The Alpha's Penalty

, and for a terrifying second, I thought I was going to pass

g a brilliant, unnatural gold. My teeth, sharpened to points. The sheer, monst

ural Council had enforced that law for centuries. If humans foun

, I wouldn't just lose my

oice wasn't loud, but it cut through

-I can't. It's already on the internet. It's trending. The ro

trembling hand, and looked at the screen. Then, he calmly threw

"Do something. You're the Alpha. You h

irst time in my life, I saw genuine fea

told you to stay in the pack. I told you the human world was dangerou

nt," Kael interrupted, stepping between

ou're just one Alpha. The Council is made of the oldest, most

ears," Kael said, his tone icy. "An

n phone and dialed a

rs. I want it wiped from every server, every social media platform, and every news station within the hour. And the rookie who leaked it? Bury him. Find

and turned

ndled,"

agape. "You can't just... make that

he internet," Kae

ounce that the video is a deepfake, a desperate attempt by a disgraced rookie to ruin the reputatio

reeling. "They saw my e

" Kael murmured. "And so is a very large cash settlemen

ust taken a catastrophe and turned it into a m

hell is

it. "Handle the media. But the girl still be

flaring with a dangerous light. "I a

bond is enough to stop the Council from claiming her? Th

y stomach flip. He looked at me, and in his eyes, I s

s fix that

y waist, pulled me flush against his

rld ex

ntly of mint and dark chocolate. The moment his mouth touched mine, a shockwave of pure e

fear, but in absolute,

a

n a dance that was both brutal and intoxicating. I forgot about my father. I forgot about the video. I forgot about the fact tha

for air. My lips were tingling, my heart

his arm still wrapped po

for you?" Kael asked, his vo

e. His fists clenched at his sides, his wolf flashing

waving a dismissive hand. "None of

betrayed your pack. You have betrayed your family. If you walk o

squeezed my waist gently, a

threatening my mate. And I don't take

e hinges rattled. Coach Jensen muttered something about needing

I was alon

reath still uneven, my lips

I whispered, my voice shaking.

s softening as he looked at

rms over my chest. "You're still the man who threatene

and of hair from my face. His touch was gentle, a

s world who will protect you. Your father sold you to me. The Council wants

e, making my wolf hum with contentment de

g just over mine, "you belong to me now. And I will burn th

flew open. Marcus, Kael's right-hand man, burs

problem. The video was scrubbed, but someone made a b

e feed of a dark, shadowed room. In the center stood

on turned to ic

o. They're not waiting for an explanation. They've already