Page 19 of Forced Alpha Bride
“Alpha Damon,” Regina says, inclining her head respectfully. “What can we do for you?”
Her fake grin and sweet tone grate on me so badly, I want to rush right over there and smack the smile straight off her face. Instead, I growl so loudly, half of Roderick’s family trembles and backs up.
“Nothing, Regina,” I say in a low voice. “Just stay right where you are.”
She blinks innocently, but I don’t wait to hear any more of her bullshit. I turn and jog down the hall, following that faint hint of strawberry that seems to be getting stronger.
Is she really here? That would almost be too easy.
Running to Krista would make sense, though. I pick up my pace, my mind racing ahead, anticipating the moment I see her again.
My hands twitch as I think about holding her, keeping her by my side as the elders perform the ceremony, and the sweet release of finally securing my alpha position.
Then it’s just me and Winnie. I know she’s scared, but she just doesn’t know me. No woman has ever resisted me. Not once did I get close enough to kiss them, anyway.
The scent of strawberry and vanilla gets so thick around me, I feel like I’m drowning in cotton candy. Stopping in front of Krista’s room, I savor the smell for a second before I start banging on the door.
“Let me in, Krista!” I demand. “I know you’re in there.”
“Go away!” she screams. “Just leave me alone!”
Winnie’s scent seems to fade a little, and panic floods through me. In an act of pure adrenaline, I kick the door down—even though it’s aged mahogany and almost as hard as stone.
Krista screams at the top of her lungs as I charge into the room. She’s sitting on a little couch, trying to look casual and really overdoing it.
“Where is she?”
“Who?”
“Don’t play dumb with me!” I yell, crossing the room and grabbing her arm. “I tracked her scent here.”
“What?” Krista asks, her eyes going wide with fear.
“Winnie!” I scream. “Where is she?”
Krista’s face relaxes into a little smile. “You’ll never find her. It’s already way too late. You’ll never be alpha, Damon.”
I stare into her face for a few moments, my body going completely numb. A cold, steady calm floods through me, replacing the burning rage.
“Lock her up!” I yell, hurling her at one of my guards. “I’m following Winnie’s scent up the mountain. She can’t have gotten far.”
As my guys drag Krista away, I look around the room for something I can use to give my brothers the scent. I can’t find anything Winnie actually owns, so I just direct them to the window and hope they can catch her scent from there.
“Yeah, I got it,” Flint states. “Female wolf went in and back out this window. It’s thin, but damn, she smells sweet.”
“She does,” I agree. “Good man. I need five of you to get on her trail right now and follow me into the mountains.”
Flint doesn’t even hesitate; he jumps straight out the window. Before I can follow him, there is a bloodcurdling scream from the hallway.
“Jesus, fuck,” I mutter, turning around and going to the door. “What now?”
“You can’t do this!” Krista’s mother screams. “My baby! What are you doing to my baby?”
“She’s just going to chill out in the cells downstairs for a bit,” I answer, a soft note of threat in my voice. “And anyone else who wants to get in my way can join her. Do you understand?”
Isla Brent struggles against my guys, but they won’t let her come any further down the hallway.
“You can’t do this!” she repeats.
