Alpha’s Revenge Luna, chapter two

Emery Supposedly, the annual ball was formed to prevent pack wars, to no avail. So it all seems pointless to me. Besides a few rogue attacks, our pack lives in peace.

No one has dared go up against my father, as he is a ruthless and cruel Alpha. Still, I worry about those who might be stupid enough to try This place will be full of unmated Alphas and wolves. Once again, his name floods my mind, and my thoughts travel back to the servants in the kitchen.

Now, I wish I didn’t eavesdrop because I can’t shake off my uneasiness. What if something goes wrong? What if Alpha Dion shows up?

I push those thoughts aside and focus on the ceremony ahead. But deep down, I feel this year’s event will somehow be different. The limo waits out in front of the pack house.

Dad opens the back door and slides across the seat. Man, I hope no one picks a fight with him. By the strong smell of whiskey emanating from him, he is already half drunk and itching for a fight.

The tension is almost a living entity in the confined space of the car, tightening its noose around my neck. My pulse races with anxiety and fear, pounding in my ears. Dad stares straight ahead, sipping his glass of whiskey, looking murderously angry.

Even Mom glances at his odd behavior, her face contorted in worry. She is usually non-stop chatter-mode. Not tonight, though.

I know something is bothering Dad, but I don’t know how to ask. A quick, stolen glance at my parents sitting across from me is all I need to confirm what I’ve been feeling. Their faces, illuminated in the harsh, unforgiving moonlight, are etched with worry.

My father’s hands, usually so steady and calm, grip my mother’s knee with a force that turns his knuckles white. His eyes meet mine, silently conveying what words can’t—he’s just as scared as I am. What does he know that I don’t?

In the seat next to him, my mother stares out of the window, her gaze unseeing, lost in thoughts she’ll never share. When we finally arrive, we find the celebrations have started without us. The music is loud, the laughter contagious.

Everyone laughing and talking animatedly, Meanwhile, dread pools in my belly about having to go into the ball. The she-wolves are wearing beautiful gowns adorned with flowers and jewels from their hair, down to their feet. They twirl and laugh excitedly as they enter the hall, their faces radiating the joy I don’t feel.

Dad pauses momentarily and peers around at his pack, his gaze darkens, and he frowns like something is bothering him. “Both of you are to remain by my side, and neither of you is to leave your guard or seats unless I say so,” he growls without looking at us.

I glance at Mom, confused. I know he hates these events, but this behavior toward us is odd. “Is everything okay, dear?”

Mom asks him. “Just do as I say,”

Dad says, gazing down at her. He drains the last dregs of his glass before setting it down. Mom looks away, fiddling with her fingers.

Her anxiousness makes me even more nervous. As we pull into the parking lot, Dad tells the driver to keep going, so instead, the limo pulls around the side of the massive building where the other Alphas are parked. Dad tugs on his tie as if it is strangling him, and I reach out to grip his hand.

My father jerks away from my touch before his eyes soften, and he swallows. “Dad?”

I murmur, suddenly unsure. “It’ll be fine, Emery. He won’t show up here,”

Dad says, glancing out the window. I glance at Mom, but she seems just as confused. “Michael? Who are you talking about?”

Mom whispers as the limo cuts off. “Just stay close,” are the only words he offers when the driver opens the door.

We follow Dad inside, and he moves farthest to the back of the hall. Every mating ceremony is supposedly a “magical and beautiful” event.

Wolves from all around the area gather to take part in the festivities. On this particular night, wolves will meet and dance with potential mates. The excitement is palpable as each wolf hopes to find a mate.

During the ceremony, the Alphas get the first pick. They will pick who they want, whether or not that she-wolf wishes to be their mate. Watching them dance, I sit at the table, and my father stares at the stage vacantly.

Guards surround the table the moment we sit, making my nerves increase. The guards’ presence isn’t particularly odd. Guards usually follow me everywhere unless I am at home.

I know Dad has some shady dealings going on. He may think he hides it from my little brother and me, but I’m not blind. I know deep down he’s a good man.

