Chapter 3 Being his prey

King Alpha moved closer until he was standing directly in front of me. His hands were stuffed into his pockets, and an emotionless mask covered his face.

"I think you'd better come home with us, Beryl," he said slowly. "If you are obedient, I will give you your father's property when you graduate."

Before I could answer, Amy rushed out of the house with a suitcase. It looked like she was here to pack her bags. She was going to move in with Jimmy? I doubted it, considering they were slapping each other in the parking lot not too long ago.

"Of course, we'll go with you," Amy simpered to Armand, her long acrylic nails grazing his bicep. "It's very kind of you to offer to take care of us."

"I thought you had left," he said coldly, not returning her gaze.

She pouted, her heavily made-up face contorted into a mask of sorrow. Her lower lip quivered dramatically. "That's not true. I loved Edmund. We loved each other." Her voice became sharp and insistent.

"But Jimmy! He blackmailed me! He managed to get some nude pictures of me and threatened to leak them to the press if I didn't sleep with him!" Tears started streaming down her cheeks and she dissolved into loud sobs that echoed around us.

"I'm like Beryl's mother. Right, honey?" When that doesn't work, she said, "Jimmy's gonna kill me! You gotta help me!"

As she continued to sob, I felt my conviction grow weaker and weaker. Maybe she meant it. Maybe she was really sorry. Nicholas seemed to realize my wavering, and took his hand from mine, muttering "stupid" in a low voice.

"She looks a lot like your mother," Armand mused, then turned his attention to me. "I can take care of her and give her the life she's used to...if you want."

"I... I don't know." I muttered to myself. I was torn between doing the right thing and treating Amy like how she treated me.

"I see," Armand looked down at Amy, then at me. "You're a kind kid. Much like your mother. But kindness is often the best catalyst for evil."

If I could have known what terrible things Amy would do to me and the triplets and even Armand a year in advance, I would have stopped myself at this moment. I shouldn't have been soft on my stepmother Amy.

The werewolf Alpha Armand knew more about human nature than I do. He sighed and helped Amy stand up. Amy clung to him like a pet, digging with her acrylic claws and giggling.

"Edmund would have wanted me to take care of you both." He gestured toward the car, helping Amy into the backseat. Surprisingly, he closed it on her without any of them joining her.

Armand turned his attention to a helicopter that was beginning its descent into the yard. Realizing that he would not be joining her, Amy stepped back out of the car calling for attention.

"You will be taken care of," Armand assured her, tucking her back into the car. But not before she set her vicious eyes on me.

"We'll meet again, Beryl," she spat.

Though I came from a wealthy family, this was my first helicopter ride. I found myself both thrilled and terrified. I barely remembered the trip out to the Alpha King's compound.

Tucked away on a private island is the Alpha King's estate. Once we landed, I was handed off to the house manager, Elaine, while the men disappeared.

I stared up in disbelief at the structure before me. It was a castle. A literal castle. I knew he was rich and influential, but this was more than I'd expected.

I listened as Elaine explained that the island was kept secluded and the only way on or off the island was via the private ferryboat, the private jet, or the helicopter.

As Elaine led me deeper into the castle, I couldn't help but feel like a small, insignificant ant in this grand space. My eyes took in everything around me as we walked, marveling at the intricate details of the decor. I couldn't believe that I was actually here, in the Alpha King's home.

Elaine began to explain some of the living habits of Armand and his sons, such as their strict adherence to routine, their preference for formal dining occasions, as well as their physical peculiarities—apparently, they were common among werewolves. Nicholas's facial paralysis, Brian's deafness, and Cheney's color blindness.

"These are all details you must remember," Elaine warned Beryl sternly. "They may seem trivial now but could be important later on."

She also advised me that entering into conflict with the triplets was ill-advised. The conversation only left me feeling more uneasy about my current situation.

Finally, we arrived at my room. It was larger than mine back home. The walls were painted a soft cream color, and the bed was covered in silky white sheets. I took a deep breath and allowed myself to sink into the plush bed. It was all so much to take in.

This was my home now.

As I lay there, staring up at the ornately carved ceiling, I couldn't help but wonder what had brought me here. Why had Armand insisted on bringing me here? And what did he want from me?

I heard a knock at the door and Elaine entered with a tray of food. She informed me that the Alpha King had requested my presence at dinner that evening and that I was to dress formally.

As I ate, I couldn't help but wonder what was in store for me. Would Armand try to control me? Or was there some other, more sinister plan in the works?

I knew I had to be cautious and observant if I wanted to survive in this unfamiliar environment. I couldn't let my guard down for even a moment, not with the Alpha King and his sons nearby.

I had to be resourceful and smart if I wanted to survive in this new world. Despite the unsettling feeling that nagged at the back of my mind, I knew I had to stay strong and adapt to my new surroundings.

I could do this. My father may have fallen apart when things got tough, but I wouldn't. I couldn't. I was my mother's daughter and I would come out on top.

I had to. Then I felt a gaze on me. A familiar feeling tingling on the back of my neck.

I looked sideways out the window, and through the huge ornate stained glass, I saw Nicholas standing outside on the wide lawn, already in the hockey uniform I'd seen him in on the TV news.

It was incredible. The hockey star Nicholas, who I thought would never be in our small town, would show up to me one day and take me into their world.

And staring at me like this? As if I was some kind of prey for him? Almost as insane as the idea of werewolves existing.