Chapter 1 The Monster in the Forest

SIENNA'S POV

I knew the Royal Pack was dangerous. But I never expected to watch a man get beaten nearly to death on my first day.

I hid behind a massive oak tree, covering my mouth with my hand so tightly that I could barely breathe. Peering through the leaves, I had a clear view of the training ground.

It was a massacre.

A huge man with dark hair stood over a boy on the ground. The energy radiating from him was suffocating. He was the Alpha. His black shirt was soaked with sweat.

But it was his eyes that frightened me. They were completely black.

"You should have kept your mouth shut, Omega," the Alpha growled. His deep voice carried easily across the silent training ground.

The boy on the ground was trembling. He was thin, his clothes were in tatters. Blood dripped from his split lip onto the dirt. When he looked up, I saw nothing but pure terror in his eyes.

The Alpha bent down, grabbed him by the neck, and lifted him off the ground. His legs dangled helplessly.

"Please," Finley choked, clawing at the Alpha's hand. "Alpha, please... not the eye. Please!"

The Alpha didn't even blink. "You challenged me in front of my warriors, Finley. You know the price."

I couldn't watch this. I couldn't stand there and let him murder someone right in front of me.

"Stop!"

The word escaped my throat before my brain could stop me.

Everything went completely silent. Nobody moved. Not a single person made a sound.

The Alpha froze. Slowly, he released Finley. Finley dropped to the ground, gasping and coughing. Then the Alpha turned his head towards the trees.

Every warrior turned to look at me.

"Did I just hear a voice?" the Alpha asked. He sounded calm, but in a terrifying way.

My heart pounded against my ribs. I should have run. I should have stayed hidden. But my legs wouldn't move. I stepped out from behind the tree. My hands were trembling, but I held my head high.

"You're killing him," I said. "He can barely breathe, and you-"

"Who are you?" the Alpha interrupted, his dark eyes locking onto mine.

The moment our eyes met, my chest hurt. It felt as though someone had punched me. A powerful pull made my bones ache, and I struggled to catch my breath. My heart skipped a beat. A strange, hot sensation rushed through my veins.

What the hell?

I stumbled backwards. My hand flew to my chest. My heart was beating so fast that I thought I was having a heart attack. What was happening to me?

I'd heard stories about werewolves. About how they could control the air. How their eyes glowed in the dark. But I was human. I wasn't supposed to feel that dark, magnetic pull. And I certainly wasn't supposed to feel it towards a monster covered in the blood of a man he'd just beaten.

I forced myself to breathe. I had to shake off the dizziness.

"I'm Sienna," I said. My voice was surprisingly steady. "And if this is how you treat your own pack, your mother should have drowned you at birth."

Several warriors gasped. Even Finley lifted his battered head from the ground. He looked at me as though I'd lost my mind.

The Alpha simply stared at me. I couldn't read his expression. His jaw tightened. Then he smiled. It wasn't a pleasant smile.

"You have quite a big mouth for a human," he murmured. He took a step towards me. The air grew heavier. "Do you know who I am?"

"An arrogant bully?" I replied. I crossed my arms so he wouldn't see them trembling. "You're a coward. It takes a real coward to beat someone who can't defend himself."

He stopped right in front of me. He was so close that I could smell the pine, sweat, and blood on him. He looked down at me. For a second, he didn't seem angry. He looked... possessive.

"I'm Asher Wolfe," he said quietly. "The Alpha of this pack. And you, little human, have just made a terrible mistake."

I swallowed hard. I refused to look away. "Killing me won't make you a good Alpha."

"I'm not going to kill you," Asher said. His voice dropped to a whisper that sent chills down my spine. He leaned closer. His lips brushed my ear. "You're my mate. The Moon Goddess has a twisted sense of humour."

I didn't know what to say to that. He pulled away and looked at his warriors.

Two warriors rushed forward and dragged Finley away. I watched them leave. My stomach twisted.

Asher looked at me again. He stared so intensely that it made me uncomfortable.

"You wanted to save him so badly? Fine. Now you're mine, Sienna. You'll stay here with me. And you'll learn not to challenge me."

He grabbed my wrist. His grip hurt. He dragged me towards a huge, dark castle in the distance.

I looked over my shoulder. There was a trail of blood on the ground where Finley had been.

I'd saved him, but at what cost?

I'd just walked straight into the lion's den.

And the lion wasn't going to let me go.