Read with BonusRead with Bonus

Part two- Chapter 3

There is no hunting like the hunting of man,

and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it,

never care for anything else thereafter.

-Ernest Hemingway

EMPEROR PACK, 2013

DUNCAN P.O.V

PARKING my sleek black Mercedes near the gate I made my way towards my dad’s grave where he was buried two days ago. I didn’t feel the need to open an umbrella despite the heavy downpour. There was a separate corner in the grave yard that was reserved for the Alpha bloodlines of the family. Every Alpha male of the family along with their mates were buried there. I walked past my mom’s tomb and stood in front of Dad’s. ABRAHAM XAVIER RHOADES was written in his head stone.

I shoved my fingers into my coat pocket and closed my eyes and replayed the last time I had spoken with my dad. It was a five days ago and he had sounded scared. He told me to come back and be the Alpha. I was surprised to hear that from him. That was coming from a man who refused to give the title to me when I was eighteen, refused to give the title to me when I was twenty-one and then finally agreed to give the title to me if i find my mate. The blue hair knew that I wouldn’t find my mate soon.

But now, when I was twenty three he had called me and asked me to take the title. I had given up hopes of ever getting the Alpha position because my dad loved it too much to even share it with his own son. He had told me that he wanted to leave the country and travel after that. I had a good laugh after he said that.

“You are kidding right?” I asked him chuckling.

“No. I am ready to handover the title to you. Just come back” he pleaded.

“Okay. Tell me what mess have you gotten yourself into?” I growled at him. I knew he was in deep shit because he sounded desperate and so desperate that he had to depend on me.

There was a long pause before he whispered slowly, “I want to leave the country”.

“Hiding from someone?” I had asked him chuckling.

He growled at me. “Do not talk to me like that” he snarled in his Alpha tone while I rolled my eyes even though he couldn’t see it. “You will come back soon. Pack your bags and come home with the first flight available. I will ask Scott to take care of the business trip.” He said to me and I growled at him. His Alpha tone was getting to me making my wolf bow.

“Funny. You were the one who sent me on this business trip” I said to him and grinned when I heard him mutter a few curses. He forced me to go to this trip because he couldn’t wait until I was out of the house.

“It was a mistake, alright. I am sorry” he said and I knew this man was really worried. “Just come home and take what is rightfully yours” he said to me.

“Give me the name, I will take care of the mess you have gotten into” I told him dryly. I didn’t wanted to go back home. The old man was like a wind, changing directions all the time.

“There is no-” he began but I cut him off.

“I said give me the name” I snarled at him.

“O” he told me.

“O?” I said and my eyes widened. “How-” I began but he cut me off.

“Yes O. He is coming to kill me. He has already killed two of my friends and I know I am next.” He said panicked.

Everyone single werewolf knew O. The rogues adore O, pack wolves despise O, and Alpha’s fear O. Kids are threatened with the name O, ‘Eat your food or else O will come and take you.’ The name rose about a year and half ago and already two Alphas’ were hacked to death by him, one from the Sinew Pack and another of the Grier Pack. No one knew why he kills Alpha’s. Maybe it’s just his hobby.

The name O was given to this killer after Alpha Sinew died. He had carved the name O on the floor in bloodied finger before he died and some chain was kept in his hand. So that was how the name O was titled for investigation purpose but eight months after the death of Alpha Herrick of Sinew Pack, Alpha Grier pack was also killed and a chain was found there too. Since he kills Alpha’s his name was everywhere within hours. Both Alpha’s were friends with my dad and it explained his fear.

“Calm down, will you?” I spat at him. “Why would O come to hunt you? What did you do?” I asked him suspiciously.

“What? I didn’t… no. No. I d-didn’t do anything. Believe me son, I didn’t. This O is… he is simply killing us. You just come home.” He said to me.

I cocked an eyebrow even though he couldn’t see me. The stuttering and stammering made me suspicious. “I come home and then what?” I asked him.

“I’ll give you the title and leave the country soon. I promise I will not bother you again” he said, hope in his voice.

