_ Harry, 18 years old._
"Don't worry, Harry. Everything will be fine." "You have Alpha blood in you. No one else is more qualified than you." "Did you see his wolf?" "Praise the Moon Goddess. Your father has left the pack an heir! "Too bad your parents will never get to see your Alpha ceremony, Harry. They would be so proud." "He looks much older than his eighteen years. It will be easier to establish his authority over the pack." "The Red Moon is counting on you, Harry. "He's a little young, though, isn't he? Do you think he'll be okay? "His wolf is a real war machine, and they say he's already mastered it to perfection. "He's chosen a Beta already, you think?" "The rumors are that he chose Connor." "Connor? Yes, that would be a good choice. He'll make a first choice second in command." "Do we know how his parents...?" "A rogue killed his father. A treacherous attack. His mother's heart could not bear the pain of her mate perishing." "Moon Goddess, may she have mercy on them." "Isn't he too young?" Silence fell at once. Footsteps echoed through the great hall of the Red Moon pack house. All the wolves present bowed their heads to the aura of the Mad One. His mere name inspired fear; his presence, absolute respect. Magnus Black, the Alpha with the colossal black wolf, had been named the Mad One because of his murderous rages. He lived a reclusive life, jealously guarding the extent of his pack's territory. His appearances were so rare that some thought he was nothing more than a tale the wolves told each other on full moon nights. Harry had to lift his head slightly to get a better look at him. He was shocked to see such a tall person standing before him. Alphas were known to be taller, but the Mad One towered over them all. Black, dressed entirely in black in an elegant suit, moved in front of Harry. He had made an effort to shave to pay his respects. His jet-black hair was cut short, and the top had been combed back, but a lock fell elegantly over his forehead, accentuating his forest-green eyes. The young man with brush-cut red hair and emerald green eyes bowed his head in respect. Harry couldn't deny it. The Mad One was a completely different alpha than the others, and his power was so overwhelming that Harry struggled to breathe. Sweat was beginning to bead on his forehead, and his wolf was shaking and keeping his head down for fear of angering the black wolf. "Your name," the Mad One said. Harry gasped and cleared his throat before reaching forward with one hand. "Harry, Alpha Black." Black merely looked at Harry's open hand, placed in front of him, then turned on his heels to take a seat in one of the chairs reserved for Alphas. As soon as he sat down, a crowd rushed to greet him. Harry clenched his fingers together, red with shame at being so blatantly ignored in front of everyone. "Don't take it the wrong way, Alpha Harry," said a warm voice. Harry looked up at a man who was older than him and, more importantly, as tall as him. The stranger was a dark-haired man with brush-cut hair and chocolate eyes that sparkled with kindness. He extended his hand in greeting, and Harry was almost relieved to meet a friendlier person after his brief exchange with the Mad One. "I'm Beta Duncan," he chirped. Harry's eyes widened at this, and then a genuine smile played across his lips. "Alpha Black's second-in-command," the young wolf said, looking at Duncan with admiration. "Himself. Like I said, no offense. My Alpha isn't the talkative type, and I'm surprised he even bothered to come and greet you. You should feel flattered," Duncan explained warmly before turning his head toward his Alpha. "Besides, if you watch closely, you'll see that he won't bother to exchange words with the others. Harry merely looked at the palm of his hand, not understanding why the Mad One had refused to shake it. Duncan noticed his gesture, leaned forward, and whispered, "Don't take it the wrong way. Alpha Black makes a point of not touching anyone. Not many people can handle his physical contact because of his wolf. I can even say with certainty that your wolf would have hated his touching you. Duncan tensed suddenly, then laughed awkwardly. "Ah. I've said too much. If I may, Alpha Harry," he said, holding out a white envelope with a black wax seal. "My Alpha is calling me. See you later." Harry merely nodded as he slipped the envelope into his pants pocket. Once the funeral ceremony was over, Harry went to his father's office. He sighed deeply. Everything here reminded him of his parents. He subconsciously expected the door to open suddenly, letting the heavy tread of his father's boots echo through the room, followed by his mother's joyful laughter. Harry shook his head and sat in the big Red Moon Alpha chair. He let his neck sink into the dark red leather and took deep breaths as his lungs filled with the still-present smell of his father. In his mind's eye, he could hear his wolf mourning their parents' loss. Harry didn't let his pain show, so his animal side cried for them both. They would have to be strong now. They would have to be worthy of the Alpha position they had so tragically inherited. Alone. Harry shook his head, remembering the letter the Mad One's Beta had given him. Then he pulled it from his pocket and hurried to open it. _Tomorrow night. 