Chapter 4:

Alpha Selene.

Somewhere in Romania, near Bucharest.

As I observed the elegant ballroom, one could sense the air of sophistication and regal ambiance. The venue was magnificently decorated with lush draperies, ornate chandeliers, and glittering candlesticks. The walls were adorned with exquisite paintings, telling stories of grandeur and elegance.

"My lady, is everything okay?" Alpha Jackson's voice rang in my mind and I just nodded with a forced smile because my thoughts were elsewhere.

At 21, I was still unmated and I was beginning to think I was being punished by the goddess for my past sins.

I heaved a sigh while looking at the center of the room which was occupied by a grand dance floor. It is a vast expanse of gleaming hardwood, filled with elegantly dressed couples, gracefully twirling and swaying to the melodious tunes of a live orchestra.

How I wish I could dance like the ladies, I admired.

The guests were all dressed in their finery, flaunting their haute couture gowns, tuxedos, and suits. The women wore their hair elaborately styled, with sparkling jewels in their ears and around their necks. Men adorned themselves with silk ties, cufflinks, and polished dress shoes.

So no one amongst all these egotists Alphas is my fated mate?

I continued glancing at the ballroom, like someone who was looking for a needle in a haystack and it was buzzing with the hum of conversation, as my fellow guests mingled, chatted, and exchanged pleasantries. They spoke in soft tones, laughter, and chuckles, creating a pleasant and joyful atmosphere.

I looked around the room, and I noticed couples stealing kisses and whispering sweet nothings to each other, in the corners… scoffs, if you were to ask me.

They carried on clandestine affairs, and their behaviour added to the excitement and intrigue of the evening.

The waiters moved around the ballroom, offering the guests trays of exquisite hors d'oeuvres and champagne, serving them with utmost grace and elegance.

Such arrogant snobs, I sneered while pulling a face.

"Excuse me, can I have the bottle," I ordered a waiter who had a full bottle of champagne to give it to me and so he did.

I gulped down half the bottle at once then sighed heavily… goddess, wish me luck.

Dressed in a stunning silky long red evening gown that accentuated my ample curves, I made my way to the head table where the other Alphas sat. As I approached, I couldn't help but notice a gaze of a particularly arrogant Alpha male, who gave me a sly grin and muttered something under his breath.

At first, his utterance did not bother me but as the event carried on, the arrogant Alpha male continued to make suggestive comments towards my revealing dress, causing me to grit my teeth and clench my fists in anger. However, it wasn't until he made a crude comment about my exposed cleavage that I finally reached my limit.

Without warning, I stood up from my seat and made my way toward the arrogant Alpha male.

SLAP!!!

In one swift motion, I delivered a powerful slap across his face, causing him to stumble and fall onto the ground.

The full room fell silent as everyone watched in shock at what had just occurred.

"What the fuck was that all about?" He spat blood out of his mouth.

I knelt to his level and pulled out a handkerchief from the cleavage he had commented about and tossed it to him.

"Your words are not welcome towards me. Remember your place, or suffer the consequences." I stood up, my eyes blazing with fury as I spoke in a low and menacing voice.

The arrogant Alpha male chuckled evilly while rubbing tiny droplets of blood on his lower lip. "And your days are numbered in that little pack of yours." He said and I scoffed at his statement.

My pack was the second most feared in Serbia, so I don't think he knew what he was talking about.

"Clean up your blood from the floor... I wouldn't want you to slip on it and accidentally break your neck." With those words, I turned on my heel and walked away, my head held high and my pride intact.

Stupid useless mating balls... I gritted my teeth with a scowl as I stumbled dangerously on the hundred steps the manor had at its exit.

'Hana, Mia, let's get out of this place, I have had enough of these useless mating balls.' My mind linked to my strongest female Betas as I stepped outside the manor and a cold breeze embraced my body, I gasped.

'Is the mating ball done already?' Hana asked as she came racing in her wolf form from the dark shadows.

'I don't give a crap about these things. Let's just leave.' I lied to my Beta because I did not want her to think I was desperate to find myself a mate. My body contorted into its pure white wolf, reaping the dress I had on and letting out a long howl, signaling all my warriors who had accompanied me on this horrendous journey to Romania.

'I think someone must have pissed off the lady.' Mia came out in wolf form, running with ten of the strongest warriors who has accompanied us.

'Hahaha, very funny.' I faked a laugh and then composed myself. ' Let's get going before I reap out someone's heart.' I murmured and the warriors and I started on our journey back home. The moon was high in the sky, casting a silvery glow on the surrounding forest. My pack members were snarling and chatty about our trip, their spirits high despite attending another fruitless mating ball.

'Alpha, do you think the elders will be happy about your return without a mate?' Beta Mia ran on my left side of me.

'At this point, I don't care what the elders think about my relationship status, because I have been doing fine without a mate for the past two years.' I huffed and puffed with flared nostrils.

'But what about the blood bond initiation ceremony?' Hana, joined in the conversation as she ran to my other side.

'It is just ancient tradition that needs to be done away with.' I sneered.

