ALPHA'S PREY

CHAPTER ONE: EXILE

SIX YEARS AGO

Kneeling on the marble floor of the council hall was a man. His raven-black hair was messy and overgrown. His body was thin, bruised and malnourished, like someone who hadn't eaten in weeks. His clothes were torn and stained, barely hanging onto him like those of a homeless man.

But who would have thought that this broken figure was the same Alpha who once ruled the most feared pack in the region ? The fearless Alpha who lived in a golden castle and gave commands. The same one who was served by a thousand servants without lifting a finger.

Now, kneeling before the very pack he had bled for, he looked like a shadow of that man. His eyes were closed, and his head was lowered to the floor like someone who had given up on life and was quietly waiting for death.

The room was packed with people. At the front, sat four elderly council members and behind them, the members of the Claw Pack filled the rows of stone benches inside the hall, all gathered to witness the judgment about to unfold. At the center of this hall, Enzo was chained to the floor, beaten to the point that he had no more fighting strength left in him. He just knelt there, like a lifeless corpse.

There were murmurings in the hall as everyone whispered among themselves, while waiting for the head council chairman to arrive. But Enzo's sharp ears picked every word.

" What kind of wolf reaches twenty-six years without a mate? Everyone else finds theirs at eighteen. Something must be wrong with him. "

"What do you expect from a servant's son? His mother seduced the late alpha to give this bastard. He was never pure blood.”

" The moment his mother died giving birth to him, I knew