Ruthless Alpha, and his Curvy Saint-Chapter 63

Angel’s POV

Black Wolf Territory

The walls appeared first - massive stone barriers rising from the landscape like mountains, so tall they seemed to scrape the sky. Warriors lined the top, their silhouettes dark against the clouds, watching our approach with the keen attention of those whose job was to protect what lay within.

This wasn’t just a village.

This was a fortress.

As we drew closer, I could see the gates - iron-reinforced wood so thick it would take a battering ram to breach, with the black wolf emblem emblazoned across both panels.

The gates swung open with ease as we approached, despite their obvious loud weight, and beyond was a truly beautiful village.

We entered in procession.

The Alpha rode at the very front - his scarred face impassive, his posture radiating authority. Merrick and Uriel rode beside him on either side, the three of them forming an intimidating vanguard.

Behind them came the generals - Gareth and Kade. Then the Alpha’s warriors, row upon row of battle-hardened men.

Then us - the travelers. Me, Lyra, Sera, and Zach, riding together like we were part of some grand parade.

Sheena rode behind us, her expression serene as always.

And finally, Merrick’s warriors brought up the rear, guarding against threats from behind.

The villagers poured out of their homes to watch us pass.

Hundreds of them - maybe thousands - lining the streets, pressing close to see their Alpha return home.

And they were cheering.

"All hail Alpha Terrell!"

"Welcome home, Alpha!"

"Long live the Black Wolf pack!"

Their voices rose in a crescendo of adoration, hands reaching out with offerings - flowers, baked breads, small tokens of appreciation. The guards accepted them gracefully, their expressions softening in ways I’d never seen during our journey.

I couldn’t see the front of the procession clearly from my position, but I could see the faces of the villagers as they watched their Alpha pass.

Admiration. Reverence. Love.

They loved him.

They loved the monster who’d destroyed my village, who’d murdered innocent people for fun, who ruled through fear and violence.

How?

How can they adore someone like that?

But I knew the answer even as I asked the question.

They loved him because they’d never been on the receiving end of his brutality. They were his people - protected, provided for, safe within these massive walls. They had no idea what he was capable of when dealing with outsiders.

No idea what kind of cruelty he could unleash on those who displeased him.

Well, soon I’ll be free of him, I thought firmly. Soon Sheena will break the bond, and I’ll leave this place. Me and Uriel. We’ll go somewhere peaceful. Somewhere far from monsters and their adoring masses.

Maybe my old village - though the thought brought pain. Too many memories there.

Or somewhere new entirely. A fresh start.

Wherever Uriel wanted to go, I’d follow.

We continued the procession through streets that grew wider and more elegant, past flourishing shops and homes.

And then the castle came into view.

If I’d thought Lord Merrick’s estate was grand, this was...

Magnificent didn’t even begin to cover it.

The main castle rose from the center of a vast expanse of land like something out of a fairy tale. Towers reached toward the sky, their peaks decorated with flags bearing the black wolf. The stonework was intricate, clearly the product of master craftsmen. Gardens surrounded it, fountains and sculptures and flowers arranged in patterns that must look stunning from above.

Smaller buildings dotted the estate - guest houses, maybe, or quarters for important pack members. Each one could have housed a dozen families comfortably.

The wealth on display was staggering.

More than Lord Merrick. More than Hawkins. More than every lord combined.

This was what it meant to be a powerful Alpha.

"Holy shit," Lyra breathed beside me.

Sera, for once, seemed speechless.

Even Zach looked impressed, his merchant’s eye clearly calculating what all of this must be worth.

Lyra urged her horse closer to mine, her eyes still wide with wonder.

"Are you absolutely sure you don’t want to stay?" she asked. "Angel, look at all this. Look at this wealth, this power. You’d be Queen of all of this. You’d never want for anything."

"I’m sure," I said flatly.

"But..."

"No amount of wealth could make me stay with that man." I met her eyes directly. "When I break the bond, you can have him if you want. All of this can be yours."

Lyra actually paused to consider it, her gaze sweeping across the castle grounds with clear interest.

"You know what?" she said finally. "I wouldn’t mind. With wealth like this, I’d never struggle again. Never have to rely on my father’s merchant income or hope some lord finally notices me. " She looked at me seriously. "If the Alpha needs a new mate after you leave, I’ll volunteer."

