Alpha's Sacrifice

EPISODE3

ADRIEL

I walked up the stairs leading up to the VIP section. I would normally follow the back entrance but my security had it barred because some guests were causing a ruckus. Normally I would deal with the problem immediately but I was tired from a meeting and I trusted my employees to handle some things by themselves.

Gods I need a drink. I say to myself pouring a some whiskey into a glass. Standing beside the glass wall in the lounge area I looked down at the massive crowd below me. I had no idea that this club was going to garner as much attention as it did in such a short time. It was steadily turning into a hotspot, and I couldn't be more proud. A year ago, I had lost it all, and here I was now. It was nothing short of a miracle.

I felt a presence beside me and didn't need to turn to know that it was Leo, my trusted friend and confidant. He placed a supportive hand on my shoulder, causing me to smile.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Leo commented, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below us. Somehow, we were always thinking the same thing.

"It is," I responded through our mind link. “Blessed be the Goddess.” Leo placed a respectful hand over his chest. Our mind link was still fresh so he couldn’t direct his thoughts to me as I could do with him. I lost all my family in an enemy pack's raid and my mind was quiet for a long time. Wolves do not technically form a connection with anyone who wasn’t family except between an Alpha and the members of his or her pack. Leo was in a coma for six months, and I almost gave up hope that my friend was going to wake up, but when he did, his wolf recognized mine as it’s alpha and a mind link was formed. I never passed over the chance to communicate with him since then. I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for his survival. He had been by my side through thick and thin, a constant source of strength and guidance in the turbulent aftermath of the raid. With him at my side, I felt confident that we could get Cillian..

Leo's voice cut through the ambient noise, pulling me back from my wandering thoughts.

"Adriel, we need to finalize the deal with Crescent Tech next week," Leo mentioned, glancing around the club as if assessing the situation. "And don't forget about the charity event next month."

“I agree,” I replied, acknowledging the importance of the upcoming tasks. “I was thinking of looking into some entertainers for the event. I've decided to hold it here since the old house is still under renovation.”

“Sounds good,” Leo nodded, his expression thoughtful. “I'll speak with your secretary and make sure everything is arranged.”

Apart from the club which was co-owned, the members of pack ran other businesses individually. When everyone died it was left to me to handle it all. Having to explain how all members of my extended family died and why I would be taking over all their business was no easy feat. I had to keep up appearances to show how much of a good and upstanding person I was when all I truly wanted to do was to chase down the monster that put me in the situation in the first place. Crescent Tech was gratefully the last one that wasn’t under my name and we would hopefully acquire soon. I was looking forward to not needing to deal with people.

“I would be traveling to Las Vegas soon. The managers at the Casino might have to be changed.” I nodded absently, my gaze fixated on a girl with jet-black hair as she effortlessly maneuvered through the pulsating crowd. She moved with a grace that seemed to defy the chaos around her. It was her, the same girl from the bar earlier. Despite the distance between us, her porcelain skin glowed like a beacon admist the sea of bodies. Her presence was magnetic, drawing me in like a moth to a flame. With each step she took, her gaze seemed to penetrate through the crowd, locking onto mine with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. It was as if she held a secret, a mystery waiting to be unraveled, and I couldn't help but feel drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

"What's caught your eye?" Leo asked, noticing my focus.

Leo raised an eyebrow, a grin spreading across his face. "Ah, a mystery girl. I see why you're intrigued. Haven't seen you this interested since Lydia."

Memories of Lydia flooded my mind like a relentless tide, crashing over me with an intensity that threatened to engulf the present moment. Her laughter echoed in my ears, a bittersweet melody that stirred a whirlwind of emotions within me. I tried to push them away, to bury the pain and guilt that still weighed heavily on my heart. But no matter how hard I tried, the memories remained, etched into the fabric of my being like scars that refused to fade.

Some Alpha I am. I was so good at running away from my problems.

The guilt gnawed at me, raw and unyielding. How could I have failed to protect her, and everyone else? I was supposed to be their Alpha, their leader, their protector. But in the face of danger, I had faltered, my strength and resolve crumbling like sandcastles in the tide. I had failed them, and the weight of that failure hung heavy around my neck like a millstone, dragging me down into a sea of despair.