11. Crossroad Café. Alpha Black._ Harry smiled amusedly at first. Even in writing, the Mad One was a man of few words. Then he frowned. Why did he want to meet him? The next day, without saying a word to anyone, Harry went to the meeting place in his wolf form. He stopped many times, still recognizing the scent his parents had left so no one would get lost along the way. He wanted to howl at the moon to let his sorrow explode. But he held back, ensuring no one would suspect that he was missing from his pack. How many times had he been to the Crossroad Café with his parents? This place, so full of treats and laughers in his childhood, seemed to him today to be loaded with the most precious memories of his life. But tonight, this place of rest would take on its primary role: where all creatures can gather to discuss around a table without being threatened. The Crossroad Café stood before him, simply lit by a few rays of moonlight. It was an impressive three-story wooden cottage with pristine white walls. On the other hand, the vast windows were dressed with engravings of wolves, stars, ivy, and moons. On a large panel, a black wolf howling at the moon stood under the name of the Café written in neon yellow. Harry began to climb the three steps to the large terrace before the entrance to the Café. Then he stopped when he smelled tobacco on the side. He turned his head and relaxed as soon as he recognized the person sitting on a rocking chair. "Crazy night, isn't it, Harry? Ah. Excuse my clumsiness. Alpha Harry," greeted the old man, who continued to rock quietly. He wore an old cowboy hat while a long braid hung over his shoulder. He was dressed in simple jeans, a white shirt with colorful ethnic patterns, and brown leather boots. His skin was tanned from years of exposure to the sun, making it impossible to give him an exact age. "Good evening, Old Al," Harry replied, smiling at him. Once again, Harry felt reassured by the presence of the Wind Tribe leader, the founder of the Crossroad Café. He could rest assured that nothing would happen to him in front of the Mad One. "You can come in," Old Al said, taking a drag from his cigarette. "Has the Mad One arrived yet?" asked Harry nervously. Old Al laughed softly and shook his head no. "Alpha Black isn't here yet, and I can guarantee you would have felt him if he was already inside." Harry nodded at Old Al again, then headed inside.Harry entered with a determined step. He was reassured to know that the Mad One had not yet arrived. "Hey, Harry, hi! Welcome to the Crossroad Cafe!" the two young Wind Tribe members said in unison. The brother and sister standing in front of him shared some common features. They both had wavy black hair and brown eyes that shone with kindness. They wore a black T-shirts with the Café logo. The young man had dark jeans, while his sister wore a long skirt with ethnic patterns. She had a ring on each finger. "Aiyana! Mat!" greeted Harry in turn. The Red Moon Alpha hurried to the bar, where his friends, with whom he had played so much as a child during his visits to the Café, were standing. "We'll have to be careful what we call you from now on," Mat said, patting Harry on the shoulder. The redhead took a seat in one of the high chairs at the bar and grinned brightly as Aiyana placed a bowl of vanilla ice c
The door slowly opened, creaking through the silence of the night, before the Alpha Black slowly entered the building. He wore only a pair of pants that he had put on after returning to human form and walked past the other two Alphas without glancing at them. Then he sat on a chair at the end of the table and waited. Wayne patted Harry on the shoulder and motioned for him to sit to the right of the Mad One. Finally, he took a seat on his left and waited. However, Wayne's wolf sniffed curiously at Black but remained silent for fear of angering the black wolf. Wayne flinched when he noticed the Mad One staring at him. Then he shook himself and cleared his throat. "Well, Harry. I don't suppose your father ever told you about this because it's a secret of the utmost importance. We need to take... well, I need to take the time to explain to you why you are here tonight. But also why the Red Moon Pack and the Serene Moon Pack exist," Wayne bega
Harry remained silent, completely shocked by the announcement Wayne had just made. How could this be? He was the descendant of a long line of Alphas. And yet, he couldn't deny it. His wolf was submitting to and recognizing the authority of the Mad One. "Out," Alpha Black merely articulated with a deep sigh. He got up from his chair and walked out unceremoniously, keeping his hands in his pants pockets. Harry and Wayne stood up and followed him. "Go to the back. You know where to go, Alpha Black. No trouble at the front of the Crossroad Café," Old Al announced calmly. The Wind Tribe leader had not moved and continued to smoke quietly as he leaned back in his chair. Black merely nodded, then moved with a firm foot toward the backyard of the Café. The other two Alphas followed him but kept a distance of five meters behind him. Wayne put a brotherly hand on Harry's shoulder, then laughed softly.
