Ruthless Alpha, and his Curvy Saint Chapter 9

Alpha Terrell’s POV

Five days.

Five fucking days of riding through these forsaken woods, following a scent that grew fainter with each passing hour, chasing after a girl who clearly didn’t want to be found.

I was done.

"This is ridiculous," I announced, pulling my horse to a stop. "We’re wasting ti. A human girl isn’t worth all this stress."

Behind , my generals shifted in their saddles. I could feel their relief - they’d been thinking the sa thing but were too smart to voice it.

Sheena, however, had no such sense of self-preservation.

"Alpha, we can’t give up now..."

"Can’t?" I turned in my saddle, fixing her with a cold stare. "I’m the Alpha. I don’t chase after anyone. Won beg to be in my presence, they don’t run from it. This whole situation is beneath ."

"She’s running because you killed her family!" Sheena’s voice rose with frustration. "You wronged her first, Alpha. You can’t expect her to just..."

"I don’t expect anything from her." I cut her off, my voice becoming dangerous. "That’s the point. I’m not so lovesick fool who’s going to spend weeks tracking down a girl who wants nothing to do with ."

"But she’s your fated mate..."

"So you keep saying!" I kicked my horse forward, forcing Sheena to scramble for purchase behind . "But all I see is a human girl who’s more trouble than she’s worth. Fated or not, this is getting pathetic."

"This one is different," Sheena insisted, her fingers digging into my sides. "She’s not just any girl. She’s the one the Moon Goddess chose specifically for you. After a thousand years, Alpha. After a thousand years of waiting..."

"And I can wait another thousand if it ans not degrading myself like this." I yanked on the reins harder than necessary. "Know your place, witch. I’ve indulged your mystical nonsense long enough."

Silence fell over our group. Even Gareth, usually quick with counsel, said nothing.

"I apologize, Alpha." Sheena’s voice was small now. "It wasn’t my intention to overstep. But we need to find Angel and bring her ho. The consequences if we don’t..."

"Consequences?" I laughed. "What consequences? The Moon Goddess will smite ? Let her try. I’ve survived a thousand years without a mate. I’ll survive a thousand more."

"The pack needs a Luna..."

"The pack has managed just fine without one." I was really warming to the idea now, convincing myself with each word. "This whole fated mate business is overrated anyway. I have plenty of won willing to warm my bed. Why should I chase after one who doesn’t want ?"

"Because she completes you," Sheena said quietly. "Because without her, you’ll never be whole. Because the bond between True Mates is sacred, and breaking it - refusing it - will destroy you both."

"Dramatic as always." I rolled my eyes. "Nothing is going to..."

Voices.

My enhanced hearing picked them up before anyone else - rough masculine voices, the clop of hooves, the creak of wagon wheels.

I held up a hand, and everyone stopped.

"...best sale we’ve made in years!" A man’s voice. "Triple rate! Can you believe it?"

"That fat girl was worth it after all," another responded. "Who knew Lord Hawkins had such specific tastes?"

"He always pays well for the unusual ones. Rember that dwarf girl? Or the one with the mismatched eyes?"

Laughter. Cruel, callous laughter.

Slave traders.

My jaw clenched. I despised slave traders - parasites who preyed on the desperate and vulnerable. They were useful occasionally, but mostly they were scum that needed to be periodically culled.

"Riders ahead!" soone shouted from the group approaching.

Through the trees, I could see them now - a ragged group of about eight n on horseback, leading an empty wagon. They looked like they’d been traveling hard, their clothes dusty, their faces weathered.

They rounded the bend and ca face to face with us.

Every single one of them went pale.

"Alpha Terrell!" The leader - a scarred man with missing teeth - practically fell off his horse in his haste to dismount and bow. "Your Grace! Your Majesty! What an unexpected honor!"

The others scrambled to follow suit, dropping to their knees in the dirt, heads bowed low.

"We didn’t know these were your woods, Alpha!" the leader continued, his voice shaking. "We would never have trespassed without permission. Please, forgive our ignorance!"

I regarded them coldly, letting the silence stretch. They trembled like leaves in a storm, and a cruel part of enjoyed their fear.

"Whose woods did you think they were?" I asked mildly.

"We... we thought..." The leader stamred. "The neutral territories, Alpha. We thought we were in neutral lands."

"There are no neutral lands." I dismounted slowly. "Everything for a hundred miles in every direction belongs to . Which ans you’ve been conducting your filthy business on my territory without my knowledge or permission."

"Please, Alpha, we ant no disrespect!" One of the younger ones looked up, terror written across his face. "We’ll pay tribute! Whatever you want!"

"I don’t want your filthy money." I walked closer, watching them flinch. "What I want is information."