My Fated Alpha's Cruel Game

Elena’s POV

The cold night air bit through the thin walls of our small house, and I couldn’t bear the thought of Jett sitting outside in this weather. "You’re not going to freeze out there on my watch," I told him firmly.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it." His eyes drifted to the thick volume in my hands. "Is that the pack’s historical records?"

"Yeah, I grabbed it from the packhouse earlier. It looked fascinating, so I thought I’d give it a read." I adjusted my position on the worn couch, making room for him to sit.

"I’ve been wanting to get my hands on that for ages," he admitted, settling down beside me.

A question had been nagging at me since I’d started reading. "Have you ever come across anything about some kind of agreement between our pack and vampire clans?"

His eyebrows shot up. "You mean the old stories? Most people think that’s just folklore. Nothing more than campfire tales."

"That’s exactly what Alpha Marcus believes too. That’s what’s driving him to dig deeper and find out the truth." I flipped through several pages, scanning for more information.

"Seriously?" Jett leaned forward, clearly intrigued. "Mind if I ask you something personal?"

"Go ahead." I set the book aside, giving him my full attention.

"Do you ever feel isolated? Like you’re completely alone in all this?"

The question hit deeper than I expected. "I used to feel that way constantly. Now it’s just become my reality."

"Everyone in the pack knows your father died protecting the Alpha. And then the Alpha’s family just abandoned you and your mother completely." His voice carried genuine sympathy.

I shrugged, trying to keep my emotions in check. "Life happens. That’s just how things turned out."

"But it shouldn’t be that way. I was really hoping Alpha Marcus would break the cycle, be different from his father. Turns out he’s cut from the same cloth."

"He was molded by his upbringing. This behavior seems normal to him because it’s all he’s ever known. He genuinely doesn’t see anything wrong with it." I found myself defending him, though I wasn’t sure why.

"You’re remarkably forgiving," Jett observed.

"Trust me, forgiveness isn’t my natural instinct here. If I could pack up and leave this territory tomorrow, I’d be gone without looking back. But I seriously doubt he’d allow that to happen." The frustration in my voice was unmistakable.

"Definitely not. Especially not with him having me keep tabs on you constantly." Jett stood up and stretched. "Mind if I raid your kitchen? I’m starving."

"Help yourself to whatever you can find." I watched as he rummaged through our limited supplies, but he was considerate enough to prepare something for me as well.

"Can I ask why you haven’t told your mother about being mated to the Alpha?" he asked while handing me a simple sandwich.

"Because I have no idea how she’ll react. His father is directly responsible for our current situation. Learning that I’m bound to his son might not go over very well." I took a small bite, my appetite diminished by the weight of the conversation.

"You really look out for her," he noted.

"Only when she’s actually here. Last time I counted, she was juggling four different jobs. Could be more by now." The reality of our financial struggles was never far from my mind.

"I’m not the only pack member who thinks you got dealt a really unfair hand," Jett said quietly.

"I know there are others who feel that way. But nobody’s brave enough to challenge the Alpha’s authority." I returned to the historical records, hoping to lose myself in something other than my current problems.

Jett remained inside until mom returned from work. We both knew that explaining his presence would open a can of worms neither of us was ready to handle. I wasn’t prepared to reveal my mated status to mom, at least not yet.

When she finally walked through the door, exhaustion written across her face, I had her dinner waiting and ready.

"Here, I picked up the mail on my way in," she said, dropping a stack of envelopes on the table.

I sorted through the pile, my heart racing when I saw several letters addressed to me. All from universities I’d submitted applications to months ago.

"What do they say?" Mom asked eagerly, watching me tear open the first envelope.

"Every single one is offering me academic scholarships." I could hardly believe what I was reading.

"Sweetheart, that’s incredible news!" Her face lit up with genuine pride and excitement.

"I’ll still need to find work to cover living expenses and everything else. These only take care of tuition costs," I reminded her, trying to manage both our expectations.

"I understand that completely. But you’re capable of handling whatever comes your way. You’re the most resilient person I’ve ever known." Her unwavering faith in me was both touching and overwhelming.

"I could easily say the same thing about you," I replied, meaning every word.

Later that night, after we’d both settled into our respective rooms, I was drifting off to sleep when piercing sirens shattered the peaceful silence throughout the pack territory.

I bolted upright immediately, recognizing the warning system that signaled we were under attack. Our location in the remote woods made us particularly vulnerable since patrol coverage was minimal in this area.

Mom burst out of her bedroom just as Jett came crashing through our front door.

"Rogues?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"Yeah, and they’re moving fast," he confirmed grimly.

"Why is he here?" Mom demanded, confusion and concern mixing in her voice.

"Questions can wait, mom. We need to move now," I said, grabbing her hand firmly.

We were heading toward the door when it swung open from the outside. A man stepped into our home, and the putrid stench of decay that accompanied him left no doubt about what he was. Even in human form, we could all sense the rogue wolf beneath the surface.

His predatory gaze swept over all three of us before settling on my mother with disturbing intensity. He ran his tongue slowly across his lips.

"Hello there, Iris," he said with sickening familiarity.

I turned to look at mom, whose face had gone completely pale.

"Bane," she whispered, shock and recognition clear in her trembling voice.