THE ALPHA’S PAWN

“Echoes of fate”

The morning sun shone bright and high as Chantelle stepped out of her apartment, dressed in a white tee and denim, ready for another day at work. A gentle breeze ruffled her messy hair, and as she descended the steps, she noticed a beautiful flower pot placed outside her door. Delicate wisteria blossoms spilled over the edges, a sight that erupted a delighted squeal.

“OMG, Ino! Come check this out!” She beckoned on her roommate and best friend whom she shared an apartment with excitedly.

Picking up the faux jade flower pot, she discovered a note nestled among the blooms. It was unsigned, the words written with a careful hand that seemed familiar yet distant. The note read, “Have a good day, Ms. Sawyer”

Ino Takahashi, her vivacious mix-breed friend and roommate, appeared by her side with a cheeky grin. “Well, well, someone’s certainly feeling lucky! Could this be a secret admirer?” her voice was teasing as she reached out to get the note on the pot. “ouuuu” she cooed as she read the note. “Someone’s already getting the matey treatment”

Chantelle blushed, her fingers tracing over the petals. “I have no idea. But it’s a nice surprise.”

Ino wiggled her eyebrows playfully at her “Oh, come on, Chantelle. Don’t pretend you don’t know who’s behind this. You know it is Astor Buckingham, your very rich mate!” she squealed excitedly as she bends to sniff the flowers. “Woah, they smell nice!”

Chantelle’s eyes widened in surprise, her heart pounding. “No, Ino, it’s not like that. He hasn’t said anything yet.” She sounded a little disappointed. “I mean, what if he rejects me?”

Ino scoffed, nudging Chantelle with her elbow. “Girl, you struck gold! If Astor Buckingham is leaving you flowers, you know he’s into you. Rejection? Girl please! Ain’t no way!” She assured her friend.

Chantelle’s cheeks burned, her voice soft. “Well, I guess you are right.”

Ino dramatically clutched her heart. “Oh, the luck! I swear, Chantelle, you’re living my dream. I want a rich mate too. Moon goddess, hear my plea!” she clasped her hands together and fell on her knees dramatically.

They both burst into laughter, Chantelle pat Ino’s pink dyed hair and began to get ready to leave.

On the other hand, about one kilometer away, Astor watched her, hidden within the luxurious confines of his car. His heart skipped a beat as her laughter carried on the wind, a melody that he found himself captivated by. Her genuine happiness was like a balm to his soul, and he couldn’t help but smile.

“What do you think, Rhys? He asked his wolf, who still had not said a word to him since they met Chantelle. “What do you think of our mate? Isn’t she quite the catch?” he grinned, his sharp eyes never leaving her distant figure.

Rhys said nothing. Astor waited for a while to hear a response but as he didn’t get one for minutes, he decided to ignore him too and focus on looking at his mate. He was happy, yet, as he basked in the warmth of the moment, a nagging concern gnawed at the edges of his thoughts. Chantelle’s eyes—those golden brown eyes that held his attention like a gravitational pull—why was he the only one who saw them that way? The memory of the information he had uncovered in the library resurfaced, and he was left with and uneasy, yet victoriousfeeling.

“I should talk to father about this” his tone was declarative and he nodded to himself.

He still needed to confirm the information he had acquired but before then, he was determined to enjoy this newfound connection. He watched as Chantelle interacted with Ino, the genuine affection between them evident even from a distance. He found himself smitten by her laugh, her gestures—every little detail that made her unique.

As Chantelle and Ino began to bid goodbyes to each other in the far distance, Astor’s mind wandered, his thoughts consumed by the woman who had suddenly captured his heart. But just as it seemed that they were both lost in their separate worlds, a sudden growl resonated within him, startling him. Astor jolted awake into reality.

“Rhys?”

Rhys said nothing, just a deep growl emanating from him. Astor’s eyes furrowed together as he stared at Chantelle. Her face was no longer the smiling face she had. She was bent over and her face was twisted as if she was in pain. Her hands flew to her throat in urgency and Astor’s eyes widened in panic as he beckoned his wolf.

“Rhys, what are you doing? What are you doing to her?” his voiced dripped with anger and panic as he questioned his wolf, who was still silent.

Chantelle did not understand what was happening. She clutched at her heart, fingers trembling as the pain engulfed her body. Her sight was getting blurry and her head felt like it was being split open. Her throat was getting dry and she began to cough violently.

“Oh my goddess…is…ong...telle…” Ino’s voice was fading away.

Chantelle staggered towards their apartment door, her heart pounding in her chest. She felt like she was about to collapse as she pressed her hands against the wall to support herself.

What is this pain? Why am I feeling this way? Am I going to die? Chantelle’s thoughts raced as Ino strived to calm her down by showering her with pheromones. Exotic pheromones worked as relaxing incense to other werewolves and Chantelle was grateful.

Astor Buckingham, on the other side knew exactly what was happening, and because he knew, fear clawed at his heart harshly. He had just found himself a mate and a key to the full inheritance of his father’s wealth. He had just found the woman that was fated to stand by him in this life, his luna. This was not about to happen to him. He took a deep sharp breath as he felt Rhys growl deeper within him, his first sentence in two days a fatal stab to his heart.

“ She…will die”