BOUND TO HER ALPHAS

The moon was high in the ink-black sky, sending a ghostly light glowing over the forest. The shadows danced across the dense canopy as the wind howled across the branches, seemingly whispering warnings to the lone figure racing between the towering trees. Rosaline's breath came in ragged gasps, her heart pounding out a frantic rhythm which matched the racing of her footsteps. In her arms, the small bundle stirred, and a tiny whimper slipped from baby Rosetta's lips.

"Shh, my love," Rosaline whispered, pressing a kiss to the infant's soft, gold hair. "Mama's here."

Behind her, the growls of the pack grew loud-a chilling chorus of death. The werewolves, powerful and relentless, closed in. They had caught her scent long before she reached the heart of the woods, and now they hunted with the ferocity of a storm. There was no going back. Rosaline knew what she had to do.

And then, beneath the leaves, she saw it-the base of an ancient oak, its trunk gnarled and hollowed by time, a silent witness to battles and births. She knelt, her hands shaking, and laid Rosetta deep within the dark cavity, wrapping the baby tightly in the shawl embroidered with silver-threaded runes. For another moment, Rosaline's fingers lingered upon the child's face, committing to memory that curve of cheek, the small, perfect lashes fanning over closed eyes.

A rumbling growl tore through the night, closer now, just beyond the clearing. Rosaline inhaled sharply, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear before standing to draw their attention away from the tree. She sprinted forward, clutching the baby's shawl tightly to her chest as she faced the inevitable.

The first wolf materialized, his eyes aglow with feral intent, his midnight fur standing on end in the moonlight. Three others crept out behind him, muscles taut, ready to spring. Rosaline returned their stare with unblinking resolve.

"This ends with me," she whispered, adjusting the shawl so that it would draw their interest.

A howl filled with anger and victory echoed through the woods. The lead wolf sprang forward, a blur of teeth and claws. Rosaline's scream shattered the silence, and in that instant, blood and moonlight mixed as the forest floor ran crimson.

---

Seventeen years later, the village nestled on the edge of the forest bustled with life. Rosetta stood at the window of Thomas's small cottage, watching the marketplace bloom with vibrant colors and the hum of chatter. The breeze that swept through the open shutters carried with it the familiar scent of pine and earth, mingling with the sweetness of baked goods and the metallic hint of the blacksmith's forge.

Thomas, a sturdy man with graying hair and eyes as sharp as a hawk's, was busy at the workbench, sharpening a set of hunting knives. His brow furrowed in concentration, and the sound of metal scraping against stone filled the cozy room. To the world, Thomas was her father-a man hardened by the woods and the solitude of his life. To Rosetta, he was the only family she'd ever known.

But there was a restlessness inside her, an ache she could never name. The village felt both like home and a cage, safe yet suffocating. She had never ventured past its borders, never dared to step into the woods that whispered to her in dreams.

"Rosetta," Thomas said without looking up. His voice, deep and rough, always commanded attention. "I need you to head to the market and pick up supplies. The list is on the table."

Rosetta pushed away from the window, her hair catching the sunlight and gleaming like spun gold. She grabbed the parchment, glanced at the familiar scribble, and nodded. "I'll be back soon."

As she stepped outside, the late afternoon sun warmed her skin, but a shiver ran down her spine. The market was lively, filled with laughter and bartering, yet there was an undercurrent of tension that pricked at her senses.

---

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of town, four pairs of eyes surveyed the scene. Farkas, Adolphus, Fridolf, and Lucian-the Alphas of the Midnight Ridge pack-had come under the guise of businessmen, their presence masked by sharp suits and the air of authority that clung to them like a second skin. They stood side by side, dark hair swept back, their physiques imposing and identical at first glance, but each carried an aura that set him apart.

Farkas, the eldest and most commanding, narrowed his ice-blue eyes as he observed the villagers. His voice was calm but laced with an edge. "We're only here for business. Let's not draw attention."

Adolphus, whose green eyes held a spark of mischief, smirked. "Come on, brother. We could use a bit of entertainment."

Fridolf, the hotheaded one with amber eyes that seemed to burn, grunted. "Focus, Adolphus. We're not here to play."

Lucian, the youngest and most easygoing of the four, often likened to a golden retriever in temperament, chuckled. His gray eyes softened as he surveyed the scene. "Relax. We can get in, get out, and maybe enjoy the day while we're at it."

Their banter fell silent when a breeze carried a scent that caught them all off-guard. It was soft, warm, and tinged with the wild-a scent so intoxicating that their wolves stirred within, restless and howling.

Farkas's jaw clenched, and he exchanged a sharp glance with his brothers. "Did you feel that?"

Before any of them could answer, their gaze landed on the girl moving through the market with an air of grace and curiosity. Rosetta's golden hair seemed to shimmer under the sunlight, and her pale skin glowed with a natural beauty that drew every eye, though she seemed oblivious to it.

Lucian was the first to break the silence, his voice hushed, almost reverent. "She's... she's ours."

---

Rosetta felt the weight of unseen eyes, and her heart quickened. She glanced around, searching for the source of the sensation. It felt like an invisible tether had pulled taut, drawing her gaze to a group of men at the edge of the market. They were strangers, yet something in the way they stood, their dark hair and piercing eyes, struck a chord deep within her.

The tallest among them, with ice-blue eyes, held her gaze. For a moment, time seemed to still. A flutter of something unknown sparked in her chest-a warmth that left her breathless.

