry. "What do you an?"
Alpha's eyes narrow, his jaw clenching. "Are you hiding a shift from , girl?"
I stare at him, mouth agape, struggling to process his words. "I... what? I'm human. How could I possibly hide a shift?" What insane question is that?
The change in Alpha is instantaneous and terrifying. His face contorts, features twisting into sothing inhuman. Gone is the stern but caring father figure I've known all these years. In his place stands a stranger, regarding with cold disdain.
"Alpha?" My voice quivers, barely above a whisper.
He takes a step closer, looming over . "Don't lie to , girl. Did you shift?"
I shake my head frantically. "No! No, I didn't shift. I'm human!"
Alpha's hand shoots out, his fingers digging into my jaw. A strangled gasp escapes my lips as he pulls forward. His eyes blaze golden, feral and unfamiliar. The air thickens, pressing down on like a physical weight.
"Shift. Now."
His command slams into , an invisible force threatening to crush my bones. My lungs struggle against the pressure, each breath a battle.
"I can't," I wheeze. "Please, I'm human—"
"Shift!"
The order reverberates through my body, setting every nerve ending on fire. My vision hazes, darkness creeping at the edges. I want to obey, to do anything to make this stop, but there's nothing to obey with. No wolf hiding beneath my skin.
"Alpha, please—"
His grip tightens, nails biting into my flesh. "Shift, damn you!"
The world tilts and spins. My legs give out, but Alpha's grip keeps upright. Spots dance across my vision as he shakes , each command more forceful than the last.
Suddenly, I'm airborne. My back slams against the floor, driving what little air remains from my lungs. I lay there, boneless, gasping like a fish out of water. The crushing weight of Alpha's presence lifts, allowing to draw in ragged, desperate breaths.
Through the haze of pain and confusion, I force my eyes open. Alpha towers over , his face a mask of disgust and contempt. The replacent father I've known all these years is gone, replaced by this cold, furious stranger.
A voice filters through the ringing in my ears. Beta. When did he arrive?
Alpha's words cut through the fog, clear and devastating. "We wasted these years. She's truly just a human. The bitch betrayed ."
Betrayed? The accusation stings worse than the physical pain. How could I betray him? I've done nothing but try to belong, to prove my worth. Being human in a wolf pack is not an easy life.
"Alpha," I croak, struggling to push myself up. My arms tremble, threatening to give out.
But they ignore .
"To ignore a mate bond," Beta says, spitting on the ground. "It is good she doesn't share your blood, Alpha. Your line would be weakened with a mother like hers. An honorless whore."
Alpha growls. "To sire a human with my mate mark on her neck… I would kill her again if I could."
Shock steals the very breath from my lungs, what bit of it I've managed to gather with my ragged gasps.
My mother… mated to Alpha? It can't be true. She was human, just like . Wasn't she?
I stare at Alpha's back, willing him to turn around. To tell he's joking. That all of this is nothing more than so fever dream.
"What are you talking about?" My voice trembles, barely a whisper, but loud enough for his keen senses. "My mother was human. She couldn't have been your mate."
"Your mother was a liar. A whore who betrayed our bond."
My mind reels. It's impossible. It has to be.
"What should I do with the girl?"
Alpha turns, his upper lip lifted in a sneer. "She is no daughter of mine. Send her to serve the ogas. It'll keep them silent for a while."
"Understood, Alpha."
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