He is a great father to us, but as a person, I definitely wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of him. So, I find this display a little odd. If it was just one guard, no.

But multiple of them surround me to the point I struggle to see around them. I find it strange. I peer around.

The place is barely recognizable from the hall I’m used to. Fairy lights glimmer from the ceiling, crystal vases are placed on white-clothed tables, and the place is bustling with people. Women chat among themselves excitedly while men eye them.

My father only glares toward the stage where Alphas line up, ready to take their pick. When the ceremony starts and the doors close, locking everyone in, I see my father lean over the table toward his Beta. “He didn’t show, Alpha. She is safe,”

I barely catch Beta Tyson telling him, and my brows pinch together. My stomach lurches, and I stare at my father, who visibly relaxes and exhales loudly as he sits back in his chair. After another twenty minutes, Dad accepts a drink.

The change in his demeanor helps me relax, too. The ceremony starts, and the atmosphere in the hall is alive. The sweet scent of pheromones hangs heavy in the air.

The decorations, music, and laughter all feel like some bizarre dream. One I desperately wish I wasn’t a part of. Staring around, I spot the excited and hopeful faces of the young women.

Their nervous energy is palpable, but they’re also filled with the hope of finding a mate. They believe in the fairy tales and happily-ever-after that this ceremony promises. For me, this ball is nothing more than a showcase.

My gaze shifts to the other side of the hall where the Alphas are. Some of them are smiling, chatting among themselves, while others are eyeing the women with predatory stares. The sight sends a shiver down my spine.

Their gazes are like a tangible touch, a violation I can’t shake off. I focus my attention back on our table—on my father. He hasn’t moved, staring off into the distance with a faraway look in his eyes.

His hands, usually steady and sure, are shaking ever so slightly around his now-empty glass. The sight is unnerving. I’ve never seen my father like this.

His uncertainty and tension are contagious, and I can’t help the way they feed my fears. A middle-aged wolf—one of the council members—steps up to the stage. He’s an Alpha, dressed in an elaborately decorated suit, his smile wide and welcoming.

He begins with a speech about the beauty of finding a mate and the sacred bond it represents. He talks of love and companionship, a bond that goes beyond this life. The crowd settles down as he speaks, and an air of reverence washes over the hall.

I can’t help but roll my eyes at the romantic drivel. It feels so hollow and fake to me like he is reciting words from a script that is read every year. The Alphas are called up one by one.

They ascend the stage and survey the crowd keenly before picking a female. They step forward and present the chosen female with a flower and a promise of courtship. Some women weep with joy, others blush, and some, like me, would rather vanish into thin air than be here.

My mother squeezes my hand, her fear shining in her eyes. I squeeze hers back, offering her a small smile. It doesn’t do much to comfort her, and I don’t blame her.

I’m terrified, too. Terrified of the unknown, of the potential disaster this night could turn into. We wait in silence, as Alpha after Alpha makes their selection.

None of them approach our table, which is a small mercy. But the tension remains. Each time a new Alpha steps up, my heart lurches in fear.

However, only nine of the eighteen attending Alphas choose anyone. Two fight over the same woman before she is told to choose between them. She looks like a deer in headlights when put on the spot, and I can tell she doesn’t want to go with either of them.

Since she does not make any motion to choose, the two Alphas fight it out. When the more dominant one takes her, she looks like she wishes she had a choice. I certainly wouldn’t want to be forced to go with that asshole, either.

Mom ends up being right. No man dares to step close to our table. As the ceremony begins to end, everyone mingles.

The men who choose mates barter with families or whisk the women away. The rest party and drink, eating their fill and enjoying the music. Dad even gets up and dances with Mom.

I smile goofily as he twirls her around and dips her low. He is now very drunk, and Mom is a little tipsy. She is still light on her feet as she laughs at him and his affections.

The ceremony is coming to an end, and I relax. I’ve somehow managed to dodge a bullet. “We are getting ready to leave, Emery. Grab your things,”

Beta Tyson tells me, and I nod. Finally! I am exhausted and glad the event is over, at least for us.

