Trap Alpha Elijah in your love ?

EMMA

"Please spare me, Elijah. I can’t handle all this. I shouldn’t have come back here," I pleaded, tears filling my eyes, hoping that maybe, just maybe, he’d show mercy. But who was I kidding? He was a ruthless man who didn’t care about anyone.

"Don’t cry, love. I haven’t done anything yet," he said, trying to step closer, but I backed away.

"I only want you. If you follow my lead, I promise no one will get hurt," he continued, wiping away my tears. "Come on, let’s sit in the car. No matter how much you cry, your fate is tied to mine—whether you want it or not," he said, dragging me towards his car.

I had no choice but to go with him for now, even though a part of me hoped for an escape. The thought of what lay ahead weighed heavily on me. We sat in the car in silence during the entire journey, and I was oddly grateful for the peace.

Eventually, we arrived outside the pack house. I felt suffocated by his presence, but as I tried to leave the car, he pulled me back.

"Whatever happens tonight, think about it. Decide what you want to do. It’s better if you choose willingly," he said, his voice low and controlled.

"Please, just let me go," I whispered, too afraid to look at him. He released my hand, and I rushed to my room, locking the door behind me. I leaned against it, panting. What had I done? I shouldn’t have kissed him. What was this strange feeling whenever I was around him?

He wanted me to be his, but I couldn’t. If I refused, he would hurt my family, and I couldn’t bear that. I couldn’t talk to Violet about it; she was too absorbed in her own life to listen to me.

I glanced at the dress Mason had sent me. There was a note on top, which wasn’t there before. I opened it and read:

"Emma, meet me on the terrace. The night is still young."

A small smile crept onto my lips. At least there was someone I could talk to—someone who might understand. Mason, the beta of the pack, could help me.

I slipped into the blue shimmery dress Mason had sent and quickly touched up my makeup. I needed answers, and maybe Mason could provide them.

I headed to the terrace, feeling as though someone was watching me, but I pushed the feeling aside. Elijah’s room was far from mine, so it couldn’t be him.

When I reached the terrace, I found Mason standing near the boundary.

"Mason," I called out.

"Come here, Emma, feel this," he said, gesturing for me to join him. I walked over and stood beside him, resting my hand on the railing as he did the same.

"Feel the air. It’s so free," he said, and I breathed in deeply. For a moment, I almost forgot how trapped I was in all this.

"Mason, I’m sorry for ditching you and going out with Alpha Elijah," I apologized.

"Alpha is the first priority, and I understand. No one can deny that," he said, and I realized then that he couldn’t help me.

"Why are you so loyal to the Alpha?" I asked, curious about his unwavering devotion.

"Alpha is my mentor. I’d die for him. I’d turn the world upside down for him," he replied, and my heart sank. I was doomed.

"What if the Alpha doesn’t get what he wants?" I asked cautiously.

"Then there will be destruction, and no one will escape it. Alpha Elijah is dangerous, and no one dares to mess with him," he said, his voice steady, but it sent chills down my spine.

"Okay, I think I need to go," I said, but Mason stopped me.

"I really like you, Emma, and I want to get to know you more," he said, his emotions clear in his eyes.

"I like you too, Mason, but I’m not in a good place right now," I replied, and I saw the disappointment flash across his face.

"I planned a surprise for you, but it’s okay if you don’t want to come. I understand if the Alpha intimidates you," he said. I didn’t like seeing him so down, so I decided to stay.

"I think I can stay for your lovely surprise," I said, trying to cheer him up.

A look of joy crossed Mason’s face as he took my hand and led me to a small rooftop on the terrace. As we entered, I was amazed—it was like a cave, beautifully lit and decorated in a way I’d never seen before.

"Wow, this is amazing," I said, taking in the sights.

"Yeah, it’s beautiful, isn’t it? I wanted to do something special for you," he replied.

The entire space was lit with soft lights, and a table in the center was adorned with my favorite flowers.

"It’s beautiful, Mason. Thank you for all of this," I said, genuinely touched.

I said to him, and we both sat around the table in chairs. “When I first saw you, you caught my attention, and ever since then, I've wanted to talk to you. I was so happy to find out that you'd be staying with us for a while,” he said, and his sweetness contrasted sharply with the coldness of the alpha. Why am I thinking about that monster right now? I shouldn’t. He’s the monster, after all.

“I’m glad to know you like me, but what about your mate? Every wolf has one, right?” I asked, still not fully understanding all this.

“I don’t believe in that,” he replied. “I don’t think I have a mate, and frankly, I think it’s all nonsense. We should have the freedom to choose our own partners.”

He was so modern, so different from the traditional, rooted customs of the wolves.

“That’s refreshing to hear. I don’t believe in that theory either,” I said, feeling a bit more at ease. He placed his hand on mine again, but this time, I didn’t feel anything. It was just a touch. A soft touch. But when the alpha touched me... I felt like I was in another world.

“Hey, back to Earth,” he said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Mason, I really appreciate your efforts, but I’m not feeling well right now. Can I go to my room?” I said, not wanting to stay any longer, as I felt myself starting to compare him to Elijah again, and that wasn’t helpful for me. I needed to shut off those thoughts.

“Of course, you can go,” he said, “We’ll meet tomorrow. Good night.” He smiled, and I returned the smile, though it didn’t feel quite right.

I apologized once more and headed to my room. But as I was walking, someone grabbed my arm. I was about to scream, but then I realized it was Marcel. I was surprised to see him; after all, he had run off after giving me a warning about something.

“Emma, I need to talk to you,” he said, looking shocked.

“You left me alone when I was searching for you to learn about my mom,” I said, feeling hurt.

“I was forced to. Carlos saw me talking to you, but I have information for you,” he said, glancing nervously around.

“Your mother, Lauren, was murdered by this family. And now they’re using you to break the curse, but in the end, they’ll sacrifice you,” he said, and I froze. My heart sank.

“They murdered my mom, but... my dad knew this pack. I don’t think you’re telling the truth,” I said, trying to make sense of everything. My dad would never let me stay in a place where my mom was killed.

“Your dad was also responsible for your mother’s death,” he added, and my world seemed to tilt.

“This is a lie. I can’t believe you. What’s your motive? Tell me!” I demanded, feeling my head start to spin.

“I’m not lying. My father was murdered by this pack too, and somehow, both his death and your mother’s are connected,” he explained, and the weight of his words felt like a heavy burden I wasn’t ready to bear.

“But how do you know all this?” I asked, feeling confused.

“I have my resources. You need to help me figure out what really happened. I’ve been following you since the party. I noticed the alpha took an interest in you,” he said. What did he mean by that? Why was it so obvious that Elijah had his sights on me?

“Trap the alpha, and he will lead you to the darkest truths of your life,” he said, his words heavy with warning.

I heard footsteps approaching, and I quickly turned around. Before I could react, Marcel was already gone, leaving me standing alone in the hallway.

I stepped out of the room and saw Lily.

“Ma’am, I’ve been looking for you everywhere. What are you doing here?” she asked, clearly suspicious.

“I... I just lost track of where my room was,” I said, forcing a smile.

“Please, follow me. I’ll take you to your room,” she said, and I followed her without protest.

I didn’t know if what Marcel was saying was true or not, but I knew one thing for certain: I needed to get to the bottom of this. I couldn’t take chances with the little information I had about my mother’s death. I would find the truth—even if it meant using Elijah to do so.

But the thought gnawed at me: what if I ended up trapped in all of this myself?