In The Crosshairs Of An Alpha

KATHERINE

I took a deep breath and squeezed Andrea’s hand. She was terrified, but to be honest, so was I—far more than I cared to admit. Her face was pale and taut as the echo of Jared’s victory howl rolled across the valley. It was the command that had governed our lives for years, and the sheer power behind it made my heart leap into my throat.

He had won. We were safe.

A collective wave of relief washed over the clearing, and a genuine smile finally broke across my lips when Jared strode into view. He immediately pulled his sister into a tender embrace, spinning her around as if she weighed nothing at all. They had grown fiercely close ever since their parents’ deaths. Jared had taken on the weight of both his sister and our entire pack at a very young age. Inheriting the Alpha title after losing his father hadn't been easy, but he had stepped into the role flawlessly.

Over the years, he had grown into an impossibly attractive man—though undeniably arrogant and authoritative. He had to be; anything less would be mistaken for weakness in our world. He ruled our territory with an iron fist, yet he had earned every ounce of his people's respect by being fair, fierce, and unwavering.

All the pack men were gathered around the towering bonfire, soaking in the celebration, casually trying to charm the females with low, rumbling growls and confident smirks. Jared moved through the crowd, accepting triumphant hugs and enthusiastic handshakes. The females practically melted in his presence, their eyes gleaming with admiration and desire.

Then, out of nowhere, his eyes found mine across the flames.

A violent shiver ran down my spine, striking me to the core. I quickly broke eye contact, staring intently at the crackling wood. It was absurd. He barely knew I existed, yet every time his gaze swept over me, I felt like I was burning up with a fever. My heart hammered against my ribs, and my skin flushed hot whenever he was near.

He is your Alpha, I reminded myself firmly. He is your best friend’s brother. This will never happen.

I had always promised myself that I would give my heart and body to only one man: my soulmate. But as the warmth spread through my chest, a dangerous question whispered in the back of my mind. Could he be the one? Could this intense pull be a sign?

The universe answered my question seconds later, shattering the illusion into dust.

Jared leaned down to whisper into the ear of a curvaceous female, a dark, hungry smile playing on his lips as his eyes raked over her body with unbridled lust. He was a predator ready to claim whatever caught his interest.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling the sting of reality. If he were truly my mate, he would feel this overwhelming pull too. A wolf only had eyes for his true mate, and Jared’s eyes were everywhere except on me. I needed to crush this strange foolish feeling right now, before it broke my heart beyond repair.

JARED

A female was leaning into me, murmuring sweet invitations and trying her best to catch my attention. Usually, I wouldn't hesitate—my blood was still pumping with the adrenaline of the fight—but something pulled my focus away.

A scent.

Subtle, intoxicating, and impossibly rich, it drifted through the heavy smoke and the sea of people, hitting me straight in the chest. I tracked it instantly across the fire.

Katherine.

Andrea’s quiet, inseparable friend was standing on the opposite side of the clearing. She was watching me intently, her dark eyes locked onto mine. A strange, possessive urge flared deep within my chest, taking over my mind before I could even process it.

She had grown up into an exquisite woman—almost too beautiful for her own good. The sudden, irrational thought of another male touching her sent a sharp spike of jealousy through my inner wolf. It made no sense. A wolf always knew when his mate was near. The bond was unquestionable. So why was I feeling this fierce, confusing pull toward her without the absolute certainty of the mark?

Tonight was a night of wild celebration. We were all keyed up, plugged into our primal instincts, and the sheer freedom in the air made the idea of pursuing her dangerously tempting. I wanted to taste her soft skin, to feel her beneath me all night long, to show her exactly what kind of pleasure I could give her.

And what about tomorrow morning? a practical voice reminded me. Andrea would probably castrate me if I used her best friend for a single night of mindless distraction.

Besides, someone else was already stepping out of the shadows, making it very clear what she had to offer.

ROXANE

The music swelled, accompanied by a few bold singers trying to keep the crowd entertained. Cheers and applause rang through the night, celebrating the fact that our leader had once again proven his dominance as Alpha.

I followed Jared’s gaze across the fire and clenched my jaw, a low growl rising in my throat. Katherine was standing over there, her eyes locked onto the man I intended to make mine.

Not a chance.

Quickly and deliberately, I glided toward Jared. I approached him from behind, brushing my voluptuous body against his back before feigning a graceful stumble, letting myself fall right onto his lap. My goal was simple: become his Luna, the leader of this pack. And to get there, I just needed to leverage this victorious adrenaline, seduce him, and make sure he marked my neck before the sun came up.

I flashed him a sultry smile, satisfied when I caught the shift in his scent. Reaching down, I slowly traced my fingers over his thigh, trapping him with a gaze laced with promise. His body was burning with heat, primed by the thrill of victory and raw instinct.

Without breaking eye contact, I slid off his lap and took a slow step back toward the tree line. I needed to get him away from the crowd—and far away from the dark-haired distraction across the fire.

JARED

My gaze remained fixed on the other side of the bonfire, almost hypnotized by Katherine as she moved near Magnus. But the trance shattered the moment a warm, curving body draped itself over mine.

It was always hard to control the primal instincts of the wolf right after a transformation and a battle. When Roxane slid into my lap, her intent dripping from her scent, my restraint evaporated. The scent of an eager, willing female was impossible to ignore, and my body was more than ready for a release.

Smiling down at her, I buried my face briefly in Roxane’s blonde hair, inhaling her perfume before guiding her off my lap with a firm, playful slap to her hip. No words were needed. We both knew what this was.

I stood up, leaving the roar of the celebration behind, and headed straight into the shadows of the forest. I knew exactly where Roxane would be waiting for me.

KATHERINE

Watching Jared walk away sent a sharp, dull ache straight through my chest. A silent growl threatened to escape my throat as I saw him pull Roxane close, his hands trailing over her body without an ounce of hesitation.

I couldn't look away, even as my inner wolf grew restless, clawing at my ribs, demanding that I step in and claim what felt like mine.

The confusion was suffocating. For a split second back there, he had looked at me with raw desire. Like a man looking at a woman he wanted to devour. Was it just my imagination? A pathetic projection of my own hopeless desires?

Maybe. But the way his dark eyes had roamed over my body had set my blood on fire, making me feel like a volcano on the verge of erupting. At least until Roxane had stepped in and cut the thread between us.

What is wrong with me?

I took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to regain my composure. The flames of the bonfire crackled loudly, casting long shadows across the clearing and throwing heat against my flushed face. I couldn't just stand here feeling like I was losing my mind.

Glancing around, I spotted Andrea talking with Jade, under the watchful eye of Magnus, our Beta. She was safe. I would only be gone for a few moments.

Slinking back into the darkness like a shadow, I slipped past the outer circle of the party and followed the scent trail of the two lovers into the woods. My heart pounded against my ribs as I forced my footsteps to remain silent.

Then, reality hit me like a bucket of ice water. What on earth am I doing?

Stealthing into the dark forest just to watch Jared and Roxane together was unhinged. It was reckless, perverted, and downright crazy.

And yet, my feet kept moving forward into the dark.