Chapter One
2232 Words
There was a war, Nyx was told.
The wolves had murdered her family in cold blood and taken over their land, however as she was wee babe one of the wolves had taken interest in her.
That was the only reason she had to cover up my pointed ears whenever she was out in public and never let her eyes glow.
Nyx had lived among the Atheion Pack since then, living in hiding, living in fear but living under the protection of the Pack’s Beta and most feared defender.
If it was ever found out that she was fae, with long pointed ears, glowing eyes, and the ability to see death, her head would be hung on a stick and burnt.
Hence, Nyx lived in seclusion, up the attic of the Beta’s house, away from people and away from the world outside.
But, the minx's little spirit of curiosity had always been said to begin the turn of tragic event in a cat’s life, and so can be said about Nyx.
*****
Nyx’s POV
The owls hoot in sync with the crickets as I carefully make my way down the extravagant stairs, my heart thrumming rapidly in my chest at the risk I am taking.
This definitely isn’t going to go over well but I would rather risk it than stay up there another second bordering on insanity.
Besides it’s pitch dark out, no one’s going to scrutinize me to the point of noticing how pointed my ears.
I wrap my hood tightly around myself with one hand, my other hand holding my boots, as I run across the hall to the kitchens. From there, I slip out through the servants' access and the wind wraps me up in a caress as I close the door quietly behind me.
I’ve never been more than a few feet away from the Beta’s property but I’m finally doing it tonight. I’m free.
Free to explore the night in Panerma city. My homeland.
Fifteen Years Ago
Fireworks lit up in celebration of the first welcoming of spring for the year, it was going to be a beautiful season, as mother had said.
I glanced up, finding my parents smiling at each other, my mum’s hand tightening around mine. My eyes moved to the full and I smiled, it was going to be a beautiful season.
Then disaster struck.
The screams came first before the growls of the wolves filled the open space where all fae had gathered to celebrate.
My mom picked me up with force and began running, her body trembling underneath mine.
Running from the gore but I saw it all, the wolves tearing my people’s body apart, the blood and screams a forever imprint on my mind.
My mom ran into our house because it was close, shutting and locking the door behind her. She took the steps two at a time and dashed into the nursery.
“Shhh”, my mum whispered, her blue eyes shining with tears. “Everything’s going to be alright”, she said, seeming unsure of her words.
I looked at the door expecting my dad to burst through any minute and tell us everything was going to be fine.
A loud crash downstairs shook my entire being and sent my mum into fight mode.
“Stay here, darling. Whatever you hear, don’t make a sound and do not come out for anything, understand”
Fae babies were fast to develop mentally, so at age three I already understood our language and the language of the world.
I shook my head at her, tears filling my eyes as she closed the wardrobe.
I covered my ears with my hands as darkness took over, but I could still hear every sound. Every single sound.
My mother’s shrill screams filled the air and I bit down on my lip to stop from crying out after her. My heart pounded in my chest as footsteps sounded up the steps in hurry.
It wasn’t long before the wardrobe my ma had hidden me flew open. My mouth widened in a scream as wolf breath hit me first in the face.
The growl coming from the creature in front of me stopped my scream in its tracks and I slowly looked
up into wolf blue eyes.
In a flash, a harsh face was staring hard at me.
“Cha dèan mi dochann air leanabh”, the face whispered before waving a hand in my face and I blacked out.
Present
That face had turned out to be Beta of the Atheion Pack, and from that day I had learnt the ways of the wolves.
Not without rebellion, of course, but I’ve learnt that in order to exact vengeance for my people I had to lay low for sometime.
However after a while I had come to be fond of the Beta and his wife.
The m******e that had happened that night wasn’t of his doing, he was just following orders.
And he keeps me under his wings, treats me like his own. No one in the Atheion Pack knows I am a fae.
No one’s going to know until they’re all under my mercy for killing my people.
I hug my cloak tighter to my chest as I keep to the shadows of the busy street of the city. Whispers of the intending Alpha future mate’s dance filter through my ear as none-the-wiser wolves pass by me.
My eyebrows come together in curiosity. The servants at Beta hall were also preparing in earnest for the future mate’s dance.
From what I’ve garnered, it’s a dance held to help the intending Alpha choose his mate, the event usually preceded the intending Alpha’s takeover of the seat.
Apparently, it has been a tradition passed on from Alpha to Alpha. To me, it was all foolish but only the wolves saw reason in their hideous ways.
I get to the entrance of my stop for the night, the famous and notorious Sinhub, a nightclub that promises a mind-blowing experience and delivers.
The city of Panerma is always filled with nighttime spots but the Sinhub ranks high in the tourist most visited spots list.
The stories from the servants about here were too cool and enticing for me to pass up not visiting at least once.
Emotions filter through my head, the scent of s*x hugging the busy nightclub as people-both werewolves, tourists, and humans alike- stumble to enter the space.
My nerves tingle, my awareness sense kicking up a notch. My skin feels hot and I couldn’t place what’s pushing me, I just know I have to be inside.
