Torn Between Two Alphas

The sound of Alex's voice thundered across the clearing, making Nora's heart skip a beat "I reject you as my mate!" he bellowed, his voice booming across the trees.

Nora's breathing hitched, her chest heaving as she struggled to process the rejection. Her eyes welled up with tears, but she refused to let them fall.

Alex's fists clenched, his knuckles white with rage. He tried to speak, but the words got caught in his throat, choked by the anger building up inside. "I'll never be bonded to someone who killed my mother!" he roared.

Nora's hands trembling as she reached out to him, clutching his leg tight to appeal to his conscience. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"A..lex, I didn't do it. I swear that I had nothing to do with your mother's death, but Alex was not listening. He lifted his hand to silence her speech. "You're a liar!" he exclaimed, his eyes filled with hatred. "You're a cold-hearted killer."

"You evil girl, you dare open your mouth to speak? Eve, her step-sister, ran towards her, dragging her by Alex's legs. She could see the cheeky sneer on her face; she didn't need anyone to tell her that she was the cause of her anguish. She lay slumped on the dusty dirt of the Zodak pack's assembly, her tears soaking the soil as her heart splintered into a million pieces. The sting of Alex's words replayed in her ears, and the sour taste of betrayal entered her tongue.

"Alpha Alex, the man who quotes all the phrases of love to her tiny eyes, looks at her with such hatred."

Her mind reeled at the cruel twist of fate. His rejection burned through her soul like fire.

"Today, before everyone in the Zodak pack, I renounce Nora as my mate and Luna. I formally declare Eve to be my Luna.

"Alex, no. "Her heart felt like it had been shattered into a million pieces; she felt like she was drowning in a sea of despair." You can't do this to me. With his final sentence, her father stepped out of the crowd."Since it is a law in the Zodak pack that any female wolf whose mate rejects for committing an atrocity must be taken as a maid." I, therefore, send Nora Roland as Maid into Eve and Alex's home to help them deal with the commotion. Her father's voice was the last nail in the coffin. Being degraded to a maid at the home of her biggest betrayer was a humiliation she never expected to suffer."No, Father, I will never enter Eve's home as a maid."Enough," Alex hissed, stepping forward. His piercing stare met mine for a brief period, and I looked hard for a peek of the love that had once been there. But all I found was cold indifference.

"You heard your father's decree. You belong to us now. Accept your fate."

Her hands trembled, and her pulse raced as her eyes wide and breath shallow."No Alex," I screamed. "I did nothing to merit this!

"Alex's lip curved in scorn, and he turned on his heel without another word.

The rest of the pack members began to scatter, their hushed mumbles slicing through the air like daggers. No one stood up for her. No one dared, not even her childhood friend Mary. How could she? Anyone who did will eventually be cursed and have the same fate.

She was utterly alone. As the crowd scattered, her tears clouded the world around her. Her chest ached, and her wolf moaned inside her, mourning the recently broken relationship. She clutched to the cold soil, the weight of Alex's words still reverberating in her head. Eve stood triumphantly over her.

She bent down, her lips curled into a snarl.

"You are pathetic, Nora. Did you truly believe Alex would choose you over me again?"Her voice was filled with hatred.

"This is your fate now, under my feet, where you belong".I clenched my hands, pushing my nails into my palms.

"You planned this, didn't you?"I whispered, her voice raspy from grief.

"Hahahahaha." Oh, dear, innocent Nora. You're as foolish as you appear. Of course, I planned it. It was not difficult to persuade Alex that you were engaged in his mother's death. After all, he has always had doubts about you."

She glared at her, her anger beginning to boil. "You won't get away with this, Eve. The truth always comes out."

"By the time it does, it'll be too late," she said, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "Enjoy your new life as my maid."

She walked away, leaving her trembling with rage and heartbreak.

