The Alpha Surrender

Abandonedand Sold to a Werewolf (Because My Life is So Unfortunate)

Present Day

Alpha Cyrus leaned back, armscrossed, looking at me as if I were a moldy piece of bread someone had left out in the sun too long.

Then, with a grin that mademe want to knock his teeth down his throat, he said, “You? As my mate? Please. I’vehad women nearly throwing themselves at me for the opportunity.”

He snorted, eyeing me up anddown like a man chiding a particularly sad garage sale find. "You're weak. My wolfwould never turn out this way."

Oh wow. Charming. Where’d this guy get his customer servicetraining?

I slow-clapped himsarcastically. "Congratulations. Congratulations, you justwon Biggest Ego in the Room. And believeme, that’s a stiff contest.”

His smirk faded just alittle. "This isn’t a joke."

I grinned, tilting my head. “But how do you soundlike one?”

His jaw twitched. Oh, did I touch a nerve? Excellent.

“I don’t have time for you and your childish antics,” he growled,his voice thick with condescension.

“And I don’t have time for whatever it is you’ve got going on here with this overcompensating macho act, but herewe are,” I shot back.

His eyes darkened. “You haveno idea what you’re signing up for.”

“Oh, I think Ido,” I replied, crossing my arms. “I’ve been dragged into this against my will, insultedbefore breakfast, and now I have to stand here while you set about impressing yourself with the how superior you are.” Did I miss anything?"

His lip curled. “You wouldn’t survive one dayin my pack.

I gavehim my cheesiest, phoniest grin. "Oh no! Whatever will I do? How am Igoing to live without the legendary Alpha Cyrus breathing down my fucking neck 24/7?”

His patience was wearing thin, andquite frankly? Good. Because minehad long since evaporated.

Three Days Earlier

"You want her? Take her. She’s yours."

Thewords had barely escaped my stepfather’s mouth when my stomach plummeted like a terrible rollercoaster ride.

I blinked. Wait. He was serious?

I looked at my mother, silently pleading for her to tell me that thiswas some terrible misunderstanding. That she’d laugh and say, “Oh sweetheart, of course we’re not sellingyou like a goat at the market!”

But no.

Instead, she huffed, massaging her temples as ifI were giving her the headache. “Agnes,don’t complicate this.”

Difficult? Oh, I was sorry — was my reluctantinvolvement in human trafficking upsetting to her?

I made asharp, humorless laugh. "Oh, my bad. “I figured next time I’m beingplaced in the care of a stranger I’ll say ‘thank you’ before anything else.”

My mother’s jaw tightened. "Enough with the attitude."

“Enough with the—” I swallowed myown disbelief. “Mother, you’reliterally allowing this to happen!”

She shut her eyes as if she were calling forth patience from a magicalplane. “It’s for thepack’s best interest.”

Ah yes, theold ‘good of the pack’ excuse. Isn’t itfunny how that always meant something bad for me.

“And ‘the pack’ of course meansyou and step daddy dearest?” I asked, arms folding. “Because let’s behonest, no one else here is getting auctioned off like a prize cow.”

“Watch your tone,” my stepfather barked, contorting his face into ascowl. "You should be grateful. Alpha Cyrus is powerful. He could do worse."

"Oh, I’m sorry. You want a medalfor your generosity? I snapped. “Or perhaps aplaque that reads, ‘World’s Okayest Human Trafficker’?”

My mother sucked in her breath,as if trying not to slap me. “You think you’re being clever… here is your reality,Agnes. Youshall accompany Alpha Cyrus, and you shall do as it is expected of you.

My heart racing, I staredat her. “Areyou really okay with this? You’re allright with trading me like some medieval bargaining chip?”

She hesitated. Hesitated.

Thatwas as much of an answer as I needed.

I shook my head, laughter coming up out of me, only it wasn’tthe funny kind. It was the ‘I’m a nervous breakdown away from torchingthis whole place’ type.

"Wow. You know, I always thought that, if I got kidnapped or something, my momwould at least fake some concern. It turnsout, you’d likely say that you’d pack my bags.”

My stepfather growled. "Enough! You’ll do as you're told."

I rolled my eyesso hard they nearly stuck. "Or what? You’ll ground me? SPEND THE REST OFTHE DAY IN YOUR ROOM WITH NO DINNER? Oh wait, I won’t havea room, because I’ll be too busy being handed out like a party favor at the Alpha’s annual self-aggrandizing contest!

A knock at the door sliced through the tension likea knife.

And there he was.