As I push through the doors with three girls giggling to each other, I finally understand why I couldn’t wait to get inside.
The place is like an aphrodisiac, the beats coming from the DJ making the bodies on the dance floor move sinuously and in sync with each other, the people by the bars bordering the dance floor putting their heads together and laughing with each other.
Like a different world.
I find a stairs probably leading to the VIP area but I didn’t pay attention. I feel like I’ve been drugged, my eyes scanning everywhere at once.
Not that I know how being drugged feels like. I mean I’ve done things in my solitude of a life but experimenting with drugs isn’t on the list.
Everything feels so vivid and colorful and alive here.
I tug my hoodie, glad that the subtle darkness of the club manages to further hide me as I move past the merged bodies and the booths lining the walls.
My eyes explore everything at once, my pulse skittering in sync to the loud beat. Something tugs my attention and my focus is drawn to the darker areas of the club, and I gasp, this is why the scent of s*x clung heavily round the building.
Heat crawls up my face and I turn sharply and plunge straight into a solid back.
Fucckk
Way to go Nyx, I chide myself
Solid back turns and I gasp out loud again, slapping my hand over my mouth as I view the ethereal specimen I’ve just come in contact with.
Wolf.
Solid back’s eyebrows arch in question.
“Haven’t seen you in here before”, Solid back speaks and I scoff before the reasoning part of my brain joins the conversation.
This earns me a scowl and I chide myself even harder. I’m not supposed to draw attention to myself.
“Sorry”, I mumble and sidestep the hunk of muscle that I couldn’t see clearly but could tell I would be in one heap of problem. I stop short as another body steps in front of me, blocking off my escape.
Shit, I’m in real trouble now.
“You don’t smell familiar”, Solid back speaks in a husky voice. I could feel his eyes searing into me, trying to figure me out.
“Tourist”, I mutter in my fakest voice possible. My eyes stick to the ground, my palms sweating profusely inside my coat.
I think Solid back nods because the other hunk of muscle that blocks my path moves away and I walk away like my butt is on fire.
I manage to find the bathroom after squeezing through a sea of bodies. I slip into one of the stalls, sitting on the toilet seat and taking in a deep breath.
That had been a close call.
I wash my hands and leave the bathroom, resolving to go home immediately. I’m almost to the exit when I feel hooked again, like something is drawing me or someone is calling me.
My ears twitch and just like that my resolve folds. My ears never twitch.
I follow the calling, my feet moving of its own accord up the stairs. I find the steps leads to a hallway lined with five doors, looking deserted.
That should have been my sign to get the hell out of this club but my ears twitch again and my feet begin moving of its own accord.
I come to a stop in front of the fifth door and push it open, stepping in entirely against my will.
What the hell am I doing, I scream in my head.
The cackling of the fireplace sounds at the back of my head as I survey the room and realize with rapid horror that I wasn’t alone.
He’s what lured me in here?
Fuck s**t, I curse as I stare at a well toned back. A well toned back I had bumped into earlier.
“And the piper lures in the rat”, Solid back’s smooth voice wraps around me and my body prickles up in heat.
“I’m sorry”, I mutter with my head down as I slowly back up the door.
Solid back turns languidly and c***s an eyebrow at me, his muscles all in tone with his movement.
My breath leaves my mouth in a rush and I stare as my insides turn to mush at the sight of the ethereal man in front of me.
His eyes burn the same bright color as the fire, his dark golden hair gleaming in the subtle lighting of the room.
It should be a crime to be this hot. Why couldn’t I talk? My brain couldn’t seem to connect to my tongue anymore.
“What are you?” The spell breaks enough for me to be able to form coherent thoughts immediately.
Shit, I am supposed to be getting out of there.
“No one”, I mutter with my voice low, feeling for the door handle with my hands behind my back.
“No one wears a cloak to one of the hottest spots in LA”. “Most people come here to be free”.
“What if the cloak is my freedom?”, I find myself saying, watching his eyes, eyes that feel like they were searing into me.
“This is the last time I’ll ask. The next time I won’t be so kind to ask” Fire eyes say, straightening up to his full height, probably to initiate intimidation.
But I didn’t feel intimidated one bit, I feel liquid heat, I feel brazen and calm.
“There’s much fun in finding out things for yourself, isn’t there?”, I push, trying to read his emotions and coming up with nothing.
Solid back tilts his head in question and asks in his smooth, silky voice, “ A challenge?”
My insides go liquid and I for one second imagine that voice whispering dirty talks, pushing me to the edge and catching me with every fall.
My brain somehow finds a way to take control of my body again and I open the door and slide out, knowing my cheeks were burning bright and I just found the new fantasy of my s*x dreams.
As I follow the dark streets back to the Beta’s house, I know in the back of my mind that Solid back deliberately let me go.
The way he had said ‘a challenge’ gives off all indications that he loves a thrilling chase and I just offered him one.
I come to thoughts of his voice later in the bleating quiet of the night.
- Writer
