The Possessive Alpha's Claim

What in the world was that smell?

It wasn't unpleasant, but it certainly didn't belong in her bed. Rhea's sleepy mind slowly started to make sense of it. The scent was undeniably that of a person-a male, to be specific. A wolf shifter, just like her. The smell was intoxicating, a mix of fresh pine, spring rain, and cedarwood.

Rhea wasn't the type to sneak strange men into the pack house, no matter how alluring their scent might be. But as she struggled to open her eyes, the fog of sleep still thick around her, she forced one eyelid to flutter open. The space beside her was empty. No mystery man.

She tried to move, but her head felt heavy, like it belonged to someone else. Turning slowly, she looked toward her alarm clock-but it was gone. Her bedside table was missing too. And then she realized with a jolt-the silky sheets beneath her weren't hers.

With a sharp intake of breath, she sat up quickly and cursed.

This wasn't her room. She wasn't even at home.

She scanned the unfamiliar surroundings, her heart pounding. The room she was in felt both luxurious and strange, almost like a cave. But not just any cave. The walls were smooth light cream sandstone, interrupted only by small, practical niches that served as shelves. The floors were carpeted in soft, plush beige. A dark oak wardrobe and matching drawers were situated nearby, and the bed-a massive platform one-was nestled under a smooth arch carved into the rock.

It should have been cozy, but the situation left her anything but comfortable.

Her wolf stirred inside her, alert but strangely calm, as if it didn't think she was in any danger. Rhea smirked at her wolf's lack of concern. She was the one in a strange place, with no memory of how she got there, but her inner animal didn't even bat an eye.

Had she gone out with Nova and ended up with some guy? That didn't sound right. Rhea didn't remember going out at all, let alone meeting anyone. And considering her position as the pack healer, getting drunk wasn't an option.

Plus, she was fully clothed in casual attire that she'd never wear for a night out, and there was no trace of anything... intimate in the air.

What was the last thing she remembered? She could vaguely recall heading to the internet café at noon, but beyond that, there was nothing. No memory of getting there. Of course, she had Never Remembers Shit Syndrome, but this was different. It felt like a gap in her memory.

She took a deep breath, filtering through the scents around her. Aside from the tempting aroma of the wolf she had sensed earlier, there were two other unfamiliar wolf shifters nearby-a male and a female. That ruled out one possibility: she wasn't in the clutches of Magnus, the pack's alpha, who was always pressuring her to be his mate, despite her disinterest. Her father wasn't likely to help either. He was too busy negotiating alliances with other packs, and his only child-the "latent" wolf-was a disappointment to him. To him, she was nothing but a weakness, a mark against his reputation.

Not that he'd notice if she never came back.

She shook the dark thoughts from her mind. Her focus shifted as she spotted a set of beige curtains. Swinging her legs off the bed, she stood up, though dizziness immediately set in, making her stagger unsteadily. What was going on with her?

Ignoring the disorientation, she moved toward the window. She drew the curtains aside, revealing a bay window-but it was locked. Looking outside, she saw that it was late afternoon, not morning. Had she only been here a few hours, or had she slept the entire day away?

The uncertainty hung in the air, thick and unsettling.

Her eyebrows shot up as she took in the view before her. Most packs had grand lodges surrounded by cabins, some even perched on cliffs. But this place wasn't just on a cliff-it was the cliff. With its arched, lit balconies and smooth stairways leading to various levels, it reminded her of ancient cave dwellings, only far more modern and luxurious. It was like something out of a twisted version of The Flintstones.

What. The. Hell?

Below her, there was nothing but grass. Endless grass. A sprawling forest. Based on what she could see, she was in some massive cave system, smack dab in the middle of nowhere. She'd heard of caves being hollowed out and turned into homes or even hotels, but nothing like this. The warm, contemporary design took her by surprise. She had a feeling she was still somewhere in California, but the ride home would no doubt cost a fortune. Good thing her kidnapper had money. Not that she could find her purse anywhere. If this was all some sick joke, she certainly didn't get it.

Sighing, she smoothed her unruly hair-seriously, why couldn't it decide on a damn shade of blonde?-and shakily made her way toward the door. Cautiousness wasn't exactly her first instinct, not when she was angry, confused, and more than a little woozy. Plus, if these wolves had any intention of hurting her, she figured they would've done so by now. They definitely wouldn't have left her to sleep in a bed that felt more comfortable than any she'd had in years.

She tugged on the door handle. Locked.

"Hey!" she shouted, knocking hard. No response.

"Helloooooo!" she called again, frustration growing. Still nothing.

So, to recap: She was stuck in some strange place with even stranger shifters, and she was being locked in a room like some kind of prisoner. Her wolf was not having it. Being cooped up would drive any shifter insane.

"Hello! This is your captive speaking! Open the damn door!"

A low chuckle echoed from the other side before the sound of a key turning and the door creaking open. Rhea found herself staring up-way up-at what could only be described as a walking, breathing mountain. Another wolf.

He flashed her a cocky smirk that screamed amusement, and she couldn't help herself.

"You're awake. Good."

"And just which dwarf might you be?"

It wasn't the best time for jokes, but sarcasm was her defense mechanism, and right now, it was running on full blast.

His smirk grew wider.

"The Alpha wants to speak to you."

"Your Alpha is...?"

He winked. "Follow me."

Rolling her eyes at his swagger, Rhea trailed after him through a narrow tunnel that descended deeper into the mountain. The tunnels seemed endless, like some kind of underground ant colony. As they walked, she noticed the smooth, light cream walls-just like in her room-almost looked soft to the touch. Her wolf was on edge, the unfamiliar scents pushing her to explore.

"Mind telling me where I am?" she asked, her patience running thin.

"All will be revealed shortly," he replied with a lazy drawl.

"And how I got here?" she asked, growing more irritated.

"The Alpha will explain everything."

A growl escaped her before she could stop it. The man just chuckled, clearly amused.

They came to a large black door, which he held open for her. Inside, she found herself in a surprisingly modern, open-plan kitchen. Oak cabinets, black marble countertops, platinum appliances. At the center of the room, a long oak dining table was surrounded by a small group of male wolf shifters. As they saw her enter, they parted, and she got her first clear look at the man sitting at the head of the table.

Her jaw nearly hit the floor.

Darius Fucking Blackwood!!!!