Alpha's Thirst For Ember

Ember's POV

It's been two years since I last saw my mother and brother. After our father died, mother was forced to take on the responsibility of a family. One day she went on a hunt to feed us, and a bunch of brazen rogues attacked our little pack.

My last glimpse of Caden, my little brother, was of him lying in the mud, his small body curled in on itself. One of the men kicked him, and I saw him clutch his stomach weakly in response.

I lost consciousness with his name on my lips, wondering what mum would do when she came back and found us gone.

I woke up in what resembled a concentration camp. Humans and werewolves from different raided places were crammed together in horrible conditions, their faces painted with despair. Fortunately for me, I didn't stay there long.

The very next day, I was dragged out of the camp and shoved into a filthy old van. From snippets of conversation among the traffickers, I learned that a hundred of us had been sold to Alpha Thorne, the most feared and revered Alpha in the plains.

"They say he's so cruel and evil, no other Alpha dares to challenge him," whispered Kaya, a wiry human girl I'd met at the camp. Her bright blond hair was so long it nearly dragged on the ground. So I'd braided it into one thick plait for her to keep it out of the way.

At the sound of that name, I clenched my fists.

"I'd kill him if I had the chance," I muttered in a flat tone, glaring at the men outside.

"Shhh! Keep your voice down," Kaya hissed as she glanced around nervously. "You don't want that kind of attention."

"I don't care," I snapped, although my voice was low. "I don't know where my brother is. I've watched everyone here, and he's not among them. He's my only priority."

Kaya's green eyes softened, but her voice was stern. "Then don't die. How will you find him if you make the traffickers angry and get yourself killed?"

She was right. As much as I hated admitting it, I couldn't afford to let my anger get the best of me. I had to stay alive, for my brother, for my mother. Worry stung my chest but I kept my face blank, locking my emotions away.

"Stop right there!" a trafficker's bark suddenly cut through the air.

Everyone turned in the direction of the commotion. A young man had bolted from the group, sprinting toward the tree line in a desperate attempt to escape.

The tall man perched on top of our cage jumped down without a word. As he gave chase, his body began to twist and contort. His bones snapped and realigned, fur sprouting from his skin. Within seconds, he had transformed into a massive brown werewolf.

Gasps erupted from the humans around me. For many of them, this was the first time they'd witnessed a shift up close. The werewolf's strides were impossibly fast, and in mere moments, he was upon the fleeing man. With a bone crunching bite to the neck, the escapee fell limp on the ground.

Kaya gripped my arm, her nails digging into my skin. I turned to her and saw tears streaming down her face.

"That's what happens when you try to run," one of the traffickers sneered, his laughter cutting through the group's silence.

"Each of you is worth a hefty sum," he continued, pacing slowly in front of us. "Don't think you can escape so easily. That boy? He was sold to Alpha Thorne. And trust me, the Alpha doesn't take kindly to disobedience."

The werewolf trotted back to the van, blood still dripping from his jaws. He was enormous, his head was level with our knees even as we stood in the cage. He growled low, then rammed his massive shoulder into the side of the cage as a threat. The impact sent most of the group scrambling to the opposite side, huddled around each other and trembling.

But I didn't move.

The truck came to life, and we began our journey. The werewolf ran alongside us, his pace steady and relentless.

Hours passed, and he never slowed.

"He's so strong," Kaya whispered, with awe in her voice. She tilted her head up to look at me. "Can you run like that?"

"I don't know," I admitted quietly. "I've never turned."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Never? Are you... a wolfless?"

The word hit me like a slap, a reminder of my incompetence. And I snapped my head toward her, my eyes narrowing in offense.

Kaya's face turned pale. "I'm so sorry. That was rude... I shouldn't have, sorry." She stammered, shrinking away from me.

The rest of the ride was silent.

By evening, the road signs began to change, the simple black squares with "THORNE" printed in bold letters made my stomach twist with unease.

When the truck finally stopped, we were greeted by the sight of Alpha Thorne's massive estate. The towering iron gates loomed like monster teeth, daring anyone to enter.

My skin prickled as a chill crept over me, this was his territory.

The man who killed my father.

And I had no idea what awaited me next. But I want my mother and brother back-at any cost.

Ember's POV

Living in Alpha Thorne's territory has its advantages. It was so big that I rarely had to worry about crossing paths with him, and I intended to keep it that way. The last thing I needed was for him to discover I was the daughter of his old rival. If he ever figured that out, I had no doubt my days would end in misery, or worse.

My duties were simple: cleaning the servants' quarters and tending to the decorative flowers and trees scattered across the estate. The gardens were beautiful, a harsh contrast to the tough reality of life here. They reminded me of home, though that memory was fading faster than I cared to admit.

