Delaney

"I can't believe you are leaving," one of my best friends pointed out, sprawled on my bed while I paced across my bedroom.

"I am not going anywhere, Nyra. How the hell am I supposed to just leave the life I have known since I was a child?" I retorted, my voice rising higher than I intended.

"But the alpha kings said—"

"I don't care what they said, Nyra," I snapped, cutting her off. "They can go fuck themselves for all I care."

"Oh, we will be fucking, just not ourselves." Kai strolled in through the half-open door to my bedroom, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. I glared at him, trying to push away the feeling of his arms around me, and his cock pressed on my side.

"You must be Nyra; Alpha Thorne has told us about you," he spoke, walking over to Nyra as if he owned my bedroom. I watched as he extended his arm, stretching his hand to shake Nyra's hand.

"What is taking too long?" Ronan followed, hands in his pocket. For men around my father's age, they sure looked like they were in their early thirties.

"I thought you had already started packing," he added, looking at me, standing in the middle of my room. The two of them in my room was suffocating, now that my adrenaline had lowered.

"Goddess me, Del, you didn't tell me they look like gods!" Nyra whispered, getting off the bed. She attempted to stretch out her hand to greet Kai but instead bowed her head, letting out whimpers as her wolf recognised its Alpha Kings. The power rolling off them was too much in one room; I could see the waves pulling down Nyra to her knees before Kai.

"What the hell are you doing kneeling, Nyra? Get up," I hissed, walking to her side. I attempted to pull her to her feet, but she wouldn't move; it was like she was stuck there.

"I can't; too much po-wer," she stuttered, turning her head and bearing her neck, a sign of submission. I couldn't fully understand why she felt that way, maybe because even at 22, my wolf had still not manifested. That was the same reason my father ordered me to stay in the room back in the hotel. It was a secret we had sworn to keep between us. It was an abomination for any werewolf and especially the child of an alpha to be wolfless.

"Tell her to get up," I glowered, staring at both men.

"Are you ordering us, little mouse?" Ronan raised his brow, his lips stretching into a smirk.

"What's amusing here? She is kneeling before you, and you can't ask her to stand?" I complained, turning my attention to Kai.

"That is no way to speak to your alpha kings," Kai warned, his tone unreadable.

"Get up, Nyra. Any friend of Delaney is our friend," Ronan said, flashing a smirk my way.

"I am not your friend," I mumbled under my breath, helping Nyra up.

"What was that?" Ronan narrowed his eyes, while I shrugged, ignoring him.

"Now give us a minute, Nyra," Kai chimed in, not even sparing Nyra a glance. Nyra got up without a word and walked out of my room, head bowed.

"What the hell was that about?" I asked, placing my hands on either side of my waist.

"You need to learn how to tame that little mouth of yours, and I will gladly help you do so," Ronan stated, plopping down on my bed.

"Whatever," I mumbled, rolling my eyes. Yes, they were the alpha kings, but they did not scare me, maybe a little.

"If you don't pack, we will drag you out of this house as you are," Kai threatened, looking around my room.

"I am not going anywhere with you." I stood my ground, glowering at both of them. My father walked in at that moment, a vein on the side of his forehead popping.

"Honey, it is for the best. I thought we agreed that you would be safe with the alpha kings," my father remarked, looking apologetically at me.

"Agreed? You have not given me a choice at all. How do you all expect me to just pack and walk out of the life I have known since I was born?" I shook my head, shaking off the growing pain in my temples.

"If you stay, you will not have much of a life," Kai stated, his face void of any emotion.

"You know what's at stake, Delaney. Please do not make this hard," my father begged, closing the door behind him.

"What about my friends, the rest of the pack and you, Dad? Are you not deserving of protection?" I pressed, narrowing my eyes.

"This pack has warriors, plus me, their alpha, capable of keeping everyone safe," he responded.

"Then you can protect me too." My voice wavered, the mere thought of leaving my home weighing down on me heavily.