---

Tension clouded Nora's emotions as she felt rage and bitter pain. She tightened her teeth and bit her lips until they bled. Her blood-soaked body was shackled to a chair, her wrists and ankles fastened with harsh, cruel metal. She was in a dimly lit room with a strong smell of smoke and sweat. Her bloated, blotchy face glowed as perspiration and tears dripped from her eyes and forehead. She heaved, her teeth clattering in terror as her claws dug deep into her lap. She looked like hell, but her appearance was an understatement of what was going on in her mind. Her wolf roared in her thoughts, her chest was heavy with pain, and her heart felt like it was being sliced with a knife. She buried her claws into her lap, preferring physical agony to the turmoil in her mind. Moans rang across the air as a handsome man fondled a frilly blonde's body and kissed Eve. Nora wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and block out the gore she was seeing, but she didn't dare. She could easily tear the chains that bound her and rip the neck of the crew in front of her, but she wouldn't dare. Around them, more girls stroked their fingers through the male's body. Eve does not mind sharing him with other girls; she would rather share him than let Nora have him all to herself. Those ladies were omegas who came into contact with the Alpha, her alpha, and her mate. Every touch and sound made her wild. Nora's wolf demanded blood. She could easily kill every woman in that room for simply glancing at her partner, but she couldn't. She couldn't do it since she was being punished. In his view, this was only a fraction of the penalty she would face for killing his mother. Her mate now considered her as nothing but trash, and he liked manipulating and playing psychological tricks on her. "Nora, you are losing concentration. Pay close attention to me. "You must watch and enjoy the pain," he said, his voice tinged with passion and dominance. Her eyes widened, and her head straightened. It was unpleasant, but when an Alpha commands, one feels forced to obey it. Eve snickered before approaching her. "Stupid bitch," she said, as another struck her hard while laughing wildly. "Aw, Luna, are you angry? "Is your body boiling with rage right now?" said a blue-eyed one, sneering in her direction. "All hail the Luna." Mocked another. Echoes of laughing flooded the room, and the blonde approached her. "He said you should watch carefully," she whispered into her ears. Nora heaved, her face aching from the scratches and bruises she had suffered from her mate when he punched her during the pack assembly. She bit into her ripped lips to keep from screaming, then pressed her nails more into her lap. "She is so ugly."Do you realize how ugly you are?"One inquired."Look into my eyes!"Her mate snarled. Nora whimpered, wishing for the pain to stop. What he said next caused her blood to run cold. "You know, Nora, I have been thinking. Perhaps it's time we escalated your punishment. Her heart fell, and her mind raced with possibilities. What had he intended for her? Then he walked in front of her, and everything turned black.

She gasped for air, her lungs burning as the foul liquid splashed across her face and dripped on the icy floor. Alex's mocking laughter echoed against the walls, making her flesh crawl."Pathetic?" he said."You are the pathetic one, Alex. she said, her voice quivering with wrath and embarrassment. You are so blinded by your hatred and wrath that you cannot see the truth."

Alex's laughter died down, and he took a step closer to her, his eyes blazing with contempt. "The truth?" he sneered. "You mean the truth about how you killed my mother?"

Nora's eyes welled up with tears as she felt a fresh wave of pain wash over her. "I didn't kill your mother, Alex," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I swear it. You have to believe me."

Alex's expression didn't change."I don't believe you," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "And even if I did, it wouldn't matter. You're still a murderer in my eyes."

Nora felt a stinging sensation in her eyes as tears began to fall, streaming down her face like rain. She felt a sob building in her chest, but she swallowed it down, refusing to give Alex the satisfaction of seeing her beast. Instead, she stood tall, her eyes locked on Alex's, and said, "You're making a mistake, Alex. A big one."

Alex raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh? And what's that?"

Nora's voice was steady, her words dripping with conviction. "You're going to regret this, Alex. Regret the day you ever doubted me."

Alex's smirk faltered for a moment, and Nora saw a glimmer of uncertainty in his eyes. But it was quickly replaced by his usual arrogance.

"I doubt it," he said, turning to walk away. "You're nothing but a murderer, Nora. And you'll pay for what you've done."

Another omega fisted her hand into Nora's

thick long red hair and yanked it. Nora let out a scream of agony. Another wave of laughter swept through the room. Nora sucked in the air; her wolf was threatening to explode. Unlike her, she didn't care about the consequences."Piece of trash, your existence is worthless. Maybe that's why no one loves you." She mocked.

At that, Nora's control snapped. She let out a rumbling growl as her irises turned dark with red rings around them. The laughter and mockery ceased immediately.

Alex, her mate and the Alpha of Zodak Pack growled, pushing away the ladies that surrounded him. His eyes flashed golden as he grabbed her.

