Mated To The Crippled Alpha-Chapter 283: The Game She Thinks She’s Winning

My days in Snowville had felt like living inside enemy territory.

Every street, every hallway, every gathering carried the scent of danger. One by one, familiar faces disappeared. From the Morrigans pack to Lincy, people fell like dominoes. Some were taken quietly. Others went down in chaos. No explanations. No justice. Just silence.

I never knew who would be next.

My instincts never rested. Even when I tried to sleep, my body stayed tight, muscles coiled under my skin, ready to shift, ready to fight, ready to run. I ate quickly. Spoke carefully. Watched every shadow twice.

Even with Lewis beside me, the fear never fully left.

He would stand close, his presence solid and commanding, but the threat always lingered beyond the walls. It was like something dark had memorized my scent. Like it was waiting for me to lower my guard.

I learned to breathe quietly. To smile while calculating exits. To kiss my Alpha while preparing for war.

But here, in his territory, everything felt different.

The air itself felt lighter. Cleaner. It didn’t carry the metallic taste of blood or betrayal. No hostile eyes tracking my movements. No whispers behind closed doors. No need for Lewis to bend his back or dim his aura to avoid suspicion.

Within these walls, he didn’t have to pretend.

He stood tall. Shoulders broad. Spine straight. His power wasn’t hidden behind crutches or careful movements. It rolled off him naturally, heavy and steady, like a king who no longer needed to disguise himself.

Every inch of him was Alpha.

And seeing him like that... it did something to me.

It wasn’t fear. It wasn’t tension.

It was hunger.

"Lewis..." I breathed against his lips, my fingers sliding up his chest, feeling the firm muscle beneath my palms. "Lewis."

"I’m here," he murmured, voice low and rough, like gravel softened by heat.

Our breaths tangled. The unfamiliar house. The quiet hum of pack members somewhere downstairs. The thrill of being in new territory where no one hunted us.

It made everything sharper.

My heart pounded fast—not from fear this time, but from want. A different kind of hunger. The kind that burned low and steady in my stomach.

In the darkness, I forgot Snowville.

I forgot enemies.

I forgot shadows.

Until Riley’s voice pierced through the hallway.

"Sis? Where did you go?"

We both froze.

I stumbled back against the door. My jacket had fallen to the floor. My slip dress hung loosely off one shoulder. Lewis’s lips trailed down my neck, his hand sliding beneath the hem of my nightgown, warm and possessive.

"Ignore her," he whispered, breath hot against my skin. "Right now, I only want you."

His voice made my knees weak.

But then Harlan’s voice cut through the walls.

"That’s enough. You’re coming home with me."

The air outside shifted.

"Get lost!" Riley snapped. "Who gave you permission to touch me?"

"Do I need permission to sleep with my own mate?" he shot back.

Her laugh was cold, sharp. "Sleep with me? In your dreams. If I ever choose an Alpha, it’ll be someone like Lewis. Someone who respects his mate. Not some trashy stray."

The hallway pressure thickened. Even through the walls, I could feel it. Dominance brushing against dominance. Territory challenging territory.

"You’re into Lewis, aren’t you?" Harlan’s voice dropped lower.

"I’m into your father too!" Riley fired back.

"Watch your mouth, Janice."

Her voice was suddenly muffled.

That was enough.

I shoved Lewis aside and grabbed my jacket. "I can’t let him bully her."

I rushed into the hallway—

And stopped.

Harlan had Riley pinned against him. One arm locked around her waist, the other tangled in her hair as he forced a kiss on her.

For a split second, I just stared.

He looked powerful. White shirt rolled to his elbows. Muscles tight. Veins standing out along his forearms. His collar open, chest rising and falling heavily. His stance screamed dominance, like a war leader claiming what he believed was his.

And Riley, in her gown, pressed against him, looked almost like she belonged there.

If I didn’t know about Nina...

If I didn’t know the history...

I might have thought they matched.

"Baby," Lewis’s icy voice sounded behind me, calm but edged with steel, "is he handsome?"

I nodded without thinking. "Yes—"

I froze.

"I mean no! Absolutely not! I hate men like that. Too bulky. Not elegant at all."

Lewis stepped closer. I could feel the shift in him.

It wasn’t loud anger.

It was quiet possession.

"You were staring," he said flatly.

"I was thinking they look compatible!" I rushed out. "My heart is yours. Only yours."

His stare didn’t soften.

Before I could explain further, Riley snapped back to herself. She shoved Harlan hard and slapped him across the face.

The sound echoed sharply.

"You pervert! What do you think you’re doing?"

His head turned with the impact. Slowly, his expression darkened. "You dare slap me?"

Riley grabbed her slipper and started hitting him with it.

The sound of shoe against expensive fabric filled the hall. Ridiculous. Petty. Humiliating.

Harlan caught her wrist easily. "All I did was kiss you. Don’t act innocent. You’ve stood naked in front of me before."

"Shut up!" she spat, trying to swing again.

He held her firmly, but instead of fury, something else flickered in his eyes.

Interest.

Intrigue.

Then Lewis spoke.

"Have you two finished?"

Instant silence.

Even I straightened instinctively. When Lewis used that tone, it wasn’t just a voice. It was command.

Riley shrank slightly. "Lewis..."

Harlan opened his mouth to speak, but Lewis cut him off.

"It’s late. We’re going to bed. You should leave."

"My driver’s gone," Harlan replied calmly. "There are empty rooms. I’ll stay."

Lewis’s expression turned glacial.

"Theo."

Within seconds, Theo appeared. "The car is ready, Mr. Pearson. I’ll drive you."

Harlan looked annoyed but not surprised. He glanced at Riley. "They’re throwing me out. Let’s go."

"They’re throwing you out," Riley said, folding her arms. "Not me. Lewis wouldn’t send me away. Right, Lewis?"

Her eyes challenged him.

Lewis clenched his jaw. I could feel the brief clash between reason and pride.

Then he exhaled.

"Mrs. Pearson can stay."

Harlan stared at him. "Some friend."

Lewis’s gaze dropped deliberately to Harlan’s rolled sleeves and exposed collarbone. "Dressing like that. Who are you trying to impress? Pathetic."

Harlan blinked. "What?"

Theo stepped forward politely. "This way, Mr. Pearson."

Harlan knew better than to push further. He gave Riley one last hard look. "Don’t come begging me to pick you up next time. You’re on your own."

Riley lifted her chin. "Good."