PROLOGUE
Sammy tore through the forest like a wild buffalo, twigs and thorns snapping at her arms and legs, leaving marks on them, but she didn't care, after all, all that pain was nothing when compared to the pain in her heart. The pain of an Alpha's broken promise.
She could still remember the soft caresses of his lips on hers, his deep chestnut brown eyes that sparkled gold under the moonlight, the gentle way he.... she shook her head, she must remain strong, for herself, and she cupped her left hand on her growing stomach, for her baby.
"Sammy, wait!!" Thane shouted, his deep melodious voice echoing through the entire forest. For a second, Sammy's determination wavered, and she felt drawn back into the voice that once stole her heart. For a second only.
He was gaining up on her, she could tell, even without the sound of his expensive Italian shoes on the soft soil, whenever he was near, his aura seemed to dominate everything around him, a result of being the Alpha.
He was closer now, closer than ever to catching her, but that couldn't be allowed to happen, Sammy wouldn't let that happen, not while she had breath in her body and blood in her veins. She had too much to protect.
Sammy saw the light that marked the end of the forest, just meters away, but those meters might have well have been miles. Standing tall, easily over six feet, with his dark olive tan skin and broad shoulders, was Thane Darkwood, Alpha of the Arnia werewolves and billionaire bachelor, or at least, he was.
"Let me expla..." He started.
"No!" Sammy interrupted, she could see his shoulders tense, he did not like being interrupted, well, Sammy didn't also like being lied to, played and used, so he could just join the club. "No, I've heard enough of your explanations, tell me this, why didn't you explain to your clan that I was the only one you wanted? Why didn't you tell them all the beautiful lies you whispered into my ears when we cuddled at the beach? Why did you agree and marry that werewolf whore Lsia?" Her voice raised with every question, by the end of it all, she was already shouting.
Instead of responding, he took a step closer, and Sammy could already smell his expensive cologne, it smelled like the winds of the sea, it reminded her of the nights they used to spend together, staring at the night sky. "It's cold outside, Mi alma gemela, at least let us return to the mansion and talk things over." He said, his deep voice laced with love and care, but Sammy wasn't fooled.
"I'm not going anywhere with you, not after what you did to me." She wrapped her hands around her stomach, "And neither is my baby."
A flicker of rage crossed his features, came and gone so fast that Sammy almost thought she imagined it, but no, his facade of love was breaking, revealing the rage and anger he held within.
"That was not a request. This game was fun, but you will return with me." He said, his eyes becoming the glowing gold of an Alpha, his shoulders broadening just slightly. As the Alpha, he did not like being denied.
All of a sudden Sammy's vision swam, and she fell on all fours, her fingers digging into the dirt. A look of concern betrayed Thane's face, as he quickly crossed the distance, faster than any human could move, he held her gently. And Sammy threw a fistful of dust and dirt into his eyes.
She scrambled to her feet, and ran with all her might, her flip flops didn't even seem to touch the ground. She heard Thane growl, a deep, low sound that reverberated through all of her being. Once she loved that sound, not anymore.
She heard him start running, closing the distance between them, she knew she could never match him for speed, but the end was so close. She tore through the end of the forest like a mad woman, her eyes darting to and fro, praying to the gods that it should be there. And then she saw it, the taxi she ordered to pick her up. She jumped into it, slamming the door shut behind her.
"Drive!" She shouted to the taxi driver, and he responded by flooring the accelerator, throwing the car into almost dangerously high speeds. Seconds later, she saw Thane emerge from within the forest, his eyes glowing like stars in the night as he began to give chase, his muscles bulging from his custom tailored black suit as he ran faster than any human could, but even he couldn't catch a car going at full speed.
The taxi driver looked back at her, eyes asking questions she wasn't in the mood to answer, questions she wasn't sure if she even could answer. Now that the adrenaline subsided, a host of emotions threatened to overwhelm her, crashing on her like a waterfall, revenge, anger, rage and ….... love?