“Open the gate,” I tell them, and they glance at each other.
“We can’t do that, you’re not permitted here,” Beta Mitchel says, and I roll my eyes, climbing out the car, they instantly back up.
One guard hesitates, his eyes darting to his companion in uncertainty. Impatience flares hot in my veins. I don’t have time to watch them piss their pants while they debate letting me in or not.
Without waiting another second, I walk over and snatch the gate controller from the nearest guard’s hand. His fingers barely brush against mine, as he reaches for it. A quick press of the button, and the gates groan open like the maw of some rusty old beast. With a flick of my wrist, I toss the controller back to the guard who gapes at me then at his Beta looking for direction. I raise an eyebrow at the Beta daring him to stop me. His eyes glaze over, and I know he is mindlinking Joseph.
I can feel their eyes on me as I slide back into the driver’s seat, my movements deliberate and full of purpose. As I drive through the gates, I sense Zarek, pacing restlessly beneath my skin, eager for confrontation, ready to protect what’s ours.
Gravel crunches under the tires as I bring my car to a halt in front of the packhouse. The moment is charged, the stillness before a storm. I’m out of the car in an instant, my senses heightened, every muscle coiled and ready.
Before I can even slam the door shut, Alpha Joseph erupts from the entrance like a force of nature, his powerful frame radiating fury. “You’ve got some balls, waltzing into my pack unannounced,” he roars, closing the distance between us with purposeful strides.
I stand my ground, feeling Zarek stir beneath my skin, eager for a confrontation. “Not your lands. They belong to my mate, not you. And I will prove it. But for now, I’m here to collect her things,” I counter, my voice steady, laced with a dangerous edge.
His nostrils flare, and his eyes are ablaze with anger, the air thick with the promise of aggression. He’s inches from me now, close enough I can see the veins throbbing at his temples, showing his barely restrained wrath.
My proximity draws out a deep, guttural growl from his chest, and I can almost taste the bitterness of his defeat.
“Why are you here, if you’re looking for Cleo she is—”
“At my place,” I answer, shoving past him and his shocked face. I walk up the few steps into the house, letting myself in. He doesn’t stop me, though I can tell he wants to. The reminder of our last run in and how he had his ass handed to him must still be fresh on his mind.
“Your arrogance will be your downfall, Zayn,” he hisses, trailing after me as I head toward the staircase.
“Arrogance is thinking you can keep me from what’s mine,” I shoot back over my shoulder.
“Where’s your proof, then? Show me this so-called claim you have!” Joseph bellows, a desperate edge creeping into his voice. “I want to speak to my daughter!”
“She has a phone, call her and confirm it,” I tell him.
My boots thud against the polished floor, each step an echo in the vast foyer. Alpha Joseph’s veins bulge with fury, his aura darkening the air around us. “You can’t just walk into my house,” he snarls as I make a beeline for the staircase.
“Where is my daughter? Did you kidnap her again?” His accusation bites at my heels, but it’s nothing compared to the fire inside me.
“Kidnap?” I spin around, facing him halfway up the stairs. My eyes narrow, drilling into his. His words are like spurs digging into my side, igniting an anger that roils beneath my skin.
Zarek stirs, ready to pounce at any provocation. I clench my fists, feeling my nails dig into my palms while my heart beats a wild rhythm, eager for the clash.
“Let’s get one thing straight, Joseph,” I growl, the words laced with venom. “I don’t need to take anyone by force. Cleo is mine, and she came to me willingly. I’ve never forced your daughter into anything. Unlike you, I actually give a shit about her.”
His eyes flash, a father’s concern mingling with his rage. I see through it—all of it. It’s control he fears losing, power slipping from his grasp like grains of sand. He’s desperate, cornered, and dangerous. But so am I.
“You think you’re worthy of her?” he challenges, chest heaving with every heavy breath.
“More than you ever were,” I shoot back, each word a hammer strike to his ego.
“Watch yourself,” he warns, a low threat that vibrates through the space between us.
“Or what?” I take a step down, closing the distance, our faces inches apart. “Because you’ll lose more than just your pride today if you test me.” He knows he’s outmatched, still his stubbornness roots him in place.
“Go ahead, Alpha. Make your move.”
He doesn’t move. Instead, he swallows hard, the sound loud in the tense silence. At that moment, I know I have him. Not just because I’m stronger, but because I know nothing he says will convince her to go back to him now.
With a smirk, I turn away from Joseph, climbing the stairs two at a time, the battle lines drawn. This house may hold memories for Cleo, yet it’s no longer her home. Her future lies elsewhere, with me, far from her father’s tyranny.
We reach the top of the stairs, and I pause for a moment, letting my gaze sweep over him as I try to figure out which one is her room. In this charged silence, the raw power of my Alpha presence fills the space, a reminder of the beast within that’s ready to bare its teeth.
