Playing The Alphas

SAMANTHA

"Argh!" I screamed as the world blurred past me. The fall from the 150-foot wall seemed endless. The wind howled in my ears, drowning out all other sounds. Below, the crowd erupted in shock and confusion. Their screams and gasps melded into a chaotic chorus that faded into the background as I plummeted.

Despair closed in as I braced for the inevitable impact. My life flashed before my eyes—every betrayal, every humiliation, every moment of pain that had led me to this point. Was this how it would end? Was this the fate that had been waiting for me all along?

But then, out of nowhere, I heard the haunting howl of a wolf. It echoed through the air, primal and powerful, cutting through the noise like a blade. The next instant, I landed on a solid, yet surprisingly soft surface.

Safe?

Trembling, I opened my eyes to see a massive black wolf cradling me. His fur was dark as midnight, his eyes gleaming with an intelligence that was unmistakably human. My heart pounded in disbelief as I recognized him. It was Jayce’s wolf. The beast that had haunted my nightmares now held me gently in his powerful jaws.

Had Jayce just saved me?

My suspicions were confirmed when Jayce’s voice, now detached and nonchalant, drifted up from beneath me. "Woman, how long are you planning to stay on top of me?"

I jolted back to reality, scrambling to my feet. My legs trembled beneath me, and I could feel the residual fear coursing through my veins. I stared at Jayce, astonished. He had shifted back to his human form, his expression unreadable as he dusted himself off.

He looked at me with piercing eyes, his gaze sweeping over me from head to toe. "Why did you suddenly fall?" His voice was cold, clinical, as if he were investigating a mechanical failure rather than a near-death experience.

I shook my head, unable to comprehend the turn of events. "I don’t know... The safety rope broke."

Typically, when a climber descended, the safety rope should secure a safe landing. It was a critical piece of equipment, meticulously maintained and checked to prevent failure. Such an incident was practically unheard of. The ropes were inspected daily, replaced regularly, and tested for strength. A break like this should never have happened.

Considering the gravity of the situation, the thought of what might have happened still sent shivers down my spine. If Jayce hadn’t intervened, I would have been dead. The impact from that height would have shattered every bone in my body.

Jayce’s expression darkened. His eyes narrowed, and I could see the gears turning in his mind. He turned his icy gaze toward Daisy, the overseer of the sex slaves. "What’s your explanation?"

Daisy, who was responsible for our safety, looked as though she might faint. Her face went pale, and she shook her head vigorously, desperately distancing herself from the blame. "No. No. No, Your Highness, I know nothing about it. I would never—I always check the equipment myself. I swear!"

I studied her with a narrowed gaze. Something about this situation didn’t sit right with me. Before the climb, I had inspected the safety rope myself. It should never have failed. The way it tore mid-air was far too suspicious to be accidental. A rope doesn’t just snap like that without reason.

I was convinced the rope had been tampered with—though Daisy was unlikely to be the culprit, given how obvious it would be. She was too visible, too easily blamed. Whoever had done this was smarter than that.

Jayce continued to glare at Daisy, his eyes boring into her with relentless intensity. "I expect a thorough investigation. See to it that we get answers."

Daisy, now visibly nervous, stammered, "Your Highness, I will send my team to investigate immediately. I assure you, we will find out what happened. I won’t rest until we have answers."

Before she could continue, Molly stood up, a dismissive sneer on her lips. She waved her hand lazily, as if swatting away a fly. "Why bother? She’s not dead, is she? It’s likely you didn’t secure it properly. Let’s not waste any more time. She’s just a sex slave; hardly worth this fuss."

Her words hung in the air, dripping with condescension. The other women murmured in agreement, nodding their heads like puppets. They were quick to dismiss my near-death experience, quick to sweep it under the rug.

"Whether or not the rope was tied properly, the fact remains that the safety equipment failed," I retorted, holding up the frayed, broken rope. I waved it in front of her, watching her eyes track the damaged fibers. "Miss Hanes, does this mean you’re trying to avoid an investigation?"

My question cut through the murmurs like a knife. The women around us fell silent, their eyes darting between Molly and me. They had been expecting me to cower, to accept the dismissal quietly. Instead, I was pushing back.

"You!" Molly’s face reddened as she struggled to counter my accusation. Her composure cracked, and I could see the fury building behind her eyes. Furious, she snapped, "Stop stirring up trouble where there is none. You’re just trying to cause drama, as always."

But her reaction only confirmed my suspicions. She was too defensive, too quick to shut down the investigation. If she truly believed it was an accident, she would have welcomed the inquiry to prove her innocence. Instead, she was desperate to end it.

Yet, something caught my eye. One of Molly’s followers, standing behind her, had a guilty look that didn’t escape my notice. The woman shifted uncomfortably, her eyes darting away whenever I looked in her direction. She was clearly hiding something.

Piecing things together, I realized Molly’s appearance in the training room wasn’t a mere coincidence. She had likely orchestrated this incident to harm me once again. She had wanted to see me fall—literally. And when that hadn’t happened, she had tried to cover it up.

The realization made my blood boil. Molly had tried to kill me. She had tampered with the rope, knowing that I would plummet to my death. And when I survived, she had tried to sweep it under the rug.

I tightened my grip on the broken rope, my knuckles turning white. "I want this investigated," I said, my voice steady despite the rage burning inside me. "Someone tried to kill me today. And I won’t let them get away with it."

The silence that followed was deafening. Everyone was watching, waiting to see what would happen next. I had drawn a line in the sand, and now I was daring them to cross it.