CLAIMED BY THREE: THE HYBRID'S TRIALS

CHAPTER 3 - A STRANGE GIRL

LUKA'S POV

I hated wars.

They made me sick - the preparations, the planning, the strategizing and the actual battle.

That was why I was angry when our eldest brother, Ezra, broke the news to us at daybreak.

The cold war was coming sooner than we had anticipated, and we had to start preparing. Thousands of years had passed since the last cold war, but the memories and stories still lingered on in the Black Wood Pack. The tales had been passed down from generation to generation, a constant reminder of the role we had to play whenever the war broke out again.

And it was at hand now.

"Niko, you'll handle the peace treaty with Alpha Stephen of the Oakridge pack, while Luka will lead the soldiers out for the morning patrol," our eldest brother, Ezra, announced and rose to his feet.

"What?" We chorused.

"I can't be everywhere at the same time," Ezra grunted. "I'll be waiting to hear your reports by evening, tomorrow."

With that, he slammed a brown envelope on the table and stormed out of the grand hall, leaving us to our duties.

"You look like you want to cry," Niko teased.

I shot him an angry glare and he laughed.

"Come on, little brother. I'm just joking," He said.

"No way I'm going for morning patrol," I grunted.

"Then you'll face Ezra's wrath," Niko shrugged. "Except you want my help."

I glared hard at him. I knew my brother Niko very well. He was always up to something.

"And how can you help me?" I asked, feigning interest.

"Simple," Niko said. "I'll lead the patrol. Never had a problem training."

"And what do you want from me in return?" I asked, my eyes fixed on him.

Niko picked up the envelope from the table and handed it over to me.

"You handle the peace treaty with the Alpha," He said.

"So basically we're exchanging duties?" I frowned.

"I think you would prefer the early morning patrol," He said, and made his way out of the hall.

"Wait!" I grabbed him by the shoulders and snatched the envelope from his hands. "It's a deal, fucker."

Niko grinned and I hurried out of the hall before he could change his mind.

I stopped at the parking lot where my personal driver was standing by and he smiled as soon as he saw me.

"Where are we headed today, my King?"

I stared at the writing on the brown envelope. "Oakridge pack."

He nodded and opened the door for me to get in. In a matter of minutes, my convoy of six cars was speeding along the old road that led to the pack.

The journey was shorter than I had anticipated. In less than two hours, we had gotten to the borders.

It was the putrid scent of rotting fruits that hit my nostrils as soon as my driver opened the door for me. I retched and emptied the contents of my stomach right in front of the old Alpha standing before me. He looked down at his royal robes that had been stained by my puke, but he didn't dare breathe a word.

"My King," He bowed. "My most sincere apologies that you're meeting my pack in a sorry state. Our lands have been cursed by a witch. Hence, the smell of rot everywhere and - "

"Alpha Stephen?" I cut him short.

"Why? Yes of course, my King," He nodded and bowed again. "Your brother, Niko informed me that you offered to come instead."

I tore the seal that held the envelope in place and I took out all the papers.

"I'm here for the treaty," I grunted. "Just sign where you're supposed to and I'll do the rest on my way back."

"I'm afraid I can't do that yet, my King," Alpha Stephen muttered. "We have to follow the ancient tradition. I would host you in my pack today and after the execution tomorrow, the treaty will be signed."

I stared at the wild old man. "The what?"

"The execution," He chuckled. "You would certainly enjoy the show."

I heaved a deep sigh as Alpha Stephen led the way. I shouldn't have trusted Niko. He must have found out about the execution somehow, and that was why he decided to switch places with me.

I had no choice however. I was here now and I had to get the job done.

All through the night, I couldn't get a minute of sleep. The only thing that was on my mind was signing the damn papers and getting back home.

Morning came soon enough, and after a breakfast of bacon and eggs that I could barely eat, it was time for the execution. Alpha Stephen was beaming with smiles all through and I was left wondering why the old bastard was so excited.

"Oh, here she comes," He whispered in my ears.

I looked up to see the guards dragging a redhead to the square and instantly, I felt drawn to her.

Who was she? And why did he want her dead so badly?

"Got her close friend to testify against her," Alpha Stephen chuckled. "Just to raise the b***h's hopes."

I nodded, my eyes fixed on the girl. "Must have paid a lot to get her friend to betray her."

"Her friend is as good as dead too," He laughed. "Can't leave any traces, can I?"

The trial began immediately and I noticed the shock on her face when her friend testified against her. She looked truly shattered at that moment, but when it was time for her death, I saw a defiance I had never seen in a woman.

She screamed, kicked and flailed wildly. I could have sworn that she was going to overpower four guards and so I watched on, with renewed interest. She was a fighter.

Just then, a crazy idea hit me. I could save the poor girl's life. She could be the perfect piece that I needed, to get revenge on Niko.

A gift that he would never be able to unwrap. A s*x slave that he would never be able to touch.

I knew Niko very well. He lived for conquests. Nothing gave him more pleasure than breaking down the most stubborn women, claiming them over and over again, until they were addicted to him. Then, like a child that had outgrown his toys, he lost interest, leaving them broken.

Only this time, I knew it wasn't going to be an easy feat for him. This feisty red head was going to teach him a lesson.

I could almost imagine her kicking him in the balls on their first night together and I giggled to myself.

I was going to buy her from the old bastard and present her to Niko as his slave.

I rose to my feet just in time and with a simple wave of my hand, time stood still. It had been a long time since I last used my powers. Ezra had forbidden us from using them. It was too risky.

I walked up to where she knelt on the floor and I retrieved the sword from the executioner's hand.

But just then, something unexpected happened.

She looked up at me.

I stared back at her, my mouth wide open in shock because, for the first time in my life, someone had broken through my time freeze.