However, Mom looks like she wouldn’t mind staying longer. Gathering my clutch, I go to push my chair in and follow Beta Tyson. But just as I’m beginning to breathe a little easier, the double doors to the hall swing open with a loud bang.

The doors slam audibly against the walls, and silence falls over the room. No sound is made beside the soft music, which is switched off after one growl from whoever enters. I try to see the commotion, but can’t make out anything past my father’s Beta, who tucks me behind him.

“What’s going on?”

I whisper, only to be hushed, and hustled toward the back near the far exit. The Beta pushes on the doors, but they don’t budge. He grips my arm, yanking me to the next set of doors.

What about my parents? A deep voice fills the air. I glance over my shoulder, the laughter, dance, and chatter are long gone.

Everyone backs up and moves out of the new guest’s way, clearing my view. In steps a man, his presence instantly commanding the room. There’s a collective gasp, as a sudden chill spreads throughout the attendees.

“Alpha Dion.”

His name whispers through the crowd like both a chant and a curse. His eyes are piercing, cold as ice, and they’re set intently on my parents. My father stiffens as his eyes go wide.

His grip on my mother tightens. Alpha Dion walks into the room, his steps measured and controlled, each one exuding complete power and dominance. The silence in the room is crushing.

“You foolish old man,”

I hear, the growl out from some unidentifiable source. The dangerously cold voice sends a chill up my spine. “Alpha Dion, it was a mistake. One I will rectify if given a chance.”

I gasp when I hear my father’s voice answer. “You’re right. You will,” the Alpha says.

I stand by, confused at their exchange. What’s going on? Why is Father having a conversation with Alpha Dion?

“Michael, what did you do?”

I hear my mother shriek, before murmurs break out. The sea of people part, shuffling back, revealing Alpha Dion. One of the Alphas who I know rivals my father—his biggest rival actually.

He has instilled fear in every pack because of the rumors saying he lives by the old ways. Not to mention, the ones that claim Alpha Dion isn’t just a werewolf, no, but a Hybrid: a lethal combination of our two mortal enemies. My bones feel like they have turned to jelly.

I can tell I’m on the verge of having a panic attack. Alpha Dion’s anger is plainly directed at my father. Everyone circles around my father and mother, getting out of their way, as Alpha Dion walks further into the room with slow, calculating steps, his furious gaze still pinned on my father.

Some of the attendees run for the doors. At the same time, I notice he does not have warriors or guards with him. This man doesn’t need them if the stories I have heard are true.

My father doesn’t answer my mother’s question. He glares the other Alpha down, though I know he fears him. But that won’t stop him from challenging Alpha Dion.

Alpha Dion stays out of our business, and we stay out of his. A fight between him and my father would be a war no one wants to see. “Let’s be reasonable here. We can go out back with the elders to talk this out,” my father offers.

“Eye for an Eye, Alpha,”

Alpha Dion growls, staring at my mother. My father pushes her behind him, standing protectively in front of her. “She had nothing to do with it,” my father states, his aura coming out threateningly.

The hairs on my arms raise as my skin prickles with fear. “You stayed in your territory, and I stayed on mine. That was the treaty!”

Alpha Dion bellows. My mother glances around nervously, searching. When her eyes find me, she immediately tears her gaze away.

“I had nothing to do with the attack,” my father says to defend himself.

This makes me think back to his strange meeting with Beta Tyson before we came here. Is that what this is all about? “You led them directly to my pack!”

Alpha Dion roars. My father shakes his head. Beta Tyson shuffles me along as he seeks another exit, tugging me behind him.

Fear coils and writhes inside me for my parents when I hear the elders speak. “Alpha Dion, may we ask what this is about?”

The question comes from a voice I just listened to drone on about tradition, the rarity of female werewolves, and all that jazz all damn night. This elder has the sort of voice that makes your brain shut down. “No. This is between Alpha Michael and me,”

Alpha Dion replies. The elder nods, clearly unwilling to get between them. Even the elders fear my father and Alpha Dion.

“Stupid pup. You come in here, and what? Challenge me over an attack I had nothing to do with?”

