CHAPTER TWO - THE MAD-ALPHA

VALENTINA

PACK OF LORE

I had heard so many rumours about the pack that belonged to the insane Alpha Lucean. A man who had laid siege to my pack for thirty-two nights, only retreating and going into a crazed rampage to murder a dozen of his own sentries when the harbinger had told him he had lost his wife and son during a complicated birth. He was the sole survivor of his bloodline, having no siblings and no mention of his parents.

If he hadn’t killed them also that is.

It was hard for me to forget the face, the face that attacked my pack and weakened my fathers wolf before turning back, covered in the blood of his own men he had mercilessly killed in his insanity which then dubbed him the name, mad-Alpha.

It was said that once an Alpha loses his Luna he also loses his mind. Like a part of him is lost with her, worst when he loses a child along. The face of Alpha Lucean had been carved into my thoughts, the red glint in his eyes that’s fateful night he attacked my pack, his wolf pouncing over my father as both Alphas locked canines and claws. I could never forget, he was responsible for my fathers downfall to Alpha Ryker, had he not attacked my pack and weakened my father Ryker would have never won the brawl and seized power.

It was like both Alpha had worked together to bring down my father but at the same time one deranged Alpha was saving me from the other.

**********

When I wake I’m in a brightly lit room. A cast secured around my right ankle. I was alone. My memories a murky blur that only seemed like a bad dreams and eve made it harder for me to remember.

The was not my room, or was this my pack. My heart rose when I realized I might have been captured by Ryker but I quickly realized that would not be possible because Ryker would care less to put a cast around my broken ankle.

Then his face came to my mind, as clear as it had been the moment the moonlight had shun upon it. The glint in his eyes, the deathly glare. The blood that had been on his jacket from the guard he had killed in less than a second. And my blood chilled to ice.

I had been captured by the mad-alpha.

Pain stabbed all through my body when I pushed myself to my feet, almost falling over when the cast touched the ground but I managed to hold my balance. A key stuck out from the door lock and I wanted no time in making for the door where I twisted the key shut and as soon as I did that the voices from the other side stopped,

I shuddered when someone banged harshly on the door.

“Valentina!” His voice was rash, his tone impatient but it was him, I’d recognise the voice of the mad-alpha even in my most lucid mares.

The windows were closed, their glasses fogged from the blizzarding snow outside which only meant I was a long way from home.

I pushed one window open, and the cold air rushed in, biting the bruises on my face and almost making me change my mind but he remind me—

“VALENTINA OPEN THIS DOOR NOW!”

I gasped in horror, he was barely making meaningful words now, his voice a deadly enraged growl.

The moment I stuck my face out the window I realized there was only one way, up. I stared down over a hundred feet to the snow below, surprised at how high I actually was.

My heart thumped in my chest, my breath hot in my throat as my eyes stung with tears because of the sudden cold. The fear in me so livid I shook all over and almost lost my grip on the roof gutter railing, wincing when the metal sliced into my palm.

Once I was on the roof I realized what a bad idea this was. The cold numbed my fingers so I sat tucked, my knees to my chest with my hands holding my legs, in order not to be blown off by the howling winds.

I heard the door barge open, accompanied by a rampage of heavy footsteps in the room I once was.

“WHERE IS SHE?!!” The mad-alphas voice rumbled in his throat when he spoke, his aura terrifying me even if I knew there was no way he could get me up here.

I has lost everything, my pack, my parents, it was just a matter of time, I knew I was going to die anyway and at least I wanted to choose which way I would go, either in there with the mad-Alpha, in the hands of Ryker or out here in the cold. And the old did not seem so bad after all.

The world I knew before felt so distant now. Like a happy dream that I had woken up from, coming back to me in vague and murky pieces.

The blizzarding winds had obscured my vision so much I had no even noticed a second person had joined me on this roof.

He looked like he was just about the same hulking size as the mad-alpha, but he did not have a thick beard and mop of unkempt hair.

He proceeded to not only stare but sit opposite me.

Tucking my legs further up my chest was only a natural reaction while my eyes remained fixed on this man’s face.

“Trust me, you’d feel a lot more comfortable inside. There’s food and a heater to keep you warm.”

Wolves did not need to warm up, natural so, we were immune to icy cold and could adjust in searing heat but those changes only occurred once we have shifted. Someone like me who was yet to discover her wolf was still very vulnerable.

“Why?” I asked him. “Why are you doing this?”

He blinked as if my question had been so strange.

“I’d answer all your questions when you come inside.” He said stiffly, dark eyes trained on my face and though he was the mad-Alpha I still felt very much threatened by his presence.

When I did not answer he stood, he large frame filling the only clear squints in my vision.

He took a cautionary step towards me and I leaned back, feeling a bit threatened by his largeness. He seemed to have sensed this because he did not take any more steps towards me.

“I’m just trying to help you Valentina.”

How did he even know my name? Why did he want to care? They were enemies to my father so would they give a damn if I froze out here?

“Come inside…” he said again, this time a bit more impatiently.

Contemplating my options: I mean, there wasn’t more to contemplate anyway, it was either freeze out here slowly and painfully to death or take his lead and die swiftly by the mad-alpha.

Pushing myself up I was glad when he stepped to the side, allowing me some room to pass by him. My right ankle burned at the weight that had suddenly been put on it and it not for mthe man’s hand that steadied me by my shoulder, I would have fallen the clean two storey drop to the ground.

