The Alpha's Forced Mate

two cups of steaming black coffee

"The Claim is on the sixth full

strong. It was exactly what she needed.

ining?" E

t is Lycian blood. It is dangerous. You need to learn s

ow

e are leaving the room. The pack cannot se

stem was screaming. Exposing herself to the

ng breakfast. They stopped. They stared at Elara. Their eyes held curiosity and scruti

did not slow down. His hand rested on the small of her back. The touc

red. "Maintain the facade. Their respect

ard a large, secluded training structu

explained. "It is soundproof. It is sec

om was massive. It was padded on all sides. It held hea

ax said. "The pack uses scent to read l

the door b

e a rival. Your fear amplifies the difference. You

I mask t

leather pouch. He tossed it to her. It

is a ritual blend. It is Thorne sce

ck. The scent was sharp. It was complex. It was Dax's scen

"Good. Now, we

d in. He inhaled deeply near her neck. He

r mind is fighting the wolf. It is a tug of war. Y

not attack me. You defend yourself. You control you

frame. This was not a fair f

a said. "I am not

emembers. The dormant strength i

. It was a block. A forceful movement

alistic security course kicked in. She dropped low.

"Good. The instinct

grabbed her arm. He twisted it behind her b

Do not let the pain win. Do not let the

up her spine. Her teeth clenched. The world turned red. She w

n the pain. She focused on the le

cted. "Use the feeling. Channel the str

tation. She focused all her energy. The strength was sudden. It was

lowly. "That was the shift starting. The

. He used her fear. He forced the dormant wolf to surface. He forced her t

the room. Rest. Control your pulse. Control yo

uite. He locked the door. He left t

lock the safe six times now. Twice for the file. Once fo

y. His finger movements were quick. They were

CE OB

ress: Two

press: One

ress: Thre

: One short tap

ed the buttons. The electronic lock

used the same code every time. She reached insid

two more items. The small, electronic packet. The one he said dampened all signals. The one that he

ing the same cadence. She returned th

t. It was seamless. No visible ports. No obvious swit

ets often used internal signal jamming. The casing itsel

small, sharp point against the packet's casing. She found

m. She applied steady, controlled

n

htly. Inside, she saw the logic board. She

ip. It was a small, square component. She used the tip of the lett

ck together. It looked intact. She held her br

en remai

fective. Her heart sank. She had

turned on. The screen displayed NO SIGNAL. But it was alive. She had bypassed the j

outside. She neede

ed up. She bypassed the password. She opened the m

akness. A blind spot in

e guard shacks. The lodge. The Northern Ward. All were

ll drainage ditch on the east side. It led under the

feeds. The camera was positioned too high. Th

. She needed to get to the d

. She kept the phone in her pocket. She had the key to the m

eckless. It was immed

as gone. He was at the perimeter. Lycian's scouts wer

nce. She was locked in. The

was complex. She inserted it into the heavy wooden door lock

ed out into the empty hallway. The hall

ain hall. She went to the servants' corridor. She was using t

s a heavy steel fire door. It had tw

d the electronic lock. She turned t

air hit her. The scent of

kept to the shadows. She focused on the ea

fence. The fence was humming. It wa

It was narrow. The grate was h

e small, sharp tool was useless agai

was tall. He was powerfully built. He was a shifter. He wa

the man asked. His voic

the car. He was supposed to be at his post. He w

e defensive posture. She had

r move. He knew you would look for the

oyal dog," E

ional. The Alpha pays well. The

ere fluid. Dangerous. "Come back insi

that came to her mind. "Lycian is a mad dog. D

s eyes narrowed. "

ing Wolf. He is lying. He keeps Lycian locked in t

"That is a lie. The whole pack knows Dax is the

igned my parents' death warrant. Dax keeps the proof i

ormation. The pack lie was essential to their

," Marcus

it at his feet. "Check the Lycian execution order. Check t

pulled out the crumpled execution order. He read

lie about this?

lowers would have torn the pack apart. Dax made the hard choice.

avy fence. He looked at the shadows. H

lity. Lycian is chaos." Marcus repeated t

ng now. He is trying to steal me. He is trying to

the papers. He placed them in

ian. I need to see

ut you must open the gate. I need

the Alpha. I go to the Northern Ward. I verify th

oward the main lodge. He was moving with

lized the Beta. The countdown had begun. She was still locked in. But now the enemy w