OrionThe night had been a sleepless one for me, my mind filled with plans uncompleted, and questions concerning the woman–Hazel. Do whatever I can to clear her from my thoughts, her face remained, and the secrecy of her weighed continually upon me. It was only as I was dropping off to sleep that the moon climbed high enough to flood the forest with its light.Morning came too early in the form of a loud, incessant pounding on my bedroom door. “Enter,” I grumbled, voice ridden with grogginess.The door creaked open and my guard stepped in, his back straight and face stoic. “Alpha,” he greeted, bowing his head slightly. “The elders are congregated in the war room. They want to see you.”I groaned and sat up. “This early? Tell them to go away!” I grumbled like a petulant child pulling the covers over my head.“They are very determined to meet you now,” he answered. “They claim it is an emergency.”I sighed and waved my hand dismissing his interruption, “Alright! Alright! Let them kno
Hazel’s povI awoke that morning feeling the chill of the new pack’s land flowing through the tall windows of my room. The bed was luxurious, if nothing else, I thought as I stared up at the ceiling and let it all wash over me. Everything was new. The tension in my gut, the burden of not knowing what would come next, and most notable one—the isolation that swam around me—as I tossed back the silk sheets and stood.Today was the day. I mean, what would I do, stay in this room? There’s a big world out there. I had to go out there and know what kind of pack I had entered.I wouldn’t be able to do that in my room.Maybe I’d learn a little about the people around here, see where I was. The moon goddess knew everyone didn’t need to be treating me like a stranger. So maybe I would not look like one if I joined them and mingled with them.I quickly changed into something more comfortable, feeling the silky material of a black dress against my body as I exited the room.The halls were so m
Orion’s POVI soon found her outside the palace by the hall as she was on her own.I had gone around looking for her and after finding her, I was a bit mad at her for disappearing like that.“You,” I called to her as she turned to see me barreling towards her which somehow scared her but I didn’t care.“Alpha…” she was about to talk as I raised my hand to stop her from talking.“You’ve made this morning a bit difficult for me, haven’t you?” I asked in anger as she held back her breath while I closed the gap between us. “I went to your room and you were missing. What are you doing here? You think you’re a guest to leave and go wherever you want?”“Alph…” but I held my hand up to halt her from saying anything else.“Don’t even say anything,” I snapped. “Next time, I won’t be so nice. Get back to your room before the hospitality I have extended towards you changes toward hostility and stay there until I know what to do with you.”Because of her I had been in trouble with the elders. Di
Orion’s POVTheir movements were slow and predictable, their strikes landing with the force of a feather. It was pathetic.I could feel my insides crawling with what I was seeing.Were these the idiots who would defend my pack?I was shocked.“Excuse me,” I muttered, stepping away from the generals.Kael raised an eyebrow as I walked toward the training grounds, but he didn’t stop me. He knew better than to interfere when I was in this mood.I walked onto the field, my presence drawing the attention of the trainees. They froze mid-strike, their eyes wide as they realized who had joined them.“What..,” I said, my voice low and sharp, “do you think you’re doing?”The two men I had been watching exchanged nervous glances. One of them, a young warrior with messy blond hair, stammered, “W-We’re training, Alpha.”“Training?” I repeated, my voice rising slightly. “You call this training? You think swinging your swords around like that will prepare you to defend this pack?”The trainees shi
Orion’s POVThe man looked around nervously as he held up his drink.“I’ll be a bit sloppy because I've been drinking…”Before he could finish, I smacked the drink out of his hands and stepped up to him with a growl which had him shaking away from me.“I’m not here for games,” I said in anger. “You’re teaching my warriors how to be soft. That would not happen again. Now let me tell you what you are going to do next.”“You will walk away from here and head back into the pack. If I see you close to any one of my warriors teaching whatever fake nonsense this is, I’ll make sure you hang for this.”“ I’m only being merciful today because I’m not in the mood for drying anyone's blood, but make no mistake of repeating this stupidity.”I turned back to talk to the generals as the trainee started to laugh.This had everyone shocked as they stared at me with gasps.I turned back to the man who had made a stance in a bid to fight with me.“What are you doing?” I asked as he smiled.“I’m challen
Orion’s POVI watched the door open with the timid woman getting into the room.Hazel, my guest, showed up with a smile as she stood by the door.“Alpha,” she said as I waved for her to sit down.“Hazel,” I noted, watching her sit. “How is your stay at the palace going?”“It’s going well. I came to thank you for accepting me and tell you it’s been great staying here at the pack. The people here aren’t really… accepting but it’s been okay.”I smiled and leaned back in my seat. “Not everyone will welcome you to the pack but that’s where you make yourself at home and relax. How’s the umm…”I pointed to her belly as she held her belly with a laugh.“You mean, how am I doing with my pregnancy?” She noted as I nodded. “You can say the word.”I nodded. It wasn’t everyday that I saw a pregnant woman being jovial around me.“If you want to go back to your pack I can escort you personally to the place.”She looked scared for a second before getting back her bearings as she looked around the off
