{ Alpha Cronus}

“ What do you want, Zoe?” I asked without bothering to look up.” Alpha Cronus, please have Mercy and let her out of the dungeon. Forgive her ignorance, she is just a pup. “

Pup?

“ She is fragile and can't bear it.” She said and I lifted my head to look at her.

She seemed concerned about her, and I wasn't surprised by her soft heart. Zoe was just like her mother, fucking caring.

“ How did you know that Zoe?” she was fragile, yet she was too stubborn and dared to disobey me.

She fucking spoke back at me and didn't hesitate to tell me what was on her mind. She even questioned my authority like a disrespectful brat!

What the fuck did she expect when she went against me?

What could have happened if I hadn't gotten there in time? The central pack was one of the oldest packs; therefore, there were countless wild animals surrounding its lands.

Modernization might have taken the world by storm, but Central Pack was still far behind, maybe because of its geographical location.

“ Alpha Cronus, please, let her out or she will die.” Zoe went on her knees with her head lowered, and a growl slipped out of my throat, I'm not sure why, but my animal pulled forward in an instant.

“ I'm sorry, alpha, if I have said something wrong; she isn't in a good condition.” She added. My hand squeezed the sheet, and my heartbeat suddenly quickened. My eyes turned colder as I forcefully shoved my wolf away. What the fuck would happen if she dies?

Suddenly, the familiar mark on her shoulder played in my memory and I stood up from my seat, my animal making his appearance the second time.” Leave, Zoe.” I demanded and she hesitantly walked out. How did her life concern me?

What if she has the same mark as that of Olivia?

She should blame her cowardly father for what happened to her.

My hand fisted, and my sudden frustration couldn't be linked to her; she was just a fucking price I reclaimed. Her father was to be blamed for whatever happened to her.

But why did Zoe think she would die? I marched out of my office and went straight to the underground dungeon where she was supposed to be.

The smell of blood was the first thing I noticed as I reached the dungeon. My wolfish green eyes pierced through the darkness and I immediately detected her.

I felt a bit uneasy and rushed towards her when I saw her fragile body on the cold floor.

She was unconscious.

I felt a rush of emotions in my chest when I saw her pale face.

‘ Get Drew here.’ I mindlinked Theo as I rushed her into the room.

Her lifeless face brought a strange feeling into my chest as I placed her gently on the bed. Her feet were covered in blood, and for the first time in my life, I loathed the smell and sight of blood. What the fuck was wrong with me?

“ He is here.” Theo rushed in with Drew but raised a brow when he saw her lying on the bed.” What happened?” Theo asked with a worried gaze, I gave him a cold silence as I started walking out without looking back.

I looked around my office before walking straight to the window. Her innocent face was deeply imprinted in my memory, and I kept seeing her face even when I didn't want to recall what she looked like.

I picked a stick of cigar here from my pocket.” She lost too much blood.” Theo's voice came from behind; the stick of a cigar hung in between my lips as I froze for a while.

“ But she will be okay after a few days' rest.” He added and I proceeded to light my cigar. “ Anything else?” I asked, putting the lighter back in my pocket. “ You should go easy on her.” The familiar voice made me turn away from the window with a slight frown.

“ Why should I? “ My eyes stared coldly at Drew who wasn't any older than Theo. Both of them succeeded their fathers, who once served the pack; the only reason they were serving me was because their great-grandfathers earned my trust throughout their years with me.

While Theo came from a beta family, Drew was the great-grandson of the pack's best doctor, Dacon Biles.

“ Because she is innocent and now my patient.” He said, and something about how he said it made anger rise in my chest. With a calm expression, I let out the smoke in my mouth and lazily stared away for a few seconds.” How did you know she was innocent?” Her fucking father tried to betray me after I risked my pack to save his. I helped him throw those rogues off his neck, but he dared to sell me off, forgetting who I was.

“ I know you are pissed because of alpha Moses but alpha Moses is gone, isn't that enough?” Drew asked, but killing Moses wasn't enough to pay for what he had done. Betrayal was a great sin that even death could not erase; it was unfortunate that his daughter would have to pay for his remaining sins.

“ No, it's not enough,” I said coldly, directing my gaze at him.

“ She is not her father and you can't take it out on her.” I chuckled as I thought of the possible reasons why Drew would stand up for a traitor's daughter. The thought of him liking her as a woman inked me, and as much as I didn't want to believe it, I couldn't come up with any other reason.

It better not be what I was fucking thinking.

With my bloodshot eyes, I focused my gaze on Drew, whose gaze was buried on the floor. I dropped the cigar in my hand as my animal growled in my head.

Who the fuck was he to stand up for her? “ Doctor Drew, you are not allowed to get close to her from now on.” I laid out my orders and Theo gulped but didn't dare to raise his head. “ If I see you an inch close to her, I will make sure you regret it.” My claws pushed out as I took two steps closer to him.

“ You can leave my office.”

“ Cronus, “

“ You too.” I cut him, Theo, off.

My fingers fisted as the door shut.

What the fuck was my problem? Didn't I hate her before, so why was I angry about Drew caring about her?

I pulled another stick of cigar from my pocket and calmly lit it.