THE ALPHA'S CLAIM

ELARA'S POV

The mid-afternoon sun hung lazily in the sky as I quietly wiped down the tables in Uncle Caleb's modest cafeteria. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling food filled the air, but my mind was elsewhere. Ever since my father had left with Alpha Theron years ago to form a new pack, I had lived under the shadow of shame. Caleb, once a proud and respected beta, had chosen to stay behind and surrender, a decision that relegated him to running this small cafeteria.

"Faster, Elara! Or do you plan to sit and chat with the customers?" sneered my cousin, Dorian, as he walked past me, giving my shoulder a rough shove. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep my wolf calm. Years of Dorian's bullying had taught me that reacting only made things worse.

The sharp sound of raised voices drifted in from outside. Dorian's head snapped toward the door, curiosity lighting his eyes. "A fight? Let's go see," he said, smirking.

I hesitated but followed. Outside, I saw Caleb hurriedly trying to gather the scattered boxes of supplies from the ground. A sleek black SUV idled nearby, and a tall man with a powerful presence-Dominic, the older son of the ruling Alpha-stood towering over Caleb.

"You call this a delivery service?" Dominic barked, grabbing Caleb by the collar. "You ruined everything! My father doesn't tolerate incompetence."

"I'm so sorry," Caleb stammered, his hands raised defensively. "It was an accident. I'll take care of it."

My fists clenched. My wolf growled in anger, but Caleb's warning glance stopped me. I knew why he didn't want trouble. Our family's history was already a stain on the pack's pride. Caleb couldn't afford to make enemies.

Before the situation could escalate further, another car door opened. Out stepped a man who made the world seem to pause. Tall, broad-shouldered, and exuding an air of command, Micah-the younger son of the Alpha and heir to the pack-moved with a grace that belied his power. His sharp jawline and piercing blue eyes were striking enough to make anyone stop and stare.

I froze. A strange warmth spread through my chest, and my wolf howled inside me. Mate. The word echoed in my head, sending shockwaves through my body.

Micah's gaze locked on mine instantly, as if drawn by the same invisible force. His eyes narrowed slightly, studying me, but his expression was unreadable.

"Elara," Dorian hissed beside me, his voice dripping with annoyance. "What are you staring at? Do you want to embarrass us further?"

I quickly averted my gaze, forcing myself to stay calm. My wolf, however, was anything but calm.

Micah turned to Dominic, his voice cold and commanding. "Enough. Let him go. We're wasting time."

Dominic scowled but released Caleb. "Fine. But Father won't be happy about this."

Micah ignored him, motioning to one of his men. "Pay them for the damage and move on."

As the SUV pulled away, my shoulders sagged in relief. But the relief was short-lived. Dorian rounded on me as soon as the vehicles disappeared from view.

"This is all your fault," he spat, shoving me hard. "If you hadn't come back here, none of this would've happened! I swear, one day, I'll make you pay for ruining everything."

I winced as his fist connected with my shoulder, but I didn't fight back. The bruise would heal quickly; it always did. I refused to let him see my pain.

My wolf, however, was furious. Why do you let him treat us like this? We're warriors, not punching bags!

"Because no one needs to know," I whispered to myself, brushing dust off my shirt. "Not even him."

Him? You mean Micah? Our mate? How can our enemy be our mate?

I swallowed hard. "It doesn't matter. Even if he knows, he'll reject me. I'm prepared for it."

But was I?

---

A few days later, I was wiping tables again when one of Micah's men entered the cafeteria. He was a tall, stoic man who carried himself with the precision of a soldier.

"Micah sends his apologies for the incident the other day," he said, his tone polite but firm. "He's replaced the goods that were damaged. You'll need to pick them up at the pack house."

Caleb immediately stepped forward. "I'll go."

The man shook his head. "Micah specifically requested Elara."

Dorian smirked, stepping in front of me. "If she causes any trouble, I'll personally rip her head off," he said mockingly.

I didn't respond. I simply grabbed my coat and followed the man out.

---

The pack house loomed large and imposing, its grandeur a testament to the Alpha family's power. I kept my head down as I entered, hoping to grab the goods and leave quickly.

But fate had other plans.

Micah was waiting for me in the grand hall, leaning casually against the edge of a table. His piercing blue eyes locked onto mine the moment I stepped inside.

"Elara," he said smoothly, his voice like velvet. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon."

I kept my tone neutral. "I'm just here to pick up the goods."

Micah stared at me for a moment before gesturing for me to sit. "Relax. No one's going to bite."

Reluctantly, I sat, my nerves on edge.

"I've been thinking about your family," Micah said, his tone contemplative. "Your father was a hero, even though he stood against us. I respected him."

My heart clenched. Mention of my father always brought a mix of pride and pain.

Micah continued. "After the split, those who refused to surrender built a new pack. Alpha Theron leads them now, but he's not the real threat. It's someone else-someone who goes by the name Xander. A tough warrior."

I froze. Xander was my alias, the identity I had used when I fought alongside my father.

Micah's eyes narrowed slightly. "Do you know him?"

Before I could respond, his hand shot out, grabbing my arm. The contact sent sparks shooting up my skin, and my wolf howled again.

Micah's gaze burned into mine. "You feel it too, don't you?" he asked softly, his voice laced with something I couldn't identify-curiosity, maybe even hope.

My heart raced, but I forced myself to remain calm. "I don't know what you're talking about."

As I walked back to the cafeteria later, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. Micah's words replayed in my head, and my wolf's voice echoed louder than ever.

He knows, Elara. He knows we're mates. What will you do now?

"I'll do what I've always done," I murmured. "I'll survive. No one can know the truth-not about me, not about us."

But deep down, I knew that Micah wasn't the kind of man to let things go. And for the first time in years, I felt truly afraid.