"No, whoever is controlling those rogues is specifically after you. Have you already forgotten that your name and your picture were found at one of their camps?" Ronan reminded me, looking straight into my eyes. For a second, his image tangled with the woman who crossed behind my eyes, distracting me a bit. I had to close my eyes briefly to pull my thoughts together.

"So that makes it right for you to force me into going with you? For the hundredth time, I am not going anywhere. I would love to see you try and carry me by force." I raised my head high, challenging them.

"Del-"

"We've got this, Thorne," Kai spoke, earning a nod from my dad, who looked once at me, then exited the room. I watched as Kai and Ronan exchanged a silent communication and then began approaching me.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, looking at them alternately, taking steps back.

"Kai is very patient," Ronan began, his voice neutral, still advancing towards me until my back came into contact with the wall beside the door.

"But I am not," he finished, putting his hand above my shoulder, beside my head.

"And while I am patient," Kai chimed in, lowering his face until it was level with mine.

"I hate being defied." His voice sent chills down my spine, and not the good ones. I gulped, closing my eyes at their proximity and the threat in their words.

"So little mouse, unless you want me to throw you on my shoulder and force you into the car, I suggest you grab what you need and willingly walk out of this house," Ronan ordered, his hand grazing my cheek.

"And if my brother ends up carrying you because you have refused to follow our command, I will put you on my lap," Kai whispered, trailing his hand gently to the curve of my hip and finally to my ass. "And spank you until your ass turns purple, and I will not stop until you cry out an apology," he finished, making me yelp as he squeezed the flesh of my ass gently.

"So what is it going to be, Delaney?" My name rolled out of Ronan's mouth in a way that made my heart leap.

"You have a minute and not more to decide. Do not test us, Delaney; you won't like it," Kai threatened, then stepped back, leaving me trembling against the wall, my mind and heart racing.

Delaney POV

I was left standing against the wall, the click of the door after they walked out barely registering. The throb in my temples was growing, spreading to the frontal part of my head, threatening to explode. No one had ever defied the alpha kings and lived to tell the tale, but how could I just leave? A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts, prompting me to step away from the wall.

"Come in," I murmured, my eyes glued to the door. I wasn't expecting to see my other best friend, Carter, accompanied by a pale and shaken Nyra.

"Nyra wasn't joking when she said you were being forced to leave," Carter stated, pulling me into a tight hug. I closed my eyes, relaxing in his arms as he rubbed my back. Something about his embrace felt different, though. It did not make me feel safe like it used to or arouse feelings like before; it simply didn't feel like Alpha Kai's. We had kissed a couple of times, but each time I stopped it before it escalated to sex.

"I don't want to," I whispered, pulling from the hug.

"I ca-n't." My voice broke, my eyes burning as I looked at my best friends. The very friends who had kept me going since my mother disappeared without a trace when I was 8 years old.

"But you can't defy the alpha kings' orders, I still haven't recovered from the power they were oozing in this very room," Nyra spoke in a hushed tone.

"Yes, I can, Nye," I responded firmly. "How can I just abandon you? college? My dad? I have been the only constant thing in his life since my mom's disappearance. I have seen him struggle to stay strong for me, burying the pain inside every single day to raise me. What will happen if I leave him alone?" I lamented, a lump growing in my throat.

I turned, facing the door that led to my balcony. My eyes were burning with unshed tears, but every time I felt the liquid bubbling to the surface, I blinked rapidly to push it back. Then an idea crossed my mind, making my trembling lips stretch into a smile.

"I have an idea," I suddenly said, walking across the room in short, fast steps to my closet. There, I yanked four bed sheets, my heart beating beginning to accelerate.

"What are those for?" Nyra asked, her forehead creasing as she followed me to the balcony, Carter trailing behind.

"I am going to tie these to the rails and climb down, and then I am going to make a run for it," I explained, knotting the first two bed sheets together with my hands trembling.

"Are you nuts?" Nyra whisper-yelled, looking at me like I had two heads.

"Let me help you," Carter chimed in, earning a side glare from Nyra.

"Do you know what the alpha kings will do to us when they find out, or your dad? He'll kill us!" Nyra hyperventilated, tugging at Carter's sleeve, trying to stop him from tying the remaining sheets.

