Chapter 1: The Birth of Syd Vicious
Sydney
Crazy, psychotic, demon-possessed, bloodthirsty, and yes, just plain vicious. These are all words others have used to describe me after that night. After that night, my life completely changed, so yeah, I became someone new. Sydney Eld faded away, and Syd Vicious stepped forward. Everything I loved was taken from me. All I had left was my hatred and burning desire for revenge. He should have left my mother alone and let us go on our way, but instead, he tried to cage me. He rattled that cage one too many times, and once that cage was open, there was no stopping me. I would taste his blood and the blood of anyone who stood in my way. That night, the "Night of Raids" will forever mark the day my heart was enveloped in darkness.
I was the one who found the Druit Guard infiltrating our territory. Instead of sounding the alarm, I helped them to our front door. Why? Because our Alpha, Reed Tarlo, is pure evil and doesn't deserve his position. He's been taking our own pups and others and trying to make them into some sick Manchurian army. He put my mother in a cell to stop me from reporting him to the Druit Guard. Well, tonight, everything changes.
The Druit Guard came without me informing them. They made quick work of the wolves guarding the intake facility. I was more than happy to take part in the fighting. It gave me so much joy to cut down the complacent trash that was a part of this. Once the facility guards are under control, the Druit Guard quickly moves the victims out. I had one goal to find my mother, Angela Eld, the former Beta female of our pack. I searched every corner of the facility before I found her cell.
Her scent was so faint, "Mom. Mom, are you there? Mom, answer me." Hot tears were streaking my blood-stained face. I knew my worst fear had come true. I kicked the door down, and there she was, peacefully laying on her cot. "Mom! Why did he do this to you." I cradled my mother's dead rotting corpse, sobbing. I was too late. I was too late.
Alpha Reed Tarlo no longer had control over me, and he would pay. I gently lay my mother down on the cot and left her cold, dirty cell. This building reeks of death. I will free all the trapped souls tonight and take my revenge.
I made my way around the facility making sure everyone was out. I piled up a bunch of old dirty cot mates and rags next to a wall. I drenched them in alcohol since that seemed it was the favorite pastime of the scum who guarded this place. I wasn't allowed in on Alpha's orders, but now I'm here, and I'll be the one to bring it down. Once all the liquor bottles were empty, I kicked a hole in the wall and found the electrical wiring to the outlet. I yanked hard, and one end rips free, giving me what I want live exposed wire. I drop it on the cot mats, and the pile quickly goes up in flames.
I made my way out of the building. When I was a few yards away, something inside exploded. Not a big explosion, but it stopped the fighting for an all but brief moment. I turn to take one last look and give my prayer. "Selene, please release those who were trapped and let them find peace in their next life. Rest mom. I'll be alright." The scene was pure chaos. Our pack warriors were fighting the Druit Guard, and for what? An Alpha that had abandoned his pack to hide with his tail between his legs. I make my way across the blood-soaked battlefield, which was our training field just this morning, to the hiding place of Alpha Tarlo. As I make my way, I help as many Druit Guard as I can. I'm done with these sheep in wolves clothing. They follow mindlessly with no sense of right and wrong, or maybe it was the weird pills that old women would bring that just kept them stupid. I refused to take them, and I refused to do what I knew was wrong. For that, I was punished.
I was the White Ridge Pack's top warrior and only child of the fallen Beta Jeffery Eld. My father treated me like any other heir. To him, it didn't matter I was female; I was his child, and that meant I was the White Ridge Pack's future Beta. Our current Alpha didn't see it that way. He didn't feel a female could handle the role, so I was demoted to warrior. What Alpha Tarlo didn't realize was my father taught me more about the territory than I led on, like the bug-out spot for the ranked members.
I started sprinting through the trees and shifted mid-stride ripping my clothes to shreds in the process. Thora, my wolf, was my treasure. She was larger than the males, stronger and faster too. It didn't take me long to get to the bunker in the south of our territory. I shift back and rip the bunker door off the hinges, and I am meeting with the face I was searching for, Alpha Reed Tarlo.
"Sydney, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Reed takes a few steps toward me then stops abruptly. He must see the vicious look in my eye.
"I'm here to finish this and free our pack from you." My face contorts into what I'm sure would be considered a look of devious joy.
