PROTECTOR OF THE ALPHA'S CURSED HEIR

The driver slammed on the brakes at the Alpha's order, the tyres screeching as the car stopped by the roadside.

"What the hell, Killian? We're going to be late," Kael snapped.

The Alpha shot him a cold look. "You can go on without me I'll catch up when I can."

"Seriously, brother, what's going on?" Dante sighed heavily.

"I don't have time to explain," the Alpha replied, stepping out of the SUV with his phone pressed to his ear, urgency in his voice.

Kael's annoyance turned to disbelief. "You're really not coming? We can't show up to the council meeting looking like we can't get our acts together. You know that people talk."

"Come on, Kael, let's not kid ourselves. You've always wanted to be Alpha. Go save the day, brother," he said flatly as he walked towards another SUV parked behind.

Kael shot him a glare as he moved away. "That arrogant jerk."

The Alpha climbed into the car, and the driver quickly backed out. They watched as the vehicle vanished into the dense fog of the night.

Mallory leaned in closer, her perfectly manicured fingers drawing absent circles on Kael's sleeve, giving the impression that she was trying to comfort him, even though her words dripped with malice. "Sweetheart, chill out. You're going to get wrinkles on that forehead of yours if you worry too much." She tilted her head, her eyes sparkling in the soft glow of the car's interior. "You know, sometimes thrones do need replacements."

Dante rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Malory, you're sounding like a very boring bedtime story."

For a moment, silence hung in the air, with only the faint hum of the engine breaking it.

Kael rubbed his hand over his face in frustration. "Move," he commanded the driver. "The council isn't going to wait around forever." The driver looked back hesitantly, seeking Dante's approval with his gaze.

Dante, lazily leaning against the window, didn't look bothered. "We wait," he said softly.

Kael looked all confused, his eyebrows knitting together. "What did you say?"

"I said we wait," Dante repeated, his words slower this time. "If the Alpha isn't coming, then I'm not going either."

Kael scoffed, his voice turning sharp. "You must be out of your mind, Dante. It's one thing for the council to doubt his leadership-now he wants us to look like there is division amongst us"

Dante interrupted with a sly grin, "But there is division amongst us brother. We just know how to hide it in public."

Malory chuckled softly, crossing her legs. "You'd make a terrible Alpha, Dante."

"I know," he replied flatly. "That's why I sleep better than either of you."

Kael snapped back "Dante, do you really think this is funny? What is wrong with the two of you?"

Dante leaned in closer, his eyes now sharp and focused. "Killian has never been careless. Whatever made him stop on his way to the council meeting must be important. If the Alpha is out there dealing with whatever it is, we should just wait for him instead of showing up to the council meeting looking like a bunch of stray cats. That's what they call uhmmm... I don't know... loyalty? Sound familiar?"

Kael snorted. "Loyalty or foolishness?"

"Sometimes they go hand in hand," Dante said with a knowing smile. "You and Malory can go ahead."

Kael leaned back, shooting a glare at the mist-filled landscape. "Fine, we'll wait," he muttered.

Malory gave him an incredulous look.

*****

The rain poured down heavily, Onika and some of Alpha's men were scouring the woods with torchlights, desperately searching for Annie. Mud splattered up their legs as they pushed through the thick forest. Onika's hair was soaked, sticking to her face, and her black combat outfit clung to her skin.

"Keep moving," she commanded. "I want every trail, every scent, and every single leaf in this forest checked!"

One of the bodyguards cuts in "Ma'am, she couldn't have gone far, but the rain is washing away her tracks... it's impossible to..."

Onika turned around to face him, her fierce glare locking onto his eyes. "Do you think I'm interested in your excuses? She stepped closer, rain dripping from her lashes. "You couldn't even keep track of a vulnerable pregnant girl. How could she possibly slip away right under your nose?"

The bodyguard stammered, "Ma'am...I truly apologise," his voice barely steady as he panicked. "It doesn't even make any sense; we were watching her closely. One moment, she was right there in her room and the next, she just vanished into thin air."

