Alpha's Hidden Obsession (Poppy and Damon) novel Chapter 3

Damon POV

‘Run Poppy, run.’ I pulled up the hoodie over my head and started to jog after her. ‘You don’t have much time to live.’

Poppy Vincent was the wolf-less granddaughter of our biggest enemy, Alpha James Vincent. I was going to kill her because I won't let anyone go near her.

For the past three days, I was stalking her. Her irresistible scent drew me to her. It was so decadent that my nights of debauchery were nothing in front of it. It was so intoxicating that I couldn’t let any of my warriors touch her for the fear that they would burn or get addicted to her. I felt desperate with need. Madly. Badly. Obsessed.

And so here I was. Hunting Poppy. Not because I had any wish to do so. But because I had to. I was compelled to.

I kept my distance from her on this silvery night as she jogged through the forest that surrounded the academy. For three nights I haven’t been able to attend the parties because my wolf, Onyx, brought me here.

After her.

Like her shadow.

And for these three nights, I did everything in my control not to sink my fangs in her.

I heard her labored breath and her heartbeat which was like a lullaby to me. She stopped in a clearing under the moonlight and I immediately hid in the shadows. As the moonlight fell upon her golden skin, giving a soft halo to her flame red hair that escaped her ponytail, I couldn’t help but stare at her.

I could have lunged at her and snapped her head in two, but what was the fun in it. I loved chasing my prey because I was the most dangerous predator.

She snapped her head in all directions as if she perceived something was wrong. But she let out a sigh and sank her knees to the ground. She looked up at the moon. “Please Moon Goddess, let my wolf out…” she said in a voice so soft that it was like a melody to my ears. My chest rumbled with a growl at my irritation for even thinking it was a melody. ‘Down boy!’ I said to Onyx for he wanted to go to her and kiss her.

I could make her mine now, except that I was already betrothed to Monica. I knew that only Monica could be my mate because she was a strong, she-wolf and more importantly, George Dawson’s niece. Her cousin, Nash Dawson, was going to be the next heir of the Howlers Pack. I didn’t want to start a war with the Dawsons now. It wasn’t right for the political climate. A twig snapped beneath my foot.

Her head whipped in my direction. “Who’s there?” she said as she got up with her eyes wide and panic written all over her face.

I wanted to step out and reveal myself, but the next moment she dashed in the opposite direction. I smirked, ‘Run little wolf, run.’

She was out of the forest soon while I continued to follow her, keeping my distance until she reached her dorm safely. Poppy was mine and I wouldn’t allow a single shifter to catch my prey.

Once again, she stopped right in front of her dorm and whipped her head around to check. As she did that, I caught a glimpse of her slender neck. My fangs grew painfully and so did my underpart. I wanted to sink both my fangs and underpart inside her. I clenched my fists and my jaw to control my wolf who wanted to shift and go to his mate.

Yes, Poppy Vincent was my mate.

“Damon!” Monica’s voice fell in my ears and I realized that I was about to shift. ‘Down boy!’ I willed Onyx immediately.

She placed her hand on my chest. “Is everything okay with you, sweetie?”

I looked at Monica, my heart thundering. A growl emanated from my chest because my wolf didn’t like the interruption. “Monica.” I acknowledged her with a cold expression. She blinked at me in fear. I took a ragged breath to control myself and placed my hand on the small of her back to guide her away from here.

Monica was in the academy with me in the same class. We were in our last year of graduation. After graduation, Monica and I were to wed. I was twenty-eight and she was twenty-six. We were perfect for each other. I joined late because my father needed me for the pack. Monica came a few months later after I joined.

“You can't go after her, Damon,” she said in a low voice, advising me. “You can't taint your hands with her blood. Let others take care of her.” She paused and continued, “Her grandfather is your family’s sworn enemy. If he comes to know that you have killed her, he is going to use it as an excuse to start a war.”

It had been a few hundred years since the peace treaty existed between all the packs, but with the current political climate, it was crumbling.

