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Chapter 3

Kaiden

Everything irritated me as I lay in my bed. The birds, the sky, the giggles of unmated females vying for my attention downstairs. All in their oblivious happiness. Rakaam, my wolf, was restless. Two hundred years of not having a mate, two hundred years of being cursed, not having the other half to our twisted puzzle had made us both unconsolably bloodthirsty. /A half lie./ Rakaam retorted. I ignored. I was supposed to get my mate, like many others at no older than 18. Years of fighting, of only aggression, rage, and need for release of this tension in my body and soul fueled my rage. I tried my best not to take it out on my pack though. /A full truth./ He growled approvingly.

The first statement was a half-truth to him, because regardless of a mate… I would still be vicious. I was an alpha, and a strong one at that. I maintained this title with blood, and with mine spilled would I lose it. I grumbled a small snarl as I got out of bed, and read pack emails on my phone. Even worse than a Rogue was a human who killed wolves for sport… but I would question the wife of the Headhunter when I got to Horizon.

The air around me was an invisible aura as I made my way to my shower. Why did the moon goddess curse me to walk the earth alone? I am an immortal monster without a mate, suffering the fate of eternal loneliness…. What did I do as a child to make her punish me? Was it because of what I had done all those years ago? All the blasphemy, rejecting the thought of a mate? I know that I’m a wrathful sack of shit, but does that mean I have to fucking suffer, while others around me are happy?

Two hundred years is a long time to think about one’s actions …Every day, I protect this pack with my might. Every night, I come home to an empty bed… There are no pups here… there is no joy or soft words to share with the only other wolf I could do this with. To be Alpha with no Luna was torture… and it made me ponder how this was my fault, because it most certainly was. I just didn’t quite remember what I’d done…. Mostly because I also really didn’t remember that day in particular…. I hadn’t cared about this for at least a hundred and eighty years…

I mulled over every fight I ever had all the way back to when I first became Alpha, one action kept resonating in my mind. The one night of peace. I killed on the Harvest moon, the one night where wolves were most likely to meet their mates. I remember telling my pack ‘fuck the moon’ and I disobeyed the very law the Moon Goddess set, but after that I allowed Rakaam to have his way…. And for that, I was punished.

The high council even got involved; they always do. It was full of male and female she wolves. I was advised countless times to just marry a formally mated widow, if I wanted an experienced Luna, or an unmated female, but that wouldn’t be the same. I would mark her and be happy, but what would happen to the one the goddess made for me, if she finds me, and I am already with another?

/Never./ Rakaam shook with a monstrous growl, almost taking over to go look for the female I would never receive. I need to get out of this room. I need fresh air. Something needs to die.

I slung my hoodie over my shirtless body, putting on shorts to be decent downstairs. There was no need for boxers. I already knew that by the end of the day I would be in my mailman shorts, because I would shift and ruin this pair eventually. The last thing I did was that I got my whip out my closet. It isn’t the kind for fun, it’s for keeping prisoners in line. I followed the old ways of punishment, so much so that there was a special holster I developed myself to clip it to my belt.

There was always someone who just had to try to escape, try to make trouble, try to keep information from me. It was easy to get it out of most of them, and I was always ready. Today would be no different. 21 years ago, there was an attack that killed an entire pack of wolves. It was determined to be humans by the survivors, and to my luck, we may have one of those responsible in a cell today.

I did my usual contradiction of undressing once I got outside in front of the packhouse, and I was about to run, but Beta Connor stopped me.

“Alpha, there’s been more reports of Rogues in the area.” He said taking a sip of his black coffee, not caring that I was nude. No one did; we were shifters. Our clothes don’t shift with us.

“If they do not submit, kill them. If they have nothing to hide, they have nothing to fear.” I growled shifting, and running off before he could say anything else.

I ran full speed as my wolf down the well-worn path to Horizon, the wind was to my back. I had seen the weather report for a storm tonight; but this confirmed it. The goddess has tuned us in with nature. And with my might I am going to slap me a bitch today.

Running through the woods in the pack always seemed to bring fear into the hearts of the members, though there was no need. As long as they were doing their jobs and not making trouble, I didn’t care. They were free to be nauseatingly happy, while I was filled with a silent rage for so many wolves lost.

That human and her friends were responsible for the loss of 283 wolves, two were in my pack’s infirmary, but I didn’t think they would make it back then. They were burned alive along with the rest of their small pack, though some survivors were still alive, about 10 or so including the burn victims… If there were more, it was possible, but with my pack being the strongest of the three in the area, I figured they’d be attracted to this place.

They lost their Alpha and Luna, as Alpha Herbert was skinned. It was partly why we stayed away from them. It was also why humans were detained here, that they may never escape and tell where we are.

There was a tense treaty between the supernatural world and humans. Only their leaders and the Church knew of us…. And hunters. This blissful ignorance was for their own good, since before 1607, there was war. Hunters were illegal vigilantes. They continued to kill innocent wolves, and their actions put a strain on our truce.

Once in the small clearing before the prison, the sun made it known that dawn was over.

The light of it damn near blinded me, which completely threw me off… it would be hot today, even though it was fall. That was just how it was in the south. Jentucky was a beautiful state with few humans compared to the surrounding others… and our pack was in the middle of nowhere, three hours away from the nearest major settlement. This held true for many packs. We don’t associate with humans, but they always seem to find us anyway.

Though most of the time that wasn’t an issue. The majority of humans werewolves encounter are either drunk, campers, or random lost men that cannot be allowed to leave, because they would tell others of the pack’s location. This was one of the rare cases that I needed to address personally….