My father laughs, the same nervous laugh I heard earlier this evening. Alpha Dion growls, then chaos ensues. He attacks my father.

As my father shifts, Beta Tyson jumps into the fray, while people scream and hurry out the far doors straight toward me. I am knocked down by the stampede, left on the ground to hear the vicious growls and the savage blows of fighting. The sickening sound of flesh being torn from muscle and blood spattering walls fills the air as all hell breaks loose.

More and more people rush outside, leaving me unable to get up. Then my father shrieks in panic, and silence follows. All I can hear is my own labored breathing as I crawl to my bleeding and bruised hands and knees.

“You took her from me, and now you will get to know exactly what it feels like,”

Alpha Dion yells as a whimper fills the air. Getting to my feet, I peer over the tables to find Alpha Dion has my mother by the throat. My father is drenched in blood, and Beta Tyson is dead at his feet.

I can’t stop the gasp of horror that escapes my mouth. Two elders also lay dead, though the remaining Alphas look onto the scene with indifference. I have never seen my father, the man I see as larger than life, look so weak and petrified.

“Mom,”

I choke out, causing everyone’s attention to turn to me. Alpha Dion’s body turns tense, and his back goes rigid at the sound of my voice. “You have a daughter?”

Alpha Dion’s voice is cruel and mocking as he asks the question. The Alpha turns slowly to look at me, his head tilting to the side. “Emery…”

He chuckles darkly. I’m overwhelmed with the sound of my heart beating in my chest, thumping so loud it renders me temporarily deaf. His sinister gaze runs the length of me.

“It must be fate, because I’ve found my Luna’s replacement,” he growls, his eyes flickering with menace.

“No!” my mother chokes, her panic-stricken eyes going to me.

But Alpha Dion just smiles wickedly. I stagger back, bumping into a nearby table. “Emery, go!” my mother pleads.

My father’s gaze stays locked on Alpha Dion, who suddenly lets go of my mother, tossing her aside like she is garbage. My eyes widen as his face twists into a snarl. He turns, his claws slipping from his fingertips, just as I see my father’s bewildered face switch to one of determination.

My father tackles the Alpha before he can even step foot in my direction. I hear my mother screaming for me to run. I remain still, paralyzed by fear.

The other Alphas back up, not wanting to get involved. Alpha Dion slashes my father’s face with his claws before wrapping an arm around his neck. He jams his claws into my father’s ribs, causing my father to gasp in pain and surprise.

He tries to throw Alpha Dion off when, suddenly, my mother shifts and attacks Alpha Dion. Her teeth tear into his back. He reaches behind himself in retaliation, gripping her malt-colored fur and easily tosses her aside before kneeing my father in the head.

My father goes down, and I race toward my mother’s naked form as she smashes against a streamer-wrapped concrete beam in the center of the room. Before I can reach her, I stop, realizing that I’m headed straight into Alpha Dion’s path. A malicious glint flashes in his eyes as his hand reaches for my mother’s hair.

My heart nearly stops at her scream, and my father gasps when he grabs her head between his hands to snap her neck. How? How? is all I can think.

Because how did he get past all the guards? Did he kill them, too? What of our pack warriors?

Where were they throughout all this? “No!” my father chokes out frantically.

“Pick Alpha, your mate, or your daughter,” he says.

What did my father do to warrant this? “No, kill me,” my mother cries.

At her words, I scream. Alpha Dion smiles sadistically, as if he’s enjoying all of this. “Please, don’t hurt her,”

I beg, and his head whips up to look at me. He stares at me oddly and then shakes his head as if to clear it. “Whatever you want, just leave them be,” my father says.

“What do I want? You know what I want, Alpha. And you can’t replace her.”

My father’s eyes dart between my mother and me. “I accept my death. Just leave them be,” my father says, and my mother chokes on a sob.

“What did you do?” my mother sobs.

“I’m down a Luna and an heir because of your husband. Luckily for me, you have a spare,” he growls, his fingers moving to her throat.

“What?” my mother chokes out around his crushing grip.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen,” my father pleads.

