FATED TO ALPHA HUNTER BY VENNEH LISAH

𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐀'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕:

The meeting ran smoothly as Rina and I sat holding hands. We watched as other rogues were either set free or cast out, and some were even killed. It was a distressing sight. Oliver, who was standing on the podium, shouted, ''What do we do with these two? This one here, her name is Ania. With her friend Rina, she tried to seduce your King Richard Avril. She wanted to hurt your king's sacred mate bond. What do we do to them? They are both birds of the same feather.'' I looked at the man spewing lies against us and kept quiet as he invited us to join him on the podium.

I was ready to accept whatever punishment they deemed fit, whether it be death or banishment or anything else. I was tired of life itself. ''Stone them, stone them,'' the crowd chanted, and our fate was sealed.

"I now sentence you both to death by stoning," Oliver announced, and the crowd cheered. My stomach dropped as I knew what was coming.

Rina clutched my fingers. "Don't cry. They don't deserve our tears. We should be happy that we are finally going to join our mates," she whispered, barely audible over the cheering from the crowd.

Oliver grabbed my arm and led me to a brick block. I could smell blood on it as he shoved me down and pressed my forehead against it. I felt something hit my face before it splattered on the stone next to me; a tomato. Bloody animals. It angered me that our deaths weren't enough; they had to humiliate us too.

I bit my lip to stop the sob that wanted to escape. I tried to picture anything other than what was about to take place. I imagined being stoned until we breathed our last; it was the slowest and most painful death there was. I recalled a memory of the Spring festival, where Rina and I sat in the theatre's front row with our mates. It was a time when we were treated with respect. I focused on that memory when I felt something placed over my head; a hessian sack. That was it; I was going to be free of my torment, free of this life. I just hoped the next one would be better and that Rina would be with me there, alongside our mates, Hunter and Joe.

"What do you think you're doing?" A deep voice, which made the crowd go silent, filled the air. I held my breath before hearing a collective gasp from those watching.

"I'm putting this rogue out of its misery," Oliver said. I tried to look through the hessian sack but couldn't see anything.

"What warrants her death? Let her go now!" came the strong and unwavering voice.

"Under whose authority do you have the right to demand that of me?" Oliver arrogantly asked.

"Are you questioning me, Oliver Avril? I assure you, if you don't heed my warning and let her go, I will be forced to take your life. Now free her and hand her over to me," came the voice, only this time. I felt a rush as the stranger's aura burst out of him, and I heard Oliver take in a sharp breath.

"Vae-wolf?" Oliver gasped.

"Correct, and it's about time you recognized your superior, Oliver Avril," the man said.

"Pack law says we're allowed to decide how we choose to handle the rogues," Oliver tried to argue.

"Yes, rogues who have actually committed a crime. What crime has she committed?" the voice said, getting closer. Oliver laughed nervously.

"You have no authority here. This is my pack," I could hear the tremble in Oliver's voice as he spoke out of embarrassment. Vae-wolves ruled, they were the superior species, and Oliver was treading dangerously into uncharted territory.

"How dare you speak to a vae-wolf like that?" came another voice, but this man's voice was deeper. His tone oozed authority, and his aura made me whimper. A hush fell over everyone; you could hear a pin drop. I was suddenly too scared to even breathe loudly.

"I, King Arman, order you to free her now!" His words sounded threatening, despite how calmly he spoke them. His scent wafted towards me, and my mouth filled with saliva at his intoxicating aroma. Was it Hunter? I thought so, but it wasn't.

I heard Oliver whimpering beside me. As I listened, footsteps approached the steps, and I felt a presence behind me, where Oliver was. The aura emanating from whoever it was made me tremble violently.

"You dare speak out against my Beta. Who do you think you are?" The voice boomed loudly, and I felt someone grab my arm, pulling me up. Sparks rushed over my skin, and I heard him gasp. My heart thumped loudly in my chest as I tried to make sense of what was going on.

My legs trembled under the weight of his aura, and his grip was the only thing holding me upright. Then, the sack was lifted from my head. I found everyone on their knees except for the man who had been with them earlier in the pack house. He was smiling at me before I looked at the man holding my arm. My breath hitched when I caught sight of his eyes watching me curiously. It was like staring deep into Hunter's eyes, and a whisper I tried to hold back escaped me: "Hunter!"

I looked down in embarrassment as I said that name. My eyes then fell upon Oliver, who was cowering on his knees. The aura emanating from the person who had just arrived was so powerful that it compelled everyone to submit. The man who was holding my arm pulled me off the stage and down the steps. Then, he led me up the aisle between the rows of chairs.

Rina stayed behind, still trembling on her knees on the stage, looking over my shoulder at the newcomer. The man let go of me and handed me over to his companion. The companion held me, but not as tightly as the first man had. The first man dropped his aura, and everyone took a deep breath.

Suddenly, Oliver growled on stage, and I turned around to look back over my shoulder. I saw him grab Rina, and her shriek made me push the man away. As I looked back, I saw Oliver push Rina over the stone and draw his sword from his waist. He then placed the sword next to her head.

"No," I choked out.

