Chapter 1- A Legend

“Denise! Where are you?” Sydney yelled from the other line. 

The woman with long curly dark bluish hair just laughed while wearing her knee-length boots. “On the way, Syd.” She clicked the red button on her phone and hurriedly locked the apartment. Slipping on her brown leather jacket, she was all wearing dark with an army green toper. Walking out of the building, her gaze quickly landed on the vehicle parked at the garage. Kawasaki Ninja 400. ‘Pave the way, baby!’

           

Maneuvering her black shiny motorcycle on a cold night is the best thing she would never get tired of doing. Meeting the freezing breeze on the empty road slapping her exposed skin. Her speed increased breaking the silence of the night. Memories five years ago flashbacked in her mind.

‘‘Catch that brat!”

“The arrogant Shadowstone escaped!!!”

“Sarjao! She got the emblem.”

The university raged in chaos as they noticed the white wolf’s emblem gone missing. It was a stormy night, just after the end of their ten years in the academy. Denise was kicked out a few days before the university’s convocation. The professors declined Denise’s ascension to being her pack’s alpha. Afraid of her reigning like what happened to the first female alpha who leads a battalion of warriors, clashed with vampires to fight for peace, lost more than a million werewolf population of the whole Claveria Haltera.

“Find her!”

“The patrol saw her went through the gate.”

Believing in Otrus’ ancient legend, a female who became an alpha will be waging a war. Thus, hindering Denise from getting the white wolf’s emblem leading the path to the scroll of the Venturi’s, a legendary clan possessing the knowledge of the entire Claveria Haltera’s history that has been twisted and erased throughout the years, kicking her out would be the best choice for them before everything gets too late.

With loud clashing of thunders in the lightning-filled sky, Denise was walking head held high. Her right hand dripping blood clasping the gem-like emblem shaped like the flower of Celosia Cristata surrounded with tiny thin thorns that could literally prick someone by just touching the emblem. Her sword on the left clangs as it hits every gap on the brick pavement.

She successfully obtained the emblem that Laxon University was keeping away from her. Unaware of the emblem’s usage, she’d rather take something that symbolizes her completion in the academy rather than nothing.

“Seriously, Denise? Twenty minutes? You made me wait twenty minutes! Do you know I shouldn't have waited that long just for a mere cyclist?” 

            

She just shrugged on her friend’s acting, parking her vehicle by the Rigidore’s parking lot. Denise took off her helmet allowing her long flowy hair to dance with the breeze cooled off by the lake nearby. 

             

Tucking her cold hands on her leather jacket and walk straight to the bar’s entrance. With her friend catching up on her fast walks, “By the way, have you received the pack’s letter?” 

Denise nodded, “That’s why we're here, right?”

“Is it? I thought we're just gonna celebrate your successful escape from the academy? Happy fifth year escaping anniversary!” Sydney sneered.

“Ahh yeah, I forgot. We're here also to celebrate you,” Denise pointed to her. “Running away from your marriage.”

           

Bouncer just nods at them as if they were a regular customer of that bar. ‘Rigidore’ is a place where ordinary humans were unaware of who and what they’re dealing with. Once you step into this place, your identity will be hidden from other creatures no matter what kind of ability they have and only the anonymous owner of this place will know who and what was entering her place.

           

Rumors say that she is a sorceress who once dreamed of peace but failed and then kicked out of Claveria Haltera, a world that was only in legends and folklore but turns out to exist, where mythical and legendary creatures prevail. So, she created a place where any creature was welcomed.

But in exchange, a pill for every visitor was given. And that makes them mere humans once they enter Rigidore. Random creatures can be inside without letting any information about their identity leak. Vampires, faes, werewolves, witches, and sorcerers. 

“Shadowstone pack, eh?” Sydney winced, reading the letter her friend handed to her. Crossing her exposed legs due to wearing shorts and leaning on the backrest.

Two shots of tequila were placed in front of them. Sydney Darlia wasn’t one of Denise’s pack members, she escaped from the Nightwinder Pack. Running away from her family who keeps on forcing her to be the sacrificial mate for their alpha’s son. 

