☠️𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑨𝑳𝑷𝑯𝑨’𝑺
𝑭𝑰𝑬𝑹𝒀 𝑭𝑨𝑻𝑬🔥
{𝑩𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝑩𝒚 𝑭𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔}
Written By, 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧_𝐀𝐩𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐞
𖣘𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟑𖣘
{𝑨 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝑫𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅}
─━━━━━━⊱✿⊰━━━━━━─
𝐊𝐀𝐍𝐄
Meetings. Calls. Endless reports. But my eyes keep drifting.
She sits in the corner of my office—quiet, efficient—working through the files I hand her like she has something to prove. And maybe she does. That fire of hers hasn’t dimmed since the moment she walked into this place—and every damn second, I feel the heat of it on my skin.
She doesn’t once ask for help. Doesn’t complain. Doesn’t try to get under my skin like she usually does.
That’s what gets to me the most.
I’m used to her bite.
Not this… focus.
By the time the clock hits four, I’ve nearly forgotten she’s here—until she stands in front of my desk and lays the completed paperwork down.
“All done” she says, tone flat. No smug smile. No sass. Just a simple statement.
I look at the files, flipping through them.
Clean. Accurate. Organized as hell.
I pause, narrowing my gaze at her.
“You finished all of this?”
“Didn’t stutter” she replies.
“You read and compiled everything yourself?” I arch a brow.
Her jaw tightens like she’s resisting the urge to roll her eyes. “Yes.”
Something doesn’t add up.
“What level of education do you have?” I ask casually, keeping my expression unreadable.
She shrugs, arms folding again. That signature stance of hers. “High school.”
That makes me look up.
Just high school?
“You’re telling me you put that report together with only a high school diploma?” I ask, sitting back in my chair, hands steepled.
“Yup.”
“Why didn’t you go to college?”
Her eyes darken, but her tone stays even.
“Because my father thought it was a waste. Said daughters didn’t need degrees. Said my place was behind a man, not beside one.”
I’m silent for a moment. Not because I don’t have a response, but because something about that answer twists something sharp in me.
“Did you believe him?” I ask finally.
Her eyes lift to mine. Calm. Steady. “No. It was just his excuse for not wanting to train me.”
That hits harder than I expect.
I stare at her, trying to figure out where she comes from, and why the hell someone like her is tucked away in a house doing chores instead of leading something—anything.
“Well,” I say, voice low, neutral, “that explains the rough edges.”
Her lips twitch. “Don’t pretend you don’t like the rough edges.”
I lean forward, resting my elbows on the desk.
“I don’t like surprises” I retort.
“Too bad. I’m full of them” she replies.
There it is—that glint in her eyes again. The push and pull. Like she knows exactly how to get under my skin and is making it a sport.
I pick up the file again, flipping through it like it’s nothing special—even though it is.
“You missed one comma” I say flatly.
She arches a brow. “Really? That’s what we’re doing?”
“Perfection is the standard here, Miss Rowen” I smirk.
She leans over the desk, both hands planted on the edge.
“Then fire your secretary. I caught five errors in his scheduling system this morning. You’re welcome, Alpha.”
My smirk fades.
She pulls back, proud of herself, and walks toward the corner like she hasn’t just cracked my façade clean open.
I stare after her, pulse ticking in my jaw.
That woman—
She’s dangerous.
Not because of her tongue. Not even because of her spirit.
But because for the first time in a long time… I don’t want to look away.
I stand and walk over to where she sits, arms crossed, watching the skyline through the window like she isn’t aware of how much heat she’s radiating.
“Get up” I say.
She turns. “Why?”
I don’t answer.
I just wait.
She stands slowly, arms unfolding, and faces me.
We stand there, chest to chest. Too close. Too still.
“You think just because you impressed me, I’ll let my guard down?” I ask.
“I don’t want you to let it down. I want to see what’s behind it” she responds.
I turn and walk away before I do something I’d regret—like dragging her against my chest and kissing her senseless.
I go back to my desk, drop into my chair, and open another file just to keep my hands busy.
“Go get coffee” I order.
She raises a brow. “Black. Two sugars?”
I look up.
“None.”
“Noted” she smiles—just a little—and walks out.
Finally, I allow myself to breathe.
𝐈𝐀𝐍
I slam the car door so hard it rattles on its hinges. Gravel crunches beneath my boots as I storm toward the towering iron gates of the Dark Howl Pack.
The sun dips behind heavy clouds, casting the estate in gray shadows. Perfect. It matches my mood.
Two guards stand at the entrance, stiff and wary. The moment they spot me charging toward them, they straighten, hands instinctively going to their weapons.
“State your business—”
“Move” I growl.
One of them steps forward, brows furrowing.
“This is private territory. You need clearance for entry” he states.
“I’m not here for füç?ing clearance” I snap. “I’m here for my sister.”
My fist clenches at my side, my jaw grinding in anger. “Where is she?”
“Keep it down” the second guard warns. “You can’t just come in here and—”
“Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do!” I cut him off. “She’s my sister, and I’m not leaving until I see her. You’ve got five seconds to open that damn gate.”
The guards exchange wary looks, but neither moves. They just stand there, blocking me from getting any closer to Nevaeh.
I grit my teeth, frustration bubbling over. The more they deny me, the more my temper rises. Every second wasted here means she’s one step further from freedom.
“I said, open the füç?ing gate!” I shout, taking a threatening step toward them.
“I wouldn’t say another thing if I were you” a voice as cold as winter speaks behind me.
