Breaking Free - Claimed By The Alpha

Riven's gaze locks onto mine with an intensity that leaves me breathless. His golden eyes hold me captive, making it impossible to look away.

"…My… my brother fights there often," I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper. "And my father forces the whole family to attend."

Riven raises an eyebrow, a flicker of interest flashing across his face. "What's his score?"

By "score," he means the number of victories each fighter has accumulated. Every participant has one, though none compare to his. Riven stands above them all, undefeated, his name whispered in both fear and admiration. Many who have faced him barely left the arena breathing.

"Twenty-four," I answer.

"Not bad," he comments, clicking his tongue.

He tilts his head slightly, studying me. His sharp gaze pierces through my thoughts, as if trying to decipher what's going on in my mind. I don't bother hiding my disgust. It's plain on my face.

I've never understood the appeal of that place. The blood-soaked ground, the roars of the crowd, the brutal clashes of men and beasts—it's the most profitable arena in the city. That fact has always unsettled me. How can so many people revel in watching wolves fight to the death? What's entertaining about such savagery?

I swallow the lump in my throat, suddenly hesitant. I don't want to ask him his score. I already know the answer.

He hasn't fought in months. Not because he lost interest, but because no one dares to challenge him anymore. They're too afraid. And rightfully so. On the battlefield, he is beyond brutal.

"What's on your mind?" His voice is softer now, but there's an edge to it, a quiet demand for honesty.

I shake my head. "Nothing. I'm just wondering why you're here."

His lips curl into a smirk. "I want to make sure you understand something." He takes a slow step toward me. "No one will hurt you from now on. Consider me your guardian angel."

I let out a sharp laugh, raising an eyebrow. "A guardian angel that takes lives for fun? That's ironic."

His smirk doesn't falter. "Well, nobody's perfect."

The worst part? He isn't joking. There's no regret in his eyes, no hint of remorse for the violence he's inflicted. It unsettles me.

"Can I at least get your name?" he asks, closing the distance between us.

I instinctively step back, matching his movements.

"Lily Ellan," I reply cautiously.

His eyes gleam with amusement. "Why, Lily Ellan, are you retreating?"

"You're still the alpha who chased me yesterday."

His smirk fades. "I wasn't chasing you. I was trying to save you from your father. I didn't mean to scare you." He pauses, his expression darkening. "My wolf barely controls himself when he sees someone hurting you. Does he do that often?"

The air leaves my lungs. My throat goes dry.

Nobody—except for my best friend Anne—has ever known that. How does he?

"I… I don't want to talk about it," I whisper.

His expression hardens. His jaw clenches, and a muscle twitches beneath his skin. I can see the rage simmering beneath his composed exterior. A vein bulges on his neck, his wolf close to surfacing.

"Well," he mutters, voice low and dangerous, "after our little discussion, he better not lay a finger on you again."

A shiver runs down my spine. "What did you say to him?"

"That's not important." His eyes soften, just slightly. "What matters is that I found you. And from now on, you don't have to fear anyone. I'll be right in front of you."

I don't know what to say. Was I supposed to thank him? Tell him I don't need his protection?

The truth is, I barely know him. I only know his reputation, and that alone isn't comforting.

I open my mouth to speak, but a sharp knock on the door interrupts me.

"Miss Lily?" A nurse's voice calls from the hallway. "Are you okay? Someone passing by said they heard a man's voice in your room."

My heart leaps into my throat. My eyes widen.

"Go!" I hiss, panic seizing my chest. If someone finds him here, how will I explain?

My hand instinctively presses against his chest, urging him to leave, but instead of moving away, he smirks at my touch. His fingers wrap around my wrist, gentle yet firm.

"I'm coming in!" the nurse announces.

And then—just as sudden as a lightning strike—he kisses me.

His lips brush against mine in a fleeting touch, stealing my breath, my thoughts, my balance.

Before I can react, he's gone.

Vanishing through the window in the blink of an eye.