Kaya, of course, never left my side, and I suspected her loyalty wasn't entirely selfless. As a human among wolves, she counted on me for protection. The others in the servants' camp could be brutal, and my presence kept them at bay. I didn't mind though. Having someone to talk to kept the loneliness from swallowing me whole.

"I'm exhausted!" Kaya groaned, collapsing to her knees in the dirt.

I took the chance to stop too, brushing soil off my hands and cleaning under my nails. It had been a long day, but something else was bothering me. For days I'd been restless, my skin buzzing with an unfamiliar energy. My thoughts kept circling back to tonight.

The full moon.

It might finally happen-my first shift.

My stomach twisted with a mix of excitement and fear. Knowing I was a werewolf was one thing. Feeling the wolf inside me was another. I'd waited years for this moment, always wondering what it would feel like. Tonight, I'd finally know.

"What are you thinking about?" Kaya asked, retying her blond hair into a loose braid.

"I'm thinking about how I don't want to live the rest of my life here," I admitted.

"It's not as bad as I thought," she shrugged. "Except for, you know, the consequences if you try to run." Her voice dropped, and I saw fear flicker in her eyes.

"If we keep our heads down, we might just have a good time," she added.

"I don't want to have a good time, Kaya. I want to find my brother and mother."

Her face softened as she stood, brushing dirt off her dress. "We've checked most of the servant quarters, Ember. You said your brother was alive when you last saw him. What if he's in a good pack now, living a better life?"

Her words stung. She meant well, but the thought of Caden living peacefully without me was unbearable-not because I wanted him to suffer, but because the idea of him moving on without me made me feel more alone than ever.

"I won't stop looking," I said firmly, gathering my tools.

That night, the full moon rose bright and silvery over the camp. The wolves prepared to run, their energy thick in the air. Our camp was on the edge of the territory, bordered by miles of woods. It was the only time we were allowed a taste of real freedom.

I stood at the forest's edge, my heart pounding. Kaya had stayed behind, uninterested in the chaos of the full moon run. Most of the others had already shifted, disappearing into the shadows.

I closed my eyes and waited, willing my wolf to emerge.

But nothing happened.

Minutes passed. The moonlight prickled my skin, but there was no pain, no fire-only silence.

Panic crept in. Was something wrong with me? Had I missed my time? I clenched my fists, fighting the disappointment that threatened to drown me.

I'd always believed my wolf was inside me, waiting. But what if I was wrong? What if I wasn't truly a werewolf? I was past the prime age for shifting.

Tears stung my eyes.

"I'm not a runt," I whispered. "I'm not."

The other wolves were gone. Their howls echoed in the distance, and I stood alone under the full moon, feeling more human than ever.

Then, pain tore through my chest. I gasped, clutching my stomach as heat surged inside me.

It was happening.

Agony spread through every nerve. Bones broke and reformed. My vision blurred. The world spun-and then it stopped.

When I opened my eyes, everything was sharper. I could hear leaves rustling, smell the earth. I looked down and saw paws-dark red, nearly black, with faint streaks that shimmered in moonlight.

I was a wolf.

I ran without hesitation. The forest blurred around me. The wind rushed through my fur. I felt more alive than I ever had.

Then, a scent caught my attention-faint, but unmistakable.

Blood.

I slowed and followed it into a shadowed part of the forest. The scent grew stronger, mingled with fear. In a clearing, I found a young wolf lying in the dirt, matted with blood. His breath was shallow. His golden eyes met mine briefly before closing.

'Who did this to you?' I thought, knowing he couldn't answer.

I nudged him with my nose. He wasn't from outside. His fur was warm and soft. I bit his neck gently, trying to lift him, but he was too heavy. I started dragging him, my jaw aching.

Then I heard a twig snap.

I froze.

A massive grey wolf emerged from the shadows, towering, thick-furred, and confident. Another followed, darker, leaner, calculating.

The big one stepped toward the pup. Instinct kicked in and I leapt between them, snarling. I trembled, shielding the pup.

They circled slowly, their size alone terrifying. I lunged to scare them off. A mistake.

The dark one attacked, it's teeth ripping into my hind leg. I howled in pain but struck back. I wouldn't give up.

Then a howl split the air.

Deep and commanding. Unlike anything I'd heard. It stopped us all cold.

The two rogue wolves froze, then turned and vanished into the woods.

I stood shaking, my ears twitching toward the sound. A strange current ran through me.

Two massive wolves appeared. One was black and silver, shimmering under the moonlight, bigger than any wolf I'd ever seen. His golden eyes met mine. The second was deep brown.

Alpha Thorne.

His name echoed through me. I didn't need to be told-I knew. The connection between us thrummed in the air.

Mate.

My wolf stirred, drawn to him uncontrollably.

'Who are you, and why are you here?' His voice, sharp and cold, filled my mind.

