Into the Alpha’s Keep Chapter 106: 106

POV Fenrir Dăneşti

My steps were light and silent, crushing the snow gently.

I spotted my target from a distance—a lone deer drinking water from a stream. With precise, calculated movements, I crept closer, crouching between the shadows to avoid being detected.

I controlled my breathing and my heartbeat, transforming myself into a ghost in the wilderness.

The deer lifted its head, its dark eyes scanning the surroundings, as if it could sense the imminent danger, before returning to drink the water calmly.

A predatory smile spread across my lips.

It was as if the very power of the wolf flowed through me, granting me strength and agility beyond human measure.

I leaped forward, my hands turning into sharp claws as I pounced on it. With a quick, decisive movement, I grabbed the deer, wrenching a strangled cry of pain and fear from it.

My jaw opened in a guttural snarl, releasing all the accumulated rage I felt. I sank my fangs into its neck. The warm blood gushed, flooding my mouth and awakening the most primal instincts within me.

In a frenzy of hunger and desire, I tore at the raw flesh, devouring it with animalistic ferocity. The metallic taste of blood filled my throat.

I fed on the fresh, hot meat, realizing how much I had been missing it and how hungry I truly felt, even though I hadn't noticed before.

I stood up and threw the animal over my shoulder, carrying it back to my men.

The night was approaching, the gray sky growing darker with each passing second.

Upon returning to where they were, I dropped the deer to the ground with a dull thud. They had lit a small campfire and were sitting around it, talking and laughing.

"The dinner is served," I announced.

They shared canteens with ţuică, drinking the alcohol to warm themselves and face another night under the forest. They separated the meat, chewing the raw pieces, feeding themselves as they congratulated me for the hunt.

Hunting was in our instincts; it was part of our nature. It was as easy as breathing. Still, we always congratulated each other.

I stepped away from them and leaned against the trunk of one of the trees, crossing my arms over my chest. Andrei came toward me and extended a canteen of ţuică. I accepted, drinking the liquor with satisfaction.

"Tomorrow is a new day, Fenrir," he said, tilting his chin toward the men. "We're here for you, and we'll go through this together. We'll find Savannah."

For the sake of all humanity, I hoped he was right.

My beast was on the verge of collapse without the she-wolf. And I, the man, felt the same.

***

POV Savannah Bowen

I blinked, once again trying to get my eyes accustomed to the brightness that filled the room, just as I always needed when slowly returning from forced sleep. The familiar scent of the place floated toward me.

I froze completely, wanting to go back to sleep, to remain unconscious in the dream world I had been in for the past few days.

Summoning some courage, I opened my eyes and shot up, confirming what I already suspected. We had arrived at Eclipse, and I was in Hunter's house, more precisely, in his room.

I swung my legs off the side and sat on the edge of the bed. I rubbed my face, sighing.

After so much time away, returning to that place was the last thing on my list of plans.

What a mess.

Escaping from him would be even harder. It wasn’t just a small group I’d need to flee from, but the entire pack. Last time, Selena and I had managed only because of the chaos caused by the wolves who turned against them.

I stood up, testing the strength of my legs before walking away from the bed.

His room was exactly how I remembered, except for the bitchy scent that lingered in the air, mixed with his.

I pushed the door open, stepping out of the room, but stopped when I found Caspian in the middle of the hallway. The alpha looked me up and down, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"Well, look who’s awake," he murmured. "Did you sleep well? How do you feel, coming home after so long?"

I didn’t know who was more detestable, him or Hunter. Actually, all the males in that pack were equally bad, a fierce competition for who was the worst.

I ignored all his questions.

"Where’s Hunter?"

"Oh, how sweet, already a bride worried about her future husband?" I stayed silent, glaring at him with my head tilted. Caspian snorted and rolled his eyes. "He left food for you and said you should behave."

As much as I wanted to argue with him, start a fight, I needed to eat. Hunger was no longer just a vague feeling; all the energy my wolf had stored was gone. I was weak and dizzy, in need of food.

Their house was small and simple. A combined living room and kitchen, two suites, a guest bathroom, and a laundry room.

I moved through the familiar kitchen, gathering everything I needed, knowing every corner of that place. I made scrambled eggs with bacon while drinking a liter of milk straight from the bottle.

I felt Caspian’s gaze on me, analyzing me, curious and suspicious.

During my engagement with Hunter, he barely spoke to me, but he had never been harsh, however. Treating me well was part of his evil plan to kill my parents and destroy my family on the day of my dream wedding.

I could barely taste the food, swallowing the pieces without chewing, so hungry it bordered on desperation.

"Careful not to gain weight, eating like that," Caspian commented. "My son prefers skinny females."

I glared at him with hatred.

"My health and well-being are not subject to your son’s superficial tastes. And besides, his opinion means very little to me."

He let out a laugh full of mockery.

"But it will matter, when you see him going after other females because you’re ugly, fat, and boring to him." He shrugged. "I’m just trying to play my role as a good father-in-law and give you some good advice."

The alpha’s contempt and lack of respect were repulsive. As far as I was concerned, he could swallow his poisonous tongue and choke on it. His opinion, like Hunter’s or any other male in that pack, was irrelevant. They were all despicable, with none of them being any better.

If Hunter became interested in someone else and forgot about me, it would be a blessing.

I smelled him before I heard him approach.

My body tensed.

"I see you’ve already made yourself comfortable," he said, entering through the front door. "Missed home?"

Caspian was sitting on the couch, watching us.

"I’ll enjoy the time I’ll be here," I provoked.

He raised a dark eyebrow.

"The time you’ll be here?"

A venomous smile tugged at my lips.

"Do you really think I’m going to stay by your side for the rest of my days? The first chance I get, Hunter, I’m running away from you. Again."

He was right in front of me in the blink of an eye. The fast movement made my hair sway. I clenched my teeth and held my breath, feeling nauseous from his scent. One day, in a distant past, it had been one of my favorite scents.

"Let’s talk about how I’ll kill you without thinking twice if you step foot outside the village," he clicked his tongue. "And then I’ll go after your beloved little sister, so she can entertain me."

My heart raced, my blood pressure rising at the mention of my sister.

"You’ll never find her..." I whispered.

He laughed.

"Not for now. But once she transforms and her wolf scent becomes strong, then yes, I’ll find her."

It was a vague threat. Selena could be anywhere in the world, and finding her would be difficult. At least, I hoped so.

"What do you want?" I hissed.

He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms.

"I’m very sorry for everything that happened between us in the past. I shouldn’t have rejected you at the altar."

"How kind of you, to regret," I mocked.

He shook his head.

"I didn’t say I regret it, I just said I’m sorry."

"And it just keeps getting better," I retorted.

"The blame was mine," Caspian shot back, standing up from the couch. "I was the one who created the plan. Hunter just followed my orders. To be honest, I think he even liked you at some point."

Hunter nodded, agreeing with his father.

"You already know what my motivations were. Your father humiliated mine by taking my mother as a lover, so, as revenge, we did... well, you already know. Your father is dead, our revenge was completed, and now, we can move on."

I pressed my lips together.

"Of course!"

"In the beginning, I was hunting you for fun, because I wanted to finish my revenge, but then you caught the attention of an alpha from the Carpathians, and I realized you were worth something since you made one of them mate with you."

With each word that came out of his mouth, I was even more shocked, if that was even possible.

"So, you’re only invested in being with me because Fenrir also showed interest?"