Chapter II

LUCIANO BLACK

I turned and strengthen my long legs under the long table, I muted everything around me focusing on nothing but solitude, nothing seems to impress me these days, not even the Alpha explaining his all-perfect plan to hunt down the special rouge I seek for. These days I am always bored and angry at everything the moon goddess, the world, and myself, throughout my 1,360 years on earth you do think I have everything I wanted, yes I am blessed with immeasurable wealth, power, strength, and immortality but all that is a curse in disguise, for the one thing I ever wanted and long for is someone to care for me, someone to love me, someone who understands me better than anyone, a soul-mate to spend eternity with but I can never have that. I spent centuries searching, moving from one country to another yet there is no glimpse of her, I think maybe that’s my punishment for being a monster and the price of my immortality. One more thing I have learned through those years is that anyone I started caring about becomes cursed and they perished just like Amanda, who is like a little sister to me, I care so much about her and for the past twenty-five years she and Sophie were my only source of happiness and now she is dying because of me and I can’t help it. A tap on my shoulder brought me back from my long train of thought, I looked at my beta and open my mind so that he can mind-link me.

“Are you okay Alpha?” he mind-linked me with a concerned look on his face. 

Before I could answer a piercing scream resonated through my mind “help me!” I had Sophie’s voice in my mind. I abruptly stood up knocking down the chair I was sitting on “Sophie, where are you?” 

“Woods, rouges”   

                        

“The Woods now, Sophie is in danger,” I quickly mind-linked the Alpha and my beta before I sprint out of the room; they follow closely behind me as I run into the woods. The stenches of rogues polluted the fresh air, as I ran through the woods with the breeze blowing strongly. The moment I reached the place my nostril was filled with two unfamiliar scents, one is very strong while other that caught my attention is very faint and almost not there, without my hybrid advanced sense of smell, I won’t be able to catch it. And the scent felt like a siren beckoning me forward; I tried so hard to resist it maybe it is some kind of magical trap. I shook my head to cleared the little fog forming in my brain, I looked around the place and surprisingly all the rogues are dead, I spotted Sophie kneeling close to a She-wolf who I believe the strong unfamiliar scent is coming from, “Sophie,” I called walking toward her, immediately she saw me she ran and plunged herself into my arms and that’s when I smelled it the tantalizing scent of vanilla and mint. It is the most incredible scent I had ever perceive, it is like taking in fresh air after almost drowning in water, it is very soothing and invigorating, it waves its way through my heart making me feel something I never thought I could, pure Euphoria. My wolf started clawing at my mind and barking, wanting me to chase the owner of the scent, I took in a deep breath trying to calm my wolf, I dropped Sophie down “Who gave you this Jacket” I asked her.

“I don’t know her name but they came together with that She-wolf,” Sophie answered pointing to the unconscious She-wolf.

“Are you alright,” I asked examining her appearance. She nodded her head exhaustedly and hugged me again. I snapped my hand in the direction I heard a movement, I saw my Beta and Alpha Stone running toward us, but my beta immediately turned toward the direction of the unconscious wolf and rushed to her. I turned my attention back to Sophie “Let’s go home,” I picked her up and start walking back in the direction of the packhouse with her in my arms. We took Sophie and the unconscious She-wolf to the park clinic. We stayed outside waiting for the doctor and after a minute a nurse came out of a room with the Jacket and handed it to me as I instructed. I brought it close to my nose and inhaled the sweet scent of Vanilla and Mint which instantly calm my nerves.

After a while the doctor came out, “Your majesty,” the Doctor bowed his head in respect to me before he turned to his Alpha “Can we go to my office and talk,” 

“No, say whatever you want to say here I don’t have time,” I snapped, my patience slipping away as my wolf kept bugging me to go and find our mate.  

The doctor shuddered a bit at my harsh tone but nodded and started talking “They are both in good condition; no harm was done to the little girl. But Ms. Spencer was injured but she has been healed with what I believe to be magic,” 

I lifted my hand and dismissed the Doctor who bowed to me and nodded at his Alpha before turning on his heels. “They aren’t alone,” I turned to Alpha Stone’s Beta “I want you to find out whoever they are with during the attack.”

The beta cleared his throat “I know who it is Your majesty, the dead rouges doesn’t have any external injury which only means magic and we have only have two witches in this town and one happens to be my Daughter’s best friend,” 

“Do you know whose scent is this?” I hold out the jacket to him, he collected it and started sniffing it before handing it to his Alpha “I don’t know this scent but it would be hers,” 

 The Alpha also sniffed the jacket and shook his head “I don’t know the scent either,” he turned to his Beta “But we can invite her to your daughter’s birthday party tomorrow and I want you to investigate the rouge attack and bring all the information back to me,” 

The Beta nodded his head and bowed before he walked away to start his assigned duties. We went back to the Alpha’s office where I sat on his chair, he and my beta sat opposite each other in front of me. “If I may not be rude your majesty, can I ask you a question,” 

I nodded permitting him to speak, “Why do you seem so interested in finding the owner of that jacket?”  

