The Alpha's Forsaken

SCARLETT'S POV

"You don't have much time left , little rogue. If I count to five and you are still here , you're dead!" Alpha Ryan bellowed, and the floor seemed to shake with his words.

"You can't do this!" I screamed , rage erupting from within me as I refused to move.

I was terrified , yes. But the fear welling inside of me was matched by my seething anger. I was determined to stand my ground.

"I'm part of this pack!"

But he continued to count as if there was a bomb ticking in this pack house. "Two...!"

"Oh , no. That's terrible. How can she just go away? She has no wolf." Someone commented.

I could hear her laughter behind me.

"Poor little thing!"

That was what everybody knew. I was already eighteen, yet wolfless. So I shut my eyes and summoned her. 'Kylie , h-help me!'

Just then, Kylie stirred , and her roar filled my head. 'They want us out? Then , fine!'

'But how do we-shit!' My next words turned into a guttural scream as my whole body seized with pain. Every joint in me cracked as though someone had contorted them in a thousand directions.

I dropped to the floor, my breath hitching in agonizing bursts that ripped through my throat. Gritting my teeth , I mustered all of my strength , channeling it into one fierce primal scream that echoed around me.

Kylie took over and exploded out of the window like a bolt of lightning. 'We'll hunt them all down one day! I swear!'

*******************

We fled as far as we could go while I wept in the deepest pit of her head. But Kylie explained that we were just getting started in life , and leaving our family was just a chapter that had to be closed before we could move on.

"Where are we right now?" I asked her. "I can't smell the pack anymore."

"In another territory , I guess?" She sniffed and made a low groan , turning her head from left to right.

"We have to keep moving and find a way out of here before it gets too dark." She kept running , but this time she ran more slowly.

Kylie seemed to be in a state of confusion and discomfort , possibly due to being in unfamiliar surroundings. Despite this , she remained determined to continue and find a way out before nightfall.

Regardless , everything looked brighter and more colorful through her eyes , as though it was daytime.

We even felt better as the grass rustled against our fur. And the smell of damp earth and wild plants was like heaven. What if we were indeed in heaven?

"Can we stay here for a bit longer?" I asked Kylie.

'Sure!' she said , stopping by the thick roots of the tree.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath , savoring the tranquility of the moment. The rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds were the only sounds that filled the air , and I knew that this was exactly where I wanted to be.

'This place is very safe. Though it would be much better if I could find a bunny rabbit. I want to work on my pangs.'

"Whatever you want ," I said with a smile. What Kylie liked , I liked.

"Mind if we take a little nap?"

"Of course. We need some time off."

"So , where will we go later?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"To be honest , I don't know. I've never been anywhere else in my entire life. Anyway , we'll figure it out in the morning."

My wolf and I talked for a while longer before we both fell asleep.

**************************"

The sun was shining through the tree branches when I woke up the following morning.

When I finally stood up , my eyes grew wide as I turned to look down at myself. I had no clothes on , and I was stuck together with dirt and dead leaves.

"Um, Kylie? Are you there?" I whispered, massaging my temples for the little ache in my head.

Great. My wolf was silent. And no matter how hard I tried , I couldn't shift!

'Wait, did I really transform last night?'

My stupid thoughts made me slap my forehead. Of course , I turned into a wolf last night. Without Kylie , how could I have moved to this place?

And my clothes had even been ripped when she appeared unexpectedly. But I couldn't just walk around naked. I needed to gather at least a few large leaves to cover myself. Then I'd walk down the street and ask for help.

Just as I was about to move , I heard someone on their way toward me. "Well , look what we have found here!"

SCARLETT'S POV

I took a step back , pressing my bare back against the rough trunk.

My hands began to shiver as I noticed five men appearing behind tall clumps of weeds and vines. They wore leather hats and boots. I gulped when I noticed the weapons in each of their hands.

"I thought boar hunting was boring until we found you ," the stout man said with a grin.

Then a lanky and pale old man approached me. "Darling , what are you doing in the middle of the woods? Are you camping with your boyfriend?"

"No. No. She wasn't camping. Who camps naked , anyway?" The other stout man interrupted.

"Would you like to come with us , sweetie?"

"Stay away from me!" I grumbled. "I'd rather die than go with you , jerks!"

Their laughter sent shivers up and down my spine. Out of fear , I closed my eyes and begged for help from anyone who could hear me.

"Oh, we're not going to hurt you , sweet child. We are here to bring you to safety."

The man with wrinkles on his face extended his arm to me as he approached. "And when I say safety , it means in my warm bed."