"Return to her subconscious, wolf!" He gritted out, his dominance rippled through her body. Almost immediately, her eyes returned to their normal color and she let out an agonized cry. Grinning gleefully, Alex let her fall back to the ground, and the chair to which she was tied shattered under her weight.

"I thought I told you not to let your wolf exert control! Did what they said hurt you? They're right. You're useless and you'll forever be. That's why your father asked me to take you as a maid immediately, I rejected you as my Luna. He rather let me have you as a maid so you will never come back home, he knew how much of a waste you would be."

Tears spilled out from Nora's eyes. She could take every form of pain, insult, and injury, but nothing hurt more than the reminder that she was truly useless and could never result in anything good. The words Alex was saying were nothing but the truth and now she wished someone could end her misery.

"Open your eyes," he commanded, and she obeyed.

He gave her a dirty look and then knocked her off with his heel.

********

Her head throbbed as she managed to drag herself to the bathroom; she was forced to begin working as a maid in Alex and Eve's home. Every task seemed like a reminder of her humiliation. She cleaned floors, prepared meals, and put up with Eve's relentless taunting.

She sat in the corner of the tiny room assigned to her at Alex and Eve's home. It was nothing more than a thin storage room, with a flimsy mattress on the floor and a single candle flickering in the dark. She stared at her hands, her thoughts whirling.

"I can't live like this," I would not.

A faint knock on the door shocked her. Before she could react, the door cracked open, and Mary crept inside. Her eyes were filled with shame and sadness.

"Nora," She muttered.

"I'm very sorry."I should have-"

"Don't," she shouted abruptly, cutting her short.

"Do not apologize. I understand why you didn't help me.

"The law is stronger than friendship." Her shoulders slumped.

"I despise this pack and its laws. "What they've done to you is unfair."

She turned away, unable to bear the pity in her gaze.

"What do you want, Mary?

"She paused before speaking."I believe Eve is hiding something.

I overheard her talking with someone in the forest yesterday. She mentioned a deal and your name.

Her heart skips a beat. "A deal?

"Yes," She replied, leaning closer.

"I don't know all the circumstances, but I believe it has something to do with Alex's mother.

Her fists clenched, her face turning crimson...."What might Eve possibly have to do with Alex's mother's passing"?

Then, the door cracked open, and Eve appeared in the doorway, a mischievous smirk on her face.

"Ah, Mary," she murmured, her voice full of bitterness.

"I see you are still attempting to protect Nora. How... quaint."

"Mary's eyes narrowed, and she took a step back as if preparing to protect herself before hurriedly leaving the room.

But, before she could say anything, Eve dropped a bombshell: "Nora, you have a visitor."Someone who has waited a long time to see you.

Visitor?..her heart fell, and she felt a shiver down her spine.

Who might it be? Eve stepped back, revealing a figure shrouded in shadow.

And as the figure stepped forward, she felt her world turn upside down.

She turned and caught a glimpse of the stranger's piercing blue eyes, her heart skipped a beat. That face she'd never forgotten, one that had tortured her nightmares for years and continues to haunt her.

"Nora," the stranger said, his voice low.

"It's been a long time my dear Nora."

She glanced at him, shocked and confused.

What was he doing here? How did he know Eve?

"Who are you?" She pretended, attempting to keep her voice steady.

He laughed, crinkling his eyes at the corners. "You don't remember me, Nora?" he inquired, his voice filled with agony.

And then, the memories hit her, they began flooding back, and she felt like she'd been punched in the gut.

"Ryder?" she muttered, her voice barely audible.

Ryder, her first love, her confidant, and everything, had left her hurt and confused after disappearing without a word.

Until Alex discovered her and made her life worth living again.

That same "Ryder" is here, standing in front of her, his eyes burning with such intensity that her heart skipped a beat and burned with pain.

Before she could ask him any questions, Eve came out, her voice full of contempt and hostility.

"Ryder, darling," she exclaimed, her eyes shining with triumph.

"I am so delighted you are here. You've arrived just in time to experience Nora's new life as my maid, so I'll have her serve you right away. Why did I inform Alpha Alex of your arrival...The Alpha of Stone Moon pack. She smiled and walked out, leaving her devastated.

We will meet again," he growled. She jumped back, her Irish eyes bulging out, and pain flashed through her eyes.

"Y-you," She sputtered, clutching her mini gown.