I flinched, unable to speak. My wolf wanted to submit. But I couldn't.

'I...' I stammered.

He stepped closer. His gaze swept over me, then the pup. His lip curled.

'What have you done?'

'I was just trying to help...'

'Help?' His growl shook me. 'You've interfered where you shouldn't. Do you know the risk you've taken?'

The brown wolf stepped forward. 'Alpha, she's young. She might not know...'

'That's no excuse,' Thorne snapped.

I bowed my head, his anger riding over me like a storm. But beneath it, I felt the bond. Fragile, yet strong. It was in the way he looked at me.

'I'm sorry,' I whispered.

His gaze softened, briefly.

'Take the pup back to camp,' he ordered.

'I can't carry him. My leg's injured,' I admitted.

He turned, his eyes narrowing. 'What do you want-me to carry him for you?'

Fury surged in me.

'At least show some compassion! Two of your wolves are injured, and you're just going to leave us here defenseless? What kind of Alpha are you?' I didn't give him a chance to respond,

'Oh, wait, I know. The kind that traffics innocent people and turns them into slaves.'

The moment I said it, I knew I'd gone too far.

His golden eyes blazed, the air thickened with his rage.

And I wondered if I'd just signed my death sentence.

Ember's pov

He took a slow, threatening step forward, snarling down at me. The air between us crackled with tension, spreading heat all over my skin.

Is this how I die?

Killed by my mate, who is also the same man that murdered my father.

The memory of that day flickered at the edge of my mind, but there was no time for grief now.

'Alpha, we need to move,' a voice sounded urgently, dragging me out of my reverie. I thought I heard his name just now, Darius, he is Thorne's beta.

'There are rogues in the area. We can't stay here.' His voice was strained as his eyes scanned the dark tree line where the leaves rustled unnaturally, branches snapped underfoot, and distant growls echoed ever closer.

The rogues were closing in fast.

Thorne ignored him, still glaring down at me with a mix of rage and disgust, his nostrils flaring, a low growl vibrating in his throat.

His voice boomed into my head through the link. 'How dare you, a slave, speak to me like that?'

'I just... it's not fair. I...' I stammered desperately, avoiding his gaze.

'You do not speak to your Alpha that way. Not now, not ever. Do you understand me?' His voice was cold as ice, demanding obedience. I shivered, nodding in agreement.

'Do You Understand?' He insisted, his proximity bearing down on me.

'Yes, Alpha.' I choked out, my heart beating so loudly it drowned out everything else.

I watched the wheels turn in his head as he fought the pull of the mate bond, deeming me unworthy. Just because I'm a slave.

Still standing over the body of the pup, I held my ground.

He couldn't be more than 17. His breathing was shallow, blood soaking through the dirt beneath him. I'd taken the responsibility of protecting him, seeing how bloodied he was, having been bullied and injured by rogues.

He reminded me of my brother-Caden. I couldn't afford to fail them both, even if it meant defying Alpha Thorne.

The mate bond thrummed steadily between us, the hate in his eyes the only thing preventing my wolf from launching herself at him. When I dared to look him in the eyes, I could almost see him fighting it too.

I was tempted to reveal my identity to him just to see how he would react, but at the expense of my life no doubt. I was tired of being treated like something disposable. First as a rogue, then as a servant, now this-a mate to a man who would chain me if he knew the truth.

As long as I could remember, Thorne and my father were business partners. The news of their fallout and imminent war against each other was as shocking as receiving news of my father's death.

Before we could even absorb the loss, my mother had us flee Bloodveil along with a few pack members still loyal to us, and we holed up in the forest just out of reach of Thorne's forces. There we lived, surviving in constant fear and on stolen supplies, until we were separated again.

A rogue's howl pierced the air, and I flinched.

I'd just turned for the first time. I wasn't in any position to fight. But I was on my own. The man who stood before me loathed my existence, and I had no idea what I had walked into.

And still, the bond clung to me like thorns under my skin. I dared to raise my eyes to his, instantly getting lost in his golden orbs. His glare was unyielding like a predator sizing up his prey.

'Alpha,' Darius urged, his tone tense. 'What's the call?'

Another howl, closer this time. The movement around us quickened, and branches snapped, followed by the sound of heavy paws on the earth.

'Can you walk?' Alpha Thorne asked me, his tone cutting and sharp.

Just as I parted my lips to respond, a large furred shadow moving so fast it blurred, lunged directly at me from my right.

The air exploded with a growl, the rogue crashing toward me like a living nightmare. I saw only teeth, claws, and the flash of eyes wild with hunger.

I jerked back, too slow, and at that exact moment, Thorne's large form lunged forward-the rogue striking him first, then me. Pain exploded in my side, then everything went black.

How... how could he protect me?

A searing pain tore through me, and darkness swallowed my vision.