All Chapters of The Alpha’s Substitute Love : Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

Freedom: You Are Safe!All chaos was alive within the Dark Market. The noise was nothing but a constant; the voices shouted, bargained, and called out prices. The people crowded every corner, jostling for space. The stalls lined the market, selling everything from different corners with knives and weapons, while others with animals caged, crying, and scratching at their bars. But the darkest part of the market lay right at its center, where people were sold as slaves, in chains, and on display.Before a stand caked with filth, a young woman sat with her hands tightly bound in coarse ropes; the wrists were red and raw. Long hair fell uncombed about her face, shading her eyes as she stared at the ground. She was about twenty, but days of hunger had made her thin, far too thin. Her clothes were loose on her body, hanging in torn and stained tatters, but beneath the grime and exhaustion, her beauty was undeniable: eyes fierce, even bowed, as if holding on to her last shred of dignity.Her

Becoming LenaThose words seemed to ring in her mind, echoing on repetition, and went on: "You are here to be a substitute." Emerald stood there in a daze, her eyes enlarging on the man before her while her heart drummed in incredulity. A substitute? For what? For whom?She tried to comprehend what he had just spoken, but it was like her mind felt so greasy that the more she slid away. She had spent the last few hours working out in her head why he had bought her- why a powerful man like Alpha Joel would take her from the Dark Market. She had expected him to want her for work, perhaps some role in the pack. But to hear he wanted her as a substitute? Her hands fisted at her sides as her mind grasped for anything to make this all make sense.She finally looked up at Joel, sitting in the chair, face relaxed and detached. His body was loosely laid back in the chair; he was showing not even the slightest regard as if he were telling her about the weather. She couldn't conceptualize how he

Secrets in the ShadowsAs Joel turned and walked away, leaving her alone by the river, Emerald watched his back disappear as a searing pang hit her chest. A wretched, hollow smile worked its way onto her face, the mocking of her own foolishness. She had let herself believe, even if only for a moment, that she could be someone meaningful to him. But the truth had settled in with one word: "Lena."Emerald wrapped her arms around herself, small and lost, until a soft bump against her hand brought her back into focus. She looked down to see the little rabbit she had been stroking, its small nose twitching as it peered up at her with large, innocent eyes. Other animals surrounded her ducks waddling near her, small birds chirping nearby, each one seeming to trust her, being drawn to her. It was as if they sensed her sadness, cuddling close to her as if to comfort her.Feeling a wave of warmth, Emerald sat back down on the grass, her heart lightning. She spoke to the animals in a soft voice