I hurriedly lowered myself through the window and once I was back inside the room my gut turned as I spotted the figure that had been waiting for me.

I avoided his eyes, his red gaze that held so much anger it emanated off his skin. It took all the strength I had in me to keep myself from pouncing on him; fingers pressing at his eyeballs and garnishing at his screams. Instead I focused on rubbing my palms against my arms, trying as much to warm myself up but my attempts were futile, the cold had chilled me to the bone.

“Mmm-mm—” the other man which I could tell was his beta cleared his throat from behind me. “She’s cold Lucean.”

And for the third time I could barely noticed him move but I felt it when he placed his hands on my back and my nape, pulling me to his chest with so much ease.

His scent instantly filled my lungs, my skin tingling at the soothing warmth from his body that invaded me and fought away the cold from the blizzard.

“DON’T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN!” He said between grit teeth, hinting off a bit of frustration in his tone and his words drifted off, with his breath dancing down my neck but I only reacted to the warmth that the connection his hand made with my skin sent through my body. Warm tingles of what felt like an enticing current set the skin under his hand ablaze and I found myself in this first time state of hating and liking it.

Like he was a gifted curse.

“I’ll get the heater on…” the one who I was sure was his Beta said as he left the room and some parties of me wanted him to stay, I did not want to be left alone with him.

But the moment my wolfs wary instincts took over I pushed him away with all the strength I had left.

I could see shock in his eyes and I was sure he saw hate in mine. My courage building back inside me.

“I know you! You’re the mad-alpha! The alpha who almost killed my father!”

Yet he totally ignored what I had said.

“Don’t do that again… if you want to think or just need some space there’s a patio, climbing on the roof is dangerous Val…”

‘Val?’ Did he just give me a nickname? Who the fuck did he think he was?

I adjusted myself on my good foot, eager to get some space between myself and this Alpha that was so menacingly huge compared to me.

“Why did you save me?” I asked at once, when he closed the window and but left the curtains slightly parted.

“Because it very much looked like you needed saving!” He said, turning around to face me, the flickering lights from a candle on a wall cabinet outlined the sharp lines of his jawline that was still prominent even under his beard and some part of me I wished I could bury couldn’t help but imagine just how handsome his face actually was with golden bright eyes that seemed to penetrate my soul. But I knew it was my wolf, someone her instincts trusted him, wanted him. The attraction was one I noticed from the time I met him in the forest.

A fast rap on the door broke Luceans’ eyes from mine. The door was pushed open by a rather tall female. She had big round eyes with dark pupils and full lips, her pale skin naturally so and not caused by a long time trapped in a moldy cellar by Ryker, like mine had.

The woman let herself in, her eyes lingering on my face for a second too long, as if she was trying to decipher my thoughts before she diverted her eyes to Lucean.

“She? You have got to be kidding me!” She said, her tone bleeding of sarcasm.

“Teira this is not the time!” The mad-alpha said with bold words, his dominant aura wiped the smug smirk off of the woman’s face. They way she talked to him only suggested that they were close friends of some sort.

Teira, I thought. Nice name.

“You still haven’t answered my question Alpha.” My voice snatched his amber eyes from Teira’s.

The mad-alpha cleared his throat, sighing before he spoke.

“Your kingdom had been under the attack of a coup, me and my sentries set out to retrieve information on who these attackers were and why they had done so.”

“YOU LIAR!” I roared, drawing surprised looks from both Teira and him. “YOU HAD ATTACKED MY PACK IN THE PAST YOURSELF! SO WHY WOULD YOU CARE IF WE WERE UNDER SEIGE ANYWAY!”

He did not say anything. Just stared at me until my anger simmered down.

“It was him, that usurper! He killed my father—” I sobbed.

“And I would make sure he gets his death served to him on a cold plate, I would make sure you get your closure.” Lucean said, he had stepped forward and was about to put his hands on my shoulder but I stepped back so his hands dropped to his sides. I looked away from him, not understanding how his words could sound so real.

“I’m sorry you feel this way Val—”

“Do NOT call me that!” I spat bitterly, venom in my words.

“Hold your tongue when you address the Alpha you ungrateful brat!” Tiera made to say more but was cut off by the Alpha.

“TEIRA!” He glowered at her, his expression softening when he looked at me again.

“You only gave me a reason for why you were there that night Alpha. Tell me. Why did you save me!” I asked, my tone bold indicating that I wanted the truth and only the truth this time. If has only gone there to analyze the downfall of my pack possibly so he be evil and join in the massacre of my people, then why had he saved a half naked and helpless girl along the way.

Somehow my question seemed to amuse Teira and she laughed cheekily when Lucean opened there shut his lips, my reply pending. He shot her a glare and she straightened herself. Smile disappearing from her face but eyes still glowing with amusement.

“I’ve been studying you for quite a while now Valentina, it’s customary in my pack that an Alpha should not stay without a mate.”

I nodded, still seeing no way that what he was telling me answered my question.

“I’ve searched for a while, most fair maidens attracted me not until…” he faded away, his eyes drifting away from mine and landing on the flickering candle.

“Look it’s only right that once an Alpha finds his mate he takes her to his home to live with him.” He said this last statement quickly and I was blank for a while.

“What are you trying to say?” I asked carefully, terrified of what he might reply.

I stared blankly at the candle for a moment.

“Soon you would come to understand.” And like that they both left me standing alone in the room.

“COME BACK! COME BACK AND ANSWER ME ALPHA!” I screamed as he shut the door behind him.