"You think you can take me down, little she-wolf? You don't have it in you. How about this. Since I am now without a Luna, why don't you take her place? You are not what I consider my type, and you're not pretty, with that wiry red hair and freckle skin, but you would produce an excellent heir." His words sound calm, but I can see the fear in his eyes. He's trying to bargain for his life by giving me some twisted backhand compliment.
"I wouldn't be your Luna even if the goddess made us fated mates. What happened to your Luna you had locked away?" I take a few steps toward him.
"That bitch ran off with my Beta, the traitorous pieces of shit. See Sydney, I need someone like you by my side." Was he really that delusional? He thought he could persuade me. I take a few more steps closer. I was done listening to his bullshit babbling. "Sydney Eld, don't take another step! That's an Alpha order." His voice echoed off the bunker walls.
Something in me suddenly severed. There was a crack of thunder than a flash of lighting out of the clear night sky. I felt a power pulsing through my body. I was hot, like lava was flowing through my veins. Thora and I had never felt this power before. "YOU ARE NOT MY ALPHA!" Roared out of my throat in a double voice. It was Thora and I rejecting Reed Tarlo and his wolf Jax as our Alpha. There was nothing that could stop me.
I charged forward, throwing a right cross, but Reed blocked it. I expected him to; my real target was his kidneys, to which I delivered a knee, causing Reed to double over. I introduce my other knee to his nose, sending Reed flying backward. His eyes are watering, and he can't get his feet under him. I stock over and crouch down next to him. I lift his left arm and slice deep into his armpit; cutting his artery, I slice the artery on his inner right thigh as well.
I whisper in his ear, "How does it feel to be powerless and weak? You may not be remorseful, but you will regret what you have done." I punch Reed in the face, and I feel crunching under my fist as he spits up blood. "It's not even fun anymore. Guess you weren't much of an Alpha after all."
I find a blanket and board and use it to make a sled. I drag the slowly dying Alpha back to the White Ridge pack village. I was stopping every so often to keep his lacerations open—damn werewolf healing. Once I was back in the village, everyone quickly got out of my way. I'm sure I was a sight to behold. Naked covered in blood, sweat, and dirt dragging a dying Alpha on a sled. Fear, disgust, surprise, and even respect were slapped across the faces I passed. I dragged that sorry-sack to the packhouse and gave him one last kick as I walked away, back to my home so I could finally grieve for my mother.
As I made my way home, I looked up at the full moon and bathed in its light. "Selene, thank you for giving me the strength to finish tonight. Please let my parents reunite in their next life." The flood gates opened, and my heart sank into pure black despair. It was so thick I didn't think it would ever be possible to get out of and no light could penetrate it.
I became a nightmare, an urban legend, folklore, a monster. I was reborn the heartless demon wolf, Syd Vicious.
Chapter 2: Silas' AwakingSilasThe sounds of the forest echoed in my ears. Every whisper of the breeze and the slightest rustle of leaves put me on high alert. The summer night was warm and humid, causing the pungent scent of the cover spray to permeate my nose, making the ordinarily pleasant smell of the flora faint. The full moon showed brightly, offering her soft illumination over the forest terrain. We inched closer to our target, slow and methodical careful not to reveal our positions. Our destination was coming into view now. We waited for a signal from Beta Tyson and Beta Lucas.Beta Tyson and Lucas are the two most well-known Betas from any pack. I guess you would have to be, being the second in command of the two leading packs in the country. They even out-rank Alphas of smaller packs. As the third son of the Beta of the Amaris Pack, it was an honor to be on this raid mission with them.We had some idea what we would find inside the off-pack facility. We knew they were keepi
Chapter 3: Finding a New AlphaSydneyI don't want to be here. I want to go on a run, hide in the forest and scream my lungs out. We shouldn't even have to find a new Alpha. Our Alpha should have never betrayed his pack. If my father were still alive, none of this would have happened. Would even finding the next Alpha bloodline do any good? The next Alpha might be just as bad as the last. Not to mention the way people have been treating each other since the night of the raid is disgusting. Beta Lucas has been here helping us keep things under control, but it hasn't stopped the strong and rich from pushing around the weak and poor. I've stepped in a few times, but it's become a cycle of power abuse. I should leave and join the Durit Guard. At least I can make a difference there."This is our home, and these people need us." My wolf was not ready to leave the pack."After tonight, they won't need us. They will have their Alpha. It will be his problem, not ours.""No, they are our pack.
