Chapter 2

“Selene! If you’re not down here in ten minutes, I’m coming up with a bucket of cold water!” I heard my mother yell.

            I groaned and pulled myself from the bed. Today was my birthday and she couldn’t even let me sleep in this once. I knew she was excited because my birthday lined up with the full moon that signaled the monthly haze werewolves experienced. With all of the wolves of age becoming out of their mind with the need to procreate, my chances of finding a mate were higher than usual. I didn’t mind the thought of being driven to have sex, but under no uncertain terms did I want a mate.

            I had grown up listening to my father’s stories about the assassin’s guild. They were an elite group of wolves who worked to protect the king and the Priestesses of the Goddess. They were rumored to be mate-less, it was easier to do their job without having half of their soul putting them at risk. My dream of becoming one of them grew as I aged. Becoming more aware of how mates acted toward one another fueling my resolve. All the mated wolves around me acted as if their mate were the air they needed to survive, I couldn’t imagine being that entwined with someone else.

            ‘Me either.’ Spoke a voice in my head, startling me. I squealed in delight as I realized my wolf had appeared. She introduced herself as Raina before urging me to hurry and get ready to avoid my mother’s wrath. I showered and dressed in a blur, barely clearing my room before my mother barged in with a bucket of water, intent of following through with her threat.

            The day went by in a blur. All of the of age wolves shifted with the pack after a lunch hosted by the Alpha and Luna. The haze always hit when the moon rose, and nobody wanted a bunch of horny wolves roaming the woods. There would be a ball hosted at the pack house after nightfall to celebrate the haze. My mother could barely contain her excitement at the thought of me finding my mate. I felt confident that I wouldn’t find one during the evenings events since I hadn’t detected any signs of a mate at lunch. I was thrilled when the night passed with nothing more than reckless sex.

            My invitation to the assassin’s guild finally arrived two years later, a few days after my eighteenth birthday. I was surprised when it came in the form of an official messenger to my home. I had always fantasized that it would be some secret meeting in an exotic place. My mother had wept as I accepted the offer, my father alternated between pride and worry. I trained hard and was thrilled when I was given my first assignment.

            She was a petty thug. A rogue Alpha harassing a smaller pack on the border of the kingdom. My job was simple, track and kill. She was easy to find, thinking herself safely beyond the notice of the King. He had noticed though and the order was sent. I traveled to the small pack’s lands under the pretense of visiting family. I had no family in the pack, but the rogue wouldn’t know that. I was housed with a small family on the outskirts of the pack’s town. The wife had come from another pack, adding another layer of realism to my cover story.

            As if she were on a schedule the rogue arrived in the small pack town. She moved house to house, knocking on doors and demanding payment in exchange for not attacking. She claimed to have a collective of rogues, waiting for her signal to attack. I had to adjust my plan to kill her on the spot. If there were other rogues working with her, I needed to ensure they were eliminated as well. I played my part well, cowering behind the male wolf whose home I was in as he gave her the money she demanded. I watched through the window until she had completed her rounds through the small town, slipping out of the house silently to follow her.

            She led me to an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere. I could tell from the lack of scents that she was the only one who resided there. I rushed forward as she entered the house, placing my foot to stop the door. Her eyes widened in alarm as she saw my claws extended. I kicked her squarely in the chest, causing her to tumble over backwards. I snickered as her head cracked on the hardwood flooring. I pounced, not giving her time to catch her bearings, and pummeled her into unconsciousness.

            I had tied her to a rickety wooden kitchen chair and waited for her to wake. My tools of torture placed neatly across the abandoned dining room table. I needed to know if she really was working with other rogues or not. She opened her eyes after some time, taking in her surroundings before sneering at me.

            “Are you working alone?” I smiled, letting my fingers play over my knives.

            “Fuck you bitch.” She spat. My smile widened. I was going to enjoy making her crack.

            “Tsk tsk. Such a sharp tongue. I’d hate to have to cut it out.” I forced my face into a comical frown.

            The smell of fear erupted from her causing me to crinkle my nose in disgust. I had been hoping she would put up a fight. I wanted to prove to the guild that I could do whatever it took to finish a job. I had barely begun pressing for information and the rogue was already cracking.

            “It’s just me.” She whimpered. “I swear, if you let me go, I’ll go far away and never bother the pack again.”

            I sighed my disappointment before picking up one of my knives and cutting her throat. Her eyes stayed locked in a wide shocked expression as her life left her. Quickly, I gathered my tools and called the Alpha of the small pack to come to my location and confirm my kill.