The forest erupted around them, branches snapping and leaves whipping through the air as a massive shadow lunged from the trees. The second Alpha landed with predatory grace, silver eyes flashing in the moonlight. He moved with lethal precision, every muscle coiled and ready, and his gaze locked instantly on the glowing mark on her wrist.
Alpha 1 stepped in front of her, body tense, scent flaring through the night air like a warning. "Stay behind me," he growled, nostrils flaring as he measured the intruder.
The tension between them was electric, thick and dangerous, and Iris's pulse spiked—not from fear alone, but from the heat radiating between the two Alphas. The first one's presence had been overwhelming enough, and now another forceful, impossible energy filled the clearing.
The newcomer's lips curved into a slow, wicked smirk. "So this is the one?" he said, voice low and commanding. "The one they've all been waiting for."
Alpha 1's jaw tightened, silver eyes flashing dangerously. "She belongs with me," he snapped, stance rigid, ready to strike.
Iris's hands trembled over the glowing book, the magic inside pulsing stronger as if it sensed the rising tension—and as if it were ready to respond.
The second Alpha stepped closer, every movement deliberate, predatory, like a storm contained in a man. His eyes never left her wrist, the moon sigil glowing brighter under his gaze. The tension in the air twisted tighter, pressing against her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Alpha 1 shifted, blocking her, muscles coiled like a spring. "I said stay back," he growled, voice low but full of warning. The heat radiating from him mixed with the pulsing magic from the book, and Iris felt dizzy, caught between them both.
The newcomer smirked again, voice dripping with dangerous amusement. "She's stronger than I imagined… and exactly what I want." His silver eyes flicked to hers, sharp and daring, like he could see straight into her soul.
Iris swallowed hard, heart hammering, as the forest seemed to hold its breath. She had no idea how to defend herself against two of the strongest Alphas she had ever sensed, and yet… the book trembled in her hands, almost as if it were daring her to act.
Then it happened. A surge of energy shot from her wrist, a burst of silver light that arced toward the second Alpha, stopping him in his tracks. His smirk faltered for just a heartbeat before it returned, darker, sharper, and more thrilling than before.The light pulsed around her like a living thing, wrapping the clearing in a silver haze. Iris's chest heaved as she struggled to control it, the magic spilling from the book in waves she hadn't meant to release. Both Alphas froze, eyes wide, sensing the raw power erupting from her.
Alpha 1 took a cautious step forward, his protective instincts warring with awe. "Iris… focus," he urged, his voice tight with tension. "You can control it."
But she couldn't think, couldn't plan. The energy surged, responding to her fear and her anger, striking outward like a warning to anyone who dared come closer. The second Alpha staggered slightly under the force, eyes flashing with surprise—and something darker, something hungry.
"You're full of surprises," he murmured, voice low, thick with amusement and desire. He straightened, brushing off the stray sparks of magic as if they meant nothing, but his smirk lingered, sharp and dangerous.
Iris's hands shook, the glow of the book fading slightly as her pulse slowed, but the air between the three of them remained charged, almost alive. She could feel their gazes on her, heavy and demanding, and something deep in her chest stirred at the attention, at the power she now wielded.The second Alpha straightened fully, a slow, wicked smile curling over his lips. His silver eyes locked on hers, burning with a mix of challenge and desire that made her stomach twist. "I want her," he said, voice low and dangerous, and then—almost as if daring the world to oppose him—he added, "I want Iris."
Alpha 1 stiffened, jaw tightening, and the tension between the two men became almost tangible, like the air itself was about to snap. Iris's heart pounded wildly, caught between the heat of both of them and the lingering pulse of magic thrumming from the book in her hands.
The forest seemed to shrink around them, every shadow holding its breath. The second Alpha's smirk widened, a spark of triumph and hunger lighting his eyes. "No one is taking her from me," he murmured, and even from here, the danger in his tone made her shiver.
Iris clutched the book tighter, feeling its warmth spread through her, steadying her racing pulse. She realized then that her life had changed in ways she could never have imagined. She wasn't just a girl with a stolen book anymore. She was the center of a storm, desired, hunted, and claimed—by forces far stronger than she had ever known.
And the night was only just beginning.