In a city where strength meets loyalty, Aella isn't just any future leader—she's the fierce Alpha-in-waiting of the Westland Pack. Raised to be a warrior queen, she's always been the dutiful daughter, trained in the art of battle and prepared to take the throne. Yet, when her father decides to marry her off to Alpha Roman, the cruel and mysterious Russian Alpha from an enemy pack, Aella rebels for the first time. She bolts; choosing freedom over anything her father has planned for her. Little does she know Roman has swapped his Alpha crown for a bounty hunter's disguise. This is an easy feat, seeing as no one knows what he truly looks like and his reputation as a monster doesn't leave anyone asking questions. Roman is hot on her heels, dead-set on reclaiming what he deems rightfully his. In Aella's quest for freedom, love and deception become twisted in a treacherous dance. Two Alphas, two worlds, and a collision course with destiny. Will Aella break free instead of being the final pawn in a deadly endgame? Or will Roman clip this little bird's wings?
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21 Years Old / Alpha Heir(Pronunciation: Ay-lah)The door to my father’s office creaks open, the sound warning me that my life is about to change. The study is a warm space filled with dark wooden bookshelves that reach towards the ceiling like ancient trees. The room smells of aged leather and paper; a scent I’ve always associated with wisdom and guidance.
Usually, being summoned here means I’m in for a new learning experience with my father since I am his only Alpha heir. Maybe a discussion about pack politics or perhaps a lesson on the importance of our history. Today though, the air feels different—dense.
My eyes catch sight of a stack of formal papers neatly arranged on my father’s mahogany desk. Official pack seal… That can’t be good.
“Aella, come in,” Father’s voice reverberates from behind the desk, where he sits with his usual composed demeanor. He’s Alpha and Capo of Chicago; an Italian mafia sect that controls the city.
“You wanted to see me, Father?” I say, moving close to his desk and trying not to show how I’m trying to make out the pack seal on the envelope.
He sighs deeply, gesturing to the leather seat opposite him. “Sit down, Aella.”
Confused but obedient, I sank into the leather chair across from him. I haven’t seen him look so lost in a long time and he takes another moment before he speaks.
“Aella, you are to be betrothed to Alpha Roman of the Black Veil Bratstvo,” he says, the weight of his words falling like a sledgehammer.
I’m speechless for what feels like an eternity, then I leap to my feet again. Alpha Roman? The Black Veil Bratstvo, a ruthless sect of the Russian Bratva, are known for their bloodthirsty ways as well as their cold-blooded tactics in war and politics.
Alpha Roman, their Pakhan and leader, is the worst of them—or so the stories go.
“Are you serious, Father? Alpha Roman is… We’re in a war with the Russians!”
He shakes his head. “That will soon end with this,” he says, gesturing to the papers in front of him.
“You can’t possibly mean that! What about my training? My ambitions?” I scoff, shaking my head in disbelief. “I’ve shown leadership qualities, haven’t I? Aren’t I being prepared to be a future Alpha female?!”
“Aella,” he cuts me off sharply, the familiar resolve hardening his eyes. “This is not up for discussion. An alliance with the Black Veil Pack will strengthen our pack’s borders, not to mention end this bloody ten year war. Our future as a pack depends on solid alliances, and right now we cannot let this gesture of peace from their side go.”
Anger boils inside of me, my heart pounding like a war drum. My own father, the man who taught me to value freedom and strength, is trading me like a pawn for political gain.
I’ve become a commodity, a thing to be bartered like a prized sheep.
“So that’s it?” My voice trembles, not with fear but rage. “I don’t get a say in my own future? You’re going to marry me off to a man known for his cruelty?”
He looks at me, his eyes glinting with emotions I can’t fully make out. I am his only daughter, his only blood heir who he has trained to take over from him in the future and yet…
“Aella, sit down,” Father commands, his eyes shifting to Alpha red and pointing to the chair opposite his desk again.
When he looks at me again, his eyes are the color of dark soil, deeply rooted in centuries of tradition and authority. Alpha by blood, he has ruled out pack for years, just like his father did before him.
