Chapter 4

Stefan 

Meeting my mate had been the best distraction; however, I had a goal and in that, Alice didn't fit as my Luna. That's why discovering that she was a hybrid served perfectly to publicly reject her.

I hated hybrids because they represented the impurity of our race. We had been through a lot, so preserving purity was vital to avoid extinction. But it was hard to hate Alice, especially after having fully experienced her. Dilon, my wolf, was giving me the cold shoulder for distancing him from his mate.

I had promised Dilon that the rejection wouldn't be for life and that after using Circe in my conquest plans, he could have his little she-wolf. At that moment, I was more interested in leaving a precedent about hybrids in my pack so that people would understand how radical I was with my rules.

I had a goal and I needed everyone to serve me perfectly.

"From now on, all the men of the Elite will be in charge of security, as well as the training and logistics of the military personnel," I told the guardians, and the whispers were quick to follow. "You can accept it or not, but if you don't, you are completely within your rights to leave the Southern Pack; I don't want troublemakers here. I am the new Alpha, so my word is law."

"Yes, sir," the guards responded in unison, but I noticed their expressions.

"I'm not interested in what my father did or didn't do; I'm different and I don't let myself be swayed by sentimentality. From now on, the rules are clear. Respect the Elite, and anyone who breaks the laws will have to pay for it."

The slightest change seemed to be shaking the foundations of the guardians.

"They must comply with and enforce the rules. Those who follow the rules will be rewarded; otherwise, they will face serious consequences."

No one said anything more; there wasn't much to say, so the guardians dispersed.

"Sir, I have news about the hybrid," murmured Ariel, my trusted man and my Beta.

I got up and went outside with him so that no one would hear.

Alice had become my secret, which is why I wanted to keep an eye on her movements; the fact that I hadn't exiled her was part of it all. I didn't want her associated with me, but I didn't want her far away either, so I was going to find a way to manipulate her into agreeing to be my lover while I wrapped up my arrangement with Circe.

"What's going on with my mate?" I asked Ariel.

"Alice hasn't slept in her family's cabin; she hasn't been there, but I located her at Beta Louis's house. The daughter of this man is his only friend, which is why he has taken refuge there. Witnesses say that Alice has been ill as a result of the rejection, but this morning she went out to look for work in the nearby towns.”

I nodded at Ariel's words and knew what I had to do to have her in the palm of my hand.

"Well, I want you to take me to Alice, so let's say I'll scout the area before the official presentation to the whole pack."

With that, we left the training center and got into the car until we reached the farthest village, where the farming was taking place. It was easy to understand why Alice wanted to distance herself; what I didn't expect was to see her walking with a man who looked at her with longing.

"Who the hell is that bastard?" I asked Ariel while studying his movements.

"He is the eldest son of Beta Louis, and he is also a good friend of Alice. It is one of the last perimeter guardians that were added before we arrived. His name is Teo," Ariel replied.

The information felt like boiling lava; my anger was so intense when I saw Teo hugging Alice that I didn't hesitate to get out of the car and approach. When Alice smiled at Teo, I lost my mind and Dilon quickly took control of my body.

The beast was jealous, so I approached them and grabbed Teo by the neck, then I threw him with fury.

"No, Stefan!" Alice shouted, and I ignored her.

The idiot Teo got up wanting to challenge me, and Dilon growled right away. My claws came out easily, then Teo approached with a furious shout and before he could touch me, I tore into him with force and knocked him to the ground. It was easy for me to hit him, and when I saw how weak he was, I realized that his training was poor.

"Let it go!" shouted Alice when I approached to kill Teo and blocked my way. "Teo has done nothing wrong; please, for pity's sake, don't kill him."

I realized that Alice was smart; she had figured out my intentions, and it bothered me to see her crying.

Alice's face had dark circles under her eyes; she looked sad and her sparkle was gone. Dilon immediately started to stress out seeing her like that, while I wanted to hit her so she would learn never to challenge me again.

"He challenged me, so the least he deserves is death," I said with anger, and Alice completely ignored me; she just approached Teo to try to lift him, but the idiot was unconscious. "This is a warning, Alice. If I see anyone else getting close to you or touching you, I'm going to kill them."

