Claimed by the Alpha and the Vampire Prince: Masquerading as a Man

BLAZE – POV

Carrying her on my back made it easier to move fast—faster than I would with my arms full—and it freed up my hands in case something tried to be stupid. Just because we were technically on vampire territory didn’t mean we were safe. The forest still had its threats.

No one in their right mind would willingly come toe to toe with me. But reason wasn’t something I could always count on, not after what I’d done searching for her. I left a trail of ash, blood, and screaming behind me—some of those fuckers will never crawl out of their graves. But others... others would be looking. Looking for her.

The girl who made me torch half their brotherhood alive.

If they were smart, they’d use that as a reason to stay the fuck away. But you and I both know how rare smart is when it comes to revenge. Some of them would come anyway. And when they do—well, let’s just say I’m already sharpening the welcome mat.

She shifted slightly against me, arms loosely wrapped around my shoulders, her heartbeat brushing against my back like a metronome. Steady. Warm. Human. I could hear every beat. Feel it.

It calmed something primal inside me.

But not everything.

Her blood... fuck. Her blood was drawing the forest’s creatures out. That stupid period human female have might not kill her, but it was a goddamn beacon for every carnivorous shadow that crawled between these trees. I could smell them stirring. Feel the shift in the wind. The hunger watching us.

And my own demons weren’t far behind.

I hadn’t fed in days. Not properly. The thirst clawed at my throat, raw and aching, and her scent—it had changed. Ever since her cycle started, it had evolved into something darker, more potent. Like honey and wild spice stirred with sin. And it was driving my body insane.

Heat.

Vampires didn’t go into heat. Not exactly. But when we found the one? When the bond started forming? Everything changed. It wasn’t just about blood anymore. It was instinct, desire, protection, possession. It was need—deep and ugly and uncontrollable.

And fuck, I wanted her.

I wanted her in ways I hadn’t wanted anyone in centuries.

But I wasn’t going to scare her off by losing control and turning into some lust-drunk monster. Not now. Not when she was finally starting to feel safe with me. Not when she looked at me and didn’t flinch. Not when she laughed—laughed—and threw her little sarcastic jabs at me like we were something normal. Not when she could roll her eyes, throw insults, and make sarcastic jokes without trembling like I was some nightmare stalking her dreams.

Hell, she even trusted me enough to sleep beside me now.

That was progress. Big, bleeding, beautiful progress.

Whatever this strange thing was between us—whatever it was becoming—I wasn’t going to destroy it over some impulsive, lust-driven mistake.

I had to win her over—fully—before that mutt came crawling back to claim her. And he would come. Wolves were stupidly predictable like that. All possessive alpha instincts and tragic timing.

Let him try.

When the day came—and I told her what she really was to me, told her she was my beloved, my fated, my match—she’d have to choose.

And she would choose me.

Because no one, no wolf, no fate-stitched curse could love her the way I did. The way I would. She was mine, even if she didn’t know it yet.

And if that mutt came sniffing around before I got the chance to tell her? Before she was ready?

I’d rip his fucking throat out and bury him in pieces across every border of this forest.

I’ve lived too long, killed too many, lost too much to let history repeat itself.

Not this time.

Not with her.

Not on my watch.

REED – POV

I had to turn back.

Back to the palace. Back to the damn ceremony I never asked for. Back to the room full of eager, over-perfumed daughters of powerful Alphas just waiting for me to pick one and seal some bullshit alliance I didn’t want.

But I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Clause.

She wasn’t even supposed to be here. The girl with fire in her spine and chaos in her eyes who somehow managed to crawl under my skin, haunt my thoughts, and make my wolf absolutely feral at the thought of her getting hurt.

And now... Blaze had her.

He’d taken her straight into vampire territory.

I should’ve gone after them. Should’ve ignored the rules, ignored my rank, ignored the looming eyes of my people and just chased her like my instincts were screaming at me to do. But I didn’t.

Not because I didn’t care.

But because I knew Blaze wouldn’t kill her.

As much as my wolf hated the vampire—despised him down to the bones—I had to admit something that burned like acid in my throat: Blaze wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Not while she was under his protection.

And that had to be enough.

For now.

I should be relieved. Part of me was. He wouldn’t hurt her. Whatever the hell that vampire felt for her—it wasn’t fake. He didn’t just rescue her because he wanted leverage. I saw the way he looked at her before. It was possessive. Furious. Protective.

And I hated it.

My wolf hated it more.

We could’ve saved her. We should’ve.

But still—I waited. Waited for permission like some obedient soldier while she fought off monsters in a cage.

Coward.

The word scraped down my throat like gravel.

I should’ve ignored the consequences. I should’ve gone to her.

But I didn’t. Because protecting her wasn’t as simple as just dragging her away and hiding her in the woods.

Not without a claim.

Not without blood rights to protect her.

The irony? The only way to do that now without the King’s blessing would be to claim her publicly—as my slave. That would keep her safe from death, sure. From execution. But not from cruelty. Not from the cold torture of the court. They’d hurt her in ways I couldn’t stop without breaking our ancient laws.

So I tried to do it the right way. To get the command. The protection.

And I was too late.

Again.

I couldn’t protect her from my side yet—not completely. Not until I went back and handled the shit storm waiting for me.

Handled him.

My father.

The great and mighty Alpha King who thought fated mates were just fairy tales and that real alliances were built in blood and power, not love. The same man who expected me to smile at the ceremony tonight, pick one of the dressed-up wolves prancing around like they already had my name stitched onto their future.

They weren’t her.

None of them were her.

And they never would be.

I still had to tell my father I wasn’t choosing a mate tonight. That I’d found someone else. Someone he wouldn’t approve of. Someone I couldn’t even fully explain yet—because fate hadn’t shown its hand.

But I knew. My wolf knew.

She was the one.

Clare.

The wild, stubborn, reckless girl who didn’t bow to anyone—even when it would’ve saved her. The one who spit curses instead of crying when she was captured. The one who tried to seduce her way out of danger, failed, and still fought tooth and nail like a hellcat with nothing left to lose.

She was fire, and fury, and survival.

And I wasn’t letting her go.

Not to a cage. Not to a fate decided by politics. And definitely not to a vampire, even if—for now—he was the only shield I could give her.

Just wait for me, Clare.

I would make sure no harm came to her.

I’d convince my father. I’d pull every string I had to keep her name off the execution lists, off the hunted scrolls, out of the rumors being whispered around the court. Because I knew the others had seen her. Heard her.

They’d be talking.

And when they started circling like vultures, I needed to be ready to bite first.

After that, after I secured her safety, after I made it clear to everyone that she was off-limits—then I’d come for her.

I’d find her again.

And this time... I wouldn’t let her go.

I turned away from the cliff, anger biting through my veins. My wolf was snarling, clawing, pissed off beyond reason. He wanted blood. He wanted her.

He wanted her marked. Claimed. Ours.

But I couldn’t do that—not without giving the court a reason to tear her apart.

So now I had to go back.

Back to the palace. Back to the damned ceremony where I was expected to parade through the candidates like I was picking a wine to pair with a meal. Back to the smug glances. The fake smiles.

If Blaze had her now, she was safe for the moment. That gave me just enough time to tie up the noose on this side of the border. Burn a few bridges. Rip off a few masks.

Because when I came for her again—I wouldn’t be coming to ask for her.

I’d be coming to take her back.

And this time, I wouldn’t wait.