Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire

The door clicked shut behind me, the weight of Lexi's presence still hanging in the air. I leaned back against the door, exhaling a ragged breath I hadn't known I was holding. My hand closed around the paper bag, right where her fingers had gripped it. Bringing it closer, I inhaled deeply, her scent mingling with the food she'd delivered.A startling torrent of emotions tore through me. Desire so potent it nearly crippled me, a protectiveness that surged like a storm. Feelings so intense, they were fit for kin, for the pack, for... a mate. But that was the rub, wasn't it? That girl was human, not a werewolf. How could she elicit such a visceral reaction in me?I moved to the nightstand, tearing the top off the bag, laying it there as if preserving a precious relic. The food remained untouched, its allure dwarfed by the mysterious pull of the woman who'd brought it. That night, I went to bed wrestling with conflicting feelings, but one thought was clear: I needed to see her again.The

I descended the porch stairs, then tossed the towel back up to the porch without looking. "Thanks, Mom!""Anytime, son. Could you let your dad know I'll be sitting out this training session?" "Will do," I nodded, before shifting back into my wolf form. The familiar rush of senses greeted me as I dashed through the trees toward the training grounds. In the distance, I could already hear my father's mental grumbling, a cacophony of complaints and expletives that only I had the privilege—or curse—of hearing. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if it was possible to roll my eyes in wolf form. His scent wafted toward me as I approached, a mix of earth and something distinctly him. He turned, his eyes locking onto my approaching form. "Ah, the prodigal son returns," he quipped, his voice filled with sarcasm yet tinged with an unmistakable relief. Shifting back to my human form, I countered, "Good to see you haven't lost your sense of humor, Dad." For a moment, we locked eyes, the unspoken

My fists clenched around the barbell as I drove it into the air for another overhead press. Sweat dripped down my forehead, stinging my eyes, but I didn't care. I was too lost in the storm inside my head, a storm I couldn't seem to escape. I'd been working out on my balcony for hours, pushing my body to its absolute limit, partly because I wanted to distract myself, but mostly because I needed something to hit, even if it was just the air around me.Luke. The name was like a splinter in my mind. I couldn't believe he'd taken her out on a date. My muscles tightened further as I lowered the weights back down to my chest. The sheer audacity of that man was beyond comprehension. We were supposed to be friends once, but friends don't pull stunts like this.And then there was Lexi. My Luna. The thought of her possibly giving herself to Luke made my blood boil in a way I'd never felt before. If she slept with him, it wouldn't matter if she was fated to be with me; she would have to stay with

After dropping Lexi off, I gripped the steering wheel hard, feeling the leather indent beneath my fingers. I was fuming, not just at Luke, but at myself, for cutting the night short after she took the chance and left the party with me. The air in the car was thick with tension, the remnant of emotions held at bay. My wolf was agitated, scratching at the inner walls of my consciousness, begging to be let loose. I knew I had to get away from Lexi before I did something that would be difficult to explain, especially since she was still in the dark about my true nature.And then there was Luke. Watching him in that club tonight, high and reckless, I could feel that something was dangerously off in my gut. He was spiraling, but into what? That was the gnawing question. My instincts screamed that it was more than just the drugs. He's always had a penchant for self-destruction, but this felt different, more sinister in a way I couldn't yet pinpoint. It was as if he were not just playing wi

A sense of dread washed over me when we parked just inside the pack land borders. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing, no guideline for how you tell someone you've been lying about who you are. Well, I'm not lying exactly, but I definitely omit a crucial part of my identity. And not just my identity, but the essence of everyone who lived on this land."Promise me something?" I looked over at her, fidgeting with the car keys in my hands. "Keep an open mind about all of this, and if you don't want to be here anymore at any point, just say so. I'll take you back to the city, no questions asked."She stared back at me, bewildered. "Open mind? Clay, what's going on? Why are you acting so strange?"I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Just...promise me, okay?""Fine, I promise. Now, tell me what's happening."My heart pounding in my ears, I killed the engine. "Let's get out of the car. There's something I need to show you."She followed me out, her brows furrowing, eyes filled