I obey, my eyes still fixed on the stack of formal papers before him. “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”
“I am,” he says, the word solidifying in the air between us like an invisible wall. “An alliance with the Black Veil Pack is a strategic necessity. They have resources and warriors that we lack. Combined, our packs would be unbreakable.”
“Strategic necessity? Father, we’re talking about my life. My future. How can you gamble that away so easily?” I scoff, my voice quivers, but I steady it, not wanting to show too much weakness… Then my eyes widen as I realize something. “There’s an outside force, isn’t there? Another power bigger than our pack and Alpha Roman’s.”
My father chuckles sadly. “It seems I have trained you too well, but you should know that sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good,” he says, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t necessary, Aella; I wouldn’t trade your life if it wasn’t the only thing that could help us all.”
“Sacrifices?” I say sadly. “So now I’m a sacrificial lamb for the pack’s stability. Just tell me why this is really happening, father, and perhaps we can think of an alternative—”
“Aella, you are my daughter, and your well-being is the most important thing to me,” he interjects with a growl and silences me. “But you are also a member of this pack, so your life isn’t completely your own. We all must play our part, and unfortunately, yours has become a chess piece to be moved.”
I blanch at his words, betrayal piercing my heart with each syllable. A chess piece to be moved? I gave up living a normal life when I turned ten years old! Devoted my life to training and understanding pack politics and strategy.
Now he’s telling me something different?!
“My life should be my own enough to decide who I marry, who I spend the rest of my life with,” I say sadly, biting back my anger. “You taught me to fight, to lead. Was that all just grooming for me to be some sort of bargaining chip?”
Father leans back in his chair, his face a puzzle of conflicting emotions. “You misunderstand me, and perhaps that’s my fault. You were taught to be strong so you could handle whatever life threw at you. Including this.”
My chest tightens and my heart pounds against it as if demanding to be let out. I don’t know whether I am angry or hurt. “I can handle challenges, Father. What I can’t handle is being traded off like livestock.”
He leans forward, his gaze pinning me to my seat. “You will do this, Aella. You will marry Alpha Roman,” he says, eyes blazing red. “You will be his Luna, bear his children and you will do it knowing it’s the best thing for our pack to be aligned with them.”
A silence falls over the room, dense and heavy like a storm cloud. Father’ eyes have hardened, set in a conviction that I know won’t break. The regret from earlier has all but drifted away, so I know that anything I say won’t make a difference.
I have fallen from future Alpha to reluctant Luna.
“I’ve always trusted you,” I whisper, almost to myself. “I thought you would always have my best interests at heart…. I guess I was wrong.”
His eyes narrow, and for a moment, he looks as though he might say something—apologize, maybe, or offer some sort of comfort. But the moment passes, and the patriarchal, stubborn Alpha returns.
“Your best interest, Aella, is to do as you’re told for the sake of your pack and family,” he says, rising to his feet and leaning his palms on the desk in front of him. “Have I made myself clear?”
It’s my turn to hold his gaze, to let him see the turmoil swirling in the depths of my eyes. My voice is a hushed tremble when I speak. “I can’t believe you’re willing to trade your only daughter’s happiness for land and soldiers.”
“I do what I must for this pack, as will you,” he says, his voice a low growl, screaming with finality.
And I know, with chilling clarity, that this is a battle I cannot win. Not here, not now. My heart pounds with a ferocious blend of dread and defiance as I push back the chair and rise to my feet.
“Very well, Father,” I say, each word laced with a resentment I can no longer hide. “If that is your command.”
“It is,” he replies, but his voice is softer now, attempting to hide an emotion he won’t let himself show.
I turn away, hand on the doorknob, pausing for just a moment as if expecting him to say something more, to undo this nightmare with a wave of his hand. But the room remains steeped in a heavy, wordless tension..
“Fine,” I say, my voice laden with a bitterness I’ve never felt before. I exit the study, leaving the door slightly ajar, as if in quiet protest.
But the click of the door behind me feels final, locking in a destiny I never chose.
As I walk down the hall, my heels tap against the wooden floor, each step echoing my mounting defiance. My heart still races, but now it’s fuelled by a different kind of energy—a wild, untamed fury that claws at the walls of my soul, begging to be let out.