'I don't think the elders will be happy about that new revelation.' Hana interjected then suddenly my nose gave attention to a strong coppery scent which immediately told me there was blood ahead of us.

'Warriors, be alert.' I ordered then slowed my pace as I scanned the dark forests of Romania.

'I think it's a rotting carcass.'Hana mindlinked but the scent was too strong and fresh to be a rotting carcass.

Hence I ordered my warriors to carefully scan the dark quiet forest until we stumbled upon a gruesome scene. A good number of dead bodies were lying before us, their members all executed and left without limbs to rot in the open. I felt a chill run down my spine as I analyzed the scene. I knew that all of the victims were my kind, werewolves like myself, but who could have done this?

I stopped in my tracks and glanced a few hundred meters away from where I stood and there lay a site of more havoc. The towering trees were uprooted and thrashed on the ground like broken matchsticks. Before the dead beasts and humans, the great timbers were nothing but looked like a pile of hauled twigs. There were also numerous deep talon marks in the bloodstained muddy ground, which seemed to overlap. A good number of craters marked the place where the ones who lost crashed on the ground with blood-drenched all over and let out their last breaths.

Oh, my goddess! My eyes widened with disbelief.

'What do you think happened here?' Beta Hana's mind linked to me with her jaws slightly opened as she scanned the ghastly area.

'This was either an ambush attack or an execution. warriors, search for any survivors.' I ordered and they all scampered in different directions.

May the moon goddess forgive whoever did this.

Small pups lay lifeless beside their parents and I could feel the tightness constrict in my chest as I struggled to hold back my emotion.

I tried to sniff out any scent of survivors, but all the members were long gone, to join our ancestors.

'Do you think it's the humans or the aquaphiles (water people) who did this?' Mia stopped in her tracks with a tear prickling in the corner of her eye.

'I don't think it's any of those, these injuries are those of our kind.' I responded.

'This is bad, how could they not spare the pups?' Mia bowed her head in solidarity.

'Alpha, over here. We found something.' one of my warriors called out to me and I rushed there.

'what is it?' I hastily made my way to the center of the commotion and there I found a Gamma whose intestines were outside as he gasped for his dear life.

Oh my goodness…I shifted back into my human so that I could communicate with him.

"My name is Alpha Selene Popovic of the Yellowstone pack, who did this to you and your people?" I lowered myself to the ground to get what he was murmuring about.

"Find Sebastian and Damon please." He murmured his last breath while tears trickled down his face and perished.

Who is Sebastian and Damon? The mention of their names felt familiar like I knew who they were. I cringed my eyes shut briefly then closed the Gamma's open eyes and transformed back into my wolf.

'Whoever did this is going to pay,' I mind linked in a low, calm voice. 'will track them down and make them answer to us.'

'My lady, but why should we get involved in other people's fights?' Hana inquired.

'Because the fleabags who did this could be coming after us next.' I hissed. 'So you are either with me or against me?' I snarled viciously baring teeth.

The members of my pack didn't respond with words, but their glows conveyed their agreement. All of them knew that this was a significant loss. The idea of not avenging the fallen innocent allies was not even an option.

Like who murders a defenseless pup?

As I and my warriors continued on our journey, we started gathering information, trying to find out who was responsible for the horrific massacre. And with every piece of information, we found, the rage inside of me grew. I learned that the pack's rival pack was led by an Alpha rogue with a notorious reputation for being brutal and unforgiving, and he had orchestrated the attack.

Reasons, I still didn't know.

The once joyful journey back home became darker, the atmosphere more tense. I and my warriors were determined to make a statement and do whatever it took to protect our pack from such an attack.

Finally, we approached our territory's boundary, and I caught a strange scent of men who were nearby. My senses went on high alert as I scented two distinct smells. One was a mix of sweet, musky, and floral scent, it reminded me of spring. while the other was a mix of cinnamon, moss, and pine, it reminded me of winter.

'Mine' I unconsciously snarled loudly as I felt a sudden strong pull towards the scent.

What is happening to me? I ordered my pack members to go ahead and search the territory as I followed my nose, and it led me deep into the woods.

My heart raced with each step I took closer to the scents, my world slowly fading away as I closed in on the scent. Finally, I came across two hunks who were lying on the ground. Their bodies, were badly injured, almost lifeless, and their clothes were torn and filthy but I did not care.

All I wanted was to kiss their filthy lips because I felt so drawn to them like a moth to a flame. My core throbbed at their pitiful sight.

'Mine' I growled menacingly, sending all the lurking critters away from the site.

***

Let me give you a little introduction to me.

I'm Alpha Selene Popovic of the Yellowstone pack in Serbia, the second most feared pack in the region.

My parents were assassinated by an enemy still unknown and I vowed to find their killer even if it was the last I do on this pathetic earth.

My love life was and is still a laughing stock because even after taking charge of the pack, the goddess never willed me my fated mate much to the displeasure of the elders hence the forced attendance to all mating balls in Europe.

Imagine my life… sighs.