CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA

🌶️NO ESCAPE🌶️

“Did you really think it would be that easy to slip past me, Arabella? I mean, nice try with the disguises and all but, really?” Raphael’s rim chuckle reverberates through the dining room, pinning Caden and I to the spot.

We’re cornered.

I try bolting for the door, but before I can reach it, Raphael’s Alpha voice booms.

“You know better than to run from me.” Like iron chains, his voice locks me in place, holding me helpless.

Caden charges forward, throwing a powerful fist at Raphael but he doesn’t budge an inch.

“You two are adorable.” Right before Caden makes contact with Raphael, Damon lashes out, slashing Caden’s back from behind.

“Caden!” I can’t help but call out to him.

Caden’s back blooms red with blood. He turns, his gold eyes flashing fiercely. With a hefty shoulder slam, Caden knocks Damon to the ground, landing a crunching blow to his nose. He then aims the full force of his attack at Raphael.

“Pathetic.” In an instant, Raphael has Caden by his neck, lifting him high off the ground. “Thank you for delivering my daughter to me, Caden.” He slams Caden into the ground, cracking the hardwood.

 "I’m sure your parents would be very proud.” Caden winces, his body going rigid with the pain. Raphael leans in, whispering in his ear.

“No…leave him alone!” I say and immediately, Raphael sneers in my direction.

“Was that an order? I’m almost proud. But you still need to learn something. Nobody. Gives me. Orders.” Raphael lifts Caden up and slams him into the ground once more and I hear something inside him snap. Caden goes limb in my father’s grasp. Raphael calls in guards and shoves Caden’s body at them. “Take him away.”

As Raphael’s goons drag Caden out of the room, tears sting my eyes as I run for him, but Damon locks him arms behind my back.

“Now. Where were we, Arabella?” Damon drags me forward, holding me still in front of my father. Raphael squeezes my chin roughly, forcing me to look him in the eye. “Oh, yes. Your homecoming. Congratulations.” Raphael says and then slaps me hard across the face.

“This time, you’re here to stay. Understand?” The sharp sting of his blow is nothing compared to Caden’s blood staining the cracked hardwood on the floor below me. This has nothing to do with Caden. He’s not supposed to be going through this at all. All this hatred is towards me not Caden and I have to stand up for him as he did me all those years ago.

With a vicious snarl, my knee flies up hard, hitting his squarely between his legs. The shock of the pain causes Raphael to double over, more a reaction than I’ve ever seen.

“That’s for Caden. You’ll never keep me here.”

“You bitch.” Damon wrenches my arms back painfully, but I could care less. I grin as Raphael tries to regain his composure.

“Look at that. A crack in the armor. Now, we can see how weak you really are.” Finally, he hisses, glaring daggers at me.

“You…” He reaches out, his eyes flashing red, chocking me with his Alpha command. “You’ve been quite the naughty little girl. I think some well-earned discipline is in order.”

I try my best to keep my face straight as his invisible hands squeeze my throat tight. Until after what feels like forever, he releases me. I cough and my knees buckle, but Damon holds me fast.

“You know where to take her, Damon.” With a nod, Damon drags me away, Raphael’s sneering visage fading from my view.

I’m then guided out of the dining hall, up an ornate spiral staircase, before finally being shoved into a room that looks all too familiar.