"I have to do this, Nye, please," I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper.

"What is your plan once you get down? Where will you go?" Carter asked, fastening the end against one of the metal rails of my balcony.

"I, I don't—"

"Run to my parent's cabins in the woods and wait for us there. I am assuming that once your dad and the alpha kings realise you are gone, they will begin a search. Nyra and I will blend in and come to you in the pretence of searching for you, okay?" Carter's plan sounded good and solid.

"Why can't you just jump? We are werewolves, remember? If you want to escape so much, then jumping will save time," Nyra chimed in, swallowing hard. She had no idea that I had no wolf and that jumping would be attempted suicide.

Before I could answer, there was a knock at my door, followed by my father's voice calling me. All of us panicked, our eyes widening, about to get caught up in the act.

"Go, go distract him, lie that she is in the bathroom." Carter nudged Nyra while I swung my leg over the balcony. I could feel my heart beating as blood rushed to my ears.

"Is she done?" I could hear my father asking Nyra, but I didn't wait to hear her reply. I clutched on to the fabric and began lowering myself inch by inch, ignoring the burn the sheets left on my palms. A few inches down, the knot creaked, sending my heart leaping to my throat. A silent scream passed between my lips as I looked at Carter, then down at the ground. One minute I was dangling in the air, and the next I felt the sound of the sheets tearing.

"Carter!" I screamed his name as my foot slipped, only for the scream to be cut short as I came into contact with the ground. I could have sworn I saw his lips stretch into a sinister smirk. Pain radiated from my ankle, spreading upwards as I rolled on the ground. With my vision blurring, I caught a glimpse of Carter easily jumping down, landing beside me with his feet and one hand on the ground.

"Ssh," he hushed, placing his hand on my mouth.

"Call my d-ad," I breathed, gasping when pain radiated across my chest.

"No need, Del; I am going to take good care of you," he whispered, rubbing his hand on top of my head gently. I was struggling to keep my eyes open, but a blurry glimpse at his, and all I could see was something in them. A feeling that crossed quickly, almost as if I had assumed it.

"D-ad," I voiced out again, my head feeling so full. I attempted to keep my eyes open, but every struggle proved futile, and soon my eyes involuntarily closed.

Before I could slip into nothingness completely, a familiar voice, though sounding so distant, filled my throbbing ears.

Delaney POV

My head throbbed as I made out a faint hum of what sounded like an engine. I could feel my head lying on something warm, hard, definitely not my bed. I could also feel a hand on my hip. Then I opened my eyes, blinking rapidly as the back of an SUV leather seat came into focus, then the side of an unknown driver. Reflexively, I shot up immediately, realising that I had been lying on one of the alpha kings' laps. I just didn't know which one, with my mind all jumbled up.

"Easy there," came Ronan's voice, and only when he talked did I realise he had been the one I had been lying on. He stretched lazily, amusement dancing in his eyes, as if I hadn't used him as a mattress for what goddess knew how long.

"We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself. You nearly cracked your skull during the stunt you pulled earlier," he reminded, making me scoot further near the door. No wonder my ankle hurt, though not as much as I expected it to.

"We couldn't exactly wait until you woke up. Time is of the essence to us, so we carried you," Kai joined from the passenger seat, not even looking once at me.

"Where is my father?" I asked, my voice thick and heavy, still processing.

"Oh my god, Nyra, Carter," I whispered, eyes directed at Ronan for answers.

"Where are we?" I added, looking through the rear window. My heart skipped a bit when the scenery caught my eyes. Thick woods, gnarled and overgrown, stretched endlessly on either side of the road. Nothing looked familiar about the place, not even the sky.

"Where else, little mouse? In the outskirts of the kingdom's capital, heading to our estate, of course," Ronan answered casually.

"What the hell! Are you out of your fucking minds?" My voice arose as the driver gasped, probably because I had spoken that way to the alpha kings.

"I told you to tame that mouth," Kai warned, looking over his seat at me.

"You are not my father," I hissed at Kai.

"Stop the car," I spat, fumbling with the door handle.