Chapter 4: Haunted by NightmaresSilas"Little bro, you look like shit! Are you sleeping, OK?" My older brother Cody, the pack's Gamma, puts an arm around my shoulder.I shrug off his arm, "Yeah, I'm fine." I give him the best fake smile I can muster."Oh, is it Samantha coming over in the middle of the night again." Cody prods me in the ribs."You caught me." I give him a wink and a chuckle. I lied. The truth is I haven't had a full night's rest since the "Night of Raids." Every time I close my eyes, I see their faces, not the faces of the kids I saved but the ones I couldn't.It's always the same. I am about to walk out with the kids when I hear crying. I look around and find a little girl in the corner sobbing. I reach out to her, and her head twists 180 degrees. She screams at me, "Silas, why didn't you save me too!" Then all these small hands reach out from the darkness to pull me down. All around me, I hear whispers, "Save us." "It hurts." "Why didn't you save us." Then I wake u
Chapter 5: Alpha Ceremony Pt.1Sydney"I wouldn't mate with you if you were the last wolf on the planet, Brian." This was the 5th mate proposal I have gotten this week, and it came from Brian of all wolves, gross."Sydney, we could be really great together. Think about it and give me a chance." He grabs my hand and kisses the back of it. My natural response was to punch him in the nose, so I did. "You bitch." I felt the crunch, and his eyes started to water; yep, I broke it again."Don't ever touch me again, or I'll break more than your nose next time." I turn and go inside the packhouse. I need to get ready for my Alpha ceremony tonight. Did these guys actually think I was so desperate or was I that stupid?"Sydney, I was looking all over for you. Come on; we have to get you ready!" Suddenly I'm surrounded by three Lunas. I look for my best escape route when my wrist is grabbed, and I'm being led away. I guess there was no escape.There was this odd sense of organized chaos. Amelie A
Chapter 6: Alpha Ceremony Pt.2SydneyAlpha Logan steps in front of me. He gives me a grunt and a nod and tosses in a small branch of black poplar. "As an Alpha, I represent the goddess promise to her people. Your pack needs an Alpha who has courage. True courage is facing the things that scare you and never backing down from them. Courage is not comfortable. It's hard and painful, and it's not possessed by the weak-willed. Your courage makes the goddess' promise true." This was going to be the worst cuts of all so far. Logan steps behind me. With an extended claw, he cuts a large circle into my shoulder blade. He cuts his palm mixes our blood and leaves a bloody palm print in the middle of the circle. Two more of those, this was going to hurt. Alpha Gideon steps toward me."You alright, Syd." I give the nod and straighten my posture. He drops in a calla lily into the water. "As an Alpha, I represent the goddess promise to her people. Your pack needs an Alpha who has stewardship. Stew
Chapter 7: Mate, MineSilas“Si! Is the guest room for Alpha Sid ready?” I was helping my brothers get ready for the new White Ridge Alpha Sid Eld. Davy asked me to double-check the guest room.“Yeah, I just finished checking it. I wish we didn’t have to train a New Moon Alliance Alpha. It feels wrong.” It’s been a little over a month since that night, and I still haven’t slept right.“I would agree with you, but from what I hear, Alpha Sid is a total badass!” Cory walks up and plops down on the sofa next to Davy. I grab a chair across from them.“What do you mean, badass? That pack was evil and did horrible things. You both saw firsthand what the New Moon Alliance did.” I grit my teeth.Davy leaned forward, looking around and in a hushed tone, “Not Sid. When he found the raid group crossing his pack territory, he led them to the facility and fought his own pack members. Word is he was not happy with the previous Alpha and tried to report it but was stopped somehow.”“The Gamma from t
Chapter 8: Alone at LastSydney“Thank you. Um, I know everyone has so much to go over, but could Silas and I have a moment alone?” I just needed a moment to process. I can’t believe I found my mate.“Of course, you two just met. Silas, take Alpha Syd down the hall to the guestroom. You can talk there away from prying eyes.” Alpha Conor ushered us out.“This way.” Silas retook my hand. His hand was so big and warm. It was ruff and calloused from years of training. I could tell because mine are the same.As we walked down the hall, I couldn’t help but analyze him. He was taller than me by a few inches, with dark hair and dark eyes. His skin was sun-kissed for what I can only guess is outdoor training. He’s as big as any Alpha male I have ever seen. “Mate.” Thora just kept repeating it over and over.“We found him, Thora. Now, what do we do?”“We mate and mark him as ours.” Right when she said that, Silas pulled me into a guest bedroom.Wait right now! I don’t know what to do. I don’t w
