Chapter Four: The Beast Within

(Alpha Red Pov)

I stormed from her room, my breathing heavy as I slammed the door behind me. The sound reverberated down the dimly lit hall, but it did little to calm the roaring chaos inside of me. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, the nails biting into my palms.

Her face had seared itself into my mind, those wide grey eyes, flashing defiance and raw fear. It was that look that had triggered something deadly inside me. I had gone into her room cool, calm, prepared to outline the do's and don'ts for this beauty and put her straight regarding her place in the scheme of things. Yet she'd resisted. She had pushed and goaded until the monster inside me broke free once more.

I wasn't sure if it was her words or the defiant stare that followed, but something about her unraveled me.

I quickened my pace as my boots smashed against the stone floor down the corridor to my chambers. The wolf inside me stirred violently; its rage pounded against my skull.

"Alpha, is everything—

A servant standing near the hall didn't get to finish their sentence. I shot them a glare so lethal they froze mid-word, their face paling. I did not stop. I didn't trust myself to stop.

By the time I reached my room, the wolf had me in its grip. My vision blurred, a fiery red tint eating into the edges of my sight. My hands shook, the familiar burn of claws threatening to push through my skin.

I forced the door open with such force that it slammed against the wall, the handle splintering the wood as it struck. The sound echoed and only fed the tempest inside me.

I roared-an inhuman sound rumbling through the air, more beast than man. The wolf wanted in control. It wanted to destroy.

My hand found the edge of a wooden chair, and I flung it across the room with an impossible strength. It shattered on the wall, splinters showering like shards of glass.

The desk was next, upended into a violent crash that sent papers and ink bottles everywhere.

Control yourself!

The thought barely broke the surface before the wolf forced it aside, yanking me deeper into its rage. I breathed in harsh pants and punched the stone wall, my fist sinking in as if it were clay. The wall cracked, and chunks of rock fell to the floor. Pain seared through my knuckles, but it hardly registered.

She dared… I growled through gritted teeth, the memory of her sharp tongue slicing through my rage, "She dared to defy me!"

Yet another roar tore from my throat, and in a surge of blind fury, I snatched up the nearest object, a heavy wooden stool, and hurled it at the window. The glass shattered, shards raining onto the stone floor.

The wolf growled, his hunger unsated, his claws raking for dominance. My claws burst from my skin, and I punched my hand into the doorframe, splintering the wood.

My chest heaved, my red eyes glowing in the reflection of the shattered window. The beast inside me sneered at my weakness, at the lack of control over it.

It was several minutes, or perhaps hours, before the haze started to dissipate. The heaving of my chest gradually slowed, and the red shade to my vision receded, leaving only the devastation that surrounded me. Shattered furniture, splintered timber, and broken glass lay everywhere upon the floor. My hand throbbed, the knuckles split and bleeding from where I had hit the wall.

I collapsed back against the corner of the room, pressing my back to cold stone as I dragged in a shaky breath.

The wolf was quieted for the moment; the fury finally sated, but the damage was done.

I closed my eyes as the image of her terrified face marred my mind, and my chest squeezed with what I did not want to call guilt or regret.

"Damn it," I muttered, running a hand through my hair.

I had tried-tried so hard to rein in my anger when I entered her room. I had spoken softly, using measured words, refusing to let her push me over the edge. But her defiance had burned through my resolve like kindling.

And then the curse had taken over again.

This beast inside me wasn't much like the wolves other Alphas carried. A curse-a shadow looming over me, controlling me as much as I controlled it. There was always a wolf, always waiting and always starving.

I stared down at my wounded hand, the blood dripping onto the stone floor. Had I harmed her? The very notion caused my stomach to roil. I had felt her throat beneath my hand, heard the rasp of her gasps as I squeezed. Had I gone too far?

My jaw clenched as a wave of anger rose again, this time against myself.

She would fear me now-rightfully so. I'd seen the terror in her eyes, her body's shaking when I released her. And yet, beneath the fear, there had been something else. Defiance. Stubbornness.

The memory of her standing there, chin tilted, gray eyes ablaze with fury, sent a strange cocktail of emotions coursing through me.

She'd surprised me. Well and truly amazed me, really. Few had ever dared to stand up to me, let alone with such venom in their words.

"Damn you, Avery Moon," I muttered, my words barely audible beneath my breath.

I dragged a hand down my face; the rage and adrenaline finally ebbed away, leaving only exhaustion in their wake.

The truth was, I'd been like this for years: the beast always there, simmering beneath the surface, ready at any moment to strike at the slightest provocation. It had cost me everything: my peace, my freedom, even the possibility of having a mate.

The thought of passing this curse on to another generation was unthinkable. No child deserved to inherit this burden. No mate deserved to suffer beside me.

Better to be alone, I thought bitterly. Better to keep everyone at a distance.

And yet, here she was. Avery Moon. The stubborn, infuriating witch who had stood her ground even when she should have cowered.

I couldn't afford this. Couldn't afford her.

I let out a frustrated growl and pushed myself to my feet, my hand throbbing as I braced it against the wall.

I stormed into the adjacent bathroom, the cool tile beneath my feet anchoring me as I flipped the shower on. The water cascaded down, hot and smooth, washing away the blood and grime from my hands.

I leaned forward, slapping my forehead against the tiled wall as the water poured over me.

Her face flashed behind my eyes again, unasked for. Fear frozen in her eyes, her lips shaking as she attempted to square up.

I blew a heavy sigh and my breath fogged the glass.

"I'll see her tomorrow," I muttered, the sound of the water mere millimetres from drowning out my voice.

And yet as the words left my lips, the sinking in my chest refused to right itself.

What if I couldn't control myself next time?