"You don't have much time left, little rogue. If I count to five and you are still here, you’re dead!" Alpha Darius bellowed, and the floor seemed to shake with his words.
"You can't do this!" I screamed, rage erupting from within me as I refused to move. I was terrified, yes. But the fear welling inside of me was matched by my seething anger. I was determined to stand my ground. “I'm part of this pack!”
But he continued to count as if there was a bomb ticking in this pack house. "Two…!"
"Oh, no. That's terrible. How can she just go away? She has no wolf." Someone commented. I could hear her laughter behind me. "Poor little thing!"
That was what everybody knew. I was already eighteen, yet wolfless. So I shut my eyes and summoned her. ‘Reina, h-help me!’
Just then, Reina stirred, and her roar filled my head. ‘They want us out? Then, fine!’
'But how do we—shit!’ My next words turned into a guttural scream as my whole body seized with pain. Every joint in me cracked as though someone had contorted them in a thousand directions. I dropped to the floor, my breath hitching in agonizing bursts that ripped through my throat. Gritting my teeth, I mustered all of my strength, channeling it into one fierce primal scream that echoed around me.
Reina took over and exploded out of the window like a bolt of lightning. ‘We'll hunt them all down one day! I swear!’
***
We fled as far as we could go while I wept in the deepest pit of her head. But Reina explained that we were just getting started in life, and leaving our family was just a chapter that had to be closed before we could move on.
"Where are we right now?" I asked her. "I can't smell the pack anymore."
"In another territory, I guess?" She sniffed and made a low groan, turning her head from left to right. "We have to keep moving and find a way out of here before it gets too dark."
She kept running, but this time she ran more slowly. Reina seemed to be in a state of confusion and discomfort, possibly due to being in unfamiliar surroundings. Despite this, she remained determined to continue and find a way out before nightfall. Regardless, everything looked brighter and more colorful through her eyes, as though it were daytime. We even felt better as the grass rustled against our fur. And the smell of damp earth and wild plants was like heaven.
What if we were indeed in heaven?
"Can we stay here for a bit longer?" I asked Reina.
‘Sure!’ she said, stopping by the thick roots of the tree. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, savoring the tranquility of the moment. The rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds were the only sounds that filled the air, and I knew that this was exactly where I wanted to be.
'This place is very safe. Though it would be much better if I could find a bunny rabbit. I want to work on my canines and practice my hunting skills.'
"Whatever you want," I said with a smile. What Reina liked, I liked.
"Mind if we take a little nap?"
"Of course. We need some time off."
"So, where will we go later?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "To be honest, I don't know. I've never been anywhere else in my entire life. Anyway, we'll figure it out in the morning."
My wolf and I talked for a while longer before we both fell asleep.
***
The sun was shining through the tree branches when I woke up the following morning. When I finally stood up, my eyes grew wide as I turned to look down at myself. I had no clothes on, and I was stuck together with dirt and dead leaves.
"Um, Reina? Are you there?" I whispered, massaging my temples for the little ache in my head.
Great. My wolf was silent. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shift! Wait, did I really transform last night? My stupid thoughts made me slap my forehead. Of course, I turned into a wolf last night. Without Reina, how could I have moved to this place? And my clothes had even been ripped when she appeared unexpectedly. But I couldn't just walk around naked. I needed to gather at least a few large leaves to cover myself. Then I'd walk down the street and ask for help.
Just as I was about to move, I heard someone on their way toward me.
"Well, look what we have found here!"
I took a step back, pressing my bare back against the rough trunk. My hands began to shiver as I noticed five men appearing behind tall clumps of weeds and vines. They wore leather hats and boots. I gulped when I noticed the weapons in each of their hands.
"I thought boar hunting was boring until we found you," the stout man said with a grin.
Then a lanky and pale old man approached me. "Darling, what are you doing in the middle of the woods? Are you camping with your boyfriend?"
"No. No. She wasn’t camping. Who camps naked, anyway?" The other stout man interrupted. “Would you like to come with us, sweetie?”
"Stay away from me!" I grumbled. "I'd rather die than go with you, jerks!”
Their laughter sent shivers up and down my spine. Out of fear, I closed my eyes and begged for help from anyone who could hear me.
"Oh, we’re not going to hurt you, sweet child. We are here to bring you to safety." The man with wrinkles on his face extended his arm to me as he approached. "And when I say safety, it means in my warm bed."
"We should make a raffle so we know who'll f*ck her first."
"Nah, there’s no fun in that. We can take turns, anyway."
"You always have the best idea!"
