My Fated Alpha's Cruel Game

Elena’s POV

Finding Xander rifling through my personal belongings in my bedroom sent a shock of violation through my system. He had several of my books scattered across the desk, pages flipped open as if he’d been conducting some sort of investigation. The audacity hit me first, followed quickly by rage when he looked up at me with an expression that suggested I was the one in the wrong for interrupting his invasion of privacy.

His eyes held that cold calculation I was becoming familiar with, as if my presence in my own room was somehow an inconvenience to his snooping mission.

The fury that had been building since I walked through the door finally erupted. "What the hell do you think you’re doing in here?"

Xander straightened to his full height, attempting to use his size to intimidate me. But before he could respond, I felt the familiar presence of someone approaching from behind. The energy shift in the room told me exactly who it was even before I heard his footsteps.

Damien’s presence filled the doorway, and moments later Gage appeared beside him, both men creating an imposing wall of protection at my back.

Xander’s defensive stance faltered slightly, but his voice remained accusatory. "She told me she was planning to break into the office. Said she wanted to find out why I’m no longer Alpha."

The accusation hung in the air like a poison cloud. I felt my chest tighten with indignation at the blatant lie.

"That’s complete bullshit and you know it," I shot back, my voice steady despite the anger coursing through me. "I would never violate Damien’s trust like that. If I wanted information about your situation, I’d ask him directly."

Xander’s laugh was bitter and mocking. "And you honestly believe he’d give you the truth?"

The question was designed to create doubt, to drive a wedge between Damien and me. I met his challenging stare without wavering.

"I trust whatever answer he gives me. That’s what trust means."

The simple statement seemed to hit Xander harder than any elaborate defense could have. His jaw clenched as Damien moved past me, positioning himself as a barrier between his father and me.

"Get out of my house. Now." Damien’s voice carried a lethal edge that made the temperature in the room drop several degrees.

Xander’s eyes flashed with a mixture of frustration and something that looked almost like desperation. "Fine. But I know that woman is hiding something dangerous. She’s going to destroy this pack from the inside out. Bringing her here was the biggest mistake you’ve ever made."

He pushed past us with more force than necessary, his shoulder deliberately bumping against Damien as he made his exit.

Gage’s voice followed him down the hall. "We’ll make our own decisions about our pack’s future."

Xander’s only response was a low growl of frustration as his footsteps echoed down the stairs.

The tension in the room began to dissipate as soon as he was gone, but my hands were still shaking slightly from the adrenaline.

"Are you okay?" Damien turned to face me, his eyes scanning me for any sign of distress.

"He caught me off guard, that’s all." I tried to keep my voice casual, but the violation of finding someone going through my private things still stung.

Gage shook his head in disgust. "The man’s a complete asshole. I’m sorry you had to deal with that."

"He didn’t hurt me physically. I can handle his attitude." I was trying to convince myself as much as them when the sound of unsteady footsteps in the hallway announced another arrival.

Chloe appeared, clearly struggling to maintain her balance, and Gage quickly moved to catch her before she could fall.

"Elena! So good to see you again," Chloe slurred, her words running together.

I couldn’t help but smile despite everything. "It’s been all of ten minutes since we last talked."

Gage wrapped a supportive arm around Chloe’s waist. "We should probably get you to bed. See you later, Elena."

They disappeared down the hallway, leaving Damien and me alone in the aftermath of Xander’s unexpected visit.

"Are you really okay?" Damien asked again, his concern evident. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

I ran a hand through my hair, still processing what had happened. "Yeah, just confused about why he was in here in the first place."

Damien’s expression darkened. "He’s trying to figure out your background. The man’s paranoid about everything, and since we haven’t told him which pack you came from, he’s convinced you’re here as some sort of spy."

The explanation made sense, but it also created a new problem. "If we told him the truth about my situation, would he contact Marcus?"

"Without question. He doesn’t want anyone new in the packhouse, period. But here’s the thing - we rarely see him except at events like tonight. You won’t have to deal with this regularly."

The reassurance helped, but I could feel exhaustion creeping in. "I should get some sleep. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day and it’s already late."

"Of course. I’ll see you in the morning."

After Damien left, I carefully checked through all my belongings to make sure Xander hadn’t taken anything. Everything appeared to be there, but the feeling of violation lingered.

I changed into my pajamas and hung up the dress from the evening, then settled into bed. Despite my exhaustion, sleep proved elusive. I stared at the ceiling with one hand resting on my stomach, my mind cycling through doubts and fears.

Returning to my old pack meant surrendering myself to Marcus’s control. He would claim this baby as his heir and probably try to remove me from the equation entirely once I’d served my purpose.

The thought of him and Viviana raising children together made my stomach churn. They would likely have multiple heirs, especially if Viviana could get past her vanity about pregnancy and childbirth. Though knowing her, she’d probably find some omega to carry her children so she wouldn’t have to deal with the physical demands herself.

When morning came, I gathered my school supplies and went downstairs for breakfast. I took my coffee out to the veranda, enjoying the quiet morning air.

The front door opened and Chloe stumbled out, hair disheveled and still wearing last night’s dress, her shoes dangling from her fingers.

"Good morning," I called out, causing her to jump in surprise.