Orion’s POVI followed her a few steps away. Mara crossed her arms and stared at me darkly. “She is not coming along well,” she commented drily. “She knows nothing, absolutely nothing, worse still, she is so clumsy… an accident waiting to happen! Where did you find her?”I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. “I know it’s a lot to ask, Mara, but I need you to give it your best shot. She’s part of the pack now and we have to make room for her. It could be good for her—and good for us too.”“Good how, alpha?” She asked with raised brows. “She can’t even get anything right. I’m hurt watching her go around like she knows what she’s doing. Look at her. I’m pretty sure if we were at war and I asked her to hold up a spoon she would hold a tray instead.”I laughed at that but knew I was wrong for that. “It’s no laughing matter my alpha,” she chuckled as I nodded.“Look, I know but can you actually help her get better at what she’s doing? I don’t think she would get anything from being yell
Hazel’s povI was roughly shoved as the girls stepped back and stared at me with rage. The main girl, Lily, did a line across her neck to show me she would kill me if I said anything to her aunty.Mara entered and looked at the four of us staring at her as she raised her brows.“You girls look like you’ve been up to something,” she said while chewing on her gum.“Oh no aunty,” Lily rushed to her and hugged her before taking her bag. “Also, you didn’t tell us about this new girl joining us.”Lily was surprisingly chirpy that I was shocked this was the same chick who had tried to kill me seconds ago.I didn’t even know what to do. I could only pretend that all was well as I smiled at the healer who shrugged.“And why should I tell you I have a new student. You are learning your healing practice here and when you’re done you’ll be out of my hair like I promised your mother.”Mara then looked at me and waved to me. “How are you dear?”I nodded nervously. “I’m fine,” I said. “I’m only here
Orion’s pov"Everything's fine," I assured her, starting the car. "Let's go."I slammed on the gas as I drove off while the hum of the engine filled up the place with tense silence. My knuckles around the wheel turned white as I squeezed it and I frowned as I was focused on what I was doing.With time passing us I started to get even angrier and I hated it.“Orion,” her slurry voice came on as I sighed and growled. “Orion…”I couldn’t help myself any longer. “What?” I snapped at her.“I—I’m sorry,” she stammered, her voice small.I shot her a sharp glance then looked back at the road. “Stop,” I told her, my voice firm but controlled.She blinked, confused. “Stop what?”“It’s enough with the apology. You can stop,” I said with a snap with frustration in my tone. “I have so many questions but what I want to know is how you ended up being drunk in the first place.”Hazel hesitated, her hands twisting together anxiously in her lap. “I didn’t mean to,” she whispered.“Then what did you do?
Orion’s povHazel tugged my arm from behind “Orion, lets just go. Please.”I glanced back at her and tightened my jaw “Stay behind me.”One of the bouncers laughed, twirling his baton. “Big words when you’re outnumbered.”I stared at him and oozed as much Alpha into my stance as I could manage without tearing out of my skin.“You seriously don’t want to do this.”The leader of the group snorted. “We’re not scared of you. Now, are you going to come with us quietly and let us teach you a lesson, or do we have to drag you out?” I stepped forward, letting my growl echo out through the area. “Last chance. Move.”For a split second the bouncers hesitated, then they loomed in like wolves and I was moving faster than them.Using my heightened reflexes, I snatched the baton of the one closest to me as he tried to hit me with his baton, snapping it in half and tossing it aside with one hand. Hazel gasped behind me as I dodged a punch from another bouncer and kicked him down. “Anyone else?” I s
Orion’s povI couldn’t believe what I had heard him say as I tried to understand his words. “What did you say?” I asked with a frown.He chuckled, a low irritating sound. “If you’re so determined to find the outsider, what will you do when you have found her?”I took a menacing step closer to him. “That’s none of your concern, just answer the question. Where is she?”He shrugged, annoyingly unfazed by my mounting irritation. “She’s at a party.”This was crazy. Was he being serious now?“A party? What do you mean a party?” I couldn’t help but notice that my voice rose to a high point as I punctuated every word. “You’re joking with me aren’t you? Hazel would never leave the packhouse. She is supposed to be here. How could she be at a party right now?”He smirked and his gaze was unwavering. “Why don’t you ask around, Alpha, if you doubt me? I am a thousand percent sure you’ll get the same answer from the people.”Now I was losing my mind as I clenched my fists while trying to calm mysel
