The Female Alpha's Hostage

Chapter Two

Hugo’s POV

The moon quickly began to have its intended impact. With the rest of the Kaos Pack, I transformed, and together we sprinted through the woods scouting for scents and keeping watch for one another. As the wolves passed me by, I felt many of them brush against me aggressively.

Since I wouldn't want a stranger to barge into my pack either, I didn't blame them, especially when heinous murders are being committed. No beta is safe right now.

My paws' claws caught the dewy soil, I felt like I was flying through the jungle. I felt free. But there was a pang of grief that consumed my heart, the realization that once upon a time the Shaw pack prospered amongst the Falcon Valley. But the Shaw’s pack was transformed overnight into monsters by the quest for power.

While a pack's duty was to watch out for one another, my family turned out to be its own worst enemy. Everybody at the table was rendered feeble by the wolf's bane-laced meal that evening. My uncle only needed a fraction of a second to kill my family members one by one. In his rage, bloodshed covered the room, spreading its way everywhere.

A momentarily paralyzed beta couldn’t do anything but listen to the horror of screams that escaped my father’s, mother’s and sister’s lips. He heard the screams and when it died down, it took him too long to hear my heartbeat. I used all of my effort to drive a fragment of the splintered table into his heart.

When the dreadful night had passed, there stood one beta. I could have claimed my title as Alpha, but who was I to lead when I couldn’t protect my family? Who was I to lead when I had let my guard down? Who was I to lead when there wasn’t any of the pack left? One Beta. Now known as the loner boy.

Then Izzy came along. And I assumed we were bonded. Now I see that she was genuinely sorry for me. She thought I was a coward, and I wholeheartedly agree with her.

I am a coward hiding behind other packs in an effort to blend in and avoid conflict. I don’t know why I was born a wolf when I couldn’t act like one.

A loud roar that came from the mountain not too distant from us halted my train of thought.

I hurriedly followed Alpha Xander and his pack as they abruptly turned around and fled in the opposite direction. Something ominous and foreboding was hiding in these shadows, and I felt the air around me . . change. My nostrils pricked up at the abrupt change in strange scent that enveloped the pack.

Alpha Xander abruptly came to a halt, stopping everyone in place.

Everyone felt exposed, vulnerable.

The wolf in front of Alpha Xander was much larger than he was. It growled loudly and glared at the pack with flaming eyes. It appeared as though the Alpha was speaking to Xander through its eyes.

Xander bowed his head before quickly turning around and running in my direction. In the following few seconds, everything happened so quickly. My weight was carried by his teeth as they clung to the back of my body, pushing me to the front of the group and directly in front of the beast.

My wolf immediately transformed me back to my flesh, and I lay flat stunned from the brutal force to the ground. My fingers touched the soil as I was able to open my eyes and stare at Xander and his pack as they silently fled the area. The realization of betrayal finally dawned on me as my eyes met the Alpha, who instantly changed into the flesh of the most stunning woman I had ever laid eyes on.

“I . . . please don’t kill me” I dug into the soil as my fingertips turned into claws. My instinct screamed at me to shift back as soon as possible. Meanwhile, she stomped onto my wrists, making me let out a small wail of cry. As terrified as I was, I knew I didn’t want to die. It’s not my time. Not yet.

“Don’t shift” My entire body was rendered still by her words, and I promptly complied before collapsing backward onto the earth.

"Let's see who we have here right now." She was strong, whatever she was. She made me turn to face her with a sweep of her feet. Over her body, the moon shone brightly, yet all I could see were her glowing red eyes.

She removes the dust on my lips with her finger as she leans closer to my face. “What’s your name, little claws?” With a smug grin on her face, she questioned.

She crouched while clenching her legs together. I could feel the fire radiating through her body.

“Hugo Shaw” Words managed to escape my lips.

“Little Claws, I will not repeat what I am about to tell you, so listen very carefully. In 60 seconds, I will shift and once I do, I expect you to climb onto me and hold tight. If you run, you will die. If you scream for help, you will die. If you try to retaliate in any way, shape or form, you .. will.. die. Have I made myself clear?” Her words sent shivers down my spine.

I gave her a long look before hustling a nod.

Without a minute to waste, she transformed into her wolf form and I immediately got on to her back and held on as she rode me off deep into the woods.