Alpha Raelyn More Than Meets the Eye: Read Chapters 1-5

Raelyn Beck's POV

My name's Raelyn Beck, Alpha of the Shadow Pack. It was my eighteenth birthday.

While I should've been celebrating it in the central city of the werewolf continent, surrounded by the wolves of my pack, I chose to hide my Alpha aura, disguise myself as an Omega, and return alone to our residence on the outskirts of Varken, a town in Arkadia where the Shadow Pack was based.

There were a million reasons why I didn't want to do this. But all of this was to fulfill the final wish of the previous Alpha of the Shadow Pack—my father.

It sounded ridiculous, honestly. My late father, worried that I, the only female heir of the Shadow Pack, would be bullied during future power struggles among the packs, arranged a marriage for me without my knowledge when I was just a child.

That was right. I traveled halfway across the continent just to be here on the day I come of age, to wait at our Shadow Pack residence for my fiancés to arrive—just as promised.

You heard me—fiancés. Not one, but five.

The roar of car engines echoed from outside.

"Alpha, sounds like the Salvatore brothers from Eclipse Pack just pulled up. I heard they're all drop-dead gorgeous," my wolf Freya said excitedly.

"Shut up, you horny mutt," I snapped back at her.

The Eclipse Pack was the most powerful pack in Varken, Arkadia, and one of the wealthiest and most influential across the werewolf continent. My father had arranged the marriage alliance with their Alpha. But just like he underestimated my capabilities, he also failed to account for one thing–Robin Salvatore, the Alpha of Eclipse Pack, was incredibly fertile.

Which was how I ended up with five fiancés instead of one. The whole point of this alliance was to protect me, since I was a sickly child.

What my father didn't foresee was that after his passing, I would rise on my own—passing the trials at just sixteen to become Alpha, and building the Shadow Pack's business to reach every corner of the continent within two years.

I stood up and looked through the window, seeing three luxury cars pulling into the front yard. Five stunning young werewolves stepped out of the vehicles. No doubt these were the five Salvatore brothers, sent by Eclipse Pack's Alpha himself to come pick me up.

The moment they got out, one of them scoffed, "What a dump. It's hot, it's dirty and disgusting."

That was the youngest, Adrian Salvatore.

I had thoroughly studied all five of them.

Standing beside him was the fourth brother, Andrix Salvatore, also good-looking, but equally annoyed. "Seriously, I can't believe Alpha's making us do this. Letting some small-town Omega choose which one of us to marry? And we have to personally pick her up?"

"Enough. Just go knock on the door," the eldest, Aiden Salvatore, cut in. As the heir apparent, his chiseled face also showed signs of displeasure.

Adrian shrugged and walked up slowly, then knocked on the door.

"They're here! Oh my god, I'm so excited!" Freya screamed in my head.

I rolled my eyes at her and quietly walked to the door. Taking a deep breath, I opened it.

Adrian, who was standing right in front of me, froze the second he saw me.

Yeah, that expression was always the same—every wolf who saw my unmatched beauty for the first time had the same dumbfounded look.

"Hi… we're looking for Raelyn Beck. Is she here?" he asked, clearly surprised.

"I'm Raelyn," I replied calmly.

All five of their faces changed the moment I spoke. I glanced lazily at the rest of the Salvatore brothers and said offhandedly, "Wait here. I'll grab my luggage."

As I turned to go back inside, the brothers outside started whispering in shock.

"Holy crap, that's Raelyn? She looks nothing like the photo Dad showed us!" Adrian was the first to react.

"You like her? Want her to choose you as her fiancé?" the second brother, Alex Salvatore, teased.

"No way! So what if she's pretty? Still just a low-level Omega!" Adrian shot back.

With Alpha hearing, I caught every word loud and clear.

Dragging my suitcase back out, I coldly snapped, "Oh, really? Don't worry, I wouldn't pick some snot-nosed little pup like you anyway."

I didn't wait for Adrian to respond; his face already looked like he'd just swallowed dirt. I stepped right into the first luxury car with my luggage in hand.

The first car was driven by the eldest, Aiden. It was just the two of us inside. He didn't say a word, and I couldn't be bothered to make conversation either.