Onika looked furious, "You had one job! Just one damn job, and you utterly failed at it. Do you really expect me to relay this ridiculous excuse you're feeding me to the Alpha? Really? Just get out of my sight!" she spat, waving her hand dismissively.

Behind her, one of the bodyguards, clearly overwhelmed, stumbled onto a root, grasping onto his torchlight as if it could save him from Onika's furious gaze. "Ma'am, I believe she might be heading north," he managed to say, his voice shaky, unsure if it would even help their plight.

"Good!" Onika snapped back, her authority unwavering. "Now, I want you all to spread out. Three of you take the eastern ridge; the other three, circle back to the villa. The rest of you are coming with me as we go north!" Her commanding tone left no room for disobedience.

As thunder rumbled overhead, a bolt of lightning lit up the darkened sky, briefly lighting up Onika's face, revealing how overwhelmed she was "Tonight is the full moon," she said, her voice low yet intense. "You all better pray that other wolves don't find her before we do. The Alpha would bury us if that happened..." She wiped the rain from her face, "He'll... he'll never forgive me," she murmured to herself, the thought of letting the Alpha down, made her stomach twist. 

The rain kept pouring down. The forest was full of sticks that scratched Annie's legs, her hair, and her dress was soaked. She pushed through wet leaves and tall trees, her eyes searching for a way out of the bush.

"Alpha my foot! What kind of stupid name is that huh?" She hissed and advanced further into the woods.

But then, softly and slowly came the baby's voice "Mommy it's not safe out here, you have to go back now."

Annie wasn't startled at hearing the baby's voice again this time "Ohhh not again!" She pressed her hand on her abdomen, "I am not listening to an embryo"

"Mommy, where would you go?" the tiny voice persisted, almost pleading in its tone. 

"Home!" she snapped back, her voice irritated. "Away from this nightmare. I know you're not real! Alpha? Villa? None of this is true, okay? I'm heading back to the real world where things make sense."

"Mommy, something bad is going to happen. We are not safe here," the baby warned, 

"Oh yeah? How would you-a tiny winy barely-formed embryo-know that it's not safe huh? You're just..."

Before she could finish, a massive tree branch crashed down in front of her, she jumped back and her foot hit a rock, her ankle twisted. She stumbled and crashed down hard onto the wet ground and she screamed. 

She tried to stand up but she couldn't, then she saw the blood gushing out from the side of her ribs, she had torn her ribs from the fall. She whimpered in pain and tears. 

"No, no, no..." down on the soaked ground, she struggled to get back on her feet, her fingers digging into the mud below her. She tried to look at her wound to see how injured she was.

"Mommy you need to get up and run now! There's no time!" 

"Give me a break, you little..." 

That's when she heard it-a low growl that made her freeze in place. Slowly lifting her head, she saw it-just a stone's throw away, a massive wolf with wet fur, glowing eyes, and long sharp teeth, clearly hungry.

In a flash, Annie found her footing and took off, running faster than she ever had. The wolf chased her immediately. She didn't dare look back, even though the growl behind her sounded like thunder. 

Branches whipped against her face, and mud clung to her legs. The more she ran, the more she tore her injured ribs. 

She could feel it - the creature chasing her. Heavy, fast, hungry, and relentless. The ground trembled with each step.

Her heart pounding, her vision blurred,

Then - a root.

She didn't see it.

She stumbled and hit the ground painfully, landing on her stomach. A sharp wave of pain coursed through her body. She gripped her belly with one hand, gasping desperately, blood mingling with rain on her face. Fear flooded her mind-was her baby okay?

"My... baby..."

Her voice shook as she attempted to crawl, but each movement sent searing pain through her ribs and every breath was like torture.

Behind her, the growl grew louder. The bad wolf had found her, lying helplessly on the ground, unable to run anymore. It prowled around her knowing she couldn't run anymore, the wolf stepped into her front view, looking massive and terrible, It lowered its head, teeth glinting like blades.

Annie whimpered, dragging herself backwards. 

"Please..." 

She begged, pressing her hand against her belly as if to protect the baby from the wolf.

 "Baby... I'm so sorry..." She closed her eyes, surrendering to the reality that escape was impossible.

The wolf lunged at her throat.