"We had already made it clear that you were coming with us, so quit whining and act like an alpha's daughter." My jaw dropped at Kai's words and the nonchalance in his tone.

"You drugged me...stole me, and," I hyperventilated, turning to glare at Ronan, then continued, "used me as a pillow by putting your hand on me!"

"Ronan grinned. "You are the one who drooled on me, sweetheart."

"I did not."

"A little," Kai murmured, his lips twitching as if he was fighting off a smile.

"And we didn't drug you; you passed out when you fell. Have you forgotten so soon?" Ronan added, raising a brow at me.

"How could you carry me while I was out of it? Have you no heart?" I questioned, looking alternately at the both of them.

"You are a werewolf, Delaney; we knew you'd be healed in no time." I bit my lip at Ronan's words, swallowing hard.

"Like I said, we are too busy to waste time waiting on you," Kai clarified yet again, sending a slight stabbing pain across my chest.

I let out a sound between a scream and a growl, running my hand through my hair. Where the hell was I going to start, with my friends left behind? And my father, how could he have me shipped away without even a goodbye?

"Take me back, right now." I crossed my arms, tapping my unhurt foot on the floor of the SUV.

"Not happening," Ronan replied, his tone turning suddenly serious.

"You are our problem now," Kai added.

"I am not your anything," I defiantly said, but that did not stop the SUV from rolling deeper into the woods.

The rest of the drive was filled with tension, and every tree that zoomed by reminded me that my life back at home had been ripped away. I stared through the window, wishing that the forest would just disappear and take the two smug alpha kings with it. Soon the trees began to thin, and iron gates came into view, behind them stone walls looming high.

"Finally." Ronan stretched as the gates opened, revealing two lines of guards on either side, bowing. The road was obsidian, winding up between well-kept gardens, well-trimmed hedges and silver lamps. I couldn't blink as a fountain in front of a castle came into view, two wolves carved from white stone at the centre, water coming from their mouths.

"Welcome to the Alpha Kings' Estate and your new home," Kai said, then stepped out first after a guard opened the door, not bothering to look back.

"Try not to escape; you won't make it far," Ronan warned, stepping outside. I took a deep breath, then raised my head high and stepped out, ignoring his outstretched hand.

I barely had time to walk around the SUV when a beautiful young woman practically threw herself at Ronan. I watched as he caught her by her ass, with her hands wrapped around his neck.

"I missed you so much, babe," she whispered against his neck, her sickly sweet voice making me roll my eyes.

"Chloe," Ronan said, lowering her on the ground, but not before she kissed him. I pressed my teeth together, my jaw clenching at the sight. I couldn't explain why their intimacy suddenly made my blood boil.

"I couldn't wait to see you," she purred, tracing her finger along his chest. "You didn't tell me you'd be coming back with a guest." Her eyes flicked over to me, sizing me up and down as if I was nothing before her. Oh, how I wanted to gouge her eyes out and cut her fingers for touching Ronan.

"Mark, escort Chloe away; we have more important things to handle," Kai ordered, one guard stepping forward. She walked away without a word, obviously fearful of Kai.

"I want a room far away from you two," I stated, walking between the two men as they headed to the stairs that led to the castle front door.

"Why, afraid we will bite?" Ronan leaned in, Chloe's perfume wafting into my nose, making me almost gag.

"If I knew any better, I would say you wanted to kick Chloe's ass," he added, wrapping his arm around my waist to pull me close to him.

"Get away from me," I hissed, lifting my hand to push him away from me when Kai held my hand, stopping me.

He then pulled me closer to him, holding my gaze. His blank, without any readable emotion as he spoke, his voice filled with almost palpable power, "this is not your usual pack, Delaney. Disrespect here is not allowed; you'd best remember that."

I yanked my hand free from his hold and, with my chin high, stormed up the steps, ignoring the pain that was shooting up my ankle. I couldn't limp, not when it would raise questions about why I had not healed yet. I didn't make it out to the door before Kai spoke again.

"There is a mandatory run in our wolf form tomorrow; make sure you are ready 20 minutes before. I'll personally come for you in your room."