They didn't have time to continue their exchange when they both cried out in pain. They hadn't had time to see the Mad One running toward them, nor had they been aware of the danger. It took the powerful impact of Alpha Black's fist against their ribs for them to realize what they were in for. Till rolled to the side and hit the trunk of a tree. The impact was so brutal that the wolf's body shattered two more trees in the process. He immediately sat up, shaking his head to regain his composure, when he felt a hand on the back of his neck. A small bark of surprise left his mouth as he felt himself lifted into the air and launched again toward the center of the field. "Gee, I never thought I'd see a wolf fly in my life," commented Old Al, handing Wayne a beer. "I didn't either. Thanks for that, Old Al," Wayne replied, patting the dusty ground beside him. Alo gave him an amused look, then sat on the ground while he lit another cigarette. "Don't mess i
Harry was lying on his back, his lungs were on fire, and he was coughing from the heavy impacts on his ribs. He turned over onto his stomach, propped up on his elbows, and spat blood into the dusty dirt of the vacant lot behind the Crossroad Café. "I think that's enough for tonight. A year that I've been training you, and you're nothing like you were when I said I'd take care of you," Wayne said warmly as he pulled on his red and white plaid shirt. Harry let his forehead fall to the floor. With every exhale he made, dust rose from his nostrils and his eyes burned from the intense perspiration of physical exertion. "I know I can do more, Alpha Wayne," Harry said before grunting under the pain. The healing power of his wolf was in full swing, and the now nineteen-year-old could feel his ribs repairing and repositioning themselves in his rib cage. "Oh, I'm sure you can do more. But there's no need. You gave us a hell of a hand during the harvest. The omeg
Wayne had leaped forward and caught the girl before she fell to the ground. His eyes went wide, not understanding why his body had reacted so quickly to a woman who had no connection to him. Then he was startled when he saw Harry beside him. "Holy crap, it's Jane!" the young wolf declared. He had recognized her from sometimes playing with her when they were kids. "Let's hurry and go into the Café and call for help." When they reached the front of the Café, Old Al was already waiting for them there and beckoned them inside. "I've already called Alpha Black. He's on his way," said the Wind Tribe leader as a golden glint shone in his eyes. Old Al pointed to one of the large couches near the large fireplace, but the girl let out a howl of pain as she clung desperately to Wayne. "I know this is uncomfortable for you, Alpha Wayne, but it doesn't look like she wants to let go," Al said simply, placing a hand on Jane's forehead. The Wind Tribe leader close
Harry, 20 years old, Southern United States. The shadowy figure of young Alpha slipped through the woods without making a sound. Then, when he finally heard the muffled sound of voices, he stopped walking and raised his fist in the air. The two warriors of his pack, whom he had chosen to accompany him, stopped in their turn. They were fully clothed in the black combat gear provided by the Council, evidence of the mission's sponsor. On their chests was embroidered the badge in black thread: the letter C in Gothic lettering planted by six swords. The six swords represented the six significant races on the Council: vampires, witches, werewolves, elves, mermaids, and fairies. At first, dragons sat in the place of fairies. But, these creatures had chosen to give up their position since they were very few and had much more secrets than all the others. However, its voice had absolute priority whenever a dragon appeared before the Council. Since drag
Harry was revolted by what he had just heard. The massacre had not occurred because of a quarrel or prejudice. It was simply because of a piece of gossip. Those vile leeches had stuffed themselves as if they had entered a buffet and tortured their victims. He had had enough. He had been chasing them for too long. And, it had taken him too long to find the trail that would lead them to them. "Stay at your stations," he ordered, using his Alpha command. The two warriors with him immediately complied with the order, even though they hated the possibility of being unable to move if their Alpha was attacked. Alpha's command was a total order. No wolf who had sworn loyalty to his pack leader could oppose it. Harry rose to his full height and walked calmly toward the three vampires. When the three culprits saw him approaching, their eyes turned black. Long, sharp claws quickly took shape as fangs descended from their lips. Harry and Ti
