Alpha Balin

BALIN

My Maserati MC20 glided to a stop in front of the Star Ocean mermaid center. I leaned back, studying the building’s facade.

“Are you sure you want to get a mermaid from this center?” Jarek, my Beta, asked for what felt like the hundredth time today.

I brushed off his question, my gaze still fixed outside. Lin, my wolf, simmered with unrest while my spirit remained battered and bruised. As the Alpha of the Boldbite pack since I turned 18, and now at 32, I still hadn’t found a mate. Crossing 30 without a mate was a dangerous threshold for a werewolf. Mates were ordained by the moon goddess, gifted with the power to rein in every male wolf. Any werewolf passing 30 without a mate usually succumbed to a wild transformation, becoming a rogue wolf. I had managed to contain it thus far, mainly due to my Alpha status. But my 33rd birthday loomed, and if I didn’t find a mate, the consequences weighed heavily on my mind.

Lately, I noticed my temper spiraling out of control day by day. Hence, the resolution to find a mermaid to mend my fractured spirit and soothe my tumultuous wolf. Mermaids could heal more than just wounds; they mended broken souls. If I secured a mermaid today, I could maintain my sanity even past 33 without a mate. With a mermaid by my side, I could master my self-control.

“Are you certain about this mermaid center? There was a scandal here earlier today, and rumors abound that the quality of mermaids is subpar. We should consider another mermaid center,” Jarek advised.

I shot him a warning look, prompting him to exit the car and open the door for me.

As my feet touched the ground, a splash of yellow liquid marred my sparkling white shoes. Lin, my wolf, howled in frustration.

“I am sorry, Alpha,” the man who caused the mishap begged in terror, quickly dropping to his knees.

“You miserable fool!” My growl rumbled as I surged toward him, only for Jarek to interpose himself, pushing me back with a strong grip on my shoulders.

“Leave, now,” he commanded the panicked man, who promptly fled the scene.

“How dare you?” My voice lashed out as I shoved Jarek aside, his body thudding against the car.

“Control yourself, Balin!” Jarek’s voice roared, a potent blend of authority and concern.

Beyond his role as my Beta, Jarek was my closest friend, granted the rare privilege to address me by my name. Others who dared faced swift retribution.

“Get a grip,” Jarek yelled once more, rising to his feet.

Taking a deep breath, I reigned in my urge to unleash chaos. Stepping into the mermaid center, Jarek shadowed me closely.

As we entered, an unsettling absence of welcome greeted us. “What the fuck,” Lin growled, mirroring my rising annoyance.

“Calm down, Alpha. They weren’t informed about your visit,” Jarek intervened swiftly.

I drew in a breath, silencing Lin and collecting my thoughts. The gate behind me swung open, revealing a trembling man, identified by Jarek as Alphonso, the center’s director.

“He must have seen my car outside,” I mused with a smirk.

My Maserati MC20 sports car was a rare sight within and beyond the pack. Its mere presence struck fear into hearts, much like me—dubbed Doom, the harbinger of death. Punishment, unfailingly, meant death. Hence, my pack christened me as such.

The man rushed over to stand before me, clearly overwhelmed by my aura.

“Welcome to Star Ocean Mer...Mermaid Home,” his words stumbled over each other, accompanied by beads of cold sweat.

Satisfaction warmed me, an unspoken pride in the fear I instilled. People’s trepidation before me was an odd source of gratification.

“Lead us to the mermaids,” Jarek instructed the man.

“The...the Alpha wants to see my mermaids?” he stammered, eyes wide.

“No, I want to adorn my mansion with your dead body,” I retorted, my expression unyielding, almost causing the man to soil himself.

“This way, Alpha,” he managed, guiding us toward a pool area.

“All the mermaids are here,” he announced as we reached a sizable pool, its waters home to various mermaid species.

“Their information is in here,” he added, bowing his head. He accepted a file from one of his staff and presented it to Jarek, who started perusing its contents.

“Alpha, I think...” Jarek began, but I cut him off with a gesture.

“No need for the files. I’ll assess them myself,” I declared, striding toward the pool. Jarek followed suit while Alphonso lingered at a distance, his anxiety evident.

As I neared the pool, mermaids congregated around, casting sultry glances my way. A green-tailed mermaid even tried to seduce me with her provocative movements.

I snorted disdainfully and averted my gaze, dismissing their attempts outright.

“Are these pests the only mermaids here?” I inquired, scanning the surroundings with a critical eye.

My gaze landed on a pool at the far end of the building. It was an eyesore, overgrown with weeds and teeming with dirt. I almost turned away, repelled by the neglect, until I spotted a figure within the pool. A closer look revealed it to be a mermaid.

“What’s her name?” I gestured towards the murky pool.

A scoff rippled through the mermaids below, hidden beneath feigned annoyance. Yet, the green-tailed mermaid, who tried to seduce me earlier, dared to scoff without restraint. I seized her throat, my grip unyielding.

“Have you no fear?” My growl resonated in the air.

“Balin, please let go of her,” Jarek’s voice reached me through our mind link.

“Don’t you dare boss me around,” I retorted to Jarek in my Alpha voice, my aura pulsating dangerously. The mermaids in the sea quivered, Alphonso and his staff knelt, and even Jarek bowed deeply.

“Alpha,” their voices chorused in unison.

My frustration simmered as I roughly released the gasping mermaid back into the pool. Turning back to the secluded mermaid, I demanded, “So? Her name?”

The director rose swiftly, rushing towards me with a palpable unease in his demeanor.

“Ma…Marilyn. Her name is Marilyn,” he stammered.

Jarek’s eyes narrowed, suspicion evident in his gaze.

“Is she not the one who’s been making waves on the internet?” he inquired.

“Yes, sir. She won’t survive more than five months. Her scales have deteriorated even further, and she’s not looking fit for sale. Shall we proceed to examine the other options?” the director asked.

“Provide me with her details,” I requested.

“Alpha, let’s inspect the other mermaids. That mermaid is too ugly even to be an inch near you,” Jarek mind-linked me.

I brushed off his suggestion and silenced his link.

“Her details,” I demanded from the hesitant director.

He hurried off, returning soon with a file he handed to Jarek. Jarek, in turn, presented it to me.

Opening the file, I gazed at the image of the most exquisite mermaid I had ever seen. The mermaids in the pool paled in comparison to her beauty. She had ebony hair with delicate strands of blue, a doll-like face, and deep blue eyes that mirrored the sea’s depths. Her scales shimmered with a golden hue, and her majestic tail was gold. Flipping to the next page, I read a bit about her background. Intrigued, I pointed to the secluded pool.

“Bring her to me immediately.”