For the first time in my life, I thought the unthinkable. I consider running away, leaving behind everything I’ve ever known. My thoughts, as forbidden as they are, rush through my mind like a torrential river breaking through a dam.
And I can’t help but think, maybe it’s time to follow the current.
Kaden I’m sitting in my study, surrounded by the leather scent of old books and the muted light filtering through the heavy drapes. The room, once a sanctuary where I buried myself in work and pack matters, now feels like a cage. A trap. I flip through some documents on my desk but don’t really register what they say. My mind is a mess, a whirlwind of thoughts I can’t, and won’t, share with anyone. Especially not Roman. God, Roman. My brother, my closest friend. He seems so happy these days, so settled with Aella and their son. His life has taken a turn for the absolute best, and it stings. Not out of jealousy, I’m thrilled for him, but out of the sharp contrast it creates with my own concealed turmoil. I think about Elena, my wife. She’s beautiful, loving, and loyal to our pack. But she doesn’t know. She can’t know. The secret I’m holding is too damaging, too explosive. It would tear us apart, tear the pack apart. And so, I’ve distanced myself. Retreated into a shell to protect e
Aella As I stand by the intricately carved crib, my heart swells with a love so fierce it feels like it could consume me whole. I look down at Aaron, our son, sleeping so peacefully in a cocoon of soft, moonlit blankets. His little fists are curled beside his cheek, and he has his father’s rebellious blonde hair and the beginning of my mismatched eyes. The room is filled with the comforting scent of lavender and freshly laundered baby clothes. The light from the nursery’s lamp washes over his tiny form, casting gentle shadows on his crib. I can’t help but think how profoundly my life has shifted in just two years. Nearly two years ago, I was a ball of defiance and fear, literally running through woods and brambles to escape an engagement my Alpha father had orchestrated with Roman. The irony is palpable. Roman was everything I thought I didn’t want, but ended up being everything I didn’t know I needed. I went from clawing at the idea of a life by his side to craving his touch, hi
RomanFour words shouldn’t make me feel like an absolute king, but they do.She shimmies out of her bottoms and walks naked towards the shower to regulate the water. Gods, my cock is aching just watching her. Slipping out of my board shorts, I join her under the spray of hot water and pull her closer to me.There’s no hesitation when I lean down to kiss her. She molds into me, her body perfectly flush against mine as she moans into my mouth. It’s taking every bit of my self control to not snap and just claim her body, but Aella doesn’t need my beast right now. I walk her up against the cold wall and trail my kisses down the length of her neck. “I love your sweet scent, baby,” I murmur against her skin. “God, I could drown in you forever.”She makes a small noise when I draw a pebbled nipple into my mouth, and pushes out her chest as her hands get tangled in my hair. I cup her perfect tits in my hands, laving them with my tongue and loving the noises she makes when I nibble on them.
