Red rose: "mom, I'm 21 years old. I'm not a child anymore." said red rose, arguing with her mother.
Her mother: "Yes, and yet you still act like one. Just because you are 21 years old, doesn't mean you can do whatever you want, dear." her mother replied, trying to reason with red rose.
Red rose: "But, mom, I'm an adult. I should have the freedom to make my own decisions." she argued, frustration clear in her voice.
her mother: "It's not about freedom, it's about responsibility. You're getting married to Victor—he's a good match, stable, respected. This isn't just about *you* anymore."
Red rose: "*Married?!* No! I didn't agree to this! You can't just hand me over like I'm some prize in a damn pack deal!" Her voice cracked with panic. "I don't love him—I don't even *know* him!"
Her father stepped in, calm but firm: "Victor is an Alpha of high standing. This union secures peace between packs. Your feelings don't change the fated bond."
Red Rose backed away, heart pounding. "Fated? That's a lie. I didn't feel anything when I met him—no spark, no pull… nothing." Her eyes burned with tears she refused to shed. "I won't be traded like cattle for political gain."
And before they could stop her—she ran.
Red rose sprinted through the woods, heart pounding with adrenaline and fear. Each step took her further away from the life her parents tried to force onto her. Moonlight cast eerie shadows through the trees, the only sound the rustle of leaves and her ragged breaths.
As she pushed past a thick patch of bushes, she burst out into a clearing and staggered to a stop. In the center, four figures stood, as if waiting. The Alphas.
Red rose stumbled backward, her breath catching. The Alphas were standing there, watching her with sharp, intense gazes. They seemed larger, more predatory in the open space of the forest.
Nick stepped forward, his eyes locking onto hers. There was a glimmer of something in them, a heated spark she'd never seen before. "You ran." His voice was low, almost purring, and it sent a shiver down her spine.
Blue joined Nick, his confident grin in stark contrast to her panicked state. "And right into our arms."
Victor and Sunny flanked her sides, blocking any escape route. Their presence alone was overwhelming, a silent warning: *You're trapped, and you're ours now.*
Red rose stepped back again, and her hip bumped into a tree stump behind her. Trapped between the Alphas and solid wood, her heart raced. Each one seemed more intimidating up close—Nick's intensity, Blue's smirk, Victor's composed strength, and Sunny's quiet aura.
Nick took another step closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "You're frightened." It wasn't a question. His voice was a dark, honeyed taunt.
Red rose bit her lip, trying to regain her composure. "Of course I'm frightened," she shot back. "You've got me cornered..."
Blue chuckled, his smirk broadening. "You're cute when you're scared."
Victor leaned casually against a nearby tree, crossing his arms. "Scared and outnumbered. You know what happens when a prey runs, right?"
Her breath hitched. "I'm not prey."
Sunny, who'd been silent until now, finally spoke—soft, low, like a growl barely contained. "No… you're ours." The words curled around her like smoke.
A sudden howl split the night sky—deep, primal—and all four Alphas tensed in unison. Not from threat… but recognition.
Nick's eyes flickered gold in the dark. "The bond just sealed." His voice dropped to a whisper thick with heat and hunger. "You ran *toward* us, Red Rose. And now? You'll never leave."
Red rose's head spun. "What are you talking about? Sealed? Bond?" Her voice wavered, her attempt at bravado faltering as the reality of her situation crashed down upon her.
Blue grinned wickedly, circling her. "Oh, the sweet scent of denial." His steps were deliberate, predatory. "You feel it, don't you… that pull, that heat, every time we're near." He leaned in so close his breath caressed her ear. "The *mate* bond, darling. Ours."
"No!" Red rose shouted, pushing past Blue. She couldn't accept it. She wouldn't. But the moment her hand touched the air, a jolt shot through her—like fire in her veins.
Her knees buckled. Victor caught her with ease, one strong arm snaking around her waist, pulling her flush against him. "You can't fight it," he murmured into her hair, voice dark like velvet smoke. "It's been written in your blood since birth."
Sunny stepped forward for the first time fully—the quietest of them all—and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. His touch was cool... gentle... but firm as iron underneath that calm exterior he never let go completely *"We waited long enough…"* He whispered *"Now… we claim what's ours."*
"No…" Red rose's words were barely audible through her panting breaths. Her mind was a storm of confusion, fear...and an undeniable heat coursing through her body. Sunny traced the arch of her neck with a finger, his touch igniting a chain reaction under her skin.
Blue leaned against a nearby tree, watching them with keen interest. "Deny it all you want." He smirked, eyes glinting. "Your body's already betraying you. We can smell your need."
Red rose shook her head, desperate to deny it even as her body responded against her will. The proximity of the Alphas was overwhelming—their heat, their presence, their intensity.
Nick moved closer, his gaze roaming her body as if committing it to memory. His voice was low, a heated promise. "You're shivering…" He slid a finger under her chin, tilting her face towards him. "But it's not from fear."
Red rose hated herself for the shiver that ran through her as Nick's touch lingered on her skin. His eyes were molten gold in the dark. She could see the desire in them, and feel the answering spark in her own.
Blue chuckled darkly, circling them like a shark in the water. "Oh, this is too good. She's struggling, trying to deny the fire inside her."
Victor tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her closer. "It's useless. You belong to us now."
Red rose felt the heat from Victor's body like a brand, the possessive hold around her making her lightheaded. "I'm… not…" her protest was weak, her breath coming in short gasps.
Victor brushed a thumb over her trembling lip. "You are." His tone was firm, brooking no argument. It sent a thrill of fear and excitement through her.
Nick stepped closer, pressing against her back, trapping her between him and Victor. His lips skimmed her ear, breath hot. "Say it."
Red rose shuddered, overwhelmed by the three Alphas around her. The words were a struggle, caught between defiance and desire. "I'm..."
Nick's hand slid up her stomach, under her shirt, his touch leaving a trail of fire. "Yes?" He nipped at the sensitive skin of her neck, and she couldn't hold back the small whimper that escaped her.
Blue watched, eyes dark with lust. "You know what we want to hear," he purred. "Say it."
Red rose felt torn in two, her mind screaming to resist, her body clamoring for their touch. Nick's hand continued to explore, igniting sparks of pleasure beneath her skin. Blue smirked, seemingly enjoying her torment. Then there was Victor. His quiet, commanding presence was the most potent of all; every look, every touch from him was a claim staked.
In a small voice, Red rose finally spoke. "I'm yours..."
The words echoed through the clearing, a declaration that sent a shockwave through the air.
Nick's fingers curled against her skin, possessive. "That's right." He pressed his lips against her pulse point, his voice dark and pleased.
Blue chuckled softly, his eyes blazing. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"
Victor's hand moved to her hip, fingertips digging into her flesh. His hold was claiming, almost punishing. "Ours," he repeated, voice like silk wrapped over steel.
Red rose was trapped in a web, the heat from their bodies overwhelming. Nick's touch sparked fire along her spine while Blue's gaze roamed her like a predator sizing up its prey. And Victor… he was a constant presence at her back, every line of him taut with control.
"You know what comes next," Nick murmured, his lips against her ear, "the Claiming." His words sent heat pooling low in her stomach.