As the car pulled out from the residence and onto the main road, I turned to look out the window, unable to suppress a sigh.

It had been five years since my father passed away. I had left this place for just as long. Coming back to the residence, everything felt so different now.

My mother had died when I was very young, and I had spent my childhood here in this little town's residence with my father. As the former Alpha of the Shadow Pack, he had wanted to ensure I had a good future, and so he arranged a marriage pact with Robin.

To be honest, I had always resisted the idea. But when my father passed, he grabbed my hand and left behind a final wish that I couldn't bring myself to refuse.

We drove in silence all the way to Varken. The car came to a stop in front of a European-style villa.

I stepped out and followed the five brothers into the house. Sitting on the living room couch was a well-dressed, middle-aged female werewolf.

As soon as Adrian saw her, he grumbled, "Mom, we're back. That was exhausting."

This was clearly their mother, Regina Baldwin, the Luna of Eclipse Pack.

Regina glanced at her five sons, smiling as she instructed the pack's auntie to prepare a meal. After tending to her boys, her eyes finally landed on me, trailing from head to toe with a cold, arrogant stare. While clearly surprised by my looks, she quickly let out a sneer and said mockingly, "So you're Raelyn? Went under the knife just to marry into our Eclipse Pack, huh? Typical Omega move. So desperate."

"Luna, I didn't get any surgery," I replied coolly.

I knew exactly what this was about. Eclipse Pack was a prestigious family in Varken, and there was no way they'd be happy about some low-ranking, country Omega marrying into their pack.

Regina scoffed. Just then, the butler who had followed our car came in carrying my suitcase, and she immediately barked, "Tom, open it and check everything."

A flash of coldness passed through my eyes. "Luna, that's my personal luggage."

"I know it's your stuff. That's exactly why we should check it. You came from some backwater place. Who knows what filth or dangerous items you've brought into our pack?"

As she finished, she gave Tom a quick look, a silent signal.

The five Salvatore brothers stayed right where they were, lounging on the couch without the slightest intention to help me. Their attitude toward me was just like Regina's—indifferent at best, contemptuous at worst.

As Tom moved to open my suitcase, I yanked it away. Expressionless, I said in a cold voice, "No one touches my things."

Regina stood up, her face darkening with anger. "Ha, sounds like you've got something to hide. Now I really have to see what's inside."

With that, she actually called over four werewolf bodyguards.

"Alpha, are you just going to let this old hag treat you like this? Want me to come out and teach them a lesson?" Freya growled in my mind, furious.

"Thanks, Freya. I've got this," I replied calmly.

I wasn't concerned about Regina's attitude. I was here to fulfill my father's dying wish. Honestly, if they wanted to kick me out, they'd be doing me a favor. Just as the four werewolf guards came charging toward me, ready to snatch my suitcase, a deep voice thundered from the doorway.

"Stop." That overwhelming Alpha presence meant only one thing—Robin had returned.

The four guards dropped to their knees instantly, heads bowed in fear.

Robin's face was cold as he walked forward, kicking aside the guard who had blocked his view. He came straight to me and asked, concern clear in his voice, "Rae, are you okay? I'm sorry. I had a meeting at the company and couldn't make it back earlier."

"I'm fine, Mr. Robin," I said with a calm shake of my head.

Robin turned to glare at Regina. "What the hell are you doing? Rae just got here and this is how you treat her?"

"What did I do? I just wanted to check if she brought anything unclean or inappropriate," Regina snapped, shooting me a hateful glare. She didn't bother arguing any further and stormed upstairs.

Robin let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Rae. Luna must have misunderstood you. I'll talk to her."

I shook my head to show it didn't matter. Over the years, I had dealt with plenty of people who looked down on me.

Robin then addressed the guards and house staff with a commanding tone. "Rae will be living here from now on. If anyone disrespects her, they'll be banished from the Eclipse Pack."

He turned next to his five sons on the couch, his expression turning ice-cold. "And you five—don't you dare bully Rae. If I find out you did, or that you stood by and let someone else do it, I'll break your legs."

The moment he said that, I felt five pairs of eyes land on me—cold, curious, and evaluating—all at once.

After some small talk, Robin took me to see my room. The space he arranged for me was spacious and bright, exquisitely decorated, and fully furnished with everything I could possibly need.