How could these humans violate such a helpless girl? Do all humans act savagely?
"Got you, bitch!"
“Get your hands off me!” Tears streamed down my face as I felt the sharp tug of a thick, calloused hand in my hair. Then my sobs erupted into a piercing scream as another hand roughly grabbed at my breast. I was paralyzed with fear, and the sickening realization that this wasn't a nightmare hit me like a falling rock.
I was resigned to my fate, accepting the fact that this was how it was going to end for me. But then, out of nowhere, a figure appeared and dragged the man away from me. In an instant, the other attackers were hurled against trees in every direction, leaving me confused as to what had just happened.
‘Is he one of them? Did he knock them off so he could have me all to himself?' The thoughts in my head left a bitter taste in my mouth. I let myself collapse to the ground and curled myself tighter into the curved space of the tree trunk, my face on my hands.
"You okay? Did they hurt you?"
Slowly, I looked up at the source of a rich, manly voice. I gasped when he grabbed my arms and helped me stand up. "Did they touch you?" He took a sharp look at my face, then looked down over my body to my feet.
"N-no." I could only shake my head. My mind was busy gazing at his face. He seemed different from those bad guys. He was wearing a simple white shirt and a pair of faded jeans. His eyes were the color of amber, my favorite color, with a gold and copper hue to them.
"Let's get you out of here before these scumbags awaken."
My eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he started to peel his clothes off. "What the hell are you doing? Are you going to—oh, no!" I knew it! He was one of them. I should have run when I got the chance!
"Stop freaking out!" He frowned and took off his jeans this time.
"Please don’t do this to me!" I swear my face was on fire when I spotted his most intimate area!
He got down on his hands and knees just as I was ready to bolt. Then, for a short moment, he transformed into a large wolf that was taller than I was.
My jaw dropped. "S-so, you’re a werewolf?"
The same captivating amber eyes met mine as he raised his head to look at me. Before I knew it, my hands were caressing his thick, healthy fur, loving the rich auburn and copper hues that it contained. "You’re beautiful," I whispered.
He bent his head down until it was parallel to my waist. ‘Ride.’
"Huh?" I froze.
'What the fuck are you waiting for?' he growled, revealing his sharp fangs. 'Those humans will wake up soon and they will shoot us without hesitation!'
"Okay! I’ll do it!" I scrambled up, clinging to his huge body before flinging my arms around his back. With a sudden burst of speed, he leaped through the branches, bursting from tree to tree with me locked in a vice-like grip behind him. I felt like I was being thrust through the air with no control or direction.
I wanted to believe that he meant me no harm, yet something was unsettling about him that made me uncertain. He saved my life, but should I put my trust in him?
EARLIER…As a werewolf, you constantly fantasize about meeting your mate. Until you've experienced it firsthand, you can never really understand it.As I eagerly anticipated my future with Lennon, I began to see the world in vivid hues. However, everything came crashing down when Lennon finally found his mate. That very evening, I lost everything in a snap.“Are you ready, Daphne?”Jaime leaned against the door frame as he laughed and studied my reflection. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he clearly didn't care if his crisp blue dress shirt wrinkled. He had taken on the role of father for me since I was a baby, and our parents had been killed in an ambush by a band of outlaws."What keeps you going for so long? Hey, no matter how much powder you put on your face, it will never change." He smirked."You're only distracting me," I grumbled as I met his gaze."From what I see, you're already decent enough to blend in with other people," he said, examining my attire. Then he gas
My lips opened, but no sound came from my mouth. Do I understand him correctly? What if this is all a dream? A nightmare, perhaps?“A-are you sure?” Finally, I found my voice.“Surprised? Well, it looks like I'm the next Luna." Alaine let go of her scarf, which showed a bite mark on her shoulder. "Look, Lennon marked me two years ago. Don't you also want to see the mark I put on his shoulder as well?"“This is impossible!” I yelled, my tears stinging my eyes.She pulled Lennon closer, then looked at me as they walked away. "Will you excuse us? There's a big announcement coming up in a few minutes. You should come inside too."I only froze as I stared at both of them. If I moved, I’d be shattered into a thousand pieces.Of all the people, why would the Moon Goddess pair Lennon with the most difficult being in this whole world?As I went back to the grand lobby, I was still trying to find out what was going on. Just a few hours ago, I thought I was the most beautiful girl in town. But