The vampires stiffened at the mention of Emmanuelle's beloved's first name. The young blonde woman had burst into tears again, closely followed by Bianca. Augustin looked back curtly as he saw a blood maid standing in the doorway. She shyly held in her hands a square black wooden tray on which rested a box of tissues as well as a carafe of water and crystal glasses. Typically, the ancient vampire would never have tolerated such an intrusion into his family sphere. However, he had to admit that the gesture was thoughtful, and the two women in front of him were particularly boisterous. "Thank you," he said to the servant, and she disappeared as quickly as she had come. "Does Ari even know?" asked Bianca. Emmanuelle was at a loss for words and shook her head to say no. She rose from her rocking chair. "Damn, when I thought I'd said as a joke that you could take nine months to make a baby! If I could do that with the lottery numbers, it would make my life so much easier," Bianca
Emmanuelle, diligently knitting a child's bonnet, was startled. She was sitting on a rocking chair, enjoying the cool morning air and the song of the cicadas. She was stunned to see Bianca in the doorway.How could this be? She should have heard, even smelled, Bianca coming.The young brunette woman had rushed headlong towards her best friend, staring at her from head to toe.Emmanuelle gently placed her red woolen book on the oak coffee table beside her. But she remained silent.Of course, this moment would come sooner or later. But Emmanuelle had hoped to delay it as long as possible for fear of Bianca's reaction.Emmanuelle was still thinking about her best friend's lecture on contraception. But how could she have known then that she was actually able to get pregnant without a complete bond?Augustin's hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. Obviously, the former vampire had done this on purpose. It would have been inconce
"Ouch!" Augustin had unintentionally crashed into someone while carrying several cartons of paper. It was when he'd backed up, and especially thinking he was alone in the office, that the accident had happened. The ancient vampire froze, then quickly turned his head towards the person. He was surprised to see Bianca rubbing her nose. The young woman had come in and tried to cover her eyes to play a trick on him. On the other hand, she had made a maneuvering error, and his best friend's father had moved much faster than expected. He was completely stunned. It was the first time in his long immortal life that a living being had been able to approach him without him being able to detect its presence. He squinted for a moment, searching for some hidden power within Bianca, but nothing. The young woman's heart was beating normally. Her big, caramel-colored eyes had that human life and light in them. And it was only after a draught of air entered the room that Augustin could smell the s
Before Harry knew what was happening, he was back in human form. He soon found himself lying on his side, in a gun-dog position.His breathing was ragged from the rapid, forced metamorphosis imposed by the Mad One's order, while a sense of emptiness gradually invaded his mind.Memories flooded back like a burst dam, and he felt a lump in his throat.However, he didn't have time to react as Black threw a pair of black gym shorts at him.It was Wayne who'd been in charge of quickly fetching clothes the second he'd seen the Mad One revert to human form."Stand up," Black ordered once he was clothed himself.Harry had struggled to his feet and dressed himself, keeping his head down. His body had begun to shake as memories returned more clearly, and he managed to organize his thoughts.The young Red Moon Alpha had to clear his throat again and blink rapidly to chase away the emotion gripping his heart.When he