"Rae, do you like the room? If you don't, I'll have someone redo it."

"I like it, thank you." As I looked at the Alpha of Eclipse Pack, a mix of emotions rose in my chest. I had met Robin many times when I was a child. He'd always treated me kindly. Back then, he and my father were as close as brothers, and the members of our two packs often went hunting together.

The memories stirred something in me. I thought of my late father, and a shadow passed over my expression.

"You must be tired from the trip. Get some rest for now. I'll call you when it's time for dinner."

I nodded and obediently returned to my room to unpack my things. After dinner, Robin sat with me on the couch for a bit and handed me a bank card. "Rae, take this card. Tomorrow, I'll have the boys take you around Varken. Buy whatever you want."

"Mr. Robin, thank you for your kindness, but there's no need."

As soon as I finished speaking, I caught Regina's displeased expression from the corner of my eye. She immediately chimed in with a mocking tone. "Tsk tsk, pretending to be all high and mighty. Didn't you come to Eclipse Pack for the money?"

"Regina!" Robin's voice rang out, clearly laced with anger.

"Am I wrong? Why are you yelling at me?" she snapped back, though there was a flicker of fear in her eyes. Still, she didn't back down.

I let out a small sigh. I didn't even know what I'd done to offend this Luna. She just seemed determined to make trouble for me. After repeatedly declining, I finally managed to refuse Robin's kind gesture.

Just then, my phone rang. I picked it up, and Louis Grande, my Beta, came through the line.

"Alpha, the Shadow Pack companies made a profit of 382 million this quarter. The money's been transferred to your account," Louis reported.

"Got it." I curled my lips into a slight smile. Money? I really didn't lack that.

…

The day passed uneventfully. The next morning, when I woke up, the butler informed me that Robin had already gone to the office for work.

When I came downstairs, the five Salvatore brothers from Eclipse Pack were eating breakfast. As soon as I sat down, Aiden, the eldest and heir, said in a low voice, "I've got a meeting at work today. The other four will take you out."

Then he put down his utensils and walked off without another word. The remaining four exchanged glances, then followed up one by one.

"Sorry, Raelyn. I've got a shoot today. Can't take you."

"I have two surgeries scheduled at the hospital."

"I'm out of town for a business trip."

"I've got class."

I was speechless. One by one, the five handsome men left the table. I rolled my eyes in disbelief.

I casually finished my breakfast and then spent the rest of the day in my room. Around dusk, my phone on the table started ringing.

An excited voice came through the speaker. "Raelyn! Are you in Kingsland?"

"What do you want?" I answered coolly.

"You came to Kingsland and didn't even tell me? That's cold! I don't care. You're coming out for dinner with me. Now."

"Not going."

"If you don't, I'll show up at Eclipse Pack and drag you out."

I paused. The voice belonged to Jackson Gilbert, the heir of Storme Pack.

Two years ago, when I was at the height of my success, Storme Pack had nearly collapsed due to business losses. Because I'd known Jackson since we were kids, I decided to lend a hand and invested in several of their companies, helping to revive their business. Since then, Jackson had practically worshipped me. He treated me like a sister and would do anything I said.

Now, Storme Pack was a formidable force in both wealth and power, definitely not to be underestimated among the major werewolf packs. Of course, compared to my Shadow Pack, they still had a long way to go.

That was why Jackson, the heir, had always dreamed of merging our two packs into one dominant force. I kept turning him down. In the end, to shut him up temporarily, I agreed to a joint venture between our packs.

About thirty minutes later, after dressing up a little, I told the butler I was heading out and left the Eclipse Pack estate on my own.

After Jackson treated me to a lavish dinner, he practically dragged me to an upscale bar in Varken.

"Raelyn, nobody's bullying you at Eclipse Pack, right?" Jackson poured me a glass of red wine.

"Who could bully me?" I let out a cold laugh, loosening my Alpha aura just a little.

Jackson immediately flinched and gave me a sheepish smile. "Yeah… right. No one would dare mess with Raelyn. They'd have to be out of their minds." Once he recovered, he looked at me cautiously and asked, "So, are you really going through with the engagement to someone from Eclipse Pack?"

