The Alpha Fell for the Villainess

“Either you come willingly, or your mother suffers for it.”

The apartment door slammed open so hard the wall cracked behind it.

Seraphina shot to her feet immediately.

Three pack guards stormed inside.

Her mother coughed violently from the bed in the corner.

“No,” Seraphina snapped, stepping in front of her instantly. “Don’t touch her.”

One of the guards grabbed her arm.

“Alpha Magnus wants you at the estate.”

Seraphina ripped herself free.

“Then Alpha Magnus can go to hell.”

The second the words left her mouth, another guard backhanded her across the face.

Hard.

Her lip split immediately.

Her mother gasped weakly.

“Stop— please—”

Seraphina shoved the guard backward.

“You touch her again and I’ll kill you.”

The room instantly filled with wolf pressure.

Not enough to fully pin her.

Just enough to remind her she was outnumbered.

The lead guard looked annoyed already.

“You’ve caused enough trouble.”

Seraphina laughed bitterly.

“Trouble?” she snapped. “That man abandoned us for twenty-three years.”

Nobody answered.

Because everyone knew it was true.

Her mother started coughing again.

Wet. Painful. Too weak.

Seraphina immediately moved back beside the bed.

“It’s okay,” she whispered softly, holding her mother’s hand. “I’m here.”

The lead guard looked toward the older woman coldly.

“Alpha Magnus paid for her medicine.”

Seraphina slowly turned.

There it was.

The leash.

Her stomach twisted instantly.

“You people are disgusting.”

The guard shrugged.

“You can scream at the Alpha yourself.”

Two guards grabbed her before she could fight again.

Her mother panicked immediately.

“No— no— please don’t take her—”

Seraphina struggled violently.

“Mom—”

The lead guard crouched beside the bed calmly.

“If Seraphina cooperates,” he said, “your treatment continues.”

Silence.

Her mother looked terrified.

Not for herself.

For Seraphina.

That hurt worse.

Seraphina stopped fighting.

The guards noticed immediately.

Smart girl.

“Good,” the lead guard muttered.

Seraphina stared at him with enough hatred to kill.

Then she looked back at her mother.

“I’ll come back tonight.”

Her mother smiled weakly.

“You always do.”

The guards dragged Seraphina outside anyway.

—

The ride to the Vale estate was silent.

Seraphina sat between two guards with blood drying on her mouth.

Her jaw hurt.

Good.

Pain kept her awake.

One of the guards finally spoke.

“You should try behaving tonight.”

Seraphina looked out the window.

“Or what?”

Nobody answered.

Exactly.

The estate gates opened slowly.

Huge. Gold. Pretentious.

Seraphina hated it immediately.

The guards walked her through the main hall like a prisoner.

Pack members and servants stared openly.

Some recognized her.

Not as Magnus Vale’s daughter.

As the bastard.

The mistake.

The girl Alpha Magnus abandoned.

Seraphina stared right back.

Most rich wolves got uncomfortable when poor people stopped acting ashamed.

The office doors opened.

Magnus Vale stood near the fireplace.

Tall. Cold eyes.

Seraphina hated him on sight.

Mostly because she had his eyes.

Magnus looked her over slowly.

Blood on her lip.

Bruised cheek.

Cheap clothes.

Then he frowned.

“You fought the guards.”

“They started it.”

“You embarrass this family.”

Seraphina