RomanThe goddamn sound of waves lightly bitch-slapping the shore should be soothing. It’s what people fantasize about—a secluded beach, the woman you’re batshit in love with beside you, the freedom to do nothing at all. Aella looks like she’s in fucking heaven, the sun on her skin, a gentle smile on her lips, a book lying forgotten on her lap. But me? I’m crawling out of my damn skin.And yet, I’m restless. Why the fuck can’t I just relax?Aella senses it before I even realize it myself. She opens her eyes and looks at me, her gaze soft but probing. “You’re thinking about something. Spill it.”I chuckle. “It’s nothing, really. Just getting a bit antsy, I suppose.”“Roman, we’re on vacation. You’re allowed to relax, you know?”I nod, knowing she’s right, but not feeling any less restless. “I know. It’s just not something I’m accustomed to, that’s all.”The ingrained habits of an Alpha, the constant state of alertness and readiness, they don’t just disappear overnight. They’re a part
AellaThe hum of the private jet’s engines seems to blend into the background, like white noise in a sea of my restless thoughts. Roman sits across from me, in a seat made of the finest leather money can buy, absorbed in some files on his tablet. The rich interior of the jet, with its ambient mood lighting and plush furnishings, contrasts sharply with the tension I feel in my bones.“Would you like another glass of wine, Luna?” the flight attendant offers, her voice polished as the silver tray she’s holding.I shake my head. “No, thank you.”As she retreats, Roman finally looks up, his stormy eyes meeting mine. “You’re not usually this quiet,” he observes.“Well,” I say, biting the inside of my cheek, “you’re not usually this secretive. Where are we going?”He grins, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “It’s a surprise.”“I’m not particularly fond of surprises,” I retort, although a part of me thrills at the mystery.“You’ll like this one,” he promises. His eyes darken a shade, and I
AellaWe step out of the hospital and as I spot the black SUV, it takes me back to my time spent here. More specifically, when Roman finally confessed his feelings to me. It was sort of a simpler time back then.Before Vasily, before…everything else.“What’s on your mind, little bird,” he asks as he takes my hand and draws it to his lips. “You’ve been quiet, even as I went off at the nurses.”I chuckle. “That was just me letting you have your own way after everything that happened,” I say, leaning forward and kissing his cheek. “Kaden’s message over the mind link just had me reeling.”Roman sighs, because I know he’s already so pissed off and now he has to face Diego. Alpha Javier is at the pack house with Kaden and Elena and has demanded his son answer to Roman.“Yeah, well I suppose he has to face the music sometime,” he says, sitting back and shaking his head. “As much as I just want to fucking sleep, it needs to be done.”We remain quiet for the rest of the ride, but as soon as th
RomanSitting in the hospital room, I still feel the residual ache from the fight, both physical and emotional. My mind plays back the confrontation with Vasily, a twisted dance that was always leading to this dark aftermath. What he said in Russian through clenched teeth left me shaken. Now that Aella is gone, I feel it’s time to share it with Kaden.“I never thought it would come to this, Kade,” I say, the words coming out heavier than I intend.Kaden leans back in the visitor chair, his eyes locked onto mine, searching for something—perhaps reassurance that what’s been done was necessary. “You did what you had to, Ro. If you hadn’t, more lives would have been at stake.”“Yeah, but Vasily said something,” I start, hesitating a little. “He said things about father that I think you should know.”Kaden raises an eyebrow, intrigued but also wary. “What did he say?”I take a deep breath, preparing myself for the weight of the words I’m about to unleash. “Do you remember the night Father
AellaThe sterile smell of antiseptics fills the air, mingling with the earthy scent that is uniquely Roman. Even unconscious, he smells like the forest, like the wilderness we both call home. My hand finds his, dwarfed by the size of his palm, but perfectly molded to fit. I’m holding onto him as if he’s my anchor, the one constant in a world that has spiraled so far from what I knew.I replay the night over and over again in my head. The tension in the room, the way Roman’s eyes narrowed as he exchanged words with Vasily in rapid Russian. I couldn’t understand the words, but the intent was palpable—two titans locked in a battle of wills and strength. And I’d stood there, unable to do anything but watch and hope that Roman would come out unscathed. My heart aches at the thought. What was so personal that it had to be shrouded in their mother tongue? Was it just a string of profanities or something deeper? A sharing of old wounds and familial grievances that led them to this terribl
RomanThe second Vasily had his hands on Aella, my world went red. The ground beneath my feet might as well have been ripped away, because for a brief second, I’m free-falling into a chasm of self-doubt and gut-wrenching fear.I had to keep my wits about me. I had to be smart. Because this wasn’t just about me—this was about Aella, my pack, and a future that Vasily was hell-bent on destroying.“Is this what an Alpha looks like?” I can almost hear Vasily’s voice sneering in my head. “Can’t even protect his own mate?” And for a devastating moment, I almost agree with him.I’ve spent years trying to prove that I was worthy of the Alpha title, not just to my pack, but to myself. Yet here I am, watching the woman I love being tormented by my own flesh and blood. It’s a cruel mirror, reflecting my deepest insecurities, mocking my so-called ‘strength.’Aella’s face is pale, eyes widened in terror, but even from this distance, I can see a flicker of defiance in them. It fuels me, but it also
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