I kept my face as stoic as possible “Why do you think I am interested Alpha?” I answered his question with my question before he could answer I continued “Rouges attacked my Niece, We found dead rouges with no external injury which only points to a witch who  you happen to know are very treacherous beings, and we found an unfamiliar jacket with an unfamiliar scent on it, why do you think I will be interested Alpha Stone?” 

He was silent for a few seconds before he bowed his head down “My apologies your majesty,” he stood up “If you will excuse me, your majesty, I want to check on my Beta,” 

I nodded my head and he left, the moment the Alpha left Alexander came and sat on the chair the Alpha was seated before, “I want you to go and assist them with the  investigation I want to know everything about the rouges attack,” I ordered my Beta, he instantly stood up, bowed and left, the moment the door closed Alexander turned to me “You know you cannot fool me with that poker-face of yours,” 

I leaned back on the chair and smirked “What did you see?” I asked coolly. 

“I have been your friend for a thousand years Luciano; you know I can see right through this fake facade of yours, so tell me yourself,”

I sat up straight looking at him “No, you tell me,” 

He stood up and smiled “You found her,” he replied his eyes glinting mischievously.  

  

******

NATACHA

“Oh my goodness you almost give me a heart attack,” I rolled my eyes at my friend's dramatic outburst. “Dramatic as always,” I muttered under my breath. 

Lila sat up in a sitting position glaring at me “You know I heard that,” 

I smiled sweetly at her “It was meant for you to hear.” 

She picked a pillow and throws it at me; I didn’t even try to catch it as it easily passes through me. She groaned and shook her head with a hint of annoyance “Seriously Tee, are you even here?” 

 “Ever heard of Astra projection?” I replied with a smile on my lips.

She scrunched her nose “Annoying witchy stuff, why can’t you just teleport here,”  

 “Not until that Hybrid King left,”

She ignored my reply and asked “Then why are you Astra projecting here,” 

I walked and sat on her bed “To check on you of course and how Sophie is?”

“Who is Sophie?” She asked furrowing her brow together.

“The little She-Wolf,” I try to remind her. 

Her eyes light up in recognition as she smiled “She is Fine; she came a few hours ago and was asking about you,” 

 “Oh thank Goodness, I left in such a hurry I didn’t wait to check on her health, but I am glad you are all good,” I took my friend's hand and with a smile on my lips.

“All thanks to you,” Lila replied with a warm smile on her face placing her other hand on top of mine.

“Your father invites us to your birthday party,” I said breaking the silence that begins to consume us.

“I thought the Alpha was your Father’s friend, our parents never really get along.”  

“Yeah, maybe they now all besties,” I replied jokingly knowing they can never get along with each other and we both laugh “My Dad can’t make it but he permit me, so I am coming to his consent!”

    

“Oh yes, we can now comfortably enjoy the party,” Lila giggled and hugged me, “Wait,” she quickly pulled back looking at me “How am I able to hug you but earlier…” 

“Please, I can manipulate this however I want, it’s called magic,” I replied pointing at my body. 

“Show off,” She raised her hand to playfully hit me and it passes right through my shoulder. 

“Now this is annoying,” She groaned and moved away from me. 

I laughed and move closer to her “So tell me how is it going with your handsome mate and don’t lie to me because I can smell him all over you and this room,” 

Lila blushed and looked away “Is my big badass friend blushing, who are you? Where is my Lila?” I teased laughing at her flushed face.

“Stop it,” She glared at me and continues speaking “He is nicer than he looks actually, and he is very caring. He was so worried when I woke up yesterday, He didn’t leave this room, he watched me sleep and even serve me breakfast on bed,” 

“Aww, he is such a gentleman,” I cooed 

“Yes, he is,” Lila smiled happily “I hope you find your mate soon so that…” 

“Eww, never,” I immediately cut her “I don’t want a mate Lil, besides I am only like 33.3 percent Wolf so there is no possibility of me having one,”

“Some Witches have soul mates and even Vampires.” She countered 

“It’s very rear and I am not interested.” 

“Why do you hate the idea of Mates? Tacha,” She inquired giving me a confused look. We have never really talked about this or more like I never really feel it is necessary to show my dislike about the idea of mates when all she ever wanted and talk about is meeting her mate just like every typical werewolf. “I don’t hate it, I just don’t want one I prefer the natural falling-in-love process, not been stuck forever with someone that was forced to love me,”  

“We are not forced to love each other,” Lila retorted sharply.

“Oh really,” I smiled and tilted my head looking at her “Have you ever think about it, that without the mate bond will you love your mate? Will you still choose each other without the mate pull?” Lila was silent for a few minutes and I continue talking “Not everyone is lucky to have a good mate Lila, some are not that fortunate,” 

“The Moon Goddess knows what she is doing, she can never match you together with the wrong person, mates are always compatible,” Lila opposed.

“I wish that was true,” I murmured staring at the sun outside the window next to her bed as I vividly reminisce the real reason I don’t want a mate.