Thelma’s POV

“I was almost attacked by a wolf on the lonely road. I’m so scared... I don’t know what to do,” she said, still panicking over the phone.

“Well, calm down,” I replied. “You can crash at my place since you’re close. Stay here till you get back on your feet.”

“We can go somewhere fun tonight, get your mind off everything that’s happened.”

“Thank goodness I have you. You’d never betray me like Edward. Thank you,” she said before hanging up.

I angrily dropped the phone on the kitchen cabinet and turned to Edward, who had just walked into my apartment, breathing heavily.

“How did that weak human bitch survive your wolf attack?” I asked through gritted teeth.

“It was him—the Alpha,” he replied, slumping onto the couch.

“He protected her,” he added. That got me furious.

I disguised myself as her best friend to keep the Alpha from finding her easily in the city and marking her before he arrives at the pack. She doesn’t even know I’m a werewolf—neither does she know her boyfriend, Edward, is one too.

“That Alpha killed my father, broke my sister’s heart, and now he wants to make Renda his mate—to break the curse!” I yelled.

“If he succeeds, all of this will be for nothing! You stupid, useless rogue—you were supposed to take her virginity to destroy the vision, and instead you slept with your best friend’s girlfriend—who’s wolfless!”

“You were supposed to mark her, Edward!” I snapped, twitching his lips angrily.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, bowing his head.

I shoved him to the floor.

“Forget it, stupid rogue. I’ll take her to Scottbar Club tonight, get her drunk, and let the roughest wolves in the city ravage her.

Whatever happens... she must stay away from the Alpha.”

“You must leave before she sees you here,” I said slowly, pouring a glass of wine

At the bar...

We walked into the bar club. Everyone looked at her hungrily.

“Cheers to single life. I’ll drink to that,” Renda said, grabbing a drink from the wine hub as we clinked glasses.

“You know, I’m done waiting for some fairytale romance. I’d love a one-night stand with the first guy who walks up to me,” she added, taking another shot.

Exactly what I wanted, my wolf growled inside me. I sent a mental signal to one of the men in the bar—through the mind link—to approach her and ruin this innocent Renda before she gets marked by the Alpha.

As they moved closer, the bar room doors flung open.

Alpha Dedrick walked in. Everyone in the club tensed—afraid of his powerful presence.

Renda froze in shock. He walked in our direction.

“Can I buy you a drink?” Alpha Dedrick asked.

What is the Alpha doing in a dump like this?

My wolf ranted angrily as I rose from my chair.

“You can do it,” Renda smiled, turning toward him.

If Renda finds out she’s destined for him, it will ruin everything we’ve planned for the heir’s throne, my wolf whispered.

I smiled at him, flaunting my hair, casting a small enchantment over his sight to draw his attention.

“Not you. I was talking to your friend,” he said, brushing past Renda and moving toward me

“Hello? Seriously?” Renda waved her hand in front of his face, but he shoved her to the ground—shocking everyone in the bar.

“Could you give us some space?” he said, his voice rigid and low.

---

Renda’s POV

I was hurt, rejected. I stormed out of the bar.

“I knew he was a cocky asshole the moment I saw him on the bridge,” I thought. I pulled out the car keys, ready to drive home and recover from the mess of the day.

“What’s a little girl doing in a place like this?” Two huge men approached me in the car park.

My hands trembled, and the keys fell to the ground. I clutched my body, stepping toward the car, panicking.

“I was just about to leave. My friend’s waiting inside,” I said, moving quickly, but one of them blocked me.

“Your friend is busy with the Alpha. You’re alone now,” one sneered.

“Alpha?” I asked. No reply.

“What do you mean?”

“Luckily for you, we know how to take care of women,” one grabbed my arm.

“She’s got a pretty mouth. I bet she can take both of us,” the other said, squeezing my lips.

I pulled a knife from my trousers.

“Stay back, assholes. The only thing I’ll do now is cut your balls off and scream bloody murder. You’ll get arrested!” I threatened, pointing at the blade.

One of them slapped the knife out of my hand.

“That’s enough with the drama,” he said. They yanked me up and dragged me toward the club’s backdoor.

“Help! Help!! Help!!!” I screamed at the top of my voice.

No one came.

“Stop fighting,” one hissed.

“Be a good girl. We’ll make it quick.”

I kicked one in the face with my heels.

“Bitch! You’ve got nerves,” he yelled, holding his nose.

I bit the other on his upper arm and began running into the dark.

“Don’t let her escape!” He caught my leg and pushed me to the ground, revealing sharp teeth as he tried to sink them into my shoulder.

Werewolves... or vampires. Looking for human blood.

I knew I wouldn’t make it out.

Then—he appeared, The cocky asshole again.

“Keep your fucking hands off my mate!”

Alpha Dedrick threw them to the ground by their necks.

“Alpha Dedrick, we didn’t know she was your mate,” one said, blood dripping from his nose.

“We swear, we didn’t know.”

He helped me off the floor. “Are you okay?” he asked.

I was speechless.

“Alpha? His girl?” My mind couldn’t process it. He turned back to the attackers, grabbed them, and squeezed the breath from their bodies.

“Please... spare us... Alph—”

I watched him kill them.

Then, he turned to me again.

“Are you okay?”

I didn’t answer.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, eyes scanning my body carefully.

I stepped away.

“Are you insane?”

“If you knew who I was or what those men were about to do, you’d be thanking me,” he replied.

I stayed quiet.

“Thank you very much... but if I may remind you, you were with my friend a few minutes ago,” I stammered.

“Are you jealous?” he teased, touching my face gently.

“Let me make it up to you.”

He touched my lips with his hand.

I jerked away.

“Do you think I’m just some helpless girl who’ll fall into your arms that easily?”

He grabbed my arms, pulling me close, locking me into his grip.

“I’ll take you home. It’s not safe here,” he whispered softly, his hands caressing my body.