Chapter 7 The Alpha Claim

CHAPTER 7: The Alpha's Claim

AMARA

The grand hall was suffocating_ Not because of its size-it was vast, with towering marble pillars and high-arched ceilings designed to command reverence. Not even because of the dozens of wolves gathered, their bodies tense, their eyes darting between Xander and Derek, caught in the crossfire of two dominant forces.

No, it was suffocating because the air was heavy with old betrayals, unspoken words, and the weight of a past I had no desire to reclaim.

The scent of dominance and rage clashed in the space, turning the hall into an invisible battlefield where no one dared to make the first move.

Derek's piercing blue eyes burned into me, his wolf pushing against the surface. Searching. Desperate. He was looking for something-some crack in my resolve, a glimpse of regret, hesitation... love.

But I felt nothing.

If he thought his presence still held power over me, he was mistaken. If he believed that I was still the same girl he had abandoned, he was a fool.

I straightened my spine, my fingers curling into fists at my sides. I would not bow. Not in front of him. Not in front of the pack that had cast me aside like a piece of prey unworthy of protection.

Xander stood beside me, his presence a storm brewing at my side. His aura-dark, powerful, intoxicating-coiled around me like an unspoken warning.

Alpha. Protector. Possessive.

Whether his claim was for my benefit or for his own advantage, I wasn't sure yet. But one thing was certain-standing beside him, I was untouchable.

Derek's growl rumbled through the floor, vibrating through my bones. "This isn't right." His voice dripped with disbelief, as though he couldn't comprehend what was happening before his eyes. "You don't belong here, Amara. You were rejected."

A slow, bitter smile curved my lips. "You mean, I don't belong to you?"

His jaw clenched, his wolf snarling in silent protest.

"If you were asking for a second chance..." I trailed off, watching the flicker of hope in his gaze before crushing it under my heel. "I might have considered it."

The muscle in his jaw ticked.

"But we both know that's not what this is, is it?"

A sharp scoff echoed from across the hall.

"This is madness," came the icy voice of Luna Susanne, Xander's grandmother. She stood near the ceremonial throne, her silver hair glinting under the moonlight that streamed through the grand glass ceiling. Her aged but powerful aura wrapped around the room, demanding obedience.

"She is an outsider," the elder continued, her disdain slicing through the space like a blade. "A rejected one." Her sharp eyes swept over me with a look of utter disgust before settling on Xander. "Have you forgotten what her father did? There is no place for her in this pack. Not while I still draw breath."

Xander's smirk was slow and taunting, his wolf humming beneath his skin. "She's mine now. That's all that matters."

Derek's canines elongated as his fury built. "You've always been selfish," he hissed, his wolf dangerously close to the surface. "You don't care about anyone but yourself. Can't you see how much this is hurting Grandmother?"

Xander tilted his head, his amusement evident. "I don't care." His voice was absolute, final. "I will be Alpha, and Amara will be my Luna. The sooner you all accept it, the better."

A ripple of unease spread through the gathered wolves. Some cast nervous glances at Luna Susanne. Others lowered their heads in reluctant submission.

But Derek-Derek was too far gone.

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into," he spat.

Xander took a slow, deliberate step forward, his smirk deepening. "Oh, I think I do. You had something valuable and threw it away. I simply picked up what you were too blind to see."

That was it.

Derek snapped.

His roar shook the walls as he lunged, his wolf breaking free.

But he had underestimated me.

I was no longer the fragile girl he had broken.

Before he could reach me, I moved.

In one fluid motion, I grabbed the silver dagger from the ceremonial table beside me and slashed forward. The blade gleamed under the moonlight as it stopped just inches from Derek's throat.

For the first time, true fear flickered in his golden eyes.

I pressed the blade closer, feeling the heat of his breath against my skin. "You don't get to touch me. Not anymore."

Derek's breath hitched, nostrils flaring as his wolf battled against his pride. His body betrayed him-tense, uncertain. Afraid.

Good.

Xander chuckled beside me, his smirk widening. "I'd listen to her if I were you."

Derek swallowed hard, his fury tangled with something else-something he would never admit.

I tilted my head, my grip on the dagger unwavering. "The next time you try to put your hands on me, Derek, I won't stop at a warning." I leaned in, my voice a low, dangerous whisper. "I will bury this blade in your heart."

Silence blanketed the room.

The guards shifted uneasily. Even Luna Susanne hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line as she exchanged glances with the elders. No one spoke. No one dared to challenge me.

Derek exhaled sharply, his chest rising and falling with barely contained rage. Then, with a muttered curse, he turned and stormed out.

Coward.

Xander turned his gaze to the gathered wolves, his voice laced with quiet authority. "Amara is under my protection. If anyone has a problem with that, speak now."

Nothing.

Luna Susanne's mouth tightened, but she remained silent. The guards exchanged wary glances but offered no resistance.

Derek shoved his hands through his hair, his voice laced with venom. "This isn't over." Then he was gone.

XANDER

I chuckled, the sound rich with amusement. "That was entertaining." My gaze flicked to Amara, whose hands were still trembling, though she tried to hide it. "You alright, princess?"

She lifted her chin, steel in her voice. "I can handle myself."

I smirked. "I know."

Luna Susanne's voice sliced through the air like ice.

"You brought a rabid dog into this pack, Xander. And now, she's trying to rip out my grandson's throat?" She scoffed. "This is who you want as your Luna?"

I turned to her, my smirk deepening.

"Tell your grandson to beware of my Luna."

Then, in a move so effortless it sent a shiver down Amara's spine, I reached for her wrist, my fingers brushing against the rapid pulse beneath her skin. A possessive touch. A claim.

She stiffened but didn't pull away.

Something dark flickered in her gaze-resentment, wariness, a silent challenge. I liked that.

"Come on," I murmured, my voice low and knowing. "You're home now."

Home.

The word felt foreign on her tongue.

But as she followed me deeper into the heart of the pack, her dagger still gripped tightly in her hand, one thing was certain.

She had stepped into the lion's den.

And Derek would pay for every scar he left on her soul.