"I don't know." I took a sip of wine and replied nonchalantly.

If it weren't for my father… I wouldn't have come here at all. Now, I could only take it one step at a time. The wolves of Eclipse Pack didn't like me, and honestly, that was fine. Hopefully, that meant I could get out of here sooner.

Aiden's POV

I had just finished handling Eclipse Pack's business matters when a friend invited me out. I had barely sat down when Raelyn walked in with a young werewolf.

She wore a black floral dress, her wavy hair casually draped behind her neck. Her cold, beautiful face under the bar's lighting made her look both stunning and enigmatic.

Jace Lamford, sitting next to me, caught the direction of my gaze and teased, "Well, well. Is our Mr. Aiden finally falling for someone? Got your eye on her?"

I shot him a look.

The heir of Emberclaw Pack raised his glass and clinked it against mine. "She's gorgeous, no doubt. Want me to get her number for you? Wait a sec… isn't that Jackson with her?"

"Jackson?" I asked, puzzled.

Jace nodded. "Yeah, that's him. The mysterious VP of Bluewater Corporation."

I knew about Bluewater Corporation. It was a publicly traded company with serious clout, but very few people knew who was really behind it. For years, Jackson, the heir of Storme Pack, had been the one handling public affairs. Storme Pack wasn't small potatoes in the werewolf world either. The fact that Jackson would willingly serve as a VP in a company outside of his pack always struck me as odd.

"But Aiden, come on. You're way better than Jackson. You could totally win her over," Jace joked.

"You talk too much." I took a sip of my drink, my voice cold.

My eyes drifted back to Raelyn downstairs. I had to admit, she piqued my curiosity. A low-ranking Omega from some backwater pack, who'd only just arrived in Varken yesterday; how the hell did she know someone like Jackson, the heir to Storme Pack?

"Aiden, I'm serious. Jackson's a total player. A woman that gorgeous? What a waste…"

I kept quiet, sipping my drink as I noticed Jackson stepping away from the bar. A lot of eyes in the room had now turned to Raelyn.

Then I saw a pervert-looking Beta werewolf, drink in hand, swagger toward her.

"Hey beautiful, how about a drink? Let's get to know each other," he said, not even bothering to hide his intent.

"I'm not looking for new friends," Raelyn replied flatly.

I found myself amused and stood up.

The Beta's expression froze for a moment, then he forced a smile. "Come on, just one drink. I'll cover your tab for tonight. How about that?"

"No thanks," Raelyn said, not even glancing up.

Embarrassed, the Beta raised his voice, his words laced with anger. "Bitch, acting all high and mighty. You Omegas come to bars dressed like that just to reel in some rich guy. I've got plenty of money. Name your price."

Jace, beside me, tensed. "Shit, Aiden, go play hero! Save the damsel!"

I frowned, preparing to head downstairs. I wasn't interested in playing hero. I was only here because my father had ordered me to make sure Raelyn wasn't mistreated.

But just as I stood, something dramatic happened. The Beta's hand reached out toward Raelyn, and she smashed a bottle over his head. The glass shattered and everyone froze.

Raelyn stared him down and said, word for word, "I don't want your money. How about your damn life?"

I stopped in my tracks, genuinely intrigued by this arrogant and fiery Omega. A moment later, Jackson ran back out from the restroom.

I returned to my seat and kept drinking. A mere Beta? Jackson could handle that. No need for me to step in.

Raelyn's POV

I was just about to let Freya out when Jackson came back. The fact that he was the heir of Storme Pack scared the werewolf half to death.

He apologized, bolted, and vanished in seconds, clearly afraid for his life.

Still, my mood had already been soured. I wasn't interested in staying any longer. After saying goodbye to Jackson, I left the bar. I called a car and waited on the curb, casually lighting a cigarette as I stared up at the sky.

This place, my childhood home where I'd spent fifteen happy years, now held nothing but memories. Dad… are you doing okay up there?

A black car pulled up in front of me. Thinking it was my ride, I put out my cigarette in the trash can and opened the door—only to see a man in a black suit seated in the back. His graceful, composed demeanor made me pause. I wasn't expecting to share a ride.

"Sorry… wrong car. Wait, why are you here?"