Alpha Dion laughs humorlessly, the sound of a madman cackling. The elders whisper among themselves, and I can tell they are trying to find a way to settle things down. If our two packs go to war, all the packs between us will be caught in the crossfire.

If he kills my mother, there will be blood. “May I offer a suggestion, Alpha?”

Elder Eric speaks up. My father looks at him hopefully, and the Alpha looks back, a bored expression on his face. Elder Eric continues.

“You lost your Luna?”

Elder Eric states before motioning to me. My eyes widen when everyone looks at me. “Alpha Michael has an eligible one for you,”

Elder Eric continues. “What?”

I stammer, backing away. How can a council member even suggest such a thing? Alpha Dion seems thoughtful for a second before he smirks like he thinks something is funny.

“Your suggestion is not needed, Elder. I have every intention of taking the girl.”

My eyes dart from the Alpha to the Elder, panic rising in my throat. “No, absolutely not,” my father croaks.

Alpha Dion glances at me again. “It wasn’t your choice; I lost my Luna and my son. It’s only fair I get to take from you,”

Alpha Dion says. “Life for a life.”

His hands tighten on my mother’s throat, and my father gets to his feet and lunges at him, only to be grabbed and ripped back by three other Alphas. “We can’t afford another war,” one growls at him while my mother chokes, her fingers clutching his hands as he crushes her windpipe.

Her eyes bulge from her head as she claws at his arms. He’s going to kill her! Panic courses through me, and I stumble forward.

“I’ll give you an heir,”

I blurt out in panic, willing to do anything to avoid watching my mother die. Alpha Dion laughs and glances over his shoulder at me. “That was already decided the moment I laid eyes on you, but your father took two lives, and now so will I,” he growls before grabbing my mother’s head and twisting.

The sickening crack makes me scream in horror, and my legs give out from under me. He drops her body at his feet and wipes his hands on his pants. The sound of my father’s screams is deafening as he fights to get free.

I can’t take my eyes off her crumpled form until I hear his footsteps growing louder as he stalks toward me. “No!” my father roars, headbutting one Elder and escaping the other.

He rushes to my mother, and the Alphas don’t bother stopping him. I watch as my father clutches her limp body in his arms. My heart breaks at the sight of him wailing and begging her to come back to him.

“You bastard!” my father screams the words, his aura slipping out as his canines elongate.

“You monster!” my father spits at him, getting to his feet.

He flexes his fingers, sharp talon-like claws breach his nail beds while his eyes turn obsidian. Alpha Dion stops. He laughs bitterly and turns on his heel to face my father.

“I’m the monster? Don’t pretend you are some saint.”

“You dare come to my pack, kill my wife, and claim my daughter!” my father roars furiously.

Alpha Dion remains calm and collected while taking calculated steps. “You messed up, and now you pay the consequences for it. I lost my Luna and my unborn son!” he spits at my father.

My father’s eyes go to me. “You need to run, Emery,” my father says through the mindlink, and I shake my head in response as I inch closer to the table behind me.

My fingers touch the soft tablecloth behind my back; I feel around, my hand grabbing a dinner knife. I hide the knife behind my back while my father argues with the Alpha, who draws closer. “Emery, leave!” my father yells at me through the link just as Alpha Dion turns to me.

My father attacks him, but the Alpha must have expected it because he moves so quickly, catching my father by surprise when he partially shifts. My father makes a horrid choking sound, his eyes returning to their normal color while his face turns red. The stench of blood fills the air, and I glance down at it, dripping at Alpha Dion’s feet.

Alpha Dion twists the hand he has plunged into my father’s stomach. My father gasps, and Alpha Dion grips his shoulder, yanking his claws from my father’s stomach, only to slash him. Blood spews from my father’s lips and dribbles down his chin as he gasps.

His eyes bulge from his head as he glances down to watch his intestines spill onto the floor at his feet. His hands feebly, try to stuff them back in. Unable to contain it, I throw up, spewing down the front of my dress and onto the floor at the sight.

My entire world turns upside down in the span of a few moments. Alpha Dion growls, shoving him away before turning on me. My father crashes on the floor beside my mother.