I couldn’t tell if she was joking or not.

Knowing Lyra, probably not.

We approached the final gates - another set, even more imposing than the outer walls, surrounding the castle itself like a fortress within a fortress.

They swung open at our approach.

Servants rushed out immediately, forming neat lines on either side of the entrance, their heads bowed in respect as the Alpha passed.

But then something unexpected happened.

The Alpha’s warriors dismounted from their horses in unison. Instead of continuing toward the main entrance, they came toward us.

Toward me and the travelers.

"Dismount," one of them ordered.

My stomach dropped. "What? Why?"

"Alpha’s orders. Dismount now."

We obeyed, sliding off our horses - what choice did we have?

I looked toward the front entrance, toward where Uriel stood with Merrick and the Alpha.

What’s happening?

But the warriors didn’t lead us forward.

They led us to the side. Away from the grand entrance. Away from Uriel.

Toward what looked like a service entrance - dark, narrow, clearly meant for servants and deliveries rather than guests.

"What’s going on?" I asked, trying to keep the panic from my voice.

"Where are you taking us?" Lyra demanded.

"Why can’t we go through the front?" Sera added.

Zach simply looked worried, his hand protectively on his daughters’ shoulders.

"The Alpha is hosting important visitors in the throne room," one of the warriors explained, his tone brooking no argument. "We’ve been ordered to bring you through the back entrance and keep you in your rooms until it’s safe to come out."

Safe?

What did that mean?

We were led through the dark corridor, our footsteps echoing in the silence. The contrast between this passage and the grand entrance we’d glimpsed was really clear - no decorations here, no artistic stonework, just functional spaces designed for those who served rather than ruled.

We emerged into a massive kitchen.

Dozens of servants moved around, preparing what looked like a feast. Whole animals roasted over fires, bread baked in enormous ovens, vegetables were chopped and seasoned, pastries cooled on racks.

No one even glanced at us as we passed through.

We were invisible here. Just more bodies moving through servant spaces.

The warriors led us onward, through the servant quarters - simple rooms with furniture, nothing like the luxury we’d seen from outside - until we finally emerged into a corridor that looked more like what I’d expected from a castle.

Higher ceilings. Better lighting. Actual decorations on the walls.

But there was no time to admire anything.

The warriors were already guiding us up flights of stairs, higher and higher, until we reached a landing that opened onto what must be guest quarters.

"This one for you," a warrior said, gesturing me toward a door. "And you," he pointed Lyra to another.

"Can Lyra stay in my room?" I asked quickly. "Please?"

The warrior hesitated, then nodded. "Everything you need should be in there. Food, water, fresh clothes."

"And we just... stay here?" Zach asked.

"Based on the Alpha’s orders, yes. You’re to remain in your rooms until we come get you." He paused. "The doors will be locked. For your safety."

"Locked?" Sera’s voice rose. "You’re imprisoning us?"

"Protecting you," the warrior corrected. "The Alpha has important business to conduct. You’ll be safest here."

Before any of us could protest further, we were ushered into our respective rooms.

The door closed behind Lyra and me with a click, then the lock turned.

We were certainly trapped now.

I looked around the room, trying to process what had just happened.

It was beautiful - far nicer than anywhere I’d stayed except Merrick’s castle. A large bed dominated the space, draped in rich fabrics. A writing desk sat near the window. A wardrobe stood against one wall. Fresh flowers in a vase. A tray of food and drink on a side table.

Prison cells didn’t usually come this well-appointed.

But it was still a prison.

"Angel," Lyra said quietly.

I turned to find her standing in the center of the room, her arms wrapped around herself, her face pale.

"Do you feel that?" she asked.

"Feel what?"

"The energy in the air." She shivered. "Something’s wrong. Something bad is about to happen. I can feel it."

I did feel it, now that she mentioned it.

A heaviness. A tension. Like the calm before a storm.

"You’re a werewolf," I said, my voice coming out smaller than I’d intended. "You have instincts, senses I don’t have. If you’re scared..."

"Then you should be terrified," Lyra finished. "Because whatever’s coming, whatever the Alpha is preparing for with those ’important visitors’ ...it’s not good, Angel. It’s not good at all."