Chapter 2

Jennita’s POV

My heart raced as I stood before him. Alpha Jamal, the leader of Rogues. His metallic grey eyes bore a cold, piercing gaze that seemed to look right through me, sending shivers down my spine.

I could sense the power radiating from him, a power that demanded respect and submission. Yet, as he casually resided on his office chair, knuckles lazily grazing under his sturdy chin, you won’t believe just how ruthless this Alpha was.

The Rogues, the outcasts of the werewolf world were known for their savage behavior, hunting without mercy and showing no regard for the laws that governed their kind. They were a ruthless force to be reckoned with, their dark reputation, was a warning to whoever dared to cross their borders to their territory.

It was said that to face a Rogue werewolf was to face the embodiment of primal fear itself.

And here I was, face to face with the King of danger, the owner of a name that sent chilling silence in a room when even uttered.

I had been so full of luck this week. I’m sure this couldn’t get any better than it already was.

“Who is this?” His voice was like ice, sharply cutting through the tense silence that filled the room. Although I could feel his eyes on me, seemingly boring a hole in every part it seemed to touch, his expression remained impassive, giving nothing away.

“Alpha, we found her wandering near the border. She claims she’s not a threat and wished only to speak to you.” One of the pack guards speaks up, although they are all situated outside the office door. Only I stood inside, before Jamal.

I tensed slightly, however forcing my chin to remain jutted up slightly, defiance in my eyes as I refused to let him see the raging storm of emotions fueling my whole being to tremble. His eyes briefly flicker towards me before he leans his head down to his table and I watch his dark hair tousle across his face. There were several files strewn across, and he seemed more interested in them than in whatever I had to say.

“And what is it you want, little wolf?” His tone seemed cold and detached, but my lips twitched as I didn’t miss the annoying nickname he had already tagged me with.

Little wolf? I was a Beta’s daughter… How dare he?

“Alpha, we… “

“She’s daring enough to seek death by trespassing into my territory but all of a sudden, she can’t speak?” He briefly glares at the guard before those same eyes move to mine, a challengingly look in them, accompanied by a faltering small smirk that held mockery.

I squared my shoulders, refusing to cower under his intense scrutiny. “I seek refuge and protection, Alpha.” There’s a strain to my voice at ‘Alpha’, but I can’t let him see through the disgust and partial hate I had for him. There was an air of arrogance around him that made it hard for me to breathe in the room. “Our pack was attacked, and I had escaped before I was rendered captive like the others. Your pack was the only place I could turn to during my desperation to flee. No other pack would take me in.”

I didn’t tell a total lie.

An unfamiliar glint flashed in his eyes for a brief moment, but he chose not to press further. “And the father of your child?” His voice hung in the air, laced with an undercurrent of suspicion.

I met his gaze squarely, my hands bunching up the sides of my sundress the only thread I was partially hanging onto not to break down in front of him or even get the slightest whiff of my lie. “Dead.”

Goddess forbids I let him know about Antonio, aware of Rogues’ dislike for Alphas. Not to mention, Jamal is a personal rival of Antonio in the business world.

I was better off dead straying around borders than dying by Jamal’s hands because I was sure he wouldn’t care if I was pregnant or not. That was what saved me earlier from being massacred by the rogues at first and gained me their attention, but that was not the case for Jamal.

I stood there, letting him observe me, not letting down my guarded expression.

“Leave us.” His gaze barely acknowledged the guards as they bowed before shutting the door.

My throat ran dry as I dug the soles of my feet deep into the ground to hold my stance, watching as Alpha Jamal got up, his eyes not leaving me. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of apprehension and curiosity swirling within me as I watched him approach me.

He leaned against the edge of his table, folding his arms across his chest with a daunting smirk on his lips. I swallowed as my eyes ran across his shirt. The sleeves had been pushed up his elbows to reveal inked designs that snaked across his forearms.

If I wasn’t already aware of the fact that my life lay in the hands of the man before me, I would have taken my time to admire the Goddess creation's captivating presence.

