James's smile sent a shiver down Anna's spine. There was something sinister about it, something that made her want to scream.
"I'm here to take what's rightfully mine," James said, his voice dripping with venom.
The alpha stood up, his eyes flashing with anger. "You'll never take anything from me, James. I am the rightful ruler of this pack."
James sneered. "You think you're worthy of ruling? You, who rejected your true mate and humiliated her in front of the entire pack?"
Anna felt a surge of anger at James's words. How dare he bring up the alpha's past mistakes?
The alpha's face darkened, and he took a step forward. "You have no right to speak of that, James. You, who have always been jealous of my position."
James snarled, baring his teeth. "I'm not jealous of you, brother. I'm just tired of living in your shadow. And I'm going to take what's mine, no matter what it takes."
The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the two brothers. Anna could feel the tension building, the air thickening with anticipation.
And then, in an instant, the room erupted into chaos. James lunged at the alpha, teeth bared, and the alpha responded in kind. The two brothers clashed, their bodies locked in a fierce struggle.
Anna watched in horror as the two brothers fought, their snarls and growls filling the air. She knew she had to do something, but she didn't know what.
Georgia grabbed her arm, her eyes wide with fear. "Anna, what do we do?"
Anna shook her head. "I don't know. We can't just stand here and watch."
But before they could do anything, the alpha's guards intervened, pulling the two brothers apart. The alpha stood panting, his chest heaving with exertion, while James glared at him with pure hatred in his eyes.
The alpha's guards held James in a tight grip, their faces grim. "You're coming with us, James," one of them growled.
James struggled against their hold, but they were too strong. They dragged him out of the room, leaving the alpha standing alone, his chest still heaving with exertion.
The room was silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the alpha. Anna felt a surge of sympathy for him, knowing that he was struggling to come to terms with his brother's betrayal.
And then, as if sensing her gaze, the alpha turned to her. Their eyes met, and for a moment, Anna felt like she could see right through to his soul.
"Thank you," he said, his voice low and gravelly.
Anna frowned, unsure of what he was thanking her for. But before she could ask, he turned and walked away, leaving her feeling confused and more than a little concerned.
As the night wore on, Anna couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. She kept looking over her shoulder, expecting to see James lurking in the shadows.
But he was nowhere to be found.
It wasn't until they were back in their rooms, getting ready for bed, that Georgia turned to her and said, "Anna, do you think James is going to be okay?"
Anna frowned, unsure of how to respond. She didn't know James well enough to know what he was capable of, but she did know that he was desperate.
And desperate people did desperate things.
"I don't know," she said finally, shaking her head. "But I do know that we need to be careful. James is unpredictable, and we don't know what he's capable of."
Georgia nodded, her eyes wide with fear. "I'll be careful, Anna. I promise."
Anna smiled, trying to reassure her. "I know you will, Georgia. And I'll be careful too. We'll get through this together."
As they drifted off to sleep, Anna couldn't shake off the feeling that they were in grave danger. She knew that James was still out there, waiting for his chance to strike.
And she knew that they had to be ready.