Alpha Vorthrane's Pet

Kael's POV

"Your blood... shouldn't exist."

The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

For a moment, silence settled between us.

Liora stared at me as if I had spoken a language she did not understand. Her breathing was uneven, her chest rising and falling beneath the thin linen that barely concealed her body.

Moonlight from the narrow window spilled across her skin, catching the faint sheen of oil the maids had rubbed into her earlier.

The scent of jasmine lingered around her, but beneath that delicate fragrance was something far more dangerous.

Her scent wrapped around my senses like smoke, warm and intoxicating.

My wolf stirred violently beneath my skin.

Discipline and control were the foundations of an Alpha's power. No instinct, no desire, no impulse had ever managed to break through that control until her, until tonight.

My hand was still gripping her arm. The moment I realized that, I released her abruptly.

Liora sucked in a quiet breath as if she had been holding it for far too long.

Good, she should be afraid. She should tremble in my presence like everyone else in this palace.

But she didn't. Instead, she lifted her chin slightly, her eyes narrowing with defiance.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

Her voice was steadier than it should have been and a corner of my mouth twitched.

Even now, cornered in a dungeon cell with the most dangerous wolf in the territory standing inches away from her, she still dared to challenge me.

Interesting.

I took a step back, creating a bit of distance between us. The pull between us was still there, tightening around my senses like a slowly closing trap.

"You heard what I said," I replied coldly.

Her brows pulled together.

"I don't understand."

Of course she didn't.

If she truly knew what she was, she would not be standing here so calmly.

Or perhaps she would.

My gaze dropped briefly to the faint mark on her neck where my teeth had pierced her skin earlier.

The memory returned instantly. The taste of her blood had been addictive, dangerously so.

I clenched my jaw.

No woman had ever affected me like that and the fact that she was the daughter of the very people who betrayed my family made it even more infuriating.

"You don't understand a lot of things," I said finally.

Liora crossed her arms over her chest, clearly unimpressed by my answer.

"Then explain them."

My eyes darkened.

"Careful," I warned quietly.

Her lips pressed together, but she didn't look away.

The girl had courage or stupidity, possibly both.

For a moment, the only sound in the cell was the faint crackle of torches burning in the corridor outside then she spoke.

"You've had your revenge, now let me go" she said.

I stepped closer again and her back pressed against the wall once more, but this time she didn't try to move away.

"My revenge has barely begun," I murmured.

Her breath hitched slightly.

Good, at least she wasn't completely fearless.

Before I could say anything else, footsteps echoed down the dungeon corridor and my head turned toward the door.

A moment later, it burst open and one of my guards rushed inside, breathing heavily.

"Alpha!"

My patience snapped instantly.

"What?" I snarled.

The guard bowed quickly.

"My apologies, Alpha... but-"

"Speak."

"The High Council has arrived."

The words hung in the air like thunder before a storm.

For a second, even my wolf went still.

The High Council rarely left their territories and when they did, it meant trouble.

I straightened slowly.

"Why?"

The guard hesitated and that alone was enough to make my temper darken.

"I asked you a question."

"They... they are waiting in the throne hall," he said quickly.

"And?"

The guard swallowed.

"They know about the girl."

The dungeon suddenly felt colder and my gaze shifted slowly back to Liora.

She looked just as confused as before which meant she truly didn't know.

"How?" I asked quietly.

The guard shook his head.

"I don't know, Alpha."

Of course he didn't. The council did nothing without reason. If they were here and if they knew about her, then something far bigger was unfolding than I had anticipated.

I stepped toward Liora again and she stiffened instinctively.

My hand closed around her wrist, her pulse jumped wildly beneath my fingers.

"Come," I ordered.

She resisted immediately.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To meet the men who seem very interested in you."

Her eyes widened slightly.

"I didn't do anything."

"That remains to be seen."

I pulled her toward the door. She stumbled slightly as I dragged her into the corridor.

The dungeon guards straightened instantly as I passed. None of them dared to look directly at me.

We moved quickly through the halls.

The air felt different now and servants pressed themselves against the walls as we passed.

Warriors stood at attention near every doorway.

Word had already spread.

Liora struggled slightly beside me.

"You're hurting me."

"Good."

Her eyes flashed.

"You're an arrogant bastard" she said, her lips trembling.

A small smile tugged at my lips.

"Careful."

"I'm already in chains, what more can you do?" she muttered.

I stopped walking abruptly and she nearly collided with my chest.

For a moment we stood there, inches apart.

"You truly have no idea what I can do," I said quietly.

Her throat moved as she swallowed, but once again, she didn't look away.

That defiance again, it stirred something dangerous inside me. Something my wolf seemed to enjoy far too much.

I forced myself to keep walking.

The large doors of the throne hall came into view and two guards stood on either side. They pushed the doors open the moment they saw me approaching.

Warm light spilled out from the hall and the scent of powerful wolves filled the air. Five figures stood near the center of the room, each one radiating authority.

The council's eyes shifted toward us as we entered then they saw her.

Every single one of them stiffened and the room fell silent.

My grip on Liora tightened slightly. Something was very wrong.

One of the elders stepped forward slowly. His silver hair gleamed under the light. His eyes fixed on Liora with a mixture of disbelief and dread then he spoke and the words that left his mouth made my wolf growl.

"Where did you find her, Alpha Kael?"

I didn't answer immediately. Instead, my gaze moved between the council members, each one looked... uneasy and that alone was alarming.

"These matters do not concern you," I said finally.

The elder's expression hardened.

"Oh, they very much do."

His eyes shifted back to Liora and then he said something that made the tension in the room snap tighter.

"That girl should not be alive."