"We should make a raffle so we know who'll f*ck her first."

"Nah , there's no fun in that. We can take turns , anyway."

"You always have the best idea!"

How could these humans violate such a helpless girl? Are all humans acting savagely?

"Got you, bitch!"

"Get your hands off me!"

Tears streamed down my face as I felt the sharp tug of a thick, calloused hand in my hair. Then my sobs erupted into a piercing scream as another hand roughly grabbed at my breast.

I was paralyzed with fear , and the sickening realization that this wasn't a nightmare hit me like a falling rock. I was resigned to my fate , accepting the fact that this was how it was going to end for me.

But then, out of nowhere , a figure appeared and dragged the man away from me. In an instant, the other attackers were hurled against trees in every direction , leaving me confused as to what had just happened.

'Is he one of them? Did he knock them off so he could have me all to himself?'

The thoughts in my head left a bitter taste in my mouth. I let myself collapse on my feet and shoved myself tighter into the curved space of the tree trunk, my face on my hands.

"You okay? Did they hurt you?"

Slowly , I looked up at the source of a rich manly voice. I gasped when he grabbed my arms and helped me stand up.

"Did they touch you?" He took a sharp look at my face , then looked down over my body to my feet and everywhere.

"N-no." I could only shake my head.

My mind was busy gazing at his face. He seemed different from those bad guys. He was wearing a simple white shirt and a pair of faded jeans. His eyes were the color of amber , my favorite color , with a gold and copper hue to them.

"Let's get you out of here before these scumbags awaken."

My eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he started to peel his clothes off. "What the hell are you doing? Are you going to-oh , no!"

I knew it! He was one of them. I should have run when I got the chance!

"Stop freaking out!" He frowned and took off his jeans this time.

"Please don't do this to me!"

I swear my face was on fire when I spotted his most intimate area! He got down on his hands and knees just as I was ready to bolt. Then , for a short moment , he transformed into a large wolf that was taller than I was.

My jaw dropped. "S-so, you're a werewolf?"

The same captivating amber eyes met mine as he raised his head to look at me. Before I knew it, my hands were caressing his thick , healthy fur , loving the rich auburn and copper hues that it contained.

"You're beautiful," I whispered.

He bent his head down until it was parallel to my waist. 'Ride.'

"Huh?" I froze.

'What the f*ck are you waiting for?' he growled, revealing his sharp pangs. 'Those humans will wake up soon and they will shoot us without hesitation!'

"Okay! I'll do it!" I scrambled up , clinging to his huge body before flinging my arms around his back.

With a sudden burst of speed , he leaped through the branches , bursting from tree to tree with me locked in a vice-like grip behind him.

I felt like I was being thrust through the air with no control or direction. I wanted to believe that he meant me no harm , yet something was unsettling about him that made me uncertain.

He saved my life , but should I put my trust in him?

SCARLETT'S POV

EARLIER...

As a werewolf, you constantly fantasize about meeting your mate. Until you've experienced it firsthand, you can never really understand it.

As I eagerly anticipated my future with Liam, I began to see the world in vivid hues. However, everything came crashing down when Liam finally found his mate. That very evening, I lost everything in a snap.

"Are you ready, Scarlett?" Leroi leaned against the door frame as he laughed and studied my reflection.

His arms were crossed over his chest, and he clearly didn't care if his crisp blue dress shirt wrinkled. He had taken on the role of father for me since I was a baby, and our parents had been killed in an ambush by a band of outlaws.

"What keeps you going for so long? Hey, no matter how much powder you put on your face, it will never change." He smirked.

"You're only distracting me," I grumbled as I met his gaze.

"From what I see, you're already decent enough to blend in with other people," he said, examining my attire.

Then he gasped for no reason. "Oh, no! But what if you aren't my sister? The little Scarlett I know doesn't even bother to comb her hair, which is why she's often mistaken for a witch's daughter... or a vampire's!"

I was seriously considering throwing things at him. I thought the solid wooden hairbrush I was holding would do the trick.

I cocked my head to look over my shoulder at him. "Why don't you just wait in the living room or assist your wife in putting on her dress?"

I rolled my eyes and returned my gaze to the mirror. I took a deep breath and forced myself to smile once more. I couldn't let go of my good mood.

"I was just finishing up the last round of retouching," I explained when I noticed he was still standing by the door.

"You see, I have to be the most beautiful girl for this night... and for Liam's eyes. I have to be ready in case he's found his mate, and that is none other than me."