My heart races as Dion snarls, stalking toward me. Knowing I am next, I race for the doors, kicking my heels off as I run. He takes only moments to catch me.

As he tackles me, his body crashes on top of me, and the knife flies from my grip. The gravel digs into my skin, and my hands and knees get sliced to pieces as I hit the ground. “You owe me an heir,”

Alpha Dion snarls. “Go to hell,”

I curse as he moves above me and presses his knee between my shoulder blades. I thrash, trying to get free, but it’s pointless. I’m no threat to him when I am three days away from my wolf awakening.

The Alpha sniffs me, and I freeze as he leans down, burying his nose in my neck. He rolls me over, his legs straddling my chest. He grips my face with his fingers.

“Do you know who I am?” he demands.

I glare at him. Of course, I know who he is. “The piece of shit who just killed my parents,”

I snap at him. His fingers squeeze harder, making my jaw ache as he digs into my cheeks, prying my mouth open and checking my teeth. His fingers get closer to my mouth as he tries to pry my upper lip up, I bite it hard.

Hard enough his blood washes over my tongue, and he growls furiously. His upper lip pulls back over his teeth, revealing deadly canines and fangs, telling me the Hybrid rumors are true. “Let go!” he growls, and I feel his aura slip out slightly.

When I don’t let go, he pinches my nose, and I bite down harder. He grits his teeth and glances down at my chest before his amber eyes meet mine. “Last chance to let go, or I will make you,” he snaps at me.

I thrash, and his knees pin my arms to the ground. Still, I refuse to let go. I will bite it off if I need to.

The Alpha growls before his other hand moves to my chest. I scream as he pinches my nipple through my dress and twists. The pain makes me thrash harder, “You’re a stubborn little thing, aren’t you?” he snarls, twisting harder, and tears burn my eyes at his torturous grip.

Any more pressure and it will come off. Unable to take the pain anymore, I let his finger go, only for his bloody hand to whip across my face. My head turns to the side at the force of his slap.

My cheek burns furiously and my ears ring. I can feel the outline of each finger as my face swells. A sob escapes my lips, not because of the pain but the sight before me when I open my eyes.

Pack members, people I know and grew up with, surround the parking lot, dead on the ground, bloodshed everywhere. Men in black clothes stand casually against their cars, and I know they are the Alpha’s warriors. They killed them; they killed my people.

Alpha Dion grips my face, turning it back to face him. “How old are you?” he demands.

I glare at him, and he lets my face go. “Answer me!” he roars, so I do, by spitting in his face.

He growls, wiping his face with his other hand before gripping my hair and hauling me to my feet. He shoves me toward a black SUV, where another man grabs my arm so I don’t stumble into him, his grip tight “What are we doing with this one, Alpha?” he asks when I see a knife attached to his hip.

“Put her in the trunk,”

Alpha Dion growls behind me. The man spins me around and marches me toward the back of the car. He opens the trunk and shoves me toward it.

“Get in!” the man snarls at me, and I refuse, taking a step back.

He grabs me around the waist. I thrash and kick as he lifts me and tries to force me in. He growls, and I throw my head back.

Pain courses through my head when it connects with his face, and he lets me go with a roar. I hit the ground, landing on my hip, but with adrenaline pumping through me, I force myself up and run for the tree line surrounding the hall. “Leave her. She won’t escape me,”

I hear Alpha Dion call out when the man gives chase. I glance over my shoulder to see Alpha Dion watching me as I slip into the trees. I turn back and keep running.

I can navigate these forests with my eyes closed. I grew up playing in them, and this particular one leads to the pack house. It will just be one hell of a trek.

The forest is cold, dark, and eerily silent. Once deep among the trees, I can barely see my hand in front of my face, and every noise, a broken twig, or the crunch of leaves makes me jump in fright. My feet are cut to pieces, and I ache from running.

My teeth chatter from the cold, and I rub my arms, trying to warm them from the bite of the breeze that whisks through the trees. Still, I don’t stop, knowing my brother is at home, and I need to get to him. I need to get home to find my little brother and get us out of this mess.

