The Prime Alpha

Chapter 1

NICKY

“Yes, thank you.” I let go of the luggages and allowed the taxi driver to put it all in the booth.

“You’re a tough one, young lady,” his breathing was laborious as he finally got it all into the back. He looked at me with a scanning gaze, probably wondering how a frail-looking girl like myself had carried three boxes with ease. He chuckled before saying, “These days, with all this girl-boss thing… it has entered you all for real.”

I took a deep breath as if willing myself into relaxing, feeling the cool morning breeze toss my hair about, and hearing the driver drone on about how his daughter was just as strong as I was. Yes, I could have done without the music he put on, but it was all good. I was basically home—in the city I grew up in—and I was done with school for good.

“Despite everything, you live your life without fear,” Ma had said to me three weeks ago at my master's graduation ceremony, a warm hand to my face, those tiny eyes of hers nearly brimming. “I’m so proud of you. If your Dad wasn't so occupied, he would be here, too.”

Here's the thing: I didn’t think I was brave. No, this wasn’t modesty. Truth was that I just found it illogical to live in fear. Yes, ASILIENCE (an organised group of werewolf hunters) had gotten stronger, bolder, and more of a danger to werewolves than ever. Yes, werewolves were dying here and there, families terrified of parting with loved ones. Yes, we didn’t know how to fight back and fear was thicker in the air than weed at a frat's party. Still, to me, none of this was reason enough to live on bent knees, to permit fear in our bones.

If I was going to die, I would rather do so after a full day of watching reality TV, training with the pack, and being rammed into by Craig. But that was just me.

***** *****

Something was off.

As I got out of the taxi, my younger brother, Austin, and Ma came to help with the bags. (For some reason, when I was younger I called Mum 'Ma' and Austin, my brother, ran with it too.) From the entrance of our compound, balloons, ribbons, and decorations adorned a path to the door.

WELCOME HOME, NICKY STICKY FINGERS.

Pointing to the signboard, I chuckled, “This one right here was Dad’s idea, wasn’t it?”

“Laughed his behind off while putting it up,” Ma answered, smiling ear to ear but her pulse was racing. Not fear, excitement maybe, but I knew I was missing something.

There were about twenty other people in the house; friends, family, neighbours; all werewolves. There was a lot of “happy you're back,” “you look good,” even an “I'm happy for you.” Maybe they just missed me; we were indeed a tight-knit community and I had spent the most of six years abroad getting my undergraduate and post-graduate degrees.

“My baby,” Craig lifted me in his arms, covering my face with kisses. His hands suggested he was hungry for more than just kisses, but he knew better than to be naughty in my parents’ house. “You can't… you can't know how much I miss you when you’re away. You just can't.”

I melted in his arms, giggling as he planted dozens of kisses on my forehead. “And guess what?” I looked up at his face. “Craig, you will never feel that way again. I’m done. I wanted the degree because, I guess, I just wanted it. But now I will never have to leave you again.”

“Hello, hello, hello,” Dad’s voice disrupted the moment, his walking stick tapping a step ahead as he made his way into the living area. Ma helped gather attention, tapping a spoon on a half-empty flute.

Dad rested his stare on me, gave me his signature smile followed by a subtle nod. “You can take it from here, Craig.”

Take what? What was this?

“Nicky, I know you probably won’t like this because you don't like public stuff,” Craig’s arm linked around my waist as he led me to the centre of the little gathering of smiling faces, right where Dad had stood. Dad walked away quickly, unusual for him, until I realised he was giving us the floor. Almost everyone had their phones out, beginning to film us.

“What is it…”

He put a finger to my lips, then dropped to one knee, face as serious as an introvert's put behind a mic.

“I remember when we first started seeing each other,” he sniffled, looked down briefly, then continued. “We would write ourselves even though we saw each other every other day.” Laughter rippled, the air was warm, but still somewhat, suspenseful even though I had caught on.

“You complete me, Nicky. I suck at this kind of thing because there's so much I want to say but I can't find the right words. I would, easily, if I had asked you to help me. Nicky, today, before everyone here, I’m asking if you'd do me the kindness of being my wife. Nicky Annalise Tulino, will you marry me?”

I nodded almost robotically, pulling him into a hug. “Yes, Craig, I’ll marry you now and again in the next world if fate let it be.”

Damn it.

The moment felt weird, like a dream come true but rather unexpectedly. It felt good but also like an 'is that it?' moment? And, ah, how I wish Agnes were here. I couldn't help missing her presence.

So, it was all hugs and congratulations after that, family and friends taking pictures, the moment bonding us like glue; it’s wasn't every day a man proposed to the love of his life in front of almost everyone who mattered to both of them.

A good day, wasn’t it? Definitely! Surely nothing could go wrong.

***** *****

“No, it really is fine,” I told Agnes, my tone almost high-pitched, urging her to relax. “You know I was the one who literally begged your lazy ass to get on a plane and do one damn thing for yourself. There is no problem… do you want me to sing it out to you?”

Agnes was my other half—yeah, awkward thing to admit while newly engaged—but she might be my favourite person alive. People say we are best friends but I call bullshit on that. ‘Best friend’ doesn’t come close to cutting it. She was a soul sister, a kindred spirit, and I would have loved her to witness Craig’s proposal. But it was fine. I was glad she was strong enough to flip fear the middle finger and go on the camping trip she had spoken about for weeks.

“I need to know how you’re feeling, girl,” Agnes smiled, the warm glow of campfire making her look ethereal through the screen.

“Nicky, are you happy? You know that's what matters to me.“

“What do you think? Craig just proposed! It hasn’t even been ten hours yet… yes, I’m counting.”

"My girl will be the most beautiful of brides," Agnes giggled, letting out a quickly stifled scream of jubilation. "And I will be the most beautiful maid of honour in the... wait, you haven't even asked me yet, have you?"

"Girl, don't be silly, you know this already. We pinky-promised to be each other's chief bridesmaid at age six."

"It was age seven," she corrected, now walking, though everywhere in the woods where she was appeared very well lit. "You're so not getting out of this easily. I need you to ask me, and properly too!"

"Damn. What a thing you have for drama."

"Yeah, sounds like me," she let out a brief laugh, making a face as she brought the screen closer.

"Since you insist..."

"Yes, I definitely admit to being guilty of insisting. Oh, sorry, carry on."

Putting some distance between me and the phone, I curtseyed, saying, "If it wouldn't bother your royal highness, I would be ineffably honoured if you agree to be my maid of honour."

"Of course, Nicky," her eyes widened, her face creasing into radiance. "The honour is mine, girl. I... oh, I can't wait!"

We went on to chat and bicker about what this would mean to the life I led; whether this counted as an engagement party; what the wedding might look like. You know, it really was all fun.

Until it wasn’t.

“You said what?” Her tablet suddenly slipped and she hurried to pick it back up, her hands shaking like someone with severe paralysing anxiety. The thing was, Agnes didn’t have anxiety.

“I don’t know what’s happening but I feel…”

“Agnes?” I was already on my feet heading downstairs, gesturing to Ma that something was wrong. “Agnes!”

Her screams came through the speaker, wailing, more pain than fear. What was going on?

Wait, no—it couldn’t be.

The call cut off. We didn’t see it happen but we knew she was dead.

ASILIENCE had struck again.