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Prologue
Prologue
Dear reader,
Life is a road.
Whether we travel it skipping and singing or dragging our feet, we all have a journey to make. Us ordinary people navigate our own way through the maze of junctions and turnings to where we want to be. Some of us get lost along the way, some find other destinations before the right one, but it’s all part of the adventure we call life.
Cato Loren’s road was a little different.
On the day he was born, it was paved from beginning to end in a straight, untwisting, unwavering line. No exits, no slip lanes, no laybys. Each sign pointed to one destination: becoming Alpha.
This doesn’t sound like the makings for a particularly interesting story. A child is born and seventeen years later he becomes an Alpha. That's it, right?
If only it could have been that simple…
Related chapters
Alpha Loren Chapter 1
December 19th - six months before Cato becomes AlphaLeo's point of viewIt was past midnight, and the forest was deadly dark. Thick clouds covered the moon, but I had the gravelly snarls of my men and the wretched stench of rogues to follow. As rain fell, I pulled my hood over my head, but the water soaked through, oozing into my clothes and sticking to my skin.“Alpha,” Blair said as I emerged from the forest.A circle of my men in wolf form surrounded six strangers. Their hair was matted, their clothes ripped, and each one shook as my men snarled and growled.“They were found crossing the Northern border,” Blair said, standing next to me and folding his arms, “Rogues for sure.”Terror gripped their faces as rain streamed down their foreheads, dripping from their noses and running over their lips.What a miserable way to die.“Bring one to me.”Blair stepped th
Alpha Loren Chapter 2
June 20th - six months before Cato becomes AlphaElla’s point of view“Stefano, Zacharias!” I shouted across the room, “No fighting in the house!”My two youngest sons, nine and ten years old, were rolling on the carpet, grabbing each other’s shirts. They were dangerously close to the TV, which after an incident involving a baseball bat and an apple, was already the second one we’d had this year.Meanwhile, my youngest child, Ana, screamed her lungs out. She was two years old, the heart of the tantrum phase, and five minutes ago, I dared to suggest bath time.“Mathias, where’s Cato?” I asked over the noise as my second eldest son appeared, grimacing at the chaos.He shrugged and plugged his ears.“Can you shut them up?” he said, “I’m trying to study.”“I’m trying, Mathias,” I said, lifting Ana
Alpha Loren Chapter 3
June 20thElla’s point of viewWhen we got to the station, I marched straight to the woman at the front desk.“Hi, I’m here to collect my son. His name is-”“Cato Loren, yes I know ma’am. You were here last week. But I’m afraid it won’t be as easy this time.”“What do you mean?”“The sheriff will explain. If you could take a seat, he’ll be there soon,” she said, gesturing to the uncomfortable plastic seats in the hall.I sat for five minutes with Ana on my knee and Madeleine by my side before the sheriff came out.“You must be Ella Loren. This way.”“Best behaviour, okay girls?” I whispered to my daughters as we followed him.“You should leave the little ones with my colleague,” he said with a grave look on his face.I eyed the colleague. She ha
Alpha Loren Chapter 4
June 20th Ella’s point of viewWhen we arrived home, Luca was on the sofa smothered by Zacharias and Stefano. They had worn themselves out and were quietly watching TV while Mathias rummaged through the freezer.“Matty, if you’re hungry it’s cereal or toast after eight o’clock. Leave the ice cream alone,” I said, “Stef, Zach. Let Luca go and get to bed.”They mumbled and grumbled but obeyed me, and I gave them each a kiss as they passed to the stairs.“Thank you for coming over, Luca.”He got off the sofa and smiled, “You owe me big time, Ells.”“I’ve owed you for sixteen and a half years,” I said, putting Ana’s car seat by the stairs.She was finally fast asleep and quiet.“You’ve been a third keeper in this zoo since we opened it.”“Hey,” Math
Alpha Loren Chapter 5
June 23rdLeo’s point of viewThat Saturday, I dragged Cato out of bed bright and early.“Do I have to go?” he groaned as he ate breakfast.“Yes,” Ella and I both said.We had grounded Cato all week, but the thought of him moping around this house bored and frustrated all day filled Ella with dread. But I happened to have a disaster of a filing cabinet at the base needing serious organisation.“Why?” he asked, “It’s Saturday.”“Because breaking news, you’re the future Alpha of this pack, and as your father, I will not let you fuck up and get away with it,” I snapped, “It’s time you step in line, Cato.”“You don’t need to curse, Leo,” Ella said, “If we stay calm and work together, I’m sure we’ll get through this.”She ruffled Cato’s hai
Alpha Loren Chapter 6
June 23rdElla’s point of viewAfter lunch, I made the mistake of letting Stefano and Zacharias have jello. Within minutes, they were bouncing off the walls, and I couldn’t take it anymore.“Shoes on boys. We’re going for a walk to Grandad’s apartment.”The thudding and crashing from Stefano’s room ceased, and two pairs of footsteps thundered down the stairs.After strapping Ana into the stroller and taking Madeleine’s hand, we set off through the forest, Stefano and Zacharias running in circles around us, throwing leaves and waving sticks.“Stef, you nearly took my eye out,” I said, ducking as he swung a branch around, “Careful!”“Sorry Mama,” he called as he dropped it and ran after Zacharias, who had found a sturdy tree to climb.An hour later, we neared the base. After trying to take down the entire pack, my fathe
Alpha Loren Chapter 7
June 23rdElla’s point of viewAn hour later, Stefano was on a stool at the counter kneading the dough. I stood behind him, guiding his hands and guarding the stool from Maddy and Zac running around like maniacs.“That’s it,” I said, “A little harder.”He put his entire body weight into kneading, contorting his little face with the effort.“That’s it, perfect.”The doorbell rang, so I kissed Zac’s cheek and wiped my floury hands on the towel.“Keep doing that, I’ll be back in a moment. Maddy and Zac, keep well away from Stef.”I opened the door to Luca and Amaani. Beside them was an enormous suitcase and in Luca’s arms their baby, Theodore. He was only a year old but had Amaani’s beautiful hair and a smile that could kill.Luca bundled Theodore into my arms.“Um, hello?”“We’re
Alpha Loren Chapter 8
June 23rdLeo’s point of view“Madeleine and Ana are securely tucked in bed,” I said, wrapping my arms around Ella as she finished drying the last saucepan.“How many stories did Madeleine make you read?” he asked.“Two and then she made me get Cato for another one,” I said, kissing her neck. “If I have to read that damn story about the princess and the prawn one more time, I’ll go insane. Every single fucking night.”Ella laughed, “Who would have kids, huh?”I held her for a few moments before I took a deep breath.“I have something to tell you.”“What?”I took the dried pan from her hands and leaned over to put it in the cabinet.“Let’s talk upstairs.”We settled on the bed, I wrapped my arm around her, letting her rest her head on my chest as I thought over how the
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