Orion’s povI was in my office going through some meeting with the elders who only yelled and talked about nothing that I would pay attention to if I was being honest. After their complaints, I nodded and told them I would fix it as they left the room.With a sigh, I leaned back and watched them leave as I looked at the time and sighed again.“Goddess, I hate this life,” I muttered as my wolf appeared before me and laughed.“Welcome to the life of being an alpha,” he said as I chuckled. “I don’t get it,” I said to my feet, walking to the large windows. “I understand that they don’t want me with an outsider but this is too much. The way they’ve been acting and treating me it’s been too much. They’ve been acting like I want to betray the pack.”“To be honest, if I were one of the elders and had no affiliation with hazel, I would want to get away too. She’s been labeled an outcast, she’s from the neighboring pack. We hate them and they hate us. We’ve been at war. What did you think was
Hazel’s povWhen Evelyn had mentioned the party to me earlier, I hadn’t known she was for real. I was in my room, combing through my wardrobe when she breezed in without knocking, a self-satisfied smirk spread across her face.“Sweetie stop whatever it is you’re hunting for in that cupboard,” she declared dramatically waving a paper bag.“I’ve got stuff. And believe me it's way cooler than anything you’re thinking about wearing.”“What are those?” I blinked at her. She walked over to my bed and dumped the bag on top of it. “Dresses. Party dresses. You’re not going out there looking like a librarian. You need to make an entrance.” But my clothes are good. There is nothing wrong with them.She laughed. “Let me see one of them.”I got to my wardrobe and got out a dress as I wore it and showed her which didn’t work as she laughed even louder.“What are you laughing for?”“I’m sorry,” she said before bawling out again. “Where did you pick that? The dumpster?”“I can tell you I went shopp
Orion’s povI was seated at the large oak table as I clasped my hands on my laps together. The elders who were around me with their voices raised were shouting about something that I rolled my eyes about but I didn’t care either way. One of the elders, elder Gerik’s voice, cut through the noise. “She doesn’t belong here, Orion. She’s a rogue. An outcast,” he said, his gaze hard.I didn’t respond immediately. I kept my eyes on the table, letting the words hang in the air. The room fell quiet, but only for a moment.Elder Alia chimed in, her voice cold and sharp. “We’ve tolerated her presence long enough. You cannot harbor a rogue in this pack. If we let her stay, others will come. We’ll be overrun by outcasts.”“And what are we supposed to do, send her away?” I asked, finally breaking my silence.Elder Gerik leaned forward. “Yes. She’s a threat. A rogue from Shadowclaw. She could be plotting something. You can’t trust her, Orion.”I looked at him with rage. If only I could tell them t
Hazel’s povIt started quietly, a few snickers here and there, but soon it grew louder and louder as I fumbled on. It was an ugly sound, one that made my face burn with shame. I wanted to shut it out. I wanted to focus on what I was doing and push through, but it only became more pronounced with every mistake I made. It felt like they were all staring right at me, seeing me for who I really was. A failure and an outcast.Mara’s voice cut through the laughter, sharp and cold as ice. “Hazel. What is this?” Disappointment oozed from her.I winced. I hadn’t been expecting that reaction at all.“I can’t believe it,” Mara snapped. “You didn’t understand a word of what I taught you in class. This is a basic healing technique and you failed it.”My heart thudded in my chest like an exhausted bird flapping its wings against a harsh wind. She was wrong—I had tried. I really had learned these techniques before. “Go sit down,” Mara ordered, her tone dismissive.I felt the breath sucked from my l
Evelyn’s povI left Hazel’s room with a heavy heart, my steps slow and deliberate as I made my way to my own room. My emotions were in turmoil, some of them beyond me, I couldn’t even put them into words. It wasn’t just the fact that Hazel had turned down my attempt at friendship. I had come to extend an olive branch, and she had shut the damn door. I had tried to be the better person but she’d seen right through it. And for some reason that hurt.Who did she think she was to act all high and mighty? Oh she was just trying out and she was thinking she was hotcake. I would show her what she was missing.When I got into my room, instead of finding a seat or attempting to clear my head I went straight towards the small table where tea was already being steamed down by one of my maids’.“Give me a painkiller,” I muttered to the maid as I dropped down onto the chair by the window. “And don’t give me anything weak. Give me something strong that will blot everything out.” I couldn’t keep up
Hazel’s povI got up from my bed slowly, resting my palm against the wood in front of me. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to see anyone today.But as soon as I opened the door, I saw Evelyn standing there in front of me, her body blocking my path. I stopped dead in my tracks.“Hazel,” she said as I shook my head and got back into my room. Before I could even step back to close the door, she was faster than I expected. She stuck her hand in the way just before the door slammed shut. The force of it made her wince slightly, but she didn’t pull her hand back. I noticed the way her hand immediately started to heal, the skin knitting back together, and the redness fading quickly as if she hadn’t even been hurt at all.Frowning, I couldn’t understand what she was doing here. “What do you want?” my voice came out both cautious and suspicious as all hell kept racing through my mind; What could she possibly want now?She smiled at me, but it didn’t reach her eyes. There was something about the way s