Chapter 4

MIRA

The massive stranger stepped away from the old cedar tree, his movements fluid like a panther stalking its prey… me being the prey.

He stopped just a few feet away from me on the limestone ledge. He towered over my petite frame, his shadow completely blocking out the morning sun.

"You are behaving like a pathetic weakling," the man said, his deep voice entirely smooth and devoid of any pity.

I clamped my jaw shut, my bare toes digging hard into the cold stone to keep from trembling under his golden gaze.

"You stand on the edge of a cliff and scream insults at the trees where nobody can hear you," he continued, his golden eyes scanning my pale face with blatant mockery.

"If you are truly hurt by your pack leaders, and if you truly despise this king so much, you should actually do something about it. Crying like a child changes absolutely nothing."

The arrogance in his smooth voice instantly snapped me out of the fear and the terror in my chest was immediately replaced by white hot rage.

"You do not know anything about me, you giant, judgmental prick," I snapped, stepping forward until my chest was inches from his torso.

"You do not know what they did to me. You have no right to stand there in your expensive clothes and lecture me about strength."

The stranger did not flinch, but his eyebrow rose slightly over the small scar there.

"I know what I see. All I see is a little wolf who doesn’t have a spine and prefers to whine rather than fight like a real wolf would." He smirked at me again.

"Go straight to hell," I hissed.

"You are an arrogant, self-righteous bastard. I hope you choke on your own massive ego and die alone in these woods. Get out of my face before I find a sharp rock and shove it down your throat."

I did not wait for him to respond. I shoved past him with all the force I could muster, purposely slamming my shoulder against his arm.

It felt like hitting a solid brick wall, and I’m sure it did more harm to me than him but I refused to let him see me wince. I stormed away from the limestone cliff, my bare feet pounding furiously against the damp mossy trail. I did not look back once, though I could feel his heavy, suffocating gaze burning holes into the back of my head all the way through the thick trees.

I burst into the back courtyard of the main pack house, my chest heaving and my face flushed red with anger. I barely had time to wipe the sweat from my brow before two heavy hands gripped my upper arms.

"There she is," a guard grunted, his fingers squeezing my skin hard enough to leave deep purple bruises.

"Let go of me!" I yelled, twisting my body violently, but my muscles were entirely useless against his grip.

They did not listen to my protests.

They dragged my feet across the gravel, shoved open the heavy oak doors of the meeting hall, and threw me ruthlessly onto the center of it.

The air inside the massive room was thick and suffocating. Richard was standing stiffly near the stone fireplace, his hair perfectly combed, but he looked tense.

The beat stood next to him his head was bowed.

"Ah, here is the girl, Your Majesty," he announced, his voice shaking strangely in a way I had never heard from him before.

"We apologize for her disheveled state."

Oh, now I get it, they are afraid because of the alpha king. I would have laughed if I wasn’t in a tight position.

I pushed myself up onto my hands and knees, brushing my tangled hair away from my face. I looked up toward the chair sitting at the head of the table.

My breath completely caught in my throat, and my heart stopped beating entirely.

Sitting relaxed in the chair with his long legs crossed casually out in front of him, was the giant man from the cliff.

He was Alpha King Asher.

A cold, heavy dread crashed over me, making my stomach turn completely inside out. The very man I had just cursed out, the man I had called a prick and told to go to hell, was the supreme ruler of the entire werewolf kingdom.

Richard stepped forward, his voice tight and eager. "She is healthy and fit for labor. We offer her to you freely to seal our border treaty."

Asher did not look at Richard. His golden eyes were locked entirely on me. I tried my best not to tremble.

He leaned forward slowly, resting his chin on his fingers. Amusement danced in his eyes and the corners of his lips twitched upward into a small, dark smirk. He found my utter terror completely entertaining.

"Is that so?" he asked calmly.

"She does not look very submissive to me, Alpha Richard."

"She will learn her place, Your Majesty," Richard promised quickly, his voice desperate to please the king.

"She is just an omega. She has no power to resist."

Asher slowly stood up from his chair, his full tall frame dominating the entire hall. The Silver Crest elders all took a synchronized step back, lowering their eyes to the floor in absolute submission.

Asher walked over to where I knelt on the rug. He stopped right in front of me and looked down, his eyes filled with a strange, questioning look like he was weighing his options.

"I will take her," Asher stated firmly and my heart left my chest.

He will take me back to torture me for what I said to him back there and suddenly I felt like throwing up the little food I had in my stomach.

"Of course, Alpha King," Richard said, bowing deeply.

Asher turned his back on them, but his golden eyes lingered on me for one last second. I remained frozen on the floor, my mind racing in complete horror as the reality of my situation finally settled in.

I was going to his pack, and he has probably plotted a painful way he would end me.