Stolen Fate: Bound to Seven Alphas

WILLA

"Hi, Mommy. Daddy," Verah said, lifting her hand in a small, awkward wave toward the stern-looking man and woman standing before us.

Her parents.

Her father’s hair was completely grey, his blue eyes identical to Verah’s. Beyond that, they shared little resemblance. His face was weathered, his jaw strong and defined, the kind that probably turned heads in his younger years.

My gaze drifted over him before I could stop myself.

He was dressed simply in a white shirt and black jeans, nothing remarkable at first glance, yet the authority he carried was unmistakable.

He was an Alpha. The aura around him made that clear without needing confirmation.

It was the same overwhelming presence I had sensed from Kol.

I tore my eyes away and shifted my attention to the woman beside him.

Her arms were crossed, her posture rigid.

She shared Verah’s dark brown hair, which framed her oval face perfectly. She was beautiful in a quiet, effortless way, wearing little to no makeup, her caramel-toned skin smooth and flawless.

Then, there was Lance. He was standing right beside her, staring straight at me. I flushed and looked away from his heated stare.

"Elyse," Verah’s mother called.

"Hi," I replied softly, my voice smaller than I intended as I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

Mrs. Hart studied me, a slight frown forming as one brow lifted in quiet scrutiny. "Are you alright?"

Shit.

Did I say something wrong?

I glanced quickly at Verah, silently asking for help, but she avoided my gaze, her attention fixed on the ground.

Mrs. Hart stepped closer.

Then she inhaled. My breath caught. I stared anywhere but at her, my pulse picking up.

Was she trying to scent me?

Werewolves had heightened senses. I knew it was only a matter of time before someone noticed something was off.

I began counting in my head, the seconds stretching as anxiety crept higher and higher.

One. Two. Three—

Her hand closed around mine. I jumped at the contact, warmth spreading through my skin, unexpectedly.

Then she smiled. A genuine one. Before I could react, she pulled me into a hug, and I stumbled slightly into her arms.

"I’m glad you’re doing okay," she murmured, patting my back.

My lungs finally released the breath I’d been holding. She hadn’t noticed anything. No one had.

Did that mean I smelled exactly like Elyse?

Mrs Hart pulled back, and just as quickly as it appeared, the softness in her expression disappeared. Her gaze shifted to Verah, and she beckoned with a single finger.

"Follow me."

Verah groaned. "I need to take Elyse to the doctor."

"There’s no need for that," Mr. Hart said. "Her parents are here."

My heart lurched into my throat. The Bakers? Here?

I looked around quickly, panic rising as my heartbeat thundered in my ears.

"They’re in the parking lot," Mrs. Hart added.

My stomach dropped.

I was still trying to find my footing in this world, still trying to understand everything, but one thing I knew for certain, I wasn’t ready to leave.

I didn’t want to.

Yes, pretending to be someone else was wrong. I knew that. I could get into serious trouble for it.

But this life? It was better than anything I had ever known.

Here, I had friends. I had people who cared. I wasn’t a burden. I wasn’t a freak.

People actually wanted me around. They understood me. For the first time, it felt like I had found where I truly belonged.

Now they were here and ready to take me back. But not before exposing me, and dragging everything into the open. Rachel would love that.

I imagined the sick grin on her ridiculous face.

"You should go now," Mrs. Hart said, her voice pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts.

"I’ll take her," Lance offered, stepping forward.

Mrs. Hart shot him a look that stopped him instantly.

"She has two legs just like you," she said coolly. "I’m sure she can manage."

Lance muttered something under his breath, frustration clear on his face, but he didn’t argue further. Instead, he kept looking at me like he wanted to say something, like there were words he couldn’t get out with everyone watching.

"Good luck," Verah mouthed.

"You too," I replied before turning away. I was the one who needed it more. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

I tightened my grip on the strap of my backpack and started toward the parking lot. It was only a few minutes away from the administrative building, but my mind was too crowded to notice anything around me.

Thoughts tangled together, pulling me deeper into my head.

I didn’t see it coming.

Something slammed into me. Hard. The force knocked me straight to the ground before the pain even registered.

A sharp breath left me as I winced, lifting my hands to look at them. My vision flickered, dark spots dancing at the edges.

I blinked rapidly until everything came back into focus. My palms were raw, the skin broken in places, the sting spreading up to my wrist.

I looked up, ready to snap at whoever had pushed me, then the sound hit.

A deafening roar.

I groaned, pressing my palms against my ears as I glared toward the source.

A motorcycle. The engine revved again, louder this time, like the rider enjoyed the noise.

I couldn’t see his face.

He was dressed entirely in black. Helmet. Leather jacket. Ripped skinny jeans. Even the bike matched. The only thing that stood out was the pair of white Jordans on his feet.

He killed the engine and swung off the bike, walking toward me with slow, deliberate steps.

I didn’t move. I stayed seated on the ground, folding my arms tightly across my chest.

As soon as he stopped in front of me, I snapped.

"The road is wide enough," I said through clenched teeth, gesturing around us. "But you chose to run into me. The least you can do is apologize."

I had every right to demand that. I expected him to take off his helmet, like any reasonable person would.

Instead, he slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Then he held his other hand out toward me.

I stared at it for a second, confused, before reaching to take it but he pulled it back.

A flash went off. Then another. I raised a hand to shield my eyes on the third one, blinking against the sudden brightness.

What the hell...?

By the time I lowered my hand, he was already turning away.

Just like that. No apology.

He walked back toward his bike as if I didn’t exist. I stared at his retreating figure, disbelief settling in.

"Really?!" I called after him.

He didn’t even slow down. My teeth clenched, my hands curling into fists at my sides.

"You pompous jerk!" I shouted. "I don’t know who you think you are, but I hope you get exactly what’s coming to you!"