She blinked, the spell breaking, and turned away, shaking off the strange feeling. The men continued to watch her, the intensity of their stares enough to make the hair on the back of her neck stand.

Farkas's voice was low, controlled, but there was an unmistakable tremor beneath it. "We need to know who she is."

Adolphus's green eyes darkened as he nodded. "Agreed. We need to know why a human girl smells like our mate."

Fridolf's fists clenched, the fire in his amber eyes blazing. "This changes everything."

Lucian's usual smile was absent, replaced by a look of quiet determination. "Then let's find out."

---

The sun had set, casting long shadows across the village as the Alphas gathered in the inn they had rented for their stay. The room was spacious, yet the air was tense, charged with the unanswered questions and the raw energy that had followed them since the marketplace.

Farkas stood by the window, his broad shoulders backlit by the moon's glow. His ice-blue eyes were locked onto the forest beyond the village, but his mind replayed the moment he had caught her scent. It wasn't just the allure of a mate-it was something deeper, something ancient. He finally broke the silence. "She's not just human."

Adolphus leaned against the table, fingers tracing the grain of the wood. His green eyes glittered with curiosity. "That's obvious, brother. But what is she? No human has ever stirred our wolves like that."

Fridolf's amber eyes flared with frustration. He paced the length of the room, the tension in his body coiled like a spring. "It doesn't matter what she is. If she's ours, we take her. We can figure out the rest later."

Lucian, always the balance between them, sat on the edge of the bed, tapping his fingers on his thigh. His gray eyes softened as he spoke, a small smile curving his lips. "We can't just storm in and claim her. Look at her-she doesn't even know us, and she's human, or at least she thinks she is. We need a plan."

Farkas nodded slowly. "Lucian's right. If we frighten her, we risk losing her. But we can't ignore what happened today."

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. The brothers tensed, exchanging wary glances before Adolphus moved to answer it. He opened the door to reveal a young boy, no older than twelve, clutching a scrap of parchment. His wide eyes flicked between the imposing men before he swallowed nervously.

"A message for you," the boy said, his voice quivering.

Adolphus took the parchment, flicking the boy a coin before closing the door. He unfolded the paper, reading the hastily scrawled words. His jaw tightened as he handed it to Farkas.

Farkas read aloud, his voice darkening with each word. "'Leave her be, or face the wrath of the hunter who guards her.'"

Lucian's brows furrowed in confusion. "A hunter? Is someone protecting her?"

Fridolf's fists slammed onto the table, making it shake. "I don't care who thinks they're protecting her. She's ours."

Farkas held up a hand, silencing him. "We need to know more about her guardian. If he's a hunter, he could be dangerous, and if he's aware of who she really is, we need to be careful."

Adolphus smirked, the challenge igniting a gleam in his eyes. "Then we start digging. Let's see what this hunter is hiding."

---

The next day, Rosetta woke to the early morning light filtering through her window. The unsettling feeling from the market still clung to her, a mix of warmth and an inexplicable sense of longing. She sat up, brushing her hair from her face, and caught sight of Thomas sharpening his arrows at the workbench.

"Morning, Thomas," she said softly, her voice tinged with hesitation.

He looked up, his expression softening at the sight of her. But beneath the warmth was a flicker of something else, something guarded. "Morning, Rosie. Did you sleep well?"

She nodded, though the truth was she had tossed and turned all night, dreams filled with flashes of intense eyes and shadows she couldn't place. "Yes. Just... strange dreams."

Thomas's jaw tensed, the rhythmic scraping of the arrowhead halting. "Dreams, huh? Anything I should know about?"

Rosetta hesitated, feeling a strange protectiveness over the men in her dream, as though speaking of them would shatter something fragile. "No, just dreams."

Thomas's eyes narrowed, studying her with the intensity that always made her feel as though he could see right through her. "Be careful today. Don't stray too far from the village."

A chill ran down her spine at the warning. Thomas was never overly cautious without reason. "I won't," she promised, even as an urge to defy the command welled up in her chest.

---

At the edge of the village, the Alphas split up, each taking a different route to gather information. Farkas moved silently through the marketplace, ears tuned to the whispers of traders and villagers. He listened for anything, any scrap of information about the girl who had turned their world upside down.

Adolphus, ever the charmer, engaged in conversation with a group of young women who giggled at his sly smiles and flirtatious banter. But his questions were pointed, subtle prods about the hunter and his ward.

Fridolf's approach was less refined. He stalked the blacksmith's forge, eyes scanning the faces of those who passed, searching for answers in the wary glances thrown his way.

Lucian, with his easy smile and unassuming demeanor, wandered through the village square, speaking to merchants and children alike. His questions were laced with kindness, disarming anyone who might have held their tongue.

By midday, they reconvened at the edge of the forest, sharing what little they had learned. Farkas frowned, the crease in his brow deepening. "She's known as Thomas's daughter, but no one knows where she came from. They think she was brought here as a baby."

Adolphus smirked, folding his arms. "The hunter is more than he seems. Some say he's faced wolves before, and not just any wolves. Alphas."

Fridolf's amber eyes gleamed. "So, we're dealing with a man who knows how to fight. Good. It'll make this more interesting."

Lucian shook his head, his gray eyes serious. "We can't just see this as a fight. If she's really our mate, we need to protect her, not tear her life apart."

Farkas's gaze hardened as he spoke. "We move carefully. We learn more, we watch, and when the time is right, we reveal who she truly is."

---