Chapter 6: Hate
Elena's POV:
After indulging in the ice cream therapy and letting the tears flow, I started to feel a little better—though not completely. The pain still lingered, but it was duller now, like a bruise instead of a fresh wound. I sighed, resting my head on my mom's shoulder, finding comfort in the steady rhythm of her breathing.
"Where's Dad?" I finally asked, my voice still a bit hoarse from crying.
Mom hesitated for a second, her fingers brushing through my hair gently. "He went to meet with Alpha Kane."
I stiffened at the mention of that name. A sour taste filled my mouth, washing away the sweetness of the ice cream. Alpha Kane. Just hearing his name was enough to make my blood boil.
Urgh. I hated that man.
Sure, he had helped our pack when we needed it most—saving us from financial ruin and protecting us from external attacks. Without his intervention, who knows what might've happened to the Moonlight Pack. We were indebted to him for that, and I knew my father was grateful, but that didn't mean I had to like him. Not with the way he treated my dad.
My father, the Alpha of the Moonlight Pack, was a proud, honorable man. He had always carried himself with grace and strength, someone our pack could look up to. But around Alpha Kane, it was different. Alpha Kane treated him like he was beneath him, like he was nothing more than a tool to be used whenever it suited him. And I hated that.
"Dad is older than him, and an Alpha like him, but…" I trailed off, the frustration rising in my chest. "Why does he have to treat Dad like he's his subordinate? It's like he doesn't even respect him."
Mom sighed softly, leaning back against the couch as she folded her hands in her lap. "Alpha Kane is… complicated," she said carefully, choosing her words. "He's helped us, yes. But his ways are... different."
"Different?" I scoffed. "You mean cold. Cruel. Manipulative." I could feel my fists clenching in my lap just thinking about him. "He doesn't care about anyone but himself."
Mom glanced at me, her expression soft but serious. "Elena, it's not that simple."
"Isn't it? Every time Dad comes back from one of those meetings with him, he looks… defeated," I muttered, feeling my heart ache a little at the thought. "I hate seeing him like that. Dad's a great Alpha—strong, fair, compassionate. He deserves respect."
"And he has it," Mom replied gently. "From his pack, from his family. But Alpha Kane is a different kind of leader. He's known for his ruthlessness. His ways aren't ours, but… he's an Alpha who commands power and respect in his own way. It's just… not the way we're used to."
"Yeah, well, it still doesn't make it right." I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. "It's like he enjoys putting Dad down, like he gets some sick pleasure from it."
I couldn't stand it. The idea of anyone treating my father like he was less than the Alpha he was, especially someone like Kane, made my blood boil. He might've been a powerful Alpha, and yes, he might've helped us when we needed it most, but that didn't give him the right to treat my father like he was nothing more than a pawn in some twisted game.
Alpha Kane was known for being ruthless, both in and out of the battlefield. I'd heard the stories, whispers that floated around the pack about his dominance—how he ruled with an iron fist, how his pack feared and revered him in equal measure. But that wasn't the kind of Alpha I respected. My father ruled with compassion, with the strength of heart, not just force. That's what made him a great leader.
Mom's voice broke through my thoughts, soft but firm. "Your father does what he has to do for the good of the pack, Elena. He doesn't enjoy working with Alpha Kane, but he knows it's necessary. Alpha Kane holds a lot of power, and for now, our alliance with him keeps us safe."
"I know," I muttered, biting my lip. "I just… I hate seeing Dad treated like that."
Mom smiled sadly, reaching out to take my hand. "So do I, sweetie. But sometimes, being a leader means making sacrifices for the greater good. And your father is a great leader."
I nodded, but the frustration still simmered under the surface. I couldn't help but think about how different things would be if our pack wasn't indebted to someone like Kane. If we didn't have to rely on him for protection and financial stability. But that was just a fantasy. The truth was, we needed his alliance, no matter how much I hated it.
"Why can't we just break the contract?" I asked, even though I knew the answer before the words left my mouth.
Mom sighed again, her thumb gently rubbing the back of my hand. "It's not that simple, Elena. The contract with Alpha Kane is ironclad. If we break it, he has the right to take over the pack completely."
I swallowed hard, my stomach churning at the thought. Alpha Kane ruling over the Moonlight Pack? That was a nightmare I didn't even want to entertain. Our pack was strong, but we were still recovering from everything we'd been through before Kane had intervened. If we tried to defy him, there was no doubt he'd crush us. And then what? Our family… our home… everything we'd worked so hard for would be gone.
"I just wish things were different," I whispered, leaning into my mom's comforting embrace.
"I know," she said softly, kissing the top of my head. "But your father is doing everything he can to protect this pack. And as much as we may not like it, Alpha Kane's alliance has kept us safe."
Her words made sense, but they didn't make me feel any better. There had to be more to Alpha Kane than the ruthless, cold-hearted Alpha I'd heard so much about. But from what I had seen and heard, there wasn't a single redeeming quality to the man.
"I just don't understand why he has to be such a… jerk," I muttered, earning a soft laugh from my mom.
"Some people wear their strength like armor, sweetheart. They think it's the only way to survive in this world," she said, her tone tinged with sadness. "But not everyone who appears strong on the outside is strong on the inside."
I didn't respond, too caught up in my thoughts to argue anymore. I knew Mom was trying to help me see things from a different perspective, but all I could think about was how much I despised Alpha Kane. If he was really as cold and ruthless as everyone said, then I hoped I never had to meet him.
But little did I know, fate had a different plan for me. A plan that would bring Alpha Kane and me face to face in ways I could never have imagined.