I whip around, my heart skipping a beat. A tall man, blue-eyed and radiating an aura of pure menace, stands there like an immovable wall. I don’t know him, but from the way the guards stiffen, it’s clear he isn’t someone to be trifled with.
He crosses his arms over his chest, an almost bored look on his face.
“We behead intruders with manners such as yours” he states with a smug smile.
I’m about to snap back when I notice a car approaching in the distance. My pulse quickens as it comes to a halt.
Before I can take a step, the door flies open, and there she is—Nevaeh.
“Ian!” she calls, rushing toward me.
My anger melts away the moment I see her, and I can’t stop myself from striding toward her, arms open. She collides with me, her face burying into my chest as I hold her tight.
“You’re okay” I breathe, relief flooding my veins.
But then I feel it—a suffocating presence. My gaze lifts to see who it belongs to, and my stomach tightens.
Kane Ironclaw. The Alpha of Dark Howl pack. And the man responsible for everything.
His amber eyes lock on mine, and I feel the chill in the air—the weight of his aura crushing down on me. I stand tall, trying to ignore the shiver running down my spine.
“You’re her mate, aren’t you?” I ask, unable to stop myself. “The reason she’s been missing?”
Nevaeh’s gaze drops to the ground, her arms still wrapped around me, and my heart clenches. I can feel her hesitation—the unspoken pain in her silence. But it’s all the confirmation I need. Kane is the reason she’s been taken. The reason she’s disappeared without a word.
“Yes. I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want you to get hurt” Nevaeh finally says.
My mind spins, but I can’t hold it in anymore. I pull away slightly, staring at her with a mixture of hurt and anger.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I demand. “Why keep this from me? You know I would’ve helped you.”
She looks down, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I couldn’t put you in danger. Kane… he—”
“No. I’m not going to sit here and let you be controlled by him” I cut her off, a surge of protectiveness rising inside me.
I step toward Kane, ready to confront him, to make him understand he can’t just take my sister away from me.
Before I can get any closer, his Beta steps forward, blocking my path.
I can’t hide the irritation that flashes across my face.
“Move” I growl, trying to push past him. “I’m not here to talk.”
“You don’t want this to be the last time you see your sister, do you?” he says, his voice colder than ice, his eyes boring into mine with an intensity that makes my breath hitch. “Step back.”
I glare at him, but I can’t ignore the warning in his tone. Kane is dangerous. I can feel it in my bones. That dark aura surrounding him is warning enough. But I’m not about to give up on Nevaeh—not now.
“Is he the reason you went missing all those days?” I turn to her and ask.
She nods slowly, her eyes filled with a sadness I can’t understand.
“Yes, Ian” she answers.
A pang shoots through my chest. So much has happened in such a short time. I never imagined my little sister would get involved with someone like him.
I look back at Kane, who stands there, unmoving, his eyes never leaving mine.
“So, what now? You just get to keep her?” I frown.
Kane’s cold gaze never wavers, but it’s clear he isn’t going to answer.
I want to fight. I want to rip him apart for taking her from me. But I know I can’t do it alone—not without putting Nevaeh in more danger.
Nevaeh steps forward, placing a hand on my arm.
“I’m staying with him, Ian. It’s not what you think. It’s… it’s complicated” she says.
“You don’t have to stay, Nevaeh. Come with me. We’ll figure it out” I plead, but she only shakes her head.
“I can’t. I’m sorry.”
Her words are a blow to my chest, knocking the breath from me.
I stare at Nevaeh, my heart sinking with every passing second. This isn’t happening. It can’t be.
I shake my head, disbelief clouding my vision.
“No, Nevaeh. You don’t understand. This—this isn’t you. This is Kane. He’s controlling you.” My voice cracks, desperation leaking through. “You don’t have to stay with him. You have a choice. You can come with me. Please.”
She doesn’t respond the way I need. Her gaze softens, but there’s a sadness in her eyes I’ve never seen before—a resignation that breaks something inside me.
“I… I can’t” she whispers again.
I reach for her, hands desperate to pull her away from him, from this madness. But before I can get closer, Kane moves.
His massive form looms behind her as he places a hand on her shoulder. The weight of his presence is overwhelming. His grip on her is possessive, like he’s already claimed her as his own.
“You heard her” Kane rumbles, cold and commanding. It sends a chill down my spine. “She’s made her choice.”
My throat tightens. This can’t be happening. I can’t let this happen.
I turn to Nevaeh, eyes pleading.
“Please. You can’t just—”
But she pulls away, her face a mask of sorrow. She mouths something—“Sorry”—before turning and walking toward the car. I watch, frozen in place, as she gets in without even looking back at me.
The guards step aside, allowing the car to pass through. I watch, numb, as the giant gates open for them.
I stumble back, my legs betraying me, the ground beneath me suddenly unsteady. It’s as if the earth has shifted, leaving me off balance, disconnected from everything I know. I feel like I’m watching my whole world crumble as their car disappears into the pack.
My chest aches, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. I’ve failed. I’ve failed to protect her. And now, there’s nothing I can do but watch as she’s taken away by the man who has ruined everything.
I came here to rescue my sister, to bring her home—and instead, I’ve lost her.
I stagger, unable to keep my footing. My hands grip the nearest lamppost, the cold metal biting into my skin as I try to steady myself. My heart pounds in my chest, but it feels like a distant echo, fading with every passing second.
I was so sure. So damn sure that I could bring her back, that I could fight Kane and save her from whatever hold he has on her. But this… this feels like a nightmare I can’t wake up from.
The gates close with a loud thud, and with them, every hope I have of taking Nevaeh away from this place—away from Kane—evaporates.
Just like that, I feel completely, utterly alone.
