Chapter 1
Sparks POV
Flashback
Tears streamed down my face, mixing with the dirt and blood that clung to my skin. The pain in my stomach was unbearable, each kick intensifying the agony. "Father, please no. I am sorry. I won't look up again. Please, no more," I whimpered, my small voice barely audible amidst the sounds of my mother's desperate pleas echoing in the air. The Beta of the Crescent Moon Pack, my own flesh and blood, seemed consumed by rage, blind to my apologies. His relentless assault continued, fueled by some unspoken wrath. My mother's cries cut through the darkness, her tearful pleas falling on deaf ears. In that moment, as the Beta of the Crescent Moon Pack betrayed the pack’s principles and continued to torture his own flesh and blood, the shadows of fear and despair enveloped me, leaving behind scars that went far beyond the physical.
*Current Day
The familiar tone of my captain’s voice calling my name, “Detective Sparks”, jerks me from my reverie. I lift my gaze to meet his piercing eyes. "Yes, Captain," I responded.
Captain Michael White is an imposing figure, standing at 6 foot 4 inches with a muscular build. His salt and pepper hair, meticulously arranged in a wavy layer, the same color hair accentuating the rugged contours of his chest visible through the partially unbuttoned white shirt. His black slacks fit his muscular legs and sculpted ass perfectly. Despite being 15 years my senior and a human, I can't deny his attractiveness. However, I'm acutely aware that any romantic involvement is off-limits, given the consequences my secret could unleash.
Captain White's voice interrupts my internal musings as he inquires about the recent attack on a Noble from the Crescent Moon Pack. My response is a reluctant admission of ignorance. Dread settles in as I anticipate his next words. My fears materialize when he designates me as the lead on the case. I acknowledge the directive with an audible sigh, collecting my essentials—badge, gun, phone, keys—as I make my way to the door.
As I navigate the dimly lit streets of Lonest City, a concoction of professional duty and personal conflict clouds my mind. I grumble to myself, how could I be so unfortunate to be the lead on an attack involving a Noble from the Crescent Moon Pack? Nearly four years ago, I joined the Lonest City Police Department, seeking refuge after fleeing my pack on my eighteenth birthday. The city, with its unique mix of humans and werewolves cohabiting in uneasy harmony, became my sanctuary. The encroachment of the pack's land on the city over the past five decades has created a delicate balance.
The daughter of the Crescent Moon pack’s Beta Alaric Fenris Blackthorn and Laura Aria Blackthorn, I was meant to be the strong male heir my father desired. Instead, I was born female, deemed weak and unacceptable by my father. My mother's advocacy for my leadership qualities fell on deaf ears. I was relegated to isolation and denied the privileges of my Beta lineage. I was treated like an Omega instead of the Beta that I was. I was nothing more than their maid and was subjected to any punishments that my father deemed necessary. I sigh, shaking my head to clear it as I try to focus on the present and what I was about to walk into.
Approaching the crime scene, the moon casts an eerie glow on the forest surrounding the lonely city. A foreboding sensation accompanies my arrival at a mansion nestled among ancient trees, marking the aftermath of the recent Noble attack. The attack had sent shockwaves through the human and supernatural community and reluctantly, I found myself at the forefront of the investigation.
Surveying the scene, I catch a glimpse of Captain White, a commanding figure amidst chaos, accompanied by an unfamiliar male. I exit my Jeep, walking towards the captain, attempting to shake off an ominous feeling. The unfamiliar male intensely staring at me as he moves away from where I am headed.
Unknown POV
As the black Jeep approaches, her scent reaches me immediately—a mix of spiced cinnamon and vanilla. Detective Samantha Alora Sparks, known to her colleagues simply as Sparks, according to her captain, is hailed as one of the best human detectives on the force. However, she's not human. Stepping out of the Jeep, she reveals a tall she-wolf standing at five foot nine with a toned and muscular build. Her brown hair, neatly in a bun, displays a color of aged mahogany, rich and deep, with subtle hues of caramel that catch the light. Her eyes, the color of smoldering embers, deep, warm, exude an intensity that seemed to be boring a hole straight into my soul.
As she hesitates, I observe her every move, captivated by the rosy tint of her plump and perfectly shaped lips and the honeyed perfection of her tanned skin. As she begins to speak to Captain White, I can't tear my gaze away.