Ryder sucked his teeth. Was she intentionally seducing him, on realizing that he was now the notorious Alpha of Stone Moon Pack?

She gasped, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and her breath quickened. Ryder chuckled darkly, reveling in her fear.

"You're as ruthless as always." She sneered, staring at his face.

Ryder growled, he hated the irritation and hatred for him that flashed in her eyes. He needed her back in his life but she didn't. She seemed to detest him. Growling again, he grabbed her into his arms; his mouth automatically found the mark above her chest he gave her years ago and touched it; her breath ceased for a moment.

He chuckled, licking it again to seal it out of eyesight "You're coming home with me."

"Never," She retorted, her breath heavy, her eyes fluttering open and close. "This is my pack. I'm Luna."Ryder Smirked Ex-Luna, but now a maid, you mean?

"No, I will not go with you."I'm still....

"We shall see." He said, letting go of her. He was surprisingly pleased as the scent of her arousal swarmed the room as he returned to his place in the packed hall Alex gave him to stay.

He had come up with a simple plan. Immediately after the party was over, he was going to bargain for her with Alex and if he refused him, he was going to bring hell to Zodak. Ex-Luna or not, she was his.

When he got her, he was going to use every means to break the spell she had over him that lured him to her for years.

..............

Immediately after Alpha Ryder left, Nora fell to the ground shuddering and gulping in air. That was the most intense moment of her life. What the hell did that devilishly good-looking man crawl out from? And why was her body melting under his touch and gaze even after he had said the worst words anyone had said to her in a long time?

"Breathe in, breathe out, " she huffed, fanning her hot face. He also made the most ridiculous statement she had heard in a while. What did he mean by that statement 'she was going home with him?'

He may be an Alpha, the most ruthless Alpha known to the werewolf world, but Alex was her mate. Despite the disparaging treatment he was giving her, because of the death of his mother, she was still his. They were mates.

"Just breathe," she muttered to herself and placed her hands on her beating heart to calm it.

She couldn't understand why, despite all the assuring words and thoughts she was giving to herself, she still felt afraid. Her body trembled, her heart thrashed within her chest, and how her wolf was going crazy in her subconscious.

"There she is," a snarky voice hissed, as the door of her thin room flung open. She was taken aback by this suddenness and moved further away from the door.

"Where have you been? Do you not know that Alpha Alex has been looking for you all over the place? Have you now forgotten your duties as Luna..oops maid of this house?"

Nora released a breath she didn't know she was holding and gathered herself to her feet. She looked at her intruder for the first time and it was one of the omegas Alex had been with. Nora rolled her eyes, then stared at her feet, pretending to ignore the young girl.

"Bitch, are you listening to me? Are you deaf or are you dumb? Alpha Alex has requested that you set the table for the party to welcome the warriors from Stone Moon Park, and you should also dress up to accompany his new Luna to greet the visitors. And you are ignoring me!" She ranted. Scoffing, Nora continued to pretend like she was adjusting her gown.

The young werewolf growled, "You're cocky, huh? You are cocky because you know I can't do anything to you right now. Well, watch what happens after the party."

With that, she stomped out of Nora's room and banged the door close. It took Nora a whole lot of self-control to keep herself from bursting into laughter. She always enjoyed putting those nasty girls in their places, even though she knew the repercussions would be dire.

She chose not to worry about that now and even ignored Alex and Eve. She allowed herself to fall onto the small foam in her thin room and then exhale.

The past few days had been a total hell for her. Alex had used all forms of punishment to make her pray for death. With the visitors around she will be lurking in the shadows and avoiding him completely.

"Ugh," she groaned. "I know the torment will continue when that ruthless Alpha Ryder and his warriors return to his pack."

She massaged her temples with her eyes shut, wishing that, by some miracle, something would happen and change her new fate. At least that way, she would retain her position as Luna and Ryder would forget what they had in the past. At the thought of alpha Ryder, a cool shiver snaked up her spine, causing her to sit upright immediately.

Why was the mere thought of him making her body react like that? She laughed grimly as she remembered his threats. He was not only rude and wicked, but also out of his mind. Why would a normal-thinking person believe or even threaten to take away the Luna of a pack?

It was hilarious, and if she hadn't been so pissed off at him and too tired of the day's chores, she would have laughed harder. Her ears picked up the sound of thundering footsteps heading toward the thin room and she jumped to her feet Immediately