Page 74 of Chained By the Alpha (Claimed Duet #1)

“Like what?” I prod, stepping closer, crowding him with my presence, my senses hyper-aware of every shift in his posture as he stands. “Although I am pretty sure I already know.”

His eyes look hollow, haunted by secrets and shame. “You know?” he finally asks, his voice no more than a whisper.

I nod, my jaw set firm, my silver eyes locked on his. “That you’re Vance’s father? Yes, I know. But he doesn’t. Is that what Dane is holding over you?” My voice is sharp, like the edge of a knife ready to cut through the web of lies and deceit that has entangled this man before me.

Joseph’s gaze falters, a crack in his armor revealing the turmoil churning beneath. He nods slowly, confirming my suspicion. “That’s part of it,” he answers. The weight of this revelation hangs between us.

“Does Cleo know?” he asks.

“Not yet, but she will soon enough. I just need to speak with Vance first.”

He hesitates, and the silence stretches long and thin until it snaps under the tension.

“There’s more, isn’t there?” My voice rumbles like thunder, vibrating through the tense air between us. I see the struggle within him—the clash between self-preservation and the desperation of a father.

“Out with it, Joseph. What else is Dane holding over your head?” I demand my patience fraying. The dark undercurrent of my emotions swirls dangerously close to the surface waiting to be unleashed.

His gaze finally meets mine, and there’s a flicker of the old defiance.

“Your little secret almost cost my brother’s life. My father would have killed him if I didn’t get there in time.” The rage in my voice is palpable, a living thing that fills the room and paints it in shades of red.

“Your mother was foolish thinking she could keep him a secret.”

I barely register the movement of my own body, instinct and rage propelling me forward. Before I even know it, my hand is outstretched, clutching his throat with an iron grip.

“Say that again,” I hiss, my fingers tightening just enough to see the fear flicker in his eyes.

Joseph’s arms remain defiantly folded, but his voice wavers, betraying the confidence of his stance. “I told her to get rid of him when she realized your father was her mate.”

The air around us crackles with tension, every muscle in my body coiled and ready to strike. The disdain in his voice, the cold dismissal of his own flesh and blood—it ignites something primal within me. My wolf snarls at the surface, eager to leap out and defend our family honor.

“You bastard,” I growl, my voice laced with venom as I squeeze tighter, asserting my dominance and my wrath. “He is your blood!”

My grip tightens slightly more, feeling the pulse of his deceit throb beneath my fingers. Joseph’s eyes, those of a man who has forsaken his own blood, harden like ice as he spits out the venomous truth.

“He may be my blood, but he isn’t my son!” His defiance echoes off the walls, a chilling testament to his betrayal.

The fury in me roars like an inferno, when the thought of her, my mate—his daughter—douses the flames. I can’t let my rage consume me, not when it would burn her as well. With a snarl that rumbles from deep within my chest, I release him, shoving him back.

“If you weren’t my mate’s father, I would have killed you by now, but I’d only be hurting her,” I growl, the words ripping from my throat.

His body hits the wall with a dull thud, and he gasps like a fish out of water.

“So, I’m giving you one more chance to tell me if that is all Dane has over you. ”

Joseph steadies himself, rubbing at the red imprint my hand left on his neck.

“Is that it?” I press closer, towering over him. My presence alone is a heavy promise of violence, a beast barely caged by the need for answers. “Or does Dane hold more than just your past mistakes over your head?”

He doesn’t answer until I turn to leave, his next words freeze me mid-step, “If she doesn’t marry Boyd, she’ll lose the pack.”

The threat slices through the tense atmosphere like a claw through flesh. I don’t bother to turn around as I shoot back, “No, she won’t. You will.” My voice is a low growl.

“Dane already owns it; her marrying Boyd ensures our family still has some control over what happens to it.”

“Then I guess I’ll just have to get it back for her. Choice is yours, Joseph, you better pick the right side, my mate is not marrying Boyd. And she is not losing her pack, either.”

“Exactly how do you plan on getting it back?” Joseph demands.

“By proving it was never yours to begin with. And if I can’t, I’ll take it back by force,” I tell him. He growls back menacingly, and I close the gap between us.

“If you try to manipulate her further, if you even think of coercing her… Once I’m done tearing Dane apart, rest assured, I’ll be coming for you.”

His lips part, but no sound escapes. There’s a desperation in his gaze, one that might have elicited pity from me had he not been such a venomous snake threatening to take my mate in the first place.

With a final piercing look, I retrieve Cleo’s bag, sling it over my shoulder, and leave.