Alpha Cyrus stood in the doorway, a picture of the arrogant wolf prince he seemed soconvinced he was. Black hair, sharp jaw, and a smirkthat could curdle milk.

“Hey,”he drawled, eyeing me up and down. "Aren’t you just adorable?"

I folded my arms. “And what are youif not the walking embodiment of misplaced confidence?”

His smirk widened. "Feisty. This should be fun."

Oh yeah. A blast.

My mother’s jaw tightened. "Enough with the attitude."

“Let’s just pretendthat —” I sputtered with my own disbelief. “Mother, you are literally allowingthis to happen!”

She flinched but saidnothing.

The man in thecorner finally said something. “His voice wasdeep, smooth, arrogant.

“If you’vedone wasting my time, take your shit. I don’t like waiting."

Oh. So it not only felt as if I was being sold off— I was being sold to an impatient jackass. Fantastic.

I looked back at my mother one last time, hoping — praying— for a miracle.

She wouldn’t even look at me.

Something inside me snapped.

I stood up straight, squared my shoulders, and sneered at my so-called‘buyer.’ "You’re in a hurry? Wow. Desperate much?"

His green eyessparkled dangerously. "Watch your mouth."

I grinned wider. "Or what? You’ll return me?"

His lips twisted intosomething between a smile and a scowl. "You wish."

Saying Goodbye (Sort of. But Not Really.)

I slang my bag over my shoulder and walked intomy small room for the final time.

Gertrude and Edwin were waiting for me, worry in theirfaces.

“Are you really leaving?” Gertrude, herbig eyes glistening, said through her tears.

I smiled with difficulty, swallowing the lump welling up in mythroat. "Nah. Taking alittle trip to Hell. Be back soon."

Edwin frowned,his small face narrowing in disapproval. “Mother says you’re goingto work for that man.

Isnorted, moving my bag on my shoulder. “Yeah, you couldsay that.” Or: ‘passed around likea white elephant gift.’ "

Gertrude grabbed my arm, her little fingers biting intomy sleeve. “But what if he’s mean?”

Ibarked a low laugh, rumpling her hair. “Oh, heis mean,” I told her. "But don’t worry. I plan to be way meaner."

Edwinsquinted in concentration and crossed his arms, as if a little general planning a battle. “Youneed to sock him in the shins and run.”

I grinned, glancing at him. "Tempting. But he likely has betterreflexes than I do. Not tomention, a pack of wolves at his command.”

Edwin puffed out his chest. “Thenkick him twice and run faster.”

Gertrude gasped, scandalized. “You can’t just kick an Alpha,Edwin!”

He shrugged. "Why not? If he deserves it."

I snorted, covering my mouth. "You know what? That’s solid advice. I’ll useit as a backup plan.’”

Gertrudesniffed and rubbed her nose on the back of her hand. “Who’s gonnabraid my hair now?”

I knelt in front ofher, tucking a rogue curl behind her ear. "You are. Time to learn, little one."

Her lower lip wobbled. "But I suck at it!"

“Then you’llsuck at it with confidence.” I grasped herhands in mine, squeezing lightly. “And I’d better not come back tofind out you gave up. “If I do, then I’m gonna get Edwin todo your hair.”

Edwin’s eyes grew widewith horror. "No way! She’ll be lookinglike a birds nest!”

Gertrude sniffled and giggled at thesame time. "Fine. "But if I do end uplooking ridiculous, I’m still blaming you.”

I stood, patting her cheek. "Deal. Justdon’t hack it all off in frustration. Trust me, I’ve been there."

She gasped. "You have?"

I smirked. “Let’s just say I had a tragic accident with a pairof kitchen scissors when I was seven.”

Edwin shook his head,frustrated. "You’re weird."

“And you loveme for it,” I teased, hugging both of them quickly and then stepping back. "Now behave while I’m gone. And, of course, if everything else fails— “

Edwin grinned. "Kick twice and run."

I winked. "That’s my boy."

He laughed throughhis tears, and for a moment I almost forgot the hellscape I was entering.

Almost.

And Then...

In the living roommy new ‘owner’ stood behind my stepfather, looking as bored as ever.

Then all of a sudden hetook out a dagger-

—and slit my stepfather’sthroat open.

I gasped. My mother screamed. Blood sprayed onthe wooden floor.

My stepfather gurgled, his hands clawing at his neck, andthen his body collapsed.

I looked back at the man who had just nonchalantly murdered someonein my home.

He cleaned the blade on my stepfather’s shirt and told my stepfather, “I don’ttolerate traitors.”

Silence.

I blinked. "Well... that escalated quickly.”