PRESENT…My savior was a werewolf like me, yes. Regardless, he was still a stranger. Although the man let me wear his shirt that hung down to my knees, the kindness was odd for me—even suspicious!Why would this guy help someone like me—not unless he needed something in return? Hell, I didn’t like losing trust in everyone. Blame this on the shitty pack of those shitty people who left me nothing but a shattered heart and soul before casting me away!The next thing I knew, we were walking towards a building. Nestled in the middle of the woodland, it seemed to grow even bigger and bigger as we got near.“Are they aching?” My rugged hero glanced down at my bare feet. Maybe he figured they were swollen from a long walk, offering to carry me in his arms when we got out of the forest. Regardless, I refused.A few minutes later, we were standing in the middle of the grand lobby. From my spot, I could see everything the house offered, leaving me breathless in awe. Across the upstairs gallery r
When I was four years old, a goddamn pack took over my territory in a bloody way. Not only had their Alpha killed my mother, but they had also taken away my sister and made her his mistress. Even though it broke my father's heart, he started putting together a pack with people who had been kicked out of other packs. We tried to live like humans because we were living with them. So, when I was ten, I tried to fit in with the people in the city. I adopted their way of life and worked a lot of odd jobs.We made it through. However, dealing with a traumatic experience as a child has never been easy. But that exact event was also my motivation and the foundation for my ultimate life goal. And I'd make sure it was a lot... bloodier.Still, I feel lucky because I got my first wolf shift when I was only eight years old. Who said that only royal wolves could shapeshift when they were young? Not only that, but I also developed a unique ability that set me apart from the Alphas who came before m
“Get up, sleepy head!”My eyes fluttered until they opened wide when a deep voice exploded in my ears. As my sight adjusted to the light, my breathing halted upon figuring out who those fierce sets of amber eyes were.“A-Alpha Calle?”I let myself look at his entire appearance for a little while. His loose, shoulder-length hair perfectly framed his chiseled features. His gray shirt, which was neither too loose nor too tight, emphasized the shape of his arms and body. And look how well those pairs of denim pants fit around his long, muscular legs. He was like a living sculpture. Even if he literally agitated the living daylights out of me when he woke me up, I wouldn't judge myself for admiring such a work of art.He perched on the edge of my bed, and I quickly got up. I could smell the fresh perfume of his aftershave from this close distance. "H-how did you get in here?" I questioned, scratching my forehead.He sighed. “Surprised? Guess what—I own the whole place, so it means I can co
As soon as I told Beta Degen that my wolf was nowhere to be found, he immediately sent me to see Alpha Calle. So the next thing I knew, I was sitting on the couch and silently pinching my hands' skin. My thoughts were racing over what the Alpha would do to a werewolf who couldn't even shift into a wolf. What if he made me his slave and the pack began to mistreat me?The more time I spent in this room, the more anxious I felt.I focused on the painted wall to divert my attention from the growing uneasiness. It was a painting depicting the continent of North America where we lived. I got to my feet and gingerly made my way over to the painted wall so I could examine its texture on my own. I couldn't help but be impressed by the monumental artwork. It appeared to be quite lively. The name Calle Earheart was swirled in a lovely round-handwriting in the lower left.‘That man is talented. I wonder what else he can do.’“You little wolf!”The door flung wide and a roar erupted across the roo
“I’m tired. Let’s stop by here for a while,” Reina pleaded at me.My eyes wandered around as Reina and I rested at the base of a massive root system. Some of the trees around us withered, rising out of the earth to brush against the sky. Sunlight danced across fern fronds and glistened off of morning dew. Meanwhile, just meters away from us was a quiet crystal clear stream. The water flow had a perfect sequence as it rushed across the rough rocks.“Can we just stay here forever?”I shot Reina a small smile when I turned to her. She was beautiful. Her silky fur shone as if she rolled over a thousand silver glitters. “Of course, girl. Here in the forest, no one’s going to harm us both. No one will tell us what to do and what not to do. We are free to decide for ourselves. We’ll only do fun stuff—running, hunting, playing in the streams, and sleeping until the sun is high again.”“Well, th
DaphneAfter I almost died yesterday at the hands of the wolf Gary, Alpha Calle had never spoken with me nor given me instructions to go to his office. But a few minutes ago, after I finished eating dinner, Beta Degen informed me that our Alpha was demanding my presence somewhere in the forest, rather than in his office.I wondered why.Maybe he was so furious about my ‘defiance’ that he wanted me to punish—or kill—in silence and out of the other’s knowledge. Although, according to Beta Degen, the Alpha had never killed a member of the pack before.Perhaps I'd be the first since I was the first one to break his orders—that was according to Beta Degen as well.“This is impossible