He will be wondering where we are, I already know. I pray he is still soundly asleep in his bed and that he hasn’t felt the sting of their loss because the void inside my chest makes me painfully cold. By the time I am nearly home, I have run out of tears, although I am sure they are etched into my skin like deep crevices from the streams that trek down my face.

I step out of the tree line behind my father’s mansion; the first rays of the sun peeking above the trees and offering a little warmth, though it does nothing to stop the coldness settling in my veins. The dew on the grass wets my feet as I rush across the manicured lawns; the moisture stings the cuts on my feet, making me more aware of them. My dress is ruined and in tatters, barely clinging to my body.

Goosebumps lace my skin, and my hair sticks to my face from the cold sweat I worked up from running. Now my father and the pack link are dead, so I am not sure if any of the pack are still alive, or if Alpha Dion only killed those of our people who attended the ceremony. Without the pack link, there is no way of knowing for sure.

Coming up the back steps onto the veranda, I glance around before rushing to the glass sliding doors. I pull on the handle to find it ed and carefully slide the door across, cringing at the creak it makes. The door opens to the kitchen, and I slip inside, quietly closing it behind me.

Nervously, I listen for any noise, any sign of intruders, but I hear nothing worrisome. My feet leave bloody footprints on the marble floors as I step into the hall that runs up the side of the stairs. My fingers trail along the wall as I fight to avoid collapsing.

First, I will find my brother, and then we will run to my grandmother’s place. She will get us out of here. As I come to the front of the house, the light from the fireplace in the living room draws my attention.

That should have gone out by now, and where is the housekeeper? She is usually here by now. Moreover, where is the babysitter?

Where did she go? I creep to the double doors leading in, and I stop in my tracks. All the fight leaves my body, and I collapse on my knees when I find the Alpha sitting on the couch, my brother’s head in his lap, as he brushes his fingers through his hair.

Caleb is asleep, but he is alive. I can see the rise and fall of his chest, his little head resting on Alpha Dion’s thigh, using it as a pillow. “So predictable. They always run home,”

Alpha Dion says, staring down at my brother sleeping. The man from the parking lot snorts, and I glare at him where he stands, leaning against the fireplace mantle. I feel stupid; he’s right.

How could I not think he would follow me straight here? “He is just a child,”

I tell Alpha Dion. Caleb is only six years old, and he looks like my mother, with blonde curly hair and matching green eyes, whereas I resemble my father. My hair is dark, almost black, and I have olive skin and blue eyes.

I inherited mom’s curly hair, though mine is wavier than actual ringlets. “You’re right, he is, and it would be a shame if I had to hurt him,”

Alpha Dion says, staring up at me. A knife rests on his other leg. He picks up the handle, the blade’s tip on his thigh, and he turns the handle between his fingers.

“Haven’t you caused enough damage? You got your revenge. You killed them, so just leave us be,”

I whisper, sounding every bit the piece of prey I feel and am to this man. “See, now there lies the issue, Emery. I had every intention of just killing your parents when I came here. Until I laid my eyes on you.”

He smiles, and his eyes flash, sending a shiver down my spine. The sound of my name leaving his lips chills me to the bone. His words sink in as I stare at my brother, who is unaware of the monster he rests next to.

“I need a Luna.”

“Then you are barking up the wrong tree after killing my parents. I am not your Luna,”

I snarl at him. The audacity of this man to come here, kill my family, and think I would run off into the sunset with him and forget what he has done. “No, you’re not just my Luna. You are far more than that, Emery. Your father took my Luna from me; you will take her place. A place that was always supposed to be yours,” he says, and I laugh while shaking my head.

“I would rather die than mark and breed with the likes of you,”

I snap, and he chuckles, grabbing the knife and resting it on my brother’s shoulder. “I think I can change your mind, little mate,” he purrs as my eyes go to the blade’s edge resting against his chubby little cheek.

I swallow as fear coils within me, opening the pit in my stomach even more and filling it with dread. Why did he just call me ‘mate’? “So what will it be, Emery?” he asks, and my eyes go to his bright amber ones.

Movement behind me makes me jump, and I peer up to find a man standing in a black uniform, another of his men, clearly. Only then do I notice bloody feet poking out from behind my father’s office door. I swallow, recognizing the white Converse shoes as Nina’s, Caleb’s babysitter.

Tears prick my eyes. He is truly a sick bastard to kill an old woman who has never done harm to anyone. “I would choose wisely. I don’t want to hurt your brother, but I will just to prove a point. Surely you know I’m not bluffing. There is no escaping me, Emery. You are mine. My wolf claims you are his mate, and I am sure you know how rare that is,” he says, and I furrow my brows as I turn my gaze back to him.

“Mates are a myth,”

I tell him. He snorts and nods. “I thought so, too. However, my wolf insists you are his,” he tells me, a sick smile plastered across his face.

“Then tell your wolf to go fuck himself—”

I snap angrily before my words cut off, and he sighs loudly. “Such a shame,” he mutters, shaking his head when he moves the knife beneath my brother’s neck.

I gasp and rise to my knees as my eyes widen. “Wait!”

I shriek, and he lifts his gaze to mine. My heart beats erratically, thumping hard against my ribs. I know he can hear it with his enhanced hearing.

“I’ll go with you, just…”

My eyes go to my brother. “Just don’t hurt him, please,”

I beg as I see the blade press against his delicate skin. The man behind me steps closer, his knee brushing my shoulder before his hand wraps around my upper arm. I try to shake off his grip when Alpha Dion growls.

“If you want your brother to live, you won’t fight me; you’ll obey or,” he says, nodding to my brother, and I fall still.

I have to think of something because if I bring him with me, I know the Alpha will use him against me. “Alright then,” the Alpha says when I remain still.

He scoops my brother up off the couch and stands, strolling toward me and stopping in front of me. I shake the man’s arm off, holding my arms out for him. “You will obey, or I have no issue killing him in your arms,” he says, passing me my brother.

I take him, and he squirms as he rests his head on my shoulder. His eyes flutter open, and he blinks at me, yawning. “You’re home. Mom didn’t kiss me goodnight,” he murmurs sleepily.

In this moment, I don’t have the heart to tell him she never will again. “Go back to sleep,”

I whisper, kissing his head. Alpha Dion motions for me to follow the man who grabbed me, and I struggle with his weight in my arms and my ruined feet. Somehow, I manage while shielding Caleb from Alpha Dion’s gaze.

Alpha Dion opens the door of a black car, and I peer in at the black leather seats, knowing I am not escaping once I get inside. “In, Emery, I am not playing games with you, and I am running out of patience,”

Alpha Dion tells me. “My brother isn’t coming with us,”

I tell him. Alpha Dion scoffs, pushing me toward the car, but I stand my ground. “You want me to play fucking house with you? You will drop him at my grandmother’s. She will look after him,”

I tell him. He purses his lips for a second, glaring at me, but I refuse to look away and submit to him; my brother isn’t coming with us, and I won’t allow him to be trapped with this man as I am. “You give the address to my driver, then. We will drop him off on the way,” he tells me.

I set my brother in the seat before turning to face the Alpha only to see his men dousing the place with petrol. I stare up at the place I grew up in and call home. “One more thing. I need to go back inside,”

I tell him. “Not a chance,” he growls, shoving me to get in.

“I will leave my brother here. Come with me if needed,”

I snap, ignoring him and shoving past him. He growls, slamming the car door behind me. His fingers lock around my bicep and yank me back to him.

“You have five minutes any longer, and I will drag you out kicking and screaming,” he warns.

He then raises his hand, telling his men to stop, and they do. I trudge up the steps to the linen closet and grab a duffle bag. I race upstairs and grab my brother’s favorite plushy and the Marvel figurines Mom got him for his birthday.

The Alpha silently follows me, and I quickly race to my room, grabbing my photo album. I shove it at the Alpha, and he holds it, tucking it under his arm before I return to my father’s office. Stepping in, I ignore the babysitter’s body lying dead on the floor.

Her throat slit, eyes vacantly staring at the wall.