The Alpha’s Prisoner

One

Irina’s Pov.

The guests were dressed in their finest clothing, chatting and laughing over fine liquor as the musicians play soft music in the background.

Dad and my step mother sits at a higher platform, a screen separating them from the others but I can still see Dad’s face. He rarely smiles but today, he is grinning from ear to ear. He looks proud, boastful about what he is about to reveal.

Even I didn’t know what, but from the rumors, it was something big, and he was going to reveal it tonight.

Ever since the war between the wolves and humans began, I’ve never seen that smile on his face. We’ve lost so many people. Parents, siblings, friends.

Even my mother lost her life to those evil creatures. Today, whatever news he is going to reveal, I have a feeling it is related to the wolves.

“Irina.” My step sister, Lora, walks towards me, gingerly. She has two glasses of wine in each hand and hands me one. The sweet, loving smile on her face was as fake as the painted clouds on the ceiling. A performance for the crowd to be seen as the sensible daughter. But I’ve learned long ago, how to play this game.

“Have you heard?” She nudges me softly, clinking her glass with mine even though I pretend to pay no attention to her. “Father is going to send you to the North. Their King sent a marriage proposal and he already accepted it.”

My grip on the glass of wine weakened, and I turn towards her.

Seeing the smug look on her face, the smile that curled at her lips, I know it is not a joke.

She flicks her hair back, still smiling. “Father said it will be beneficial to the Kingdom. Sacrificing you to ensure victory against the wolves? Well, I’d say it’s a good bargain”

“What are you playing at Lora?”

“Nothing.” She shrugs. “I can’t be bothered to play more games with you when you’ll be out of my hair in only a few days.”

I didn’t believe her. I tell myself that, but then I am nervous. My palms grow damp with sweat.

The northerners are full blown barbarians. They are like animals. Sending me there, equals sending me to my death.

Father will never do that to me.

But as I look in his direction, at the way the devious woman by his side whispers something in his ears, I am not so sure anymore.

Ever since my mother died two years ago and father married this woman, I’ve had to always be on my toes. I’ve had to always watch my back, swallow injustice and cry myself to bed every night.

Father no longer loves me.

All that matters to him right now is the other woman and her daughter.

My fists clench tightly behind me and just as I’m about to say something to Lora, the music suddenly dies down and father steps down from his throne.

The chatters quieted and a pin drop silence fills the room. Father’s gaze swept through the hall once, cold and calculating.

“I’m sure everyone has been waiting for the good news and the reason behind this banquet…” he looks around, the corner of his lips raising slightly as he locks eyes with his second in command. “Bring him in.” He orders coldly.

I stare at the huge double doors as they open with a loud noise. Several armed guards took positions and immediately, the atmosphere tensed as a few guards showed behind the door, struggling to pull something of magnificent weight with them.

Heavy chains rattled through the air. The sound of powerful, slow footsteps followed and the grunts and groans of the men pulling the thing with them intensified.

It must be an animal. I thought. A very powerful one if it could resist six men at once.

A loud growl shatters through the hall. Glasses broke. Plates shattered to the floor. And even the earth under my feet trembled as the animal finally came into view.

Murmurs fills the hall as everyone steps back, except for my father, the King. There is a glint in his eyes as he looks at the creature being brought in.

Thick, sharp claws that could instantly steal the life out of anyone it plunges through meets my eyes first. My eyes shifts from them to the creature’s torn shorts and upward to his thick, broad shoulders and chest that looked as solid as a rock.

An animal…. No, this thing… this thing was worse than an animal.

It was a wolf.

A wolf!

It’s eyes are glued to my father and I don’t know why but I can feel the enormous emotion pouring out of the wolf’s eyes.

Rage. An enormous amount of anger. The kind that could burn a whole city.

Another growl almost had everyone falling to their bums. It was loud, terrifying, and displayed just what kind of fearsome monster it was.

“He was caught a few days ago after falling into one of our traps.” Father announced, eyes filled with pride “This one… he is the real deal. An Alpha.”

An Alpha?

Gasps instantly fill the room. Everyone was afraid at first, then curiosity took over and now… bloodlust.

After everything they’ve done to us, killing wolves was normal, but being able to capture an Alpha was rare. They were powerful, known for their brute force and ruthlessness.

And father managed to capture one. How did he do it?

I couldn’t stop myself from stepping forward. I wanted a closer view. This one, the wolf, half transformed, he was no longer struggling.

I stare at him, at the several thick chains wrapped around him, tightening over his bones.

It is no doubt painful, but he didn’t show any single emotion apart from his dislike towards father and every other person in this room.

Suddenly, his eyes fall upon me and I freeze. Those eyes… they were brimming with raw hatred. It wasn’t like when he looked at father. It was different this time. Almost as if something about me disgusted him so much.

My throat tightens, but I did not look away. Their kind killed my mother. My hatred for him was equal if not more.

“We should burn him.” Someone suggested. “Kill him!”

“Yes, Kill him!”

“Kill the wolf.” The crowd echoed.