Panic seized me, and I ran to the man who had saved me, or at least I hoped he had saved me. I had no idea why he had stopped Oliver or what his intentions with me were, but I was alive because of him, at least for now.

"Please, please don't let him kill her," I begged him, tears streaming down my face as I saw Oliver shove a bag over her head. The alpha of kings stopped, looking down at my hands that were clutching his shirt. I dropped to the ground at his feet. Everyone murmured that I had just grabbed the alpha of kings, and I realized what a stupid mistake that was. He could order me killed for even speaking to him, let alone touching him. I had heard he had become ruthless after his mate's death under unclear circumstances.

"Please, just let him kill me. I want to be with her," I begged, looking at his shiny shoes. I knew it was against the law to touch a royal, and I had grabbed him. I was as good as dead now. However, I would rather die than be without Rina. I had already lost a lot of people and being alone in this world was unbearable. I settled myself, waiting for my death. The king growled, and I trembled.

"Stop, I want the other girl too," his voice boomed, and I looked up to see him staring at me. I swallowed under his intense gaze and started shrinking away from him. Then I saw his Beta move, which made me look over at him. He walked to the podium.

"Hand the girl over. You heard the king," he said. Oliver growled but grabbed her, shoving her down the stairs. The beta caught her before she face-planted onto the ground, and he growled at Oliver for pushing her.

I watched as he let Rina go, and she rushed over to me when fingers gripped my chin. The king forced me to meet his gaze before speaking.

"Is there anything else you want? Just say the word, and it will be done for you," he asked, brushing his thumb along my jaw, making me shiver. He smirked before releasing me. My brows furrowed in confusion, and I looked down, embarrassed that I spoke out of turn. But he got Rina for me, despite me grabbing him. Rina threw herself at me, clutching me as she sobbed.

"Thank you," she whispered, glancing at the king and baring her neck to him. He nodded to her before speaking, his eyes falling back on me.

"Follow me," he said, turning on his heel and starting to walk. Rina looked at me before his Beta stopped next to us.

"You heard the king. Follow him," he said, looking at both of us on the ground. Though his words were soft and he was smiling, which I didn't expect from him. We scrambled upright and rushed after him, ignoring the shocked looks of the town's people.

We followed him back to the pack house. He walked rather quickly with his long strides, and we had to jog to keep up with him, but we made sure not to pass him either. His Beta followed a few steps behind us before we stopped. Lucy was staring at us with her mouth open, gaping in shock maybe because we were still alive.

"Hurry up, gals. Get inside," she said, recovering herself quickly. We were about to do as she said when the king opened the door of his sleek black car and stepped in front of me, gripping my arm to stop me from passing him.

"Get inside the car," he said firmly, and we came to a halt. Rina clung tightly to my arm, her fingers digging into my skin in fear, while my fingertips grasped the side of her shirt, unwilling to let her go.

"Your friend can come, but you are coming with me. So, get in the car. I don't like to repeat myself," he added sternly. I swallowed hard before feeling his Beta push me forward towards the car door.

"Gary, sir, may I ask what's going on?" Lucy spoke up.

"No, you may not," the king snapped, although I could have sworn he had introduced himself as Arman. Lucy opened her mouth to speak again, but the Beta spoke from behind us as we climbed into the car.

"Be wise and close your mouth, lady. The king doesn't like to repeat himself," his Beta warned.

"King?" she squeaked, and Arman glared at her before looking at me.

"Yes, King Arman," the Beta confirmed. She dropped her head in response. The king paid her no attention and reached over to pull the seat belt across me. I flinched, and tears rolled down my face. He behaved exactly like my Hunter, making me miss him terribly and awakening all the pain I had successfully buried over the years.

"Please buckle up your seatbelt," he said, pointing to the empty seat beside Rina. She quickly complied before looking down at her hands and fidgeting with them.

To my surprise, the king pulled out a handkerchief from the pocket of his suit and gently lifted my chin. With the handkerchief, King Arman wiped my face clean of the sticky substance that people had thrown at me, and he also wiped away my tears.

I noticed his Beta watching him, just as shocked by his actions. When he was finished, he tucked some loose hair behind my ear before letting me go. He closed the door, and I sucked in a breath. My back was stinging from leaning on it, so I angled my body, turning slightly and leaning on Rina, who moved to help me get comfortable against her.

I observed the king talking to his men outside of the car while Rina whispered to me.

"What's happening?" she asked in a hushed tone as she intertwined her fingers with mine in my lap.

"Perhaps they're banishing us," I whispered hopefully. Rina squeezed my hand tightly, and I returned the gesture as the Beta took the driver's seat and the king sat in the passenger's seat. I found it unusual that he would ride in the same vehicle as two disobedient slaves, but I also couldn't shake the feeling of bewilderment that he had cleaned my face and was willing to touch me.

The car started, and both Rina and I clutched our seats in panic. Maybe the king was going to be the death of us.

𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕:

I couldn't understand my actions, yet I couldn't let the girl die. The panicked way she begged for her friend, I couldn't bring myself to deny her anything. I was confident that if she had asked me to bring the entire pack house, I would have obliged. Her being a rogue confused me, but deep inside she stirred something that felt so familiar to my spirit. The thought of letting her die made my stomach turn and my heart twist painfully.

