Chapter 4 Enter the Alpha

His growl was deep, scary, and intimidating. It was powerful enough for the wolf to pause their actions. The authority was loud and made everyone under it tense. I knew I had no choice but to submit. However, I refused because I had spent too long fighting for my survival, and I wouldn't betray my grit by bowing to anyone.

Little did I know that the night was far from being over. Before I could blink, we were surrounded by wolves larger than I had ever seen. Their dark figures blended with the night, making them slightly unnoticeable until walk or growled.

I realized that it was not a battle about me anymore. There were two sides attacking each other ferociously, and the rogues lost at a speed faster than light. Within minutes, their bodies were littered on the floor in a pool of cold blood.

It was a complete massacre.

In the midst of all the commotion, I tried my best to stand up by using elbows as support because I was too weak to fight and too disoriented to run. My head was banging so hard that I couldn't think straight. In the midst of all the commotion, I saw him.

He was standing at the center, unscathed and powerful. Damian's presence was intimidating and suffocating at the same time. The fallen bodies were lying under his tall frame with his glowing golden eyes. The aura of a true Alpha was radiating from him with full force and power.

The wolves that came with him rushed to his feet and bowed when they were done with the rogues. Their breathings were steady despite the bloody party and their blood-colored furs.

I couldn't move. Even though I wanted to run badly, I couldn't bring myself to stand. He took a slow step forward without breaking his fixed gaze on me. I could recognize him so well. He was my most hated creature and now, cruelly, my mate.

The effect of the bond tugging hard caught my breath in my throat. The pull was so intense that my body trembled. A cold and nauseating wave of fear swept through my system instead of the warm happiness of finding one's mate. The hatred was unleashed alongside the mate bond.

"Definitely not him, please." my lips trembled as tears flowed down my cheeks.

I forced myself to sit up, ignoring the terrible pain in my shoulder. "Stay back," I snarled, my voice was hoarse but firm.

He didn't stop. His expression was blank, but his steps were filled with possession. He stopped in front of me and crouched to extend his hand, but I met him with a loud scream.

"Don't touch me," I spat, scrambling backward. My heart pounded so loudly that it drowned out everything else.

He tilted his head slightly, studying me like a predator toying with its prey. "You're injured. We can't let that happen." His voice was deep, smooth, and laced with command

"I can handle myself." I tried to push to my feet, but my knees buckled.

Before I could hit the ground, his firm grip caught my arm.

A cruel reminder of how he killed my entire family washed through me. I couldn't bear to accept that my biggest enemy was my mate. How dare the moon goddess betray me this way?

I wrenched away from him, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through me. "I don't need your help."

He did let me go, but his gaze never wavered. "You're reckless."

I let out a bitter laugh. "And you're a monster."

He didn't react to the insult. Instead, he glanced at the bodies surrounding us, "They were hunting you."

"And how was that your business? You desperately wanted to play the hero?" my voice was void of mercy and respect.

Damian studied me for a long moment in silence and then turned to one of his men. "Burn the bodies."

I stiffened. "What? How could you be so cruel even after four years?"

His eyes snapped back to mine. "We don't leave traces."

A chill ran down my spine. There was no hesitation in his voice, no remorse; he was simply cold and evil.

One by one, his wolves began to drag the bodies into a pile. The scent of their blood filled the air, mingling with smoke as someone set a torch to the heap. The fire roared to life, the huge flame dancing towards Damien's face, but he didn't move.

He was eliminating the problem, cleaning the mess that caused him to show himself after being in the shadow for years.

I swallowed hard. "You didn't have to kill them all. Scaring them off would have been better,"

"They were rogues," he said simply. "They would have killed you."

I clenched my fists. "I can take care of myself."

His response was sarcastic. "Clearly."

Anger flared in my chest, burning away the fear. "I don't need you. I don't want anything to do with you."

A long silence stretched between us. His wolves had finished their task, waiting silently for their Alpha's command. But Damian wasn't looking at them. He was looking at me.

"You don't have a choice," he said finally.

My stomach twisted at his voice. "What?"

"You're coming with me."

I took a shaky step back and spat out loud. "I'd rather die!"

"You're my mate." His voice was calm but grounded with authority. "And you're in danger."

I let out a sharp laugh, though there was no humor in it. "I've been in danger my whole life. That doesn't mean I belong to you. I will never belong to you!"

He didn't argue. Instead, he took one last step forward, closing the space between us. I refused to back away this time, even as his scent wrapped around me, intoxicating and dangerous.

"You don't trust me," he murmured, his voice lower now.

"No. Not one bit!"

His eyes were a few inches apart from mine as his gaze roamed my face. "Good. You shouldn't."

Then, before I could react, he reached out, gripping my wrist, not harshly but firm enough to make it clear I wasn't escaping.

"We are leaving now; you've enjoyed your vacation enough," he commanded.

I tried to yank free, but his grip didn't budge. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

His golden eyes burned into mine. "You already belong to me, Aria."

My breath was filled with fury because I wasn't his, and I would never be his.

But as I looked at the burning bodies of my attackers and the ruthless Alpha who had just claimed me, I realized that I had truly lost control over my fate. It was what I feared the most.