CHAPTER 1.1

“Alpha, what are we doing here?” I questioned in a puzzled voice; trotting to catch up with my father. Being the Alpha of the Moonmist Pack, he never went anywhere without sending a message. He continued walking without giving me a response; if anything his pace increased.

“Wouldn’t it be rude to go unannounced so late in the night?” I couldn’t quell the urge to prod again.

My second question was met with silence too. My father’s eyebrows twitched. He was getting annoyed but I had to find out what was going on.

I ran a bit to catch up with him. Matching his pace, I urged, “Alpha, why won’t you tell me anything? Is there any reason we are going like this?”

“You will find out the reason soon,” his reply was curt and conclusive. He wouldn’t tell me anything even if I kept nagging eternally. A sigh left his lips and I followed him silently.

My father had always been like this; cryptic, mysterious. He expected me to follow his commands without question.

I didn’t want to go against him either; given that he was the only family I had. It was difficult but I tried. That is what I have been doing since mom passed away. A rueful gust of air left my lips, blending with the cold breeze.

The night had cast her blanket over this small town in Woodland. The thick cover of the clouds hid the moon plunging the world into an endless sea of darkness. However, we padded along the stony path with perfect ease. We could see even in the pitch darkness; courtesy of our keen werewolf senses.

A sudden course change made my steps falter. “Alpha, I think we took the wrong turn. The main gate is on the other side.”

“We are not entering through the main gate.”

“Then?” A deep frown settled on my forehead. “Are we just going to take a stroll around the Bloodhound Packhouse?”

I hadn’t even finished his statement when father climbed onto the boundary wall with a leap. Then, landed with a thud on the other side.

“Shit!” I cursed softly before following his lead. What was wrong with him?

The leaves crunched under my feet as I rushed to catch up with my father who was peeking in through a window by now.

The frown on my forehead deepened and my face flushed. Drawing closer to my father, I whispered in a flustered voice, “I don’t think it is appropriate to peek into somebody’s house like this. What if they are changing? What if they are ummm…. Doing other unspeakable things?”

“Is your mind always in the gutter?” He snapped as he grabbed the back of my neck and pressed my face against the glass, “Just watch.”

I closed my eyes more out of modesty than anything else. The whooshing winds howled through the branches as if singing an erratic tune. A wolf howled at a distance piercing through the soft melancholy. Once I had calmed down, I realized how stupid I was being. If my father wanted me to watch something, it had to be important.

I cracked open my eyes slowly. A soft gasp left my lips and I stood there gaping; my heart brimming with a mixture of wonder and amusement.

There on a red couch was seated the most gorgeous girl I had seen in my life; long brown hair, large doe-like eyes, and velvety pink lips. Her features were so soft that they reminded one of a freshly bloomed flower on an early morning.

She was dressed completely in leather. With her legs crossed and her shoulders slumped, she gave off a vibe of something carefree nonchalance.

“So beautiful,” the words left my lips inadvertently.

Alpha Hades responded with a mocking snort. Patting my back, he stated, “Today, you are going to find out how dangerous beauty can be.”

I forced myself to look away from the girl and raised my eyebrows, “How can someone this gorgeous be dangerous? She doesn’t look like she can hurt even a fly.”

My father’s expression hardened as he replied, “I wish that were true, my son….” He stopped abruptly, his gaze shifted restlessly. His lips opened and closed as if he wanted to say something.

“Ahhhh!!!” A scream sounded from the house. My heart skipped a beat and an instant sense of dread gripped me. The first thought that formed in my mind was that I couldn’t let anything happen to that gorgeous girl. I had to save her.

I had barely taken a few steps towards the entrance when my father grabbed my hand and dragged me back to the window, “Just stand here and watch. You are not allowed to intervene.”

I so hated being on the side lines like this. It made me feel incapable, helpless; utterly useless. But, I didn’t want to defy his orders. With a frustrated sigh, I looked inside again.

The sight that met my eyes shook me to the core. The pretty girl wasn’t the prey here, she was the predator.

Her white teeth gleamed in the light of the lantern as she barred them. Then, without any warning, she bit into the guard’s neck who had attacked her.

Her eyes dazzled with menace; as if she were reveling in the taste of blood. The guard’s eyes widened in horror and his jaws hung open. His face turned pale and within moments his body went limp in her arms. She dropped him like a rag doll and wiped her lips with the back of her hand.

I hadn’t even recovered from this when Twang! An arrow zipped through the air and hit the girl on her chest. I sucked in my breath and gripped the edge of the window sill. Ouch! That must have hurt.

I felt my heart ache for her but the girl, she didn’t even wince. She merely grabbed its hilt and pulled it out. Blood gushed out of her wound. She didn’t seem bothered by it. I don’t know if I just imagined it but her eyes turned a shade darker from soft golden to a darker honeyed brown.

Her expression took on a sinister edge as she snapped the arrow into two. She cocked her head to one side and sneered, “Is that all you got Alpha Azarel?”

A tall muscular man with a short beard stepped inside; pointing a gun at the girl. The girl’s lips curved in a mocking smile, “I was wondering when you will bring out that automatic gun, Alpha.”

Alpha Azarel’s eyes turned bloodshot and he warned, “I…If you don’t surrender, I will shoot….” His voice shook, betraying his arrogant, cocky demeanor.

The girl took a step towards him; her eyes glinting with something so dark that it made me shudder, “Go ahead, try your luck. I have been wondering what those silver bullets laced with wolfsbane feel like.”

No Joke; this girl was shit crazy. Alpha Azarel had an automatic gun pointed at her. But, instead of trying to escape, she was asking him to shoot her. My jaws hung open and I held my head with both my hands, “Is she insane?”

“You can say that….” Father’s expression was one of extreme hatred but his flitting eyes revealed his anxiousness.

With each step the girl took, Alpha Azarel backed away more and more; until there was no room left at all. He was backed against the wall now. The girl took one more step closer so that the nuzzle of the automatic rifle was grazing her chest.

To my horror, she reached over and pulled the trigger. I gulped; my mouth had become so dry that even the air seemed to scorch my insides.