“If you like, I can handle her,” Monica suggested.

“No,” I growled as frustration grew. “Keep away from her.” She was mine.

Monica nodded immediately. “I will keep my distance, but you must stay away from that lowly wolf-less girl.”

“Don’t try to control me, Monica.” My jaw tightened. I glanced at my back. She was gone. Tomorrow night then.

“How about you shift her to the dorms in the south and she will stay away?” she suggested as we headed to my flat. There were only three flats in the Umbra Academy. Two others were leased at a hefty price to the witch coven and shifters.

A low snarl escaped my chest. That dorm was adjacent to that of male shifters. The thought of Poppy next to them made unreasonable jealousy flare in my chest. “No!” I snapped. Poppy was mine to claim.

We reached my flat and Monica closed the door behind her. She gave me a lusty look when I took my hoodie down. She closed the gap between us and nibbled my jawline. She lifted my hands up and removed my sweat shirt. “I think you need to take the steam off you.”

Chapter 4

Poppy POV

Why did I feel that I was being watched? I had this feeling every time I came out of my dorm. Ever since I had come from my pack, I jogged at night when the moon was up in the sky. The cool rays of the moon calmed my frayed nerves. But this feeling was unnerving. Every night.

Tonight while I was running, I stopped. The hair at the back of my nape rose and I snapped my head in all directions, perceiving danger. I think I was just imagining. I sank my knees to the ground with a sigh. Looking up, I let out my usual plea to the Moon Goddess. “Please Moon Goddess, let my wolf out…”

Suddenly, I heard a twig crunching. Scared of the unknown, I bolted up and rushed out of the woods. Goddess, who was stalking me? When I reached my dorm, I stopped, bending over by supporting my hands over my thighs. Panting, I looked around and didn’t see anyone there. Quickly I walked into my dorm.

I chuckled when I saw my chubby little room mate Anna, who was a witch. Her hair was a beautiful shade of chocolate brown yesterday but today they were green. With a round face and two dimples on both her cheeks, she was adorable.

“You look nervous, Poppy,” she said as she looked at me, lifting her nail paint in the air. She shook it a little and its color changed from brown to green.

I scratched the back of my neck, willing myself to calm down. I shook my head to shove the ominous feeling. “It’s nothing,” I breathed and headed for a shower.

“I’ve made some sandwiches for you if you like!” I heard her high-pitched voice behind me.

Gosh, she was really a sweetheart. I grabbed a sandwich and prepared a cup of tea that Hilda had given me and then went to take a nice long bath.

Over the past three days, I’ve been here, and she and I had become close friends. After taking a quick shower, I headed to the library, where I spent most evenings. I didn’t want to mingle with others because I didn’t want them to know that I was weak and wolf-less. I just needed a few more days to figure out how to escape to the human world. I figured out that the cash that Hilda had given wasn’t enough. It was only three thousand dollars. I needed to work somewhere for more. But where? This school was like a fortress and I needed a ticket out.

The smell of dust, paper, leather and ink invaded my senses the moment I opened the door of the library. A loud thud caught my attention and I saw that a girl had dropped her books on the rug. She glared at me as if I was responsible for it. Quickly, I made my way to the end of the library where I knew I would find the books on shifter history.

When I was alone there, I swear I could feel someone watching me. Again. The hair on my nape rose in a warning as a shiver danced down my body. I didn’t want another shifter to take me to a dark corner and beat me just because I was weak. So, I took the book and moved to where the witches were seated. No one even lifted their eyes to acknowledge me. Great.

“Did you know tonight the Umbra Wolves would be holding their party?” murmured one who was seated a few chairs away from me to her friend.

“Tonight?” her friend squealed.

“Keep it down, Nellie!”

Nellie whispered, “Tonight?”

“Yes! And unfortunately, I can't help at the bar. Can you go instead of me?”

Nellie’s mouth downturned. “I can't, Jacky…”