Something New
Claimed by the Alpha and the Vampire Prince:Masquerading as aMan
Chapter 7: Mate
Kane's POV:
Ever since we stepped foot into the Moonlight Pack, something had been off with Ash, my wolf. Normally, he was calm and collected, especially when it came to business matters like this. But today, he had been pacing restlessly in the back of my mind, a low growl vibrating through me every time we moved closer to the Moonlight territory. It was like he was on edge, anxious about something, but no matter how many times I tried to reach out to him, he wouldn't tell me what it was.
"Relax," I muttered under my breath as I entered the Moonlight Pack's main hall, straightening my jacket. "We'll be out of here soon enough."
Ash didn't respond, but I could feel his frustration simmering beneath the surface. His restlessness was starting to get to me, too. I wasn't usually one to get rattled, especially not when it came to dealing with other packs. I had been in countless meetings like this one, negotiating contracts, asserting my dominance, and making sure everything ran smoothly. But today was different. Something was in the air, and it had Ash on high alert.
"Alpha Kane," a voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned to see the Moonlight Pack's Alpha, Samuel walking toward me with a wide, but forced, smile on his face.
"Alpha Samuel" I greeted him, extending my hand. We shook, but I could feel the unease radiating from him, too. He wasn't exactly thrilled about renewing our contract, but he had no choice. His pack depended on me—for protection, for financial support, for everything. And he knew it.
I couldn't deny that there was a part of me that relished in that power. It came with being an Alpha. Hell, it was in my nature to dominate, to be in control. It was one of the reasons I had built my empire the way I had. The Moonlight Pack needed me, and as long as they kept up their end of the deal, I was happy to provide what they needed. But make no mistake—betray me, or even try to back out of our agreement, and I'd take what was mine without hesitation. I had no mercy for those who crossed me.
"We're ready for you," Victor said, gesturing toward the meeting room. "Everything's in order for the renewal."
I nodded and followed him into the room, my Beta, Luke, close at my side. As we settled into the meeting, I noticed Ash's agitation hadn't lessened. If anything, it was getting worse. His growls were becoming more insistent, louder, like he was sensing something I wasn't. I tried to focus on the task at hand, discussing the terms of the contract, but Ash's anxiety was starting to bleed into my own thoughts.
As the hours dragged on, I found myself getting increasingly irritated. I wanted to finish up and get out of here. Something was wrong, and I needed to figure out what. Shifting into my wolf form would help, but I had to be patient. Once we left, I'd shift and let Ash sort out whatever was bothering him.
"Is there anything else we need to discuss?" Samuel asked, looking more than a little uncomfortable. He had been fidgeting the entire time, like he was afraid I might spring some new demand on him. I couldn't blame him. That's exactly what I usually did—keep them on their toes, make sure they knew who was in charge.
But today, I didn't have the energy for that. Ash was too distracted, and it was starting to affect me. "No," I said curtly, signing the last document in front of me. "We're done here."
Samuel visibly relaxed, though he tried to hide it. I stood up, Luke following suit, and I made my way toward the door. But as I stepped into the hallway, Ash suddenly let out a fierce growl in my mind, almost making me stumble.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" I growled back, pushing open the door to the outside. The fresh air hit me, but it did nothing to calm Ash down. His agitation was growing stronger, more insistent.
Mate, he suddenly growled.
My entire body went rigid.
What? I asked, stunned. That couldn't be right. Ash was mistaken. We had searched for our mate for years, coming up with nothing. I had stopped believing she existed a long time ago. At 28, I had accepted that the mate bond wasn't in the cards for me. There was no way my mate was suddenly here, in this pack, after all these years.
But Ash's growl wasn't filled with doubt. It was filled with certainty.
Mate, he repeated, and I could feel him straining against my control, wanting to break free, to shift.
My pulse quickened, my heart pounding in my chest. I glanced around, half-expecting someone to jump out from behind a tree or building, but there was nothing. No one. I scanned the area, my senses heightened. There was something… something faint, almost imperceptible in the air. A scent. Sweet, intoxicating. My mouth watered, my instincts kicking in before I could stop them.
There. Find her, Ash urged, his voice thick with need.
I swallowed hard, trying to push back the surge of emotions rushing through me. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not here.
But as I inhaled again, the scent hit me full force, and my knees almost buckled.
She was here. My mate. After all these years, she was here, in the Moonlight Pack.
I turned to Luke, my jaw tight. "Stay here," I ordered, my voice harsher than I intended. I didn't wait for his response before I stormed off in the direction of the scent. I couldn't stop myself, couldn't control the magnetic pull that was dragging me forward.
Every step I took brought me closer to her. My heart was pounding in my ears, my wolf clawing at the surface, desperate to find her, to claim her.
I rounded a corner, and that's when I saw her.
She was walking toward one of the cabins, her long, rich dark brown hair cascading down her back, her shoulders slightly hunched like she was trying to make herself smaller. She hadn't noticed me yet, but the moment my eyes locked onto her, my entire world shifted.
She was stunning. Beautiful in a way that made my chest tighten painfully. But there was something more—something innocent and pure about her that made my dominant side bristle with conflict.
She wasn't like the women I'd been with. No, she was the opposite. Too pure, too… untouched.
Ash growled possessively, his desire to mark her overwhelming. But a part of me hesitated. Could she handle the darkness that came with me? Would she even want someone like me?
But it was too late. She was mine.
Something New
Claimed by the Alpha and the Vampire Prince:Masquerading as aMan
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