Chapter 4 THE RUTHLESS ALPHA

With a calm finality that made my heart beat, the door slammed behind him. His directness and boldness surprised me, but now that he was in my cabin, his presence felt oppressive. I couldn't get rid of the sensation that everything had altered in that instant, and the air seemed heavier and thicker. I had lost control of the situation.

Demon's eyes darted over the room, absorbing every detail with a chilly accuracy that made my skin crawl. Even though you were meant to be the predator, he had a way of making you feel like prey. His black hair cascaded over his forehead, adding to his frightening attractiveness, and his lips curved slightly.

"Have you been making an effort to remain hidden?" He walked up to me and whispered. Like velvet wrapped around steel, his voice was soft yet menacing.

I didn't respond. I was unable to. Every muscle in my body was stiff with anxiety as I stood there paralyzed. Why had he come here? He was being so... patient, but why?

He laughed softly, as if he could feel the terror churning within me. "Lyra, I'm not here to harm you. At least not yet.

I took a deep breath. It was all too much-his words, his closeness. By becoming close to him, I was expected to undermine his authority and prevent him from entering my thoughts in this way.

Demon went on, "I've been watching you," his eyes focusing on mine with such intensity that I felt like I was being examined. "Are you not a cunning person? However, cunning can only go you so far.

The implication made my skin crawl, even though I wasn't sure what he meant. My goal was to shatter him and destroy the Blackfang Pack from the inside out. But now that I was in front of him, I saw how much more difficult this task had became. He wasn't only a boss. He was more than simply an Alpha adversary. He was a formidable force with power that extended beyond his physical prowess.

I forced myself to remain cool and attempted to slow my breathing. With him so near, I couldn't afford to be weak just now.

Demon stated in a humorous tone, "You've been very good at playing the innocent little spy, Lyra." But I'm able to look right through you. There are reasons why you are here. And I'll give you an opportunity to identify them.

As if he were attempting to crack my barriers with only his eyes, I could feel his words testing me like a physical pressure.

He stepped closer and said, "You think you're the first person to try to infiltrate my pack?" "You believe that you are the first person to arrive here, posing as one of us, with the intention of bringing me down?"

I didn't respond. How could I respond? The reality? The deception? I also couldn't afford it. But I felt a churning within. Was he teasing me? Or was he really aware?

Now just a few steps away from me, he went on, "I've had wolves like you before," his voice fading to a whisper. However, none of them had your level of intelligence or competence. There is a fire inside you. I see it.

His gaze shifted to my hands, which, unbeknownst to me, had clenched into fists. It was already too late when I loosened them. He had already seen my anxiousness. I wasn't only being read by the demon. I was being unraveled by him.

"Lyra, you have a choice," he continued. Although he spoke calmly, there was a hint of threat in his remarks. "I'll make you regret it if you don't cooperate with me and quit this little game you're playing. Traitors are not to my taste.

His threat hovered between us, oppressive and heavy. Everything else was muffled by the sound of my heartbeat in my ears. He wasn't physically threatening me just yet. But I could tell by the way he talked and the way he looked at me that he would not think twice about using his power in ways I couldn't have predicted if I pushed him too far.

"You believe that you can enter here like a mouse in a lion's den and expect to escape unharmed?" The demon's voice had become icier and more menacing. "Lyra, you're intelligent. I'll give you that. However, that does not imply invincibility.

I felt the change in the air around us. You could feel the tension building with each word. A gnawing sense of doubt was beginning to creep in, and I could feel it in the pit of my stomach. I had been so confident in my strategy-so sure that I could manage this. But now that I was facing Demon, I started to doubt everything.

What if I wasn't merely trying to destroy him? What if, without even recognizing it, I was already losing this battle?

I eventually managed to calm my voice despite my chest quivering and said, "I'm not afraid of you."

A slow, wry grin curved the demon's lips. "I didn't say you were. But fear isn't what you should be worried about."

He took a step back and looked out the window, where the last of the sun's rays were coming through the trees. "Lyra, loyalty is what you should be concerned about. The Blackfang Pack's devotion. I created this bundle from the ground up, you see. Every wolf here owes me their allegiance-not just because I'm their Alpha, but because I've proven time and time again that I'm worth following."

I stayed silent, listening, knowing that this moment, this conversation, was critical. I had to understand more about him, more about the way his pack functioned.

Demon continued, his voice a low growl. "Betrayal is not something I take lightly. And those who want to drag me down? They pay the price."

He turned back to me, his gaze penetrating through the dark light. "But I'm giving you a choice, Lyra. You may either align yourself with me-work for the Blackfangs-or you can continue down this road of self-destruction. Either way, you'll be mine. Finally.

His remarks were definitive and cold, like a slap. He wasn't only attempting to scare me; he was making an offer and giving me a deadline. What if I didn't? Then what?

However, my cabin door exploded with a smash before I could react, shocking us both.

In the entryway stood a young wolf, panting and breathing hard. "Alpha... it's... it's occurring."

Demon's entire manner changed from one of command to one of instant alertness as he turned abruptly. "What is it?"

With his voice shaking, the wolf exclaimed, "There's a disturbance." "In the eastern sector." There's a problem.

Demon didn't say another word, but his eyes were flashing with a dangerous intensity, and he was already heading for the door.

"Remain here," he said over his shoulder in a stern and icy tone. "Avoid making any noise. I'll take care of this.

And he was gone in an instant.

The echo of his presence hung heavy in the air as I stood there, my pulse thumping in my chest. What had just taken place? What was he discussing? And why did I get the impression that this was only the start of something far more frightening than I could have ever imagined?

As I turned to follow him, I paused. The frigid emptiness of the room engulfed me totally. Then, I heard it-faint at first, a low growl from someplace outside the cabin. But it wasn't just one snarl. It was a chorus, a sound that sent a shudder down my spine. The wolves of the Blackfang Pack were on edge.

Something was coming.

And it was going to be far worse than anything I'd ever dreamed