“So you planned everything huh?” I asked snickering and he just growled lowly at that.

“Will you come?” he asked me softly. The old man truly seemed scared and I didn’t think O would be really hunting after him so I agreed immediately. “Fine, I have some immediate work here and as soon as it is done I will come” I told him.

“You come with the next flight itself or I’ll charter a flight for you” he said and I growled at him.

“I said I have work that requires only me. Thanks to you” I added sarcastically at the end. “Plus the weather isn’t good so I will be there in two days.” I said sighing.

“Fine. But do try to come sooner if possible.” I didn’t reply and instead just cut the call. Hope started filling me that finally I would be able to be the Alpha of the pack. I knew I would be better than my old man as an Alpha.

All the hope died three days ago. Since the weather was really bad I got a flight late in the evening the next day. I had all my bags packed and was heading towards the airport when the old man called me and said he didn’t want me coming. He had everything planned and that no one will be able to hurt him. He sounded really happy that day. “You just do the work I gave you” he said cheerfully ignoring my growls. “Come home only after it’s done. I have another work lined up for you after that.”

“What was the stupid phone call about then?” I snarled at him.

“Forget about it” he said sourly. “There is no need for you to come here. I have arranged for everything. No O will be able to harm me after that” he said chuckling and I found no humor in it. “You just continue your work and after that I’ve another one already lined up for you.”

“Do you know I am heading to the airport right now?” I asked him bitterly.

“Oh well. Return to your room then, you didn’t want to come here in the first place either” he said chuckling. Growling one last time I cut the call and turned the car and drove back to my hotel. Instead of going to my room I ran into the woods immediately shifting into my black wolf. I wanted to take all my anger out and so I went hunting and spent the whole night in the woods hunting, growling, destroying trees.

The next morning when I came and checked my cell phone I had around one hundred and eighty missed calls, hundred messages in my cell phone asking me- COME HOME SOON. YOUR FATHER HAS BEEN MURDERED.

I turned and walked back towards my car and started driving towards my house. I had come here because I was officially announced as the Alpha of the Emperor Pack today morning. I did want the title but I didn’t want him to die for that. I had never wished for that. He was my only family left. Now I have no one.

My mom died when I was ten. She was heavily pregnant and the baby too died with her. I was close to my mom and her death broke me then. My dad never brought me up. He sent me to boarding school when I was nine. The first time I came back home was to attend mom’s funeral and then I came back home only after I graduated high school. From there I went to college, got an MBA degree at twenty-two. Later I got involved in the family business.

My dad’s and mine relationship was strained but that doesn’t mean I didn’t care about him. I never came home but he used to come once in three months to the boarding school to meet me, even though I had asked him a million times not to. He had problems with handing over the title to me claiming that only he knew the kind of business he does.

When I reached the mansion, I made my way to my dad’s office that now belonged to me. There was a yellow color envelope in the desk that had my name written in it. Rage filled inside me after I opened the envelope and saw the photos which were in it.

I had seen his body but seeing this photo just made me livid.

The photos were taken from the place where my dad was found dead. He was found dead in an empty street. His head was twisted in a painful way that had killed him instantly. What made me furious was the silver chain that was kept in his hand. His car was burnt and also there were other photos of around ten rogues found dead in the next street and their bodies were torn into pieces. I threw the photos to a nearby wall and growled ferociously. It was him. O.

Everyone had informed me already that O had killed my father but looking at the photos just made by blood boil. Furiously, I lifted my dad’s desk and threw it against the wall. There was a loud sound of glass cracking when the glass table collided against the wall. I was shaking with anger when Waylon, my best friend also my Beta came running to the room. He too studied with me in the boarding school.

He knew if he spoke anything now it would only vent up my anger. Closing my eyes I took deep breaths to calm myself down and later slumped on the chair. I saw Waylon walking and picking up the photos. “I kept it there” he told me and I growled at him.

“There are similar pictures of the other Alpha’s” he carried on and I looked at him questioningly. “I can get it for you, if you want it Alpha” he told me.

“Bring it” I ordered him. He nodded and left the room.

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter