Marked for the Enemy Alpha

Everyone in the pack knew that a simple offering of food could make me, the so-called "foolish princess," do anything.

Kaizen Phillips, the Beta of the pack, once handed me a piece of cake, and I clung to him for years after that. Though he never showed it openly, he despised me in private, calling me shameless and accusing me of throwing myself at him. I didn’t understand what "shameless" or "throwing myself at him" meant—I only knew that Beta Kaizen gave me good food, so he must be a good person. I liked him, and I wanted to repay his kindness.

That was until the news came from the northern border: our pack had suffered a defeat, and Vera Fernandez, the Lycan King’s most cherished daughter, was to be sent as a mate to the rival pack’s Alpha to secure peace.

Vera’s mother, Bristol Larson, the Lycan Queen, came to me personally, carrying a box of pastries. She pleaded with me to take Vera’s place in the mark ceremony.

I wiped the crumbs from my mouth and waved my hand dismissively. "Don’t worry, Your Majesty. It’s just a mark ceremony. If Vera doesn’t want to go, I’ll do it for her."

---

When I was stopped at the entrance to the Lycan King’s private office, I realized I had agreed too easily.

The Lycan King, Robert Jacobs, seemed to have forgotten he even had a daughter like me, and the guards naturally refused to let me in. But the Lycan Queen had given me an entire box of pastries! If I didn’t make this happen, wouldn’t I have eaten them for nothing?

I scratched my head, then had an idea. I turned toward the office and shouted at the top of my lungs:

"Father! Father! It’s Samantha! Open the door!"

The guards growled, "How dare you! This is the Lycan King’s private office! You can’t just barge in like this!"

They raised their claws and came at me. I bolted, running circles around the office while yelling, "Father! Father! It’s Samantha! I need to talk to you!"

"Who’s making all this noise?"

The door to the office suddenly swung open, and a group of people stepped out.

The Lycan Queen had told me earlier that the Lycan King would be wearing his formal attire, adorned with the pack’s insignia. I spotted him immediately and waved breathlessly.

"Father, tell them to stop chasing me! I’m exhausted!"

The Lycan King raised a hand, and the guards backed off. He frowned at me. "Samantha? Which Samantha?"

I dropped to my knees and bowed deeply, my voice clear and bright. "Samantha from the east wing of the pack house. My mother is Luella Grant."

"Who’s Luella Grant?"

An elderly Beta standing nearby leaned in and whispered, "She was an Omega who served the previous Lycan Queen. She offended you on her first night and was never summoned again. She later gave birth to Samantha, but you never gave her a proper title."

The Lycan King’s expression darkened, and he waved a hand dismissively. "Ah, yes. I remember now. What do you want, Samantha?"

I straightened up, my eyes wide and earnest. "Father, I’ve come to volunteer for the mark ceremony. Let me take Vera’s place."

For a moment, the Lycan King just stared at me, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. Then he chuckled—a low, humorless sound that sent a shiver down my spine.

"You?" he said, his voice dripping with disbelief. "You want to take Vera’s place?"

I nodded vigorously. "Yes, Father. Vera doesn’t want to go, but I’m willing. It’s just a mark ceremony, after all."

The Lycan King’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought he might laugh in my face. But then he turned to the Beta and said, "Prepare the documents. Samantha Jacobs will take Vera’s place in the mark ceremony."

The Beta bowed and hurried off, leaving me standing there, my heart pounding in my chest.

I had done it. I had secured my place in the mark ceremony. But as I looked up at the Lycan King, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had just stepped into a trap—one I might not be able to escape.