Claimed By My Rival Alpha

ia

k burned, I was standing i

n some private claiming

ers-while the elders watched like judges and the

ack, jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscl

tone. "Step forward, Alpha Riggs.

mach t

os

hree days. Not after he started avoiding m

tepped forward anyway. If

ter-just enough delay

ent very,

like hands

. "Tonight, Silver Fang witnesses the

d where the mark

Everyone said it like it was a

in was st

o dark impri

der the surface that came and we

lic, harmless. "By tradition, the Alpha speaks first.

steppe

t

ne cle

s, it was a rejection

d at my side like my body still e

dn't

ted. I caught whispers like sp

ltered for the first

His face was controll

didn't

ady enough to fool anyone who d

didn't understan

a meaning. It l

y and sharp, and my body rea

aped me-half brea

ally look

t o

saw there w

somethi

so

cided how much of me

ened until it h

flinch a

dn't

here,"

ike he'd practiced this part. "Then by Sil

ect

rang in

dn't erupt

explode

exh

isf

ing their breath wait

ach tur

r the pillars-went rigid. Her eyes

o look at

oul

when my entire life was tipping off

em on a table. "Eliana of Silver Fang, you ar

lled throug

p

symp

y. Relie

ulders back. Fo

not cr

ld no

token-the one they'd pressed into my hands days ago with

then pulled it b

stiff. My skin

with slow, careful movements. If I

too slow, I

it on t

l on wood sounded loud

didn't

't s

stop an

The ruling stands. She is no

lpha pr

was th

st rej

mo

fall. I needed it offici

ough again, low and

epped forward

abbing

gh to make it c

sharp sound

, blocking her with the casual

d so hard I almos

s was

Riggs

he r

he e

ne who st

back from the

ano

not be

out of respect-out of avoidance.

my eyes

my face

ps before pain ripp

and clutc

ious, sudden-as if someone had press

ion bl

urged up

he heat sn

o

ced b

ormal

ng

your blood feel li

f went

st

she'd been

d at my

o visib

skin, somethin

had been

e, searching wi

still on

was unr

for a heartbeat-fl

ny crack of co

e

k slammed ba

ds stepp

of them sa

to work, and walked toward the

t pulsed once more as I

a war

a cou

a single thought forme

ct me because he

e because som