That was when I recognized the man in the suit–Aiden.

His gaze was intense as he looked at me. "Get in," he said, his deep voice rolling from inside the car.

I hesitated, then slipped inside and sat next to him. For some reason, bumping into Aiden made me a little nervous.

"Small world. I was just out with a friend. You too?" I asked casually, trying to make small talk.

Aiden nodded faintly. I turned to look out the window. Why am I so on edge? But was Aiden also at that bar earlier? Has he already seen me, or did we just happen to run into each other outside?

The ride home was quiet. Aiden's attitude was cold as ice. Naturally, I didn't voice any of the questions swirling in my head.

The moment we stepped through the door, Regina's sarcastic voice rang out from the couch.

"Second night in Kingsland and already out that late; who knows who she's messing around with? An Omega that cheap doesn't deserve to marry my son."

"Enough!" Robin snapped. "I watched Raelyn grow up. She's not the kind of girl you think she is."

Aiden and I entered one after the other.

The moment Robin saw us, his face lit up with a relaxed smile. "Ah, so Aiden and Rae were together."

Aiden said nothing. He didn't deny it either.

Robin turned to me and asked with a gentle smile, "Rae, regarding the engagement—Mr. Robin would like you to spend time with each of my five sons. Get to know them first. Then, when you've decided who suits you best, we'll make things official. How does that sound?"

"Sure, Mr. Robin," I nodded.

Like hell I'd obediently follow along. I'd do everything I could to destroy whatever good impression the five brothers had of me. Regina clearly wasn't pleased, but since the Alpha had spoken, all she could do was glare at me in silent protest.

I couldn't be bothered with her. After greeting Robin, I headed upstairs to rest.

And just like that, my first day in the Eclipse Pack came to an end. The next morning, while I was still lost in a dream, a knocking sound yanked me out of sleep.

Still half-asleep and annoyed, I opened the door to find Aiden standing there in a black suit, his face etched with irritation.

"What do you want?" I asked.

His voice was cold and detached. "Get ready. You're coming with me to the company."

The company? Oh, right—Alpha of Eclipse Pack wanted me to spend a day with each of them. Looks like Aiden, the eldest, is up first.

"Wait. I need to get ready." I stretched and lazily shuffled into the bathroom. After a whole ordeal, half an hour had passed before I finally got in the car with Aiden, barely awake and slumped in my seat.

As soon as I fastened my seatbelt, Aiden suddenly spoke, his tone stern and unyielding. "Raelyn, I agreed to this arrangement only because of my father. I'll take care of you at the office, but I'm not going to like you. You don't need to try and get to know me."

I looked up at the heir in the driver's seat. He didn't even glance at me while he spoke, and his serious expression actually made me want to laugh.

I perked up and smiled playfully. "Oh really? That's too bad. After watching everyone these past two days, I think you're the one I like best. What are we gonna do about that?"

Aiden turned to glare at me, clearly annoyed. "Don't waste your time."

I just smiled and said nothing. We'll see.

When we arrived at the company, I followed Aiden out of the car. As we walked into the building, every Eclipse Pack employee heading to work turned to stare at us.

"Holy crap, who's that bombshell with the boss? Those legs… I'm in love."

"She's gorgeous! She and the boss look perfect together!"

"That's Raelyn. I saw her at the boss's house yesterday when I dropped off some paperwork."

"Wait, what? That can't be her; she looks nothing like the photos!"

Before I even arrived, news of my engagement to the five sons of Eclipse Pack had already blown up online. There were even photos of "me."

Problem was, those photos were from ten years ago. Back then, I was chubby and looked every bit the country bumpkin. But time changed everything. Now, I looked like I'd been raised in luxury—elegant, refined, and naturally beautiful. No wonder these werewolves were shocked to see me in person.

Aiden walked me to the front entrance, where he handed a key to a middle-aged werewolf at the security booth.

As I passed by, I glanced into the booth and froze, then lit up in surprise. "Thomas!"

The middle-aged security guard looked up and broke into a grin. "Well hey, Rae! What are you doing here?"

I immediately turned to Aiden. "You go on ahead. I'm gonna park the car with Thomas."

And just like that, I hopped in the car with Thomas. Aiden stood there, completely baffled.