What kind of Alpha was I, to let my pack suffer such a fate? The thought gnawed at me, a constant reminder of my shortcomings and inadequacies. I had failed Lydia, failed to keep her safe from harm. And now, her absence loomed large in my mind, a gaping void that threatened to swallow me whole.

But admist the guilt and despair, there was a flicker of determination. I couldn't change the past, couldn't undo the mistakes I had made. But I could honor Lydia's memory, and the memory of all those we had lost, by forging ahead with renewed purpose and resolve. I may have faltered as an Alpha, but I refused to let that define me. I would do whatever it took to protect those who remained, to ensure that no one else suffered the same fate as Lydia.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have a mate. A wolf cannot be mated more than one time.” I stated frankly, dragging my eyes away from the woman.

A mate who's gone," Leo interjected, his tone gentle but firm. I turned to him, feeling a pang of guilt tugging at my heart.

Leo's eyes softened with understanding. "I know it's tough, but you gotta move on. It's been long enough. No one says you can’t develop a sound relationship with someone that is not your mate.” He looked back at the crowd below, his gaze thoughtful. "Maybe it's time to open up to new possibilities. This girl could be the spark you need."

"It's not like that, and you know I have to find the surviving descendants of Arakis," I insisted, shaking my head. "They're the only way I could avenge the pack and instead of playing matchmake the ‘ alpha’ you should be doing more to help me find them.”

Leo chuckled softly at my serious tone , his amusement evident.

“It’s okay to take a break you know. I’m the only living member of your former pack. Trust me I don’t care if you don’t avenge me. You have a new pack, you should focus on them.”

“What you don’t understand is that I have to prove it to them that their Alpha can protect them.” I said gravely, images of a year ago flashing through my vision.

“It’s not your job to protect them, they are adults. You can’t put that pressure on yourself. Besides, You weren’t the Alpha of your old pack.” Leo gripped my shoulder as he spoke, looking into my eyes for a brief moment.

Then turn away.

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t get revenge. I am saying you should put time in your schedule to get laid as well. You look stressed.”

“f**k off Leo.” I joked punching lightly on his arm.

“Fine, fine. If you want to be a sad and lonely cat man, I won’t stop you.” He said, raising his hand in a surrender gesture.

We both stood silently looking at the ground below us as I tried to push Leo’s words from my mind. I couldn’t afford to be distracted now.

“The newbie is doing quite well for himself.” Leo commented. I followed his trail of sight to where he was looking at. Philip was the new wolf we found injured about a month ago. He was turned in a freak accident and whoever the asshole was who turned him left him to navigate the change by himself. Some hunters got to him while he was in wolf form and is was nothing short of sheer luck that he was alive and standing in my club right now. All twelve members of my very small park ran the entire establishment. Most of them I found just like Philip. I set them up here and they’ve devoted themselves to me. Philip was by far the youngest here though

“He seems to be popular among the ladies. It was good that we set him up at the bar.” I replied my attention now on the pale black haired woman that was sitting back down at the bar. Her purple haired companion was chattering wildly beside her.

“Yeah.” Leo agreed. “Maybe you can ask him later about one mystery lady in particular.”

I snapped my head to face him and gave my best death glare.

“Alright, alright,” he said failing to hold his laughter. “I will stop messing with you.”

“You had better, if you don’t want me to skin your wolf.”

Leo gave a gasp and put his hand on his chest in mock horror. “Tsk. That was rather harsh, I mean in my defense you make it so easy.”

“Leo,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Fine, fine , I will leave.” He said still laughing. “See you around brother.”

As Leo disappeared from my line of sight, my attention was once again drawn to the mysterious girl on the floor below me. There was an undeniable allure about her, a magnetism that pulled at something deep within me. Was it her enigmatic gaze, or the graceful way she moved to the music? Whatever it was, I couldn't shake the feeling that she had something I needed. A voice in my

head told me this wasn't the last time I was going to be seeing her.