My greenish eyes twinkled in the mirror, which matched my apple green off-the-shoulder cocktail dress that contrasted with my jet-black long hair and pale white skin.

I expected Leroi to laugh again at my claim to be Liam's soon-to-be mate. But his expression became serious. "Scarlett, it's not possible. Only the Moon Goddess can decide who our mates will be. I'm simply stating the facts. Please do not misunderstand."

His words pricked my heart, causing me to blurt out my irritation.

"Then why did you choose to live with Trixie, who isn't your mate? You just stole her from her original pack."

"Abusive pack," he corrected me. "Will you stop bringing it up every time I give you advice?"

There was an odd silence in my room as we both turned to face one another in the mirror. I despised being involved in family drama.

But whenever he lectured me about something I knew he couldn't apply to his own, I didn't see the point in believing in it.

"How many times do I have to tell you that my case was different?" He sighed and shook his head as if water had hit him in the face.

He turned the doorknob after that. "I'll give you another five minutes. If you don't go downstairs after that, I'll drop Luna Harper's birthday invitation and claim I'm not feeling well. I'm so close to being one, actually."

I let out a long, frustrated sigh.My good mood was gone for good. But I had to go to the party, no matter how sad I was. It was the birthday of Liam's mother. I had to be there.

****************************

We arrived at Alpha Ryan's pack house a few minutes later.Our home was far from the town's heart. However, my brother chose to live on the outskirts of our urban community, so he could tell right away if rogues were invading the area.

Also, he wanted to get along with the common werewolves rather than jam with the high-ranking officials. That made the other wolves love him. They had faith in him and adored how humble he was.

Returning to the present, I smiled as a familiar figure walked toward me.

Liam looked stunning in a black button-down shirt and a dark pair of trousers. He looked great in his casual attire. His hair was pushed back , giving him a stylish appearance.

"Hey , pretty!"

My mood instantly improved when Liam leaned down and pressed his lips against my cheek. I had to tip my toes to meet the kiss.

"You've arrived. I thought you weren't coming ," he said quietly in my ear.

His hypnotic voice almost made my knees turn to jelly , particularly when he encased me in his arms.

"Are you alone? Where's your family?"

My eyes wandered around the lobby over Liam's broad shoulder. Then I noticed Leroi and Trixie talking with Luna Harper. I frowned when Tiffany came up to them and greeted Luna with a kiss on the cheek.

Tiffany was the daughter of Leroi and Trixie. We had the same blood running through our veins , but I couldn't seem to like her. Why do they all appear to be so happy without me?

"I'm not sure."

I knew lying was wrong , but I didn't want to talk about it with Liam.

"How did your trip in the Eastern region go , by the way?"

"Good ," he said as if it weren't a big deal. "Alpha Caine from the Blood Moon Pack will arrive tonight."

He looked around and pointed his index finger in the direction of Alpha Ryan. "Oh , the wild one is finally here. He is talking to Dad."

I watched where his finger went and found the person he was talking about. I didn't get to see his face because his big back was turned towards us. But the bun of hair on top of his head was noticeable from a long way away.

"Wow. Isn't this pack the most feared in the East? And you've managed to convince their leader?" My eyes grew wide with awe as I looked back at him.

"I'm sure you'll be a great Alpha at some point. I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks. Anyway , that's for the sake of our pack. We need strong allies so our enemies won't knock us down easily or hesitate to touch us in the first place." He grinned , but the emotion didn't reach his eyes.

Shortly, he wrapped my wrist with his hand and said, "By the way , there's something I need to bring up, Scarlett. Can I have a moment with you?"

For some reason , his tone made my heart race-in a bad way. "S-sure. Here?"

"Outside."

The next thing I knew , we were standing by the fountain , settling in the garden. This was the center of their sprawling home. Everything was vintage and romantic.

"Scarlett..."

My heart skipped a beat as he mentioned my name. But I didn't say anything or turn around. I bit my lower lip , waiting for him to complete his statement... or sweet confession?

"I want you to know that-"

"Liam, we were looking for you all over the place!" I turned around to face the familiar female voice that had the nerve to interrupt my private time with Liam.

"Tiffany?"

"Hello, Scarlett." She smiled at me without appearing surprised but with an expression of disapproval. "Have you heard the whole truth from him yet?"

"What truth?" I asked with a frown.

Tiffany looked over at Liam , who had moved to stand beside her. He even put his arm around her waist.

"Wait a minute , what in the world is going on?" I clenched my teeth , seeing them together.

"Tiffany is my mate ," Liam declared , and kissed Tiffany on the lips.