Both girls sat in the back of the car like statues and didn't utter a word. The girl with the big eyes took a sharp intake of breath, appearing to be in pain for some reason. Did I hurt her when I grabbed her? But then I also noticed the other girl kept trying to hold her arms, preventing her from leaning back. However, I would hear the girl hiss in pain with every bump on the road.

"Pull over," I told my Beta. He pulled the car over, and the cars behind and in front followed suit.

I instructed Gamma via our mind link to switch places with us, and then I exited the car, which was parked alongside the freeway.

Dwight also stepped out of the car and looked at me questioningly over the roof. He raised his arms in confusion, wondering what was happening. I ignored him and opened the back door, grabbing the girl's arm. Her entire body trembled, and I realized it may not have been the best idea to pull over. They probably thought I was going to kill them and dispose of their bodies

I knew my judgment was correct when she started begging me. "Please, just let us go. We won't tell anyone. You won't have to see us again," she said, trying to break free from my grip.

"Enough! Tell your friend to get out," I commanded. Her eyes filled with tears as she nodded, blinked rapidly, and fought back her emotions by swallowing. Dropping her head, she extended her hand to her friend who slid across the seat and clasped her hand.

"We promise, we'll just go, and you won't have to kill us. We won't tell anyone," she pleaded, although it was beyond me what they would even have to tell anyone in the first place. She seemed to realize that as well.

"Are you going to kill us?" she asked, looking up at me. I watched her for a second until she looked down. I found her question cute. No one would dare question my intentions, but she couldn't help but ask despite her apparent fear.

I then asked her, "Have you given me a reason to kill you?" She looked at me, then glanced at her friend.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to grab you...I...?" she stuttered, unsure of what she was apologizing for.

"Are you not allowed to touch me?" I questioned her. Her brows furrowed at my words.

"No, you are a king, not just any king, but the alpha of kings. I am a rogue," she explained, and her answer irritated me. I had never liked being touched, but her touch didn't seem to bother me. In fact, I wanted to feel her touch with her small hands. I grasped her hand, turning it over.

Her palms were calloused and blistered, and some parts were rougher from doing hard labor. I had seen miners with smoother hands. I grabbed her other hand, turned it over, and it was the same. Her hands were tiny, but they showed how hard she had worked. The skin was chapped and peeling in places. I placed her hand on my chest, and my skin tingled delightfully. I felt my chest vibrate, and a purr escaped me, which I quickly muffled before she could realize. Dwight cleared his throat, having heard it, and I had no idea what had come over me.

As I looked at him, his eyes flickered as he mind linked me. "Are you sure there isn't something going on between you and the rogue girl?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips. I felt possessive of her, and I didn't like him referring to her as "rogue gal." I growled at him, causing her to jerk her hand away and step back, closer to her friend. She hissed, her back arching as she bumped into the other girl.

"Are you hurt?" I asked her, grabbing her arm to steady her.

"No, sir," she said. However, it was clear that she was in pain, but she wouldn't admit it. I could sense that she was lying, and I wanted to punish her for it. But, I decided to let it slide, as she would soon learn not to lie to me.

I pulled her towards the limo, and Gary got out and moved to our car. Even though I hated the limo, I could gather more information about these two girls there. I opened the back door and pushed them inside the vehicle. They quickly slid across the seats, and Dwight and I sat across from them. Dwight tapped on the glass, and the driver started the car.

"What are your names?" I asked the beautiful girl with big eyes. She chewed on her plump lips and fidgeted with her hands, while my gaze settled on them.

"Our names are Rogue, Sir," they both replied in unison.

"No, I mean the names given to you when you were born," I clarified. They looked at each other, confused.

"Do you want to know our real names?" the other girl asked, her emotions unclear.

"Yes, I assume you both have names other than Rogue," I said.

She said quietly, "Her name is Rina. Mine is Ania," before looking back at her hands. I could hear both of their heart rates accelerating, their fear perfuming the car. Dwight reached into the ice bucket and grabbed some bottles of water. He offered them one, but neither of them moved. Their fear was starting to irk me. We had done nothing to earn their fear. However, my main concern was that their names sounded oddly familiar.

"Take it," Dwight said to them, and the oldest one, Rina, reached forward to take it from him. He offered one to Ania, but she shook her head. "We can share," they both said, as if it would be awful to accept the other one. They both flinched away from me, growling. I needed to get away from them. I wanted to try to speak to them, but their fear of me was ticking me off, and her scent was overwhelming me. I wanted her, but I knew it was wrong to want her, and I couldn't explain it. Urges that I had successfully buried over the years erupted, making my blood pump fiercely and causing me to feel hot and somewhat flustered. What was this?

"Pull over," I called out, and the driver obliged. I got out, slamming the door. Dwight did the same, though he shut his door gently. I walked back to the car, climbed in, and Gary sighed. He got out as if he were bored and sick of playing musical chairs.

"Sit with them," I told him, and he nodded, walking back to the limo.