The Loveless Alpha

Chapter One

"Next!" Kiara yelled.

The tiny circle of men expanded as two guys were pushed into the center. On one end there was a boy who looked barely over sixteen and another man who looked at least twenty-five. When Kiara snapped her fingers, the men rushed at one another and shifted mid-air. The larger man became an auburn wolf while the smaller boy looked like a tiny pup compared to him. The gray-colored pup dodged attacks from the larger wolf and Kiara was surprised at his speed. However, with age came experience and soon the larger wolf easily pinned the boy. With his teeth bared next to the boy’s neck, Kiara snapped again and the two men shifted back.

“Approach,” Kiara commented to the older man as the boy joined a crowd of those who had lost the battle.

With a little bow, he introduced himself as Peter, a current pack warrior.

"So, Peter," Kiara said, "why should you be Beta?"

"Cause I know all this s**t," Peter said confidently and gestured all around him, "battles, injuries, cooking, you name it. I know so much that all you have to do is sit on your pretty little ass and watch me work."

Kiara's grip on the pen she held in her hand tightened, "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, baby."

Without any warning, Kiara jumped up. Her hand grabbed Peter's neck, and though she was a few inches shorter then he was, she still managed to hold him up off the ground. Peter chortled and clawed at his neck while he kicked the air in hopes of escape. Kiara quirked an eyebrow and Peter's face smoothed out, his hands up in silent surrender.

Wordlessly, Kiara let go of Peter and he fell to his feet. Peter bent over and his chest heaved wildly. He rubbed his aching neck, his eyes wide in panic.

"So, Peter," Kiara said calmly and sat down.

"Y-yes?" Peter said, his voice no longer confident but tinted with fear.

"I suggest you don't question my ability as an Alpha, and don't dare to insult me. You're lucky I haven't kicked you out of the pack."

"Yes, Alpha," Peter cried obediently.

"Get out of my sight," Kiara said, her tone level but firm.

The crowd watched in silence as Peter scurried off towards the temporary camping site. Kiara shot the remaining boys a glare and two more men were pushed into the middle.

Another battle commenced and there was even less of a struggle than before. Within seconds, a dark wolf was easily the winner and Kiara snapped her fingers to stop them.

“Approach,” Kiara commanded.

The guy smirked and knelt before her, “Jason Greon, at your service Alpha.”

“I recognize you, aren’t you a general?”

Jason nodded, “I lead the third division of warriors, ma’am, the Omegas. I’m in charge of their discipline and training. I apologize for Peter’s behavior earlier, he will be…dealt with.”

There was a certain aura around him that Kiara didn’t like. His dark hair was messy, but he didn’t seem greasy. He seemed kind and charming, but his eyes told another story. Especially when he mentioned that Peter would be dealt with, she didn’t know what he had in store. However, he seemed to be the option right now and she gave him a nod.

“Your file, do I have it?” Kiara motioned back towards her office, “or are you new here?”

“You have my file,” he smiled.

“I’ll let you know my official decision soon. For now, good work and you’re dismissed.”

Jason rose and shot her another smile before he headed back towards the campsite. There was something about him that Kiara couldn’t place, and she didn’t know why. She didn’t have time to think about him now, and so she snapped her fingers and two more wolves approached.

The battles continued for another hour. Most of the battles ended very close or in complete draws. Kiara managed to interview a few other candidates but no one really caught her attention. When it was time for the final battle, she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Final battle, warriors are you ready?” Kiara addressed the two men in the center who had already shifted.

The wolves both growled and Kiara snapped her fingers. All day, she had been getting weird feelings from all of the fighting, but one of the wolves in the circle caught her attention. His wolf was gigantic, almost the size of her own, and he was stark white. His form emitted power and danger, but he held himself with a lot of gracefulness. Both of the animals circled one another and waited for the other to make the first move. The other wolf, a smaller, mahogany color, took the initiative and launched himself forward. Within seconds, everything was over and the white wolf had pinned the other man.

If Kiara had blinked, she was sure she would’ve missed everything. She simply snapped her fingers and both men transformed back.

“Approach,” Kiara told the muscular man and fixed her gaze on him.

The cocoa-haired man knelt in front of her, his eyes looking at her nose instead of straight in the eyes. He seemed familiar, almost like a long lost friend, but Kiara knew she had never met him before. Unlike the vibe she got from Jason, this man seemed humble and kinder.

“What is your name?” Kiara said.

He straightened a little, “My name is Levi Avergopolis. I was born and raised in this pack but left many moons ago. May I come closer?”

Kiara simply nodded.

Levi handed her a manila envelope and though he didn’t smile, there was an effortless warmness around her. When he came near, she felt secure and safe, a feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time. She took the folder from him and their fingers brushed. For a second, he held her gaze before he looked away.

“Your skill was impressive. I will let you know my decision soon. You’re dismissed,” she said honestly.

“Thank you, Alpha,” he bowed before he left.

Kiara dismissed all of the bystanders before she went inside to figure out her decision. There was no one that could replace their old Beta, Reynaldo, but she knew the pack needed another authority figure. There was only so much Aaron and herself could do before they would get overwhelmed.

“How’d it go?” Aaron asked as Kiara sat down at her desk.

“Most of it was a waste of time for men to show off their precious egos,” she smiled, “a few good ones though.”

“Like?” Aaron approached her desk.

Kiara held out Levi’s profile as she searched for Jason’s. Surprisingly, Levi’s profile was full of a lot of information while Jason’s was almost empty.

Aaron flipped through Levi’s envelope before he glanced up, “Which one did you like better?”

“They were both good warriors…” Kiara started.

“But?”

“Jason gave off really strange vibes. Almost like he was putting on a façade I guess? Levi appeared more genuine.”

“Were they hot?”

Kiara just shot him a glare.

“Sorry,” Aaron raised his hands in surrender, “bad time for a joke.”

“Jason is seemingly in the pack, but there’s almost no information on him. I know we just started to get everything recovered, but still it’s strange. Levi mentioned he used to be in the pack, does his name ring a bell?” Kiara asked.

“I feel like I would remember a name like that,” Aaron told her as he dropped the envelope onto her desk, “but it’s been years. My memory’s probably as horrible as yours is now, after everything that happened I mean.”

Kiara rubbed her face as she looked down at her lap, “Aaron?”

“Yes?” He looked up at her immediately after hearing the vulnerable tone in her voice.

“When is it going to get better? It’s all so overwhelming.”

“You’re still having those nightmares?”

Kiara didn’t look at him, “I can’t close my eyes without being back there…without feeling the silver being stabbed into my ribcage. I barely sleep, I can’t eat anything, I don’t know how much longer I can go on like this.”

“I don’t know if I can really answer that,” Aaron sighed, “it’s slowly getting better, around the pack house at least. People are gaining morale and another set of eyes and hands will definitely help. Levi seems like a good guy.”

“I’m just so tired, I’m only one person.”

“It’s going to get better, I just don’t know when. We’ve already come from rock bottom, we can’t get any lower. You just have to have faith.”

Kiara scoffed, “Faith, sure.”

“Goodnight Kiara,” Aaron reached out to pat her on the shoulder but then stopped, “try to get some rest, okay?”

“Goodnight,” the Alpha said as she prepared herself for the sleepless night ahead.