My Fated Alpha's Cruel Game

Elena’s POV

My eyes darted between my mother standing in the doorway and the stranger who had appeared at our trailer steps. Something about his presence made my skin crawl, and I couldn’t understand how my mother would know someone like him.

"You traitorous piece of garbage." Jett snarled from beside me.

"Wait, you know this guy?" I demanded.

"He’s the one who sold out the pack. He’s the reason your father is six feet under." Mom’s voice was ice cold. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

I whipped around to face the intruder again. He was still wearing that sick smile, like he was enjoying every second of this reunion.

"Elena. Look how beautiful you’ve become." His voice made my stomach turn.

"Go to hell." I snapped.

"Such a mouth on you, little girl." He chuckled.

"Screw you." I growled, launching myself forward and driving my boot straight into his chest, sending him flying backward off our front steps.

He hit the ground hard, and I leaped down to stand over him, my fists clenched.

"So you’re telling me you’re responsible for my father’s death?" My voice was deadly quiet.

"I honestly didn’t expect your pack to survive that ambush." He shrugged like it was nothing.

"Not everyone did survive." The words came out like venom.

"You seem a little upset about that." He had the nerve to smirk.

"You were Arthur’ closest friend." Mom’s voice cracked from behind me.

The moment Bane glanced back toward my mother, I struck. My fist connected with his throat, followed by a vicious kick to his face and a knee driven deep into his gut.

"Damn, kid. Your old man trained you right." Bane wheezed, staggering backward.

"You better believe he did." I spat.

Jett stayed close, ready to jump in if needed. But I could tell he was letting me handle this fight on my terms. He’d step in when I called for backup.

"Where are the rest of your pathetic friends?" I demanded.

"They’re keeping your pack busy elsewhere. It’s just you three against all of us." His grin widened as dark shapes began emerging from the treeline around our trailer.

I heard my mother’s sharp intake of breath behind me. I immediately shifted my position, placing myself between her and the approaching threat.

Jett was trying to cover both of us, but I reached out through our mind link. I can take care of myself. We just need to keep them away from mom.

Bane was clearly the leader of this group, and they were slowly closing in on us from all directions.

My heart pounded as I counted at least eight rogues surrounding us. There was only one way we were getting out of this alive. I had to shift. But no one had ever witnessed my wolf form before, and I wasn’t planning on changing that tonight.

"You have to shift, Elena." Tara’s voice echoed in my mind.

"I know. But if I do, none of them can walk away from this. We can’t risk them reporting back to anyone else." I responded mentally.

"That’s exactly why we’re going to eliminate every single one of them." Her growl was fierce in my head.

I spun around and practically shoved my mother back through the trailer door, slamming it shut to keep her safely inside.

When I turned back to face the rogues, Jett was positioned beside me, tension radiating from his entire body.

"Are you absolutely sure about this?" I asked Tara.

"It’s our only shot at survival. Otherwise, that bastard will kill mom." Her voice was resolute.

I faced the pack of rogues and released a howl that seemed to shake the very air around us. The familiar sensation of my bones cracking and reshaping began immediately. My jaw elongated, and thick fur began sprouting across my arms and legs.

The transformation took only seconds. When it was complete, I stood before them as a pure white wolf.

I dug my claws deep into the snow beneath my paws and crouched low, every rogue in my line of sight.

They all froze, staring at me in shock. So did Jett.

Nobody knew about my coloring. Nobody had witnessed my first shift at twelve years old, two years ahead of schedule. The trauma of losing my father had triggered the early change, and I’d made sure to keep it secret ever since.

White wolves were legendary. Sacred. Hunted. Coveted.

I caught Jett still gaping at me in disbelief.

"Shift, you idiot." I commanded through our mind link.

That snapped him back to reality. He transformed into his large sandy-colored wolf and took position beside me.

Bane shifted as well, but being rogues made them all significantly smaller than pack wolves. Our pack connection gave us size and strength advantages, even though I was technically the lowest-ranking member.

Jett and I prepared for battle as the rogues tried to surround us. I ordered him to circle around to their other side. Don’t let them trap us. I don’t need you protecting me.

He reluctantly followed my command, and I moved away from the trailer toward open ground where I’d have better fighting room.

The first rogue lunged at me. I dodged easily, and the moment he hit the ground, I pounced. My teeth found his throat, and I tore it out without hesitation.

I spun just as another attacker knocked me down. I used my powerful hind legs to kick him off and scrambled back to my feet.

I charged the next rogue, and we collided with bone-jarring force, both of us snarling and snapping as we fought for dominance.

Suddenly, another rogue leaped onto my back, his claws digging into my shoulders while his teeth found the back of my neck.

I managed to gain the upper hand on my frontal opponent, raking my claws down his stomach. He staggered a few steps before collapsing.

The rogue on my back kept biting me repeatedly. Finally, I reared up on my hind legs and threw myself backward, crushing him beneath my weight. He went limp immediately.

Blood was pouring from multiple wounds. I wasn’t sure how many times he’d bitten me, but I could feel my strength ebbing. Still, I wasn’t about to be taken down by some pathetic rogue.

I turned back toward the remaining enemies when a thunderous growl echoed through the night behind me.

A massive black wolf appeared with a pack of warriors flanking him.

Alpha Marcus charged past me straight into the fray.

I stumbled backward toward the trailer and collapsed beside the front steps.

"Elena. Elena, honey. Please open your eyes." Mom’s voice reached me as gentle hands touched my face.

I could hear her perfectly, but my eyelids felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. The injuries were severe, and as darkness closed in, I heard the panic in my mother’s voice calling my name.