BOUND BY THE ALPHA

XANDER LAVEN'S POV She was driving me insane. My control-the rigid, iron discipline that made the Blood Moon the leading pack in the entire county-was a memory whenever she was near. The way she teased me, running off, the way her wolf, Aria, purred when I showed affection. I'd caught her biting her lower lip, completely unaware, and the sight was sexy. Earlier, when she'd let Aria take over, I knew I was doing something right. I was easing into the bond without crushing her spirit. It was the only way I could live with the guilt of taking her from her brother, from her pack. She was mine, yes, but I wanted her whole, not broken. I fought the urge to simply grab her, place my mouth on hers, trace the lines of her body, and mark her right now. Hunter screamed the possessive urge every minute. I wished I didn't treat her like my property, but the Mate bond was an aggressive force for an Alpha of my bloodline. I ran my hand through my hair, ripping at the roots. I looked like I'd lost a fight, which I had-the fight for my sanity. My entire life was devoted to strict control. That's why the Blood Moon Pack dominated. I hadn't wanted a Mate. This was supposed to be my last year at the Mating Gathering, and I was ready to find a surrogate-an unmated pack female-to bear an heir. Easy. Clean. Then she was there. Defiant. In a revealing dress that showed off every dangerous curve. Her eyes-brown with that fierce hint of green-sparkled with insolence as she defended her damn fudge. I'd been furious, then mesmerized, then consumed. I hated seeing her cry. That single moment in the car, when her tears surfaced, had made Hunter snarl in rage at me. I crept down the stairs, finding a regular t-shirt and sweatpants-a temporary, fragile shield against the Alpha. She was on the couch. Asleep. Her lips were parted. Her long hair cascaded over her face. One leg was thrown casually over the back of the couch, exposing her long, gorgeous figure in those tight black leggings. 'Hunter surged. Mark her. Claim her. Now.' I contained him with a massive effort. I lay down behind her, positioning my body so we were spooning. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close, burying my face in her hair. "Hey, Chayse," I whispered, the words raw with the bond's desperate truth. Her breath hitched. She was awake. I knew it. She smirked. A soft, mocking sound. "Oh, shut up," I growled, shoving my nose into the crook of her neck. I took one final, huge, life-sustaining breath of her scent. "Now you're speaking my language," she whispered, snuggling closer before relaxing completely into my arms, pretending to fall back to sleep. I raised my eyebrows. Defiance, even in sleep. I closed my eyes, letting the deepest, most tranquil sleep I had ever known claim me. ......................... I woke to an empty spot in my arms. The clock read 5 AM. Forbidden hours for my brain. I frowned, realizing she'd abandoned me for the kitchen. A faint, sweet scent hung in the air; pumpkin Bread. I saw the small, scrawled note on the counter; "Knew you would need this in the morning" My sister, Caroline. The only one who could break my cabinets and get away with it. I sensed Chayse's shift immediately. She was upstairs. Preparing to run. No. She didn't leave the house. She padded back down the stairs-a massive, soft white wolf-and curled up next to my human form. She was seeking warmth. She was seeking me. Hunter erupted in a silent roar of victory. I gasped in shock, but my arms instantly curled around her, pulling her close. I pet her head gently, feeling her eyes flutter closed beneath my touch. After a while, the petting stopped. The warmth beside me changed. Hunter was awake. I shifted instantly, silently. My massive black wolf, eyes glowing bright blue, lay beside her white form. Aria grinned deviously inside her. Hunter pressed against her side. We were in our natural state, resting. I let the calm wash over me. But the full moon was tomorrow. ................ The day passed in a blur of escalating tension. The full moon was less than twenty-four hours away. My Alpha bloodlines were a furnace, and Hunter was practically chewing on my ribs. I locked myself in my office, trying to force control through paperwork. Then the music started. Loud. Blaring. I heard her swaying her hips, dancing around, changing characters in a dizzying display of human joy. I growled, my control returning in a flash of guilt. I released her shoulders. I kissed her forehead, then let out a deep, uncontrollable growl of lust. My wolf was winning. The full moon was too close. My lips moved down her face, settling on her neck. Hunter was fighting, raging. I needed to claim her. I was frozen. Aria held her still. Our lips battled for dominance, but Hunter had one goal. He won. I felt him lick her skin. A soft, tentative pressure. Then the sharp penetration. My canines sank into her soft, tender skin. She gasped. I bit harder, drawing the metallic scent of blood. I licked the bite clean. I pulled back. My golden eyes were filled with the pleasure of possession, but the shadow of regret lingered. "You marked me," she whispered, breathless. I nodded. I held her close, feeling the instant, overwhelming rush of the bond. Now, I felt her attraction. Her acceptance. "You marked me," she whispered again, the confusion warring with the new pull toward me. I sighed, burying my face in the nape of her neck, inhaling her scent mixed with mine. "I have to leave you, Chayse," I stated softly, cupping her cheek. "Why?" she asked, her eyes wide with sadness. "The Amber Sky Pack is having problems. I was personally invited to discuss it before it hurts the rest of the packs." "Then why can't I go?" she demanded, snapping instantly into defense. "That was my former pack! My brother should be Beta by now! I want to see him, and-" I placed a hand over her mouth. "Only if you stay out of Alpha business, Little Mate. I don't want to scare you." She narrowed her eyes, pulling my hand away. "Scare me?" she growled, her voice hard as glass. "My mother died because of rogue wolves, her body ripped apart in front of me. My father came back from a battle with the largest wound down his sides and ribs, blood pouring out. I've seen the light of battle where wolves drop like flies around you. I know what it feels like to be the only one alive from your troop, everyone else dead!" I stared at her, stunned. The defiance was a shield for a lifetime of trauma. "Just saying," she finished, her voice flat. "You won't scare me, but I'll stay out of your business." I nodded, kissing her softly. I turned and went back to the office, my mind reeling. She was tougher than I thought. She was a survivor. I needed her safe. I needed her alive. Chayse moved to the bathroom mirror. The bite on her neck was a bright pink, mint-scented bruise. It was permanent. She wiped it with a towel. The scar would be there forever. I owned her soul. But she owned my sanity.