The red wolf trembled from head to toe as the black wolf circled him. The disapproving growls of this fantastic beast with glowing red eyes left no doubt as to what it thought of Harry. Why did we swear to protect him?" growled the black wolf to his human counterpart. "Because he's alone," Black replied coldly, without trying to say anything more. He already knew what Harry's wolf was thinking, and he suspected perfectly well what would happen next. _He's not alone! He's got a Mate!" barked the black wolf, still showing his fangs in his mind, but also to the two trembling Alphas in front of him. Black merely sighed. His wolf was as stubborn as he was, and he knew perfectly well that his wolf would still go after Harry no matter what he said. And this wasn't even for valid reasons, but simply because he was jealous that the red wolf had been rewarded with a soulmate before him. "He's alone," Black repeated. The black wolf's growl had grown even m
Harry had seen Alpha Black's face gradually take on the appearance of a wolf with fur as black as a moonless night. This should never have frightened him so much. However, what should have been a commonplace occurrence in a werewolf's daily life had turned into a horror movie for the young man. Had it been any other wolf, Harry wouldn't have cared a lick about it. Yet he never thought he'd have to deal with the Alpha Black wolf himself. During their training sessions, the Mad One had always made sure he had the upper hand over his animal side for fear that his wolf would try to hurt the young man. Now, for the first time in his life, Harry found himself face to face with the great black wolf. The fear he felt was so great that he felt as if everything frightening he'd experienced up to now had been a walk in the park. The Mad One's bones had cracked in transformation, while his skin was covered in a long coat as black as night. A menacing growl arose, amplified by the spherical sh
Harry was now sprawled on his back. His arms stretched out crosswise to his sides. His nose was bleeding from the kick he'd received in the face, and he had to cough to get rid of the blood filling his throat. The young redhead let out a pained groan as Alpha Black lifted him by the hair. Harry's usually well-groomed brush cut had grown long enough for the Mad one to grab it quickly. Alpha Black lifted Harry so that he was at eye level and stared at the young man in front of him. He wanted to see Harry's healing speed and was shocked at how slowly his wolf's power was working. This confirmed that the red wolf was dormant, and Black knew he had to act quickly if Harry's animal side was not to sink too deep inside him. The Mad One knew perfectly well what it felt like to be deprived of his animal part. He couldn't even tell the last time he'd been able to talk to his own wolf. Despite Black's pleas, the animal remained walled in silence, communicating only by growling. Despite his
Witnesses who had seen the scene had tried to follow them, at first squealing with delight. They all felt happy and reassured to see their Alpha fit enough to go out. However, when they finally became aware of their pack leader's posture, they finally realized that something was wrong. Worse still, they had begun to cry out in horror at the sight of the Mad One heading straight for the arena. The Red Moon pack's telepathic link had been flooded with warning messages and cries for help. Beta Connor, who had spent the day organizing meetings with other packs, had lost his balance and abandoned whatever he was doing to rush out. The pack's collective panic had prevented him from thinking calmly, and his body was now only acting automatically. He had shouted to the soldiers and guards positioned at the borders of the pack's territory to join him as quickly as possible. Alpha Black tossed Harry's body without a moment's hesitation. He remained completely indifferent to the growing crow
Harry slowly opened his eyes. He had to blink several times to adjust his vision to the blinding brightness of the room. The young Red Moon Alpha had no idea where he was or what he was doing there. He took a few deep breaths and recognized the aseptic smell of disinfectant so characteristic of hospitals. Then, at last, the sound of machines reached his ears, and he became aware of the plastic tubes to which his body was connected. "Till?" whispered Harry. He couldn't understand why he was in a hospital bed or why his wolf's power hadn't been enough to heal him. It wasn't right that he should be placed in a condition where he had to be bedridden. Nervous spasms moved his facial muscles as he gradually became aware of his wolf's silence. Alone. A feeling of anguish gripped the young Alpha's heart as that single word echoed in his mind. He was alone again and unable to contact Till. But he had something else. So it wasn't just Till's lack of response that paralyzed the young Alpha