Chapter 9: It's LumiereSilas"Sydney, I'm sorry." I am not exactly sure what I did to set her off, but she's clearly pissed at me. I grab her wrist, trying to get her to look at me.She shakes me off. "It's Alpha Syd. If you will excuse me, I have work to do."I just let her go. I felt like she would push back if I pushed any more, and I wouldn't like it. "Damn it. What do we do now!""We wait for her to cool down." Bram was more understanding than I expected. I needed some advice, and the one person I trusted most was my dad."Dad, you busy?" I mind-link him."In the Beta office with your brothers.""I'll be there in a second." I head over to the Beta office. It's weird now that it's not my dad's office anymore. Davy is a good Beta, but I think Dad was better. I don't knock; I walk in and plop down in a chair."Si, how's it going, son?""Yeah, how's it going, Luna." Davy could be such a jerk."Davy, knock it off. Your brother's rank is higher than you be respectful.""Dad, come on,
Chapter 44: Lupus ConstellationSydney“The same reason you didn’t leave, family. My father knew if he tried to run with us, my mother and I would be the targets, not him. So my parents devised a plan, one that saved many in our pack from the curse.” Pearl’s words hit me hard. My dad could have taken us and ran, and I could have run away, but family kept us anchored to the pack.“What was the plan? How can you avoid a curse?” More than the sting of being held hostage by family obligations, my curiosity about how they avoided the curse was higher.“My mother being a human, did not have the same obligation to the Alpha as us wolves. I was part of the pack already and had found my mate. She didn’t want to lose her family, plus she was getting older. She did reading after reading about pack members searching for anything for years. She started to piece some things together. Out of all the families in the pack, only 11 had futures of not being corrupted.” Pearl rubbed the back of her neck
Chapter 43: The Alpha Curse Silas “I understand now.” Syd’s voice is tender and soft as she looks into Pearl’s eyes. It makes me wonder if this is how she was with her mother. Pearl turns to look at my parents with a charming smile, “Beta Youngbloods, do you mind if I have a moment with the Alphas.” Before anyone could say a word in response, Syd replied, “they are family. If it’s important, I would like them to hear it.” I was shocked. I expected to be kicked out of the room myself for a second. In a gentle voice, I asked, “Syd, are you sure?” She didn’t answer in words, just a shy smile; I could see her eyes were glassy. “If that is what the Alpha wishes, I will oblige. I must warn you this is not a happy story, nor should it be shared outside of this room.” Pearl’s ominous warning sucked the air out of the room. We all took a deep breath. “Please, Elder Pearl, continue.” Syd sat up straight. If I couldn’t feel her emotions, I would think she was calm and regal looking, but I
Chapter 42: The Moon and the Stars Sydney I can’t believe what I just heard. Silas said he loved me and said it in front of his parents. I need to control my face. I know I’m grinning like a mad woman, but I can’t help it. This is not what an Alpha acts like. Ugh, why do I get like this around him? “Thora, help fix our face.” I plead with her because I know I look crazy right now. “I can’t. Do you feel that… coming through the bond? Hehe,” My wolf was making it worse. I’m in front of a high-ranking Beta couple, and I’m acting like a love-sick kid. “Get a hold of yourself,” I scream to Thora and me. Now I was just feeling embarrassed that I, an Alpha, was acting so ridiculous over a simple word. I stare at the bowl in front of me, focusing on the mashed potatoes. “Does it taste alright, dear?” I look up and see everyone staring at me. “Yeah, it’s great.” I quickly put my fork in my mouth. I feel like I’m going to explode from em
Chapter 41: What is that feeling Silas “I’m not ready,” Syd yells out; she has this deer in the headlights look on her face as she stares at Dad and me. The room is quiet for a moment, and Syd quickly turns a lovely shade of red. Dad lets me out of the headlock. I can tell mom and dad are linking each other because mom shrugged. I’m about to link Syd when mom strikes first. “Sydney dear, what are you not ready for?” Again, we all look at Syd, and I didn’t think she could get this red. “Ummm… ahhh…Ummm.” Syd looks at me in a panic. I link her, “You, OK? What’s going on?” “No.” She snaps back. “Well, answer her?” I’m not a mind reader, and if she wasn’t going to tell me what was going on, I could help. Her emotions are all over the place; there’s confusion, panic, and embarrassment, but I have no clue why. “Ummm… I’m not ready for you both to leave in a few days.” I feel a sense of relief coming off of Syd. I hone
