Chapter 7: Who is your Alpha?
1358 Words
A small pharmacy sat on the corner ahead, its lights still on.
I pushed the door open and walked in, keeping my head down. The guy behind the counter didn't even looked up from his phone and glanced at me.
"Where is the restroom, please?" I asked and he just pointed to the Rest room sign. "I’ll need some painkillers, a bottle water and two bandages."
I followed the direction and locked the door behind me.
The restroom was tiny room with a cracked sink, a toilet, a bulb flickering every few seconds.
I ran the tap and washed my face as I looked at my reflection in the mirror.
"Ella, we need to rest..."
"But we need to get out of the city first" I cut Kira off gently. My hand moved instinctively to my chest and the veil stone necklace fell into my palm.
I was wondering why it fell off when I saw a crack in the chain. It must have happened during crash.
"We need to fix the necklace" Kira Panicked "As soon as possible"
I couldnt even respond out of tiredness, I just sighed.
As I turned to leave the rest room, my eyes stopped on the old toilet tank. It looked like hadn't been touched in years.
I lifted the lid carefully and looked inside. Along the inner wall, there was a small gap, a crack. Just wide enough.
I took the memory card out of my pocket and pushed it into the gap before putting bcj the lid.
Dante had died for whatever was on this thing. People were still coming for it.
That’s a good idea, Kira remarked quietly as I washed my hands.
After I was done, I unlocked the door, and walked back to the counter.
The attendant had left two boxes of painkillers and the bandage waiting. I paid, took my change, and walked out into the night.
I sat on the low step outside and swallowed two pills with half the water, then just sat there for a while, enjoying the cool air around me.
I stared at the ground, lost in thought, thinking about Dante and wondering why he made me into a werewolf and everything that has led to this moment.
They found us.
Kira's voice came suddenly, sharp and urgent.
"How?"
"The necklace..."
It was too late when I saw the arm coming from my left and connected to my face. One second I was sitting there and the next I fell off the stairs.
The streetlights blurred and I could hear Kira calling out to me as everything turned black.
***
I woke up slowly.
The sounds came first. I could her some voices and music playing in the background, then creak of a chair.
My wrists were tied behind me. And over my head, a rough hood, so close to my face that it was hard to breath.
Thank goodness you're awake
Are you okay, Kira? I kept it inside my head. Do you know where we are?
But before she could answer, I felt it, a presence. A strong Aura.
It was like the air in the room changed and every nerve in my body could feel it.
Alpha.
Kira's voice sounded like she was out of breath before she went silent, and in that moment I knew I was alone.
I tried reaching Kira but I couldn’t.
I flinched at the sudden light, squeezing my eyes shut before opening them again, when the hood was ripped off my head.
When my vision settled, I saw I was in a large room with a single bright light hanging over my head.
And standing in front of me was a man.
He wasn't what I expected. He looked calm. The aura I had felt before was definitely coming from him.
He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking down at me with his blue eyes.
Behind him, two other men stood outside the door. I could feel them.
The man crouched down in front of me so we were at eye level.
"What's your name?" he asked quietly. Even in his low voice, he was terrifying.
"Ella," I answered nonchalantly.
"How long have you been turned, Ella?"
I hesitated for a second. "Two days."
He was looking at me as if I was something that shouldn't exist.
"Two days," he said quietly, almost to himself.
"Yes."
He walked a half circle around my chair, his eyes moving over me.
"You survived your first shift alone?"
"Hmmm... Yes,"
He came back around to face me. "Who is your Alpha?"
"Alpha? What's an alpha?."
He went very still.
"You don’t have a pack?"
"I don't."
He looked at me for a moment without speaking, the aura from him seemed to push against my skin from every direction.
Then he let out a slow breath,.
One of the men walked in and placed something on the table beside me and went back out.
Ezra's gun.
I stared at it.
"That was found on you when my men picked you up," he said, watching my face carefully. "That is not a weapon a werewolf carries, Ella."
I said nothing.
He pulled a chair sat down, leaning forward, closing the distance between us.
"So I am going to ask you something," he said, "and I want you to think carefully before you answer."
His eyes didn't leave my face.
"Were you a hunter?"
Stay calm, Kira spoke for the first time since we felt his presence. Don't react.
"No," I said.
"A fully loaded hunter’s pistol."
"It’s not mine, I took it."
"From who?"
I looked into his eyes. "A werewolf."
The two men by the wall shifted. Just slightly but I caught it, while the man in front of me didn't move at all, like he already knew.
"A werewolf," he repeated.
"Yes, He was trying to kill me with it," I responded. “What would you have me do?”
Ella, Kira warned. Watch your tone.
He was quiet for a moment. Then something happened that I wasn't expecting.
He almost smiled.
"Where did you get turned?" he asked.
I hesitated. "In the city. Two nights ago. It happened fast. Where am I?"
"And the wolf with the silver bullets," He Ignored my question. "Where is he now?"
I thought about Ezra. Pinned in that wreck, begging and threatening me as I walked away.
"I don’t know, I left him in a wreck" I responded.
"Left him?" he repeated, raising one of his eyebrows. "You didn’t kill him?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm not a killer,"
The words came out quiet but I meant every one of them.
He just stared at me with a puzzled look.
He doesn't know what to make of you, Kira said softly.
Neither do I, I thought back.
The man finally leaned back in his chair, folding his arms, his dark eyes still fixed on my face.
“Why am I …,” A sharp knock at the door cut me off.
"Come in."
One of the men from the wall stepped inside.
Alpha Dario..."
"Yes."
"Alpha Castillo is here."
I frose at the mention of the name Castillo.
Kira too.
"Tell him I'll be with him shortly." Alpha Dario responded as he straightened himself slowly.
And the man left.
Hmm, Alpha Dario, Kira noted, so that’s his name… as his gaze lingered on me.
"A newly turned wolf with no pack," Alpha said, almost like he was talking to himself. "Who refuses to kill and survives things she shouldn't."
"You are either the most dangerous thing I've encountered in a long time," he continued, shaking his head slowly "or the luckiest."
I met his eyes. "Can't it be both?"
His smile came back as he stood up and walked out, closing the door behind him.
And I sat there in the silence, wrists still tied, the name “Castillo” echoing at the back of my mind.
Dante had mentioned that name before, but when.
If only I can remember.
Somehow, both Kira and I knew that name was going to change everything.
- Writer