Whether she wanted it or not, Alice would always be mine, but she seemed not to understand that. Alice looked at me in surprise, then her gaze turned into pure hatred and she growled, which made Dilon stir within me.

You are upsetting Selene; don't threaten them, Dilon asked, but I ignored him.

"Take this fool to his home; he is no longer formally part of the guardians," I told my men.

Alice looked at me with hatred and then walked away as quickly as she could.

Go after them or they will hate us for the rest of our lives! Shouted Dilon in desperation.

I ignored him, went back to the car, and asked my men to take me home, so half an hour later I was climbing the stairs to take a shower when I found Circe in my bed. She was waiting for me naked, intending to have some effect on me.

"They told me you worked a lot today, so I came to reward you."

"I'm not in the mood today."

Circe got up with vigor and put on a silk robe.

"I'm going to assume that your mood is because of the hybrid you rejected," Circe said with annoyance. "I hope the ceremony is soon, because I'm not that patient. I want the brand or my father will get furious."

Circe rushed out, and I let her outburst pass.

I swear by the Goddess that if you touch that bitch, I will never help you, Dilon said, and I ignored him.

I quickly took a shower, had a good nap, then went to my study and there I waited for news from Dalia, the sorceress with whom I had formed a fruitful alliance. I set up the mirror and lit the necessary candles to call her. Dalia appeared immediately, covered with a veil, but her red-eyed gaze said it all.

"I want you here for Ascension Day," I ordered Dalia without preamble. "I want you to have the containment and control spell ready."

"I will go, but I need you to establish a permit so I can cross the borders without them asking so many questions," Dalia said, and I nodded.

"I will grant you diplomatic immunity; I want to have you in the pack as soon as possible. There is much to do and clean before starting the campaign."

When Dalia was about to tell me something, I felt the mental connection I had formed with the Elite, and one of the men stationed at the border spoke.

Sir, I apologize for bothering you, but I was told to inform you the moment a hybrid tries to leave the territory. She wants to leave, but we are holding her at the West border while we check her belongings.

I got up right away.

"What is happening?" Dalia asked.

"My Mate intends to leave."

"Do you have a Mate?" Dalia asked in surprise. "If that's the case, then the reading you received is correct. Don't let her go; if necessary, you have to hold on to her. She will be useful for the future."

I understood perfectly what he meant, which is why I didn't waste any time and let Dilon, who was desperate, take control. Upon reaching the checkpoint, all the wolves lowered their heads in respect, then one of my men handed me a change of clothes and I entered the chamber where they had Alice.

"Leave us alone," I said to my men.

Everyone left, and Alice saw me with a furrowed brow.

"Why are you here?" Alice asked with a certain attitude, and I realized it must be a consequence of her she-wolf, one that I didn't like at all. "There is no reason to keep me here; you rejected me; I don't fit into the new rules of the pack, and it's obvious that I have nothing to do in Beltone."

Alice's words were a blow to my obsessive side and every fiber in my body was amused by how I would make her pay for the insult. 

"You are not going to leave; I won't allow it; you will stay where I tell you and how I tell you," I said in a deadly tone that made Alice stand up to confront me.

"I'm going to leave because being close to you is hurting me, and I don't want that," Alice said sincerely.

"You are going to live sheltered, away from interaction with the pack, and you will do what I say," I replied to Alice carefully before grabbing her by the neck and pulling her towards me roughly. "You are mine, and in the meantime, you will be my lover."

"No," said Alice in horror, pushing me away.

When I approached her, Alice slapped me, then anger surged to my head and I slapped her back harder.

"You are going to do what I command because I am your master."

Alice looked at me in surprise, then she tried to run and I didn't let her.

Without thinking too much, I took Alice and placed her on my lap. I gave her some good spanks, then I undressed her and made her mine while she screamed in pain. I marked her with my seed; I was going to make her understand that she couldn't escape from me. Then I knocked her unconscious with a blow to the temple, sedated her, and with my men, took her down to the dungeons beneath the mansion.

There I chained Alice so she would understand the lesson.

When Alice woke up, I looked her in the eyes so she would fully understand what I was saying.

"From now on, you are my slave."

I kissed Alice with fury and felt her salty tears.

At that moment, my wolf decided to abandon me, but that didn't matter because Dalia would come, and I would control everything, starting and ending with Alice.