“Capturing a wolf, an Alpha, is already a huge feat.” Someone steps forward. It was none other than my teacher, Sylus. “Instead of burning him, I would suggest that we study him and see if we can find out more about his kind. We’ve always known too little.”

“Spoken like a wise man, Sylus.”

Father praises him. “My plan is to use him to lead us to his people. And then we can finally wipe them off the face of this earth. The wolves will no longer exist!”

There were cheers and applause from the crowd as father continued.

“With the help of the Northern men, we shall win the war looming over us.”

Something sharp jabs at my heart. I freeze as Lora’s words earlier runs through my mind. The Northern men, those barbarians never do anything for free. Is father really going to use me to form an alliance with them?

Before I can process everything, I hear a familiar voice from the crowd.

“We still can have fun with him, can’t we?”

I looked to see my childhood friend and crush, Dane. When did he return from the North? Now that I think about it, he acted so secretive before he left. Was it because of me? Did he… did he actually go there to discuss my marriage? I shake my head to dismiss that thought

There’s no way Dane would not have said anything to me.

“Allow me, my King.” Dane bows deeply in front of father. “There’s something I’ve always wanted to try. I’ve been dying to actually.” His eyes brims with hate.

I watch as he draws a sword from a guard’s belt and without warning, he s***h open the chest of the Alpha.

Blood spills out immediately.

The ladies cover their eyes in disgust and gasps fill the room, but the Alpha, he didn’t even flinch.

If that was painful, he didn’t show any sign of it. He just glance down at the spot Dane had slashed, a lazy smirk playing across his face as we watch in horror how the cut slowly covered up, healing on its own so quickly until the spot was clean only for the blood that still trickled down.

“So it’s true.” Dane steps back. “You don’t get hurt by ordinary blades. But I know just what is going to hurt you.”

I watch the Alpha wolf. His presence is already imposing. With how big he was, he already made everyone feel small. But then, he is also looking at Dane like how one would look at an ant who was not worth the stress of killing.

Dane takes out a dagger from his belt. Under the light, the silver blade glistens brilliantly.

Still, the Alpha did nothing, said nothing, he only smiled provokingly.

“Smile all you want. You’ll soon be begging for your miserable life.”

Dane got closer. My heart was beating fast as I watch, wondering if he is going to get hurt.

I see how the Alpha’s lips curl wickedly and my heart thumps faster. Dane brings the dagger down on its chest. Blood splatters but it is not the blood that has everyone releasing a breath. It is the way the Alpha’s skin burned upon contact with the blade.

The smell of burning flesh instantly fills the air. It was disgusting, but Dane’s eyes changed. There is some kind of thrill in them as he plunges the blade deeper.

The Alpha’s jaws were clenched tightly. Wrapped in chains so heavy, it could bring a whale down, he could barely do anything. Or so I thought.

I saw the Alpha tilt his head back a little and with no hesitation, he brought it forward and nods Dane’s head so hard that Dane collapsed immediately, leaving the dagger still stuck in the Alpha’s chest.

I force back a scream just as a guard immediately drags Dane out of there.

“Bring him to his knees.” Father barks and the guards tighten the silver chains around the Alpha’s body. The chains were roasting his skin as it digs deeper, yet he stood his ground.

He growled, snarled, and fought against it, but it only made him weaker. And only when he could no longer fight it, did he finally submit. With great force, they bring him to his knees.

Father exchange a glance with one of the guards and a bucket of salt water was poured over the Alpha’s head. He roars, and fights against the chains but seven men… seven solid men are holding him down.

That is not all. Father grabs the silver blade that is still stuck in his chest, then he twists it slowly before he yanks it out only to stab him in his stomach.

The sizzling sound of flesh burning fills the air.

It was sick. I couldn’t watch.

I want to throw up.

“Is this all you can do?” I hear the wolf’s voice. Low, yet deep and powerful. And then I make the mistake of looking. He was staring right back at me. With defiance, stubbornness, “You’re just a coward. You and your people. You’re all weak cowards!”

I see the image of Mom just then, lying In that cold room with her chest slashed wide open and some of her organs missing. Her eyes, wide open in horror. It had not been a peaceful death for her but the most painful one.

A wolf did it.

My eyes cloud with tears and I don’t know what came over me as I stomp forward. I grab the silver dagger from father and I plunge it deep into the Alpha’s shoulders. His blood splatter all over my face and dress and the smell of burning flesh hit me yet again.

This close up, he looks just as scary as I thought. I stare right into his soulless eyes. “What do you know about weak cowards, you rotten piece of junk!”

I yank the blade out carelessly and drop it to the floor, turn around and hurry out of the banquet hall.

The Alpha’s eyes follows me as I leave, and I think I hear him chuckle.

My skin crawl with disgust at what I have just done as I rush out to wash the stinking blood off me.

I should feel happy that I got a chance to do this, for Mother’s sake at least. But all I feel is my heart aching.

Not for the suffering. Not for the losses we’ve experienced.

But for that stranger.

For that Alpha wolf.