BOUND TO THE FEARFUL ALPHA

pte

ve, broken only by the creaks of the old floors. She stopped abruptly when a soft, haunting melody

ound, she found herself standing in fr

d in her chest. Slowly, she pushed the door open

window. It was richly furnished, but everything seemed

of a strikingly beautiful woman with soft golden hair and piercing blue ey

her, startling her. She spun around to see Cale

asked, her voice bar

ing to the portrait. "She was

punch. "First mate?" she r

tly. "She was his everyt

asked, unable to mask the cur

gues years ago. Derek searched for her, but

s widened with

s painted eyes seemed to echo Derek's coldness and pain. Suddenly, the str

se if he already had a mate?" Diva as

admitted. "But whatever the reason, you being here

y think she's dea

but why don't you as

rait. The room felt colder, as though the very m

-

s a tangled mess of thoughts and emotions. She hated the idea of bei

ility-the way his voice softened when h

, her heart pounding. She threw her door open and ran toward the

was thick, heavy with a tension she couldn't explain. At the end of the corridor

to herself fearfully, stari

ence, and she turned to see him striding toward her,

ht, Derek. There's something... in this

e, she saw something close to fear in his ey

erve to know!" she dema

This isn't your concern," he snapp

er in place. The sound was low and guttural, unlike anything she'd ever heard b

he said, his voice

corridor twisting unnaturally. She clung to Derek's warning but couldn't

nto Diva with a predatory focus. Derek's body tensed, a deep s

her voice barely audible ov

peated, his tone leavin

ght of the corridor, Diva realized this wasn't just a random threat. It was something

oice tight with urgency. "Wh

her screamed at he