“Say I do agree you can stay, how would that benefit me, little wolf?” I see his brows rise at the slight irritation in my eyes at the nickname before he continues smugly. “How am I sure you can even be trusted? For all I know, you could be bait… a spy sent here to infiltrate the confidential secrets of our pack. Whether your story is true or not, I can kill you right here right now, and nothing can be done about it.”

His words send a trial urge of fear traveling down my spine. I feel my breath heighten, but I bite down hard on my lip, forcing my eyes to remain trained in his, not daring to even give him the courtesy to see me back down in fear.

Although he was right, Unfortunately, Jamal was my only hope for the sake of my unborn child.

“I can work here,” I’m quick to say, despising how desperate I sounded at that moment, but it was all I could do not to get unlived by him. “My services will be of great help to your pack, I assure you.”

He snickered. “I have enough maids here… I doubt I need your services in that area.”

I swallowed. “Then what will you have me do?”

He pushed himself off the table and I watched him slowly take off his watch. His chiseled features are sharp and beautiful as he gives me a view of his profile while he takes them off. The piercings on his ear glint, showing how expensive they were.

“For now, I’ll want to keep my eyes on you. You don’t seem far gone into your pregnancy, so you won’t mind personally working for me, would you?”

He was still keeping his guard up against me, but I still feel there could be another reason why he wanted me to work closely with him. Regardless, I accept, grateful for the chance to start anew, even under such circumstances.

“Good.” His husky voice is deep and enticing as he approaches me, pushing his wrist forward.

Confusion flickered across my eyes as I regarded him questioningly, although, undoubtedly, my heart was pounding blood into my ears.

His expression is unreadable now as his eyes narrow. “Bite me and drink my blood. Regardless of if you’re telling the truth, you can’t back down in the future. Because once you consume my blood, you’ll sever ties with your old pack and it will bind you to mine.”

Alphas had different methods of initiating you into their pack, but it’s even unheard of that you needed to drink their blood to bind with their pack. It seemed the rogues did theirs differently.

I’m aware of his eyes on mine, daring me to refuse or cower, but I’ve come so far that I couldn’t back down now. Without hesitation, I stepped forward and slightly let my wolf come forward, giving her control to push my canines out and I gently bite into his wrists, tasting the metallic tang of his blood.

As much as I felt I would be repulsed by drinking his blood, I was only fazed immensely at the surge of power coursing through my body, mingling with Jamal’s essence.

I lean back, brushing the side of my lips when suddenly, I feel a thread-like essence snap, and my face pale when I realize I had not only cut ties with Antonio’s pack but with his mate bond as well.

I couldn’t hold back the muffled cry that left my lips as the pain clamps down on my throat, forcing my heart to ache like It had been stabbed a hundred times. I almost stagger to the floor, but I am pulled into a wall of muscle, a scent of sandalwood and expensive perfume dulling my senses so I’m unable to feel pain for a while, but the lingering aftertaste of the rejection and severed ties are still there and I’m unable to stop the tears.

“Are you okay?” His voice is emotionless, but gruff with a hint of concern.

Realizing the position we are in, I take a few steps back, trying to calm my own beating heart as I manage a nod. “I’m fine.”

“Your name.”

“Jennita Bell,” I reply calmly, hoping he didn’t catch the waver in my voice.

“Jennita Bell, I, Alpha Jamal Kingston of Titan’s pack swear you in as one of the pack members today. Do you swear your undying loyalty and submission to this pack?”

“Yes, I do.” The reply comes again, feeling short, and all I can think of is how my head ached and how much I needed to be comforted, but I could only dream. I had brought this on myself. I had made the mistake of loving someone who had never seen me as more than a tool to get the throne.

“And on the condition you betray us or an ulterior motive against us is exposed, you have granted the permission of death by hanging for treason?” His cold voice is emotionless now, gruff with authority, realization washing over me as those same eyes glint a shade of crimson red for a brief moment.

I swallow. “Yes, Alpha.”

After uttering those words, I couldn’t hear what he said next, because my legs buckled, and a pit of darkness seemed to swallow me as I found myself dropping nimbly to the ground.