Chapter 40: Monster Cookies Sydney “Is this really a good idea?” I whisper to myself as I slow my steps walking toward the packhouse kitchen. “Hurry up. Why are you so slow?” Thora tries to take over for a second. “Hey, knock it off. You just want to eat. Whatever she made is not going anywhere.” I push her back and maintain control. “You don’t know that. Beta Christine is nice, and she could have already given the good stuff away.” My mouth starts to salivate as Thora pushes forward again. “You are acting like a starving pup. We eat all the time.” I stop walking and stand still in the hall, taking back complete control. I’ve never put myself on a diet. With the consistent training and shifting, the need for calories was immense. Now with the added workload of the pack, I was eating even more, as they call it, brain food. “This is different. This is special. Just calm down, alright. Ever
Chapter 39: Father-Son Silas I clap my hands and yell out. “Alright, everyone, that’s it for now.” I start walking back up to the front where my dad is standing. “Remember tonight we are running drills in the forest.” Everyone groans. We need to run rogue attack simulations, so we don’t have the same thing happen again. No one died, but it was too close for comfort. Something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye. “Brain, I guess you decided to stop milking that near-death injury and come to training.” I chuckle and take a few steps over to the onlooker. “What can I say? The ladies love to nurse an injured hero back to health.” Brian gives me a smirk. I wanted to rip his head off when I got her, but that battle changed how we saw each other. “Seriously, how are you healing?” I place a concerned hand on his shoulder. Brain lifts his shirt, and I see stapled flesh. “Staples come out tomorrow. Doc said it was so deep and seriou
Chapter 38: Finding the definition Sydney “Alpha, aren’t you going to join your mate and his father at the training grounds?” Kyler looked up from his laptop. I sink back into my chair and let out a sigh. “No, I need to get caught up on pack business.” I’m behind on pack work because of my heat and the Lumiere ceremony. Now that the other Alphas have left, I can focus on cleaning this up again. Why did Silas’ parents decide to stay an extra few days? I always feel like I’m walking on eggshells around them now. “What was all that noise about at the after-party, Alpha?” Ambrose cranes his neck backward over the sofa to look at me. A sucker stick poked out between his lips. I know he’s being nosy and trying to act casual about it. “It was nothing. Don’t worry about it.” I don’t want to bring it back up right now. It still bothers me. I focus on the reports in front of me. “Nothing? You sure rushed out for nothing then.” Ambrose knows how
Chapter 37: A Family Matter Silas “Put a shirt on already. I’m sick of looking at that creepy mate mark.” Cody scoffed. "Shut up, Cody." I snarled. His attitude toward Sydney and I is really getting under my skin. "What are you, the little bitch's, bitch now?" Cody continued to mock and down his drink and slammed the glass on the table. I jump to my feet. "Cody, if you forgot, I outrank you now, so I mean it when I say shut the fuck up." I feel Bram pushing forward and my Lumiere Aura pushing out. "Uhhh... You!" Cody slumps down in his chair, trying to fight the pull. "Cody, bro, seriously knock it off. You are not just Silas' brother but the Gamma of our pack. So as your Beta, I'm telling you to stop now." Davy steps between us. Him being the oldest always trying to keep the peace. My blood is boiling. I’m doing everything I can to hold Bram back, but a big part of me wants to let him loose. "Grrrrrr..." Cody’s eyes fl
Chapter 36: Brothers Sydney “What?” Silas keeps trying to look at his own back. “Goddess, help me. I think his ceremony fired his damn brain.” I raise my head to plead with Selene herself. Watching him, I let out a sigh. “You look ridiculous. Stop it.” “Well, you said I had a star. I want to see it. Take a picture with your phone.” He spins around, and I swear Bram’s tail is out wagging. “Yeah, this damn dress has a place for pockets. I’ll do it later, but we seriously need to figure this out.” I pinch his arm to bring him out of his happy daze. “Ouch!” Silas rubs his arm. “What the hell.” “Silas! Focus!” My temper is starting to show. “OK. I’m sure it’s just part of the connecting pattern, and it doesn’t mean anything.” Silas waves me off. “I don’t think it’s part of the connecting pattern. I don’t know what it means if it means anything.” I sigh and turn him around to take a good look at his mark. It is pretty