“Father asked me to come back,” she sighed.

“Come back? What if the university was still hunting you?”

“No doubt, I still have their precious emblem. I thought about it a million times, whether to throw that thing away or just keep it.” 

Denise finished one shot with one gulp. Staring at the crowded dancefloor with blinding neon lights on every corner. Loud music filling the entire place, wasted people all around. Sydney tapped Denise’s shoulders before transferring to another table knowing her friend, who carries the world every time, would do nothing but sit and silently deplete a bottle of red wine. 

She just rolled her eyes, inferring the obvious act her friend Sydney would do. What would a naturally born she-wolf gifted with a talent called ‘flirting’ do? Of course, she’ll sit where nice-looking men crowd. Tss.  

Werewolves learn shifting at three. Trained at five depending on ranks and positions. In Denise’s case, a woman wasn’t allowed to train as an alpha in a typical academy. Laxon University was the only option for her, this academy was built for the descendants of those high-ranked beings in the entire Claveria Haltera. With advanced and murderous training, bloody drills, and intense discipline. 

          As for mates, werewolves usually start searching as they hit twenty. Mostly were mated to werewolves in a different pack. But others in rare cases were mated to witches, faes, and most unfortunately, to disgusting bloodsuckers.

Finding your mate was the very first thing every wolf would do. But Denise was an exception. She would rather roam and explore around than waste time finding her mate and getting into trouble for herself. 

“Look who’s here, the famous arrogant Shadowstone that burned down Laxon a few years ago,” a husky voice sprang up on her side, shocking her. 

          ‘Isn’t it Rigidore was protected with a spell? How come this creature still recognizes me?’ she asked herself.

“Surprised? Obviously, this weak spell wouldn’t just stop me.” The man proudly leaned on the backrest as he snatches the bottle of wine in Denise’s hands. He sat pompously beside her and simply glided his arms on her waist making Denise grin in annoyance.

She slowly faced the man. Traveling her sight on his perfectly carved jaw, red luscious lips going up on his detailed green eyes. This one’s not bad at all. 

“Rocco, Sarjao’s son if you don’t recognize me,” the hot guy whispered seductively.

“Oh, Sarjao… how could I forget that sly wicked old man,” she nodded in realization.

          Rocco was one of the male wolves who used to put stones on her bag during training, causing her to fall and stumble every time. Sarjao was their pedagogue on combat training. He was known for his brutality, Denise suffered under his strings.

She endured how Sarjao commanded her to run across the gushing river with piles of stones on her back. Treating Denise unequally from the other wolves, disregarding her gender. 

Punishments were given to her three times more severe than the others, it’s like ten years spent on the pit of fire. All the other preceptor of the university was against her entering the academy. Performing all the worst ill-treatment and punishment they could do to make the girl give up her goal. 

“We spent five years hunting you down,” Rocco laughed uncontrollably, facing Denise who just stares blankly at him. “I just realized the reason why we can't find you all over Claveria, it is because you were not there. Why I didn’t think of this earlier?”

He laughed hard as if he lets out a funny joke. Irritated, Denise wiped off a few drops of saliva that spewed out of Rocco’s mouth to her face. She twisted his arms encircled on her waist in a flash, replacing Rocco’s laughter with a groan in pain. 

She brought her head closer to him and let out a creepy laugh. “A message for your beloved Sarjao, I am so glad to hear that you are still looking for me after all these years. You are after the emblem, right? Then you should send someone who’s much more capable of taking me down. I am so disappointed for sending me the worst wolf they can send. Greetings from somewhere, the arrogant Shadowstone.”

She steps back with a victory smile plastered on her face, she stood up confidently and walked as if she were on a runway. “Bye-bye, Rocco Saavedra.”

Not looking towards the way, she bumped into someone. She was about to apologize but stunned as their eyes met, sparks and sudden unexplainable feelings exploded. Seems like everything froze and that only the two of them were the ones left standing and breathing, listening to each other's banging heartbeats.