I saw the prison come into view. It was the largest supernatural run prison on this side of the continent. It housed many, but the fence was low. There wasn’t a need for it to be tall or manned with guns. I growled with enough force that the guards would know I was coming, and with that I got to the entrance, shifted, and put my clothes back on.

The air was thick with the smell of cleaner and fear. I made every wolf in a holding cell talk while I waited for information on the human. Each had a story, and I could tell if they were lying. Of all of them I found a meek low rank wolf to add. He was just a kid, no home, rejected from his pack. It actually moved me when we confirmed it. His parents were Rogues that got killed at the border of another pack, and he ran from West Tennessaw to Jentucky by himself.

“Alpha Kaiden,” said the submissive voice of my guard. “We have confirmed the female in 201 may know of SnowMoon Pack’s fate, her driver’s license shows she lived only a drive away from their border.”

“Give me her file.” I said being passed the manila folder…. I thought they didn’t allow humans to live that close, only about 20 miles away, a small car ride really.

I walked toward her cell. It had been freshly cleaned with new linen, and I pulled out my whip from the holster on my belt.

“Talk” I said in my alpha voice. Any wolf within earshot would be submitting, but the human chose to be disrespectful.

She was a blonde haired woman in her late 30’s. Her deep brown eyes held a hatred for us, even though we’d actually treated her better than she deserved. Her people were responsible for so many lives lost, and she would talk, or she would die slowly. It was already bad enough that my wolf was practically foaming at the mouth to get our teeth on her throat.

“Go fuck yourself.” she hissed, sitting facing the wall, refusing to acknowledge me.

I took in a deep long breath, and let out a sharp exhale, closing my eyes. “Tell Beta Conner to cancel my morning meetings.”

/Whip that bitch./ growled Rakaam in my mind, full of venom. I complied without hesitation. With every lash she screamed nothing but profanities at me. I whipped her for 2 hours straight. Most humans pass out or talk, but she was just a ball of hatred.

“I wish I could have been there when they killed those fuckers.” she seethed spitefully between breaths.

“Well you get a front row seat to see what we do to Headhunters.” I said pulling off my hoodie.

I pulled off my pants and let Rakaam have her for a snack. My wolf was not merciful, but I would never expect that from him. Some of the survivors saw what I did to her in full and I’d hoped that that gave them some closure. Probably not, but I could hope. I was here every day, so at most they probably thought I attacked a random prisoner.

Then from out of nowhere I hear the faintest screams. I ignored it at first, it didn’t sound like I should go investigate something so small, but I figured I should just to make sure the pack is safe. There were no patrols this close to the small suburban homes and the prison, because I’m right here.

Then I hear an unfamiliar howl. I left the prison and immediately shift into my wolf, my 6’7 frame melding into a black furred monster of destruction. I regretted eating earlier now, I am most vicious hungry, but I had room enough.

In the setting sun, I roared my confirmation of the challenge to the would-be visitor Rogue, as I could not make out anything yet, there was no scent. It was almost as if an Omega had shifted, and had the gall, in their ecstasy of their newfound power, challenged me. The absolute. Fucking. Nerve.

I tried hard to focus on tracking this motherfucker. What’s more is that they have been prancing around the run trail like they own the place. No one would have noticed a no power, nearly scentless Omega, they would probably be with their friends, or maybe just have their headphones in and ignore them completely.

The Rogues from yesterday had to have sent an Omega scout to sneak in somehow….

I practically galloped and roared my most deathly rumbles and snarls to show them that I am the Alpha and I will be respected! This Rogue was going to fucking die today! And I was going to paint my borders with his blood. All who see will tremble and know that I am the one who rules these lands. I slowed my gallop to a trot; I could tell I was close. [Where are you little pup?] I spat, [I won’t hurt you….] I growled into the air. The fucking nerve. My teeth were ready, my wolf and I were full of rage and seething hatred.

I saw the trail he ran, and I stopped by a large cedar. I was beginning to smell …. The scent of a female? An intoxicating female.

My mate….

I sniffed deep the smell of the cedar, the pines, the oak trees. I became lost in it. [Where are you?!] My wolf screamed, but I didn’t intend on giving him control. We hungered for her touch, her face, her scent. I marked the strongest smelling spot by a tree so that if I needed, I could find it. I took back control, but barely; her scent was too much. Just a sniff was enough to complete me, giving me memories that I’ve never had, yet wished were. Pups, happiness, love and unconditional compassion …... she was all I needed.

I understand why the goddess made me wait… I would not have appreciated her. I would have been a piece of shit. She was perfect then and now, her scent was like a rush of euphoria. I needed that. I circled the tree like an idiot, as if someone would climb a tree.

And my wolf got the better of me, he took full control again, my body lost it with him. [You smell delectable, I could just eat you.] he said in a deep sinister growl, licking our muzzle. /She is absolutely perfect/, he chuckled to me, [mmmm] he growled deeply, [… I can taste you.] he purred. I could to; she was the slightest hint of cherry lemonade.

Thunder and heavy rain snapped me back in control. I needed to find my Luna. I’d already made up my mind that I wanted her, as did Rakaam. If I didn’t, she could be out here all alone, I boiled at the idea of someone taking her and convincing her to leave with them. My wolf growled with me, and I ran off in the direction that I thought she went, but the scent got fainter.

I was going the wrong direction! I mentally scream at this and turn around. The rain was making the scent weak, but there was a small metallic odor to the smell of my mate the kept it strong enough to track in the rain. I realized that she was trying to lose me in the pack suburbs, but I could never let go of the smell that now resided in my mind. I had waited 200 years for this day, and there was nothing that would stop me from getting to her. I let out a howl for my mate, so that she would know I meant her no harm.

Ironic that I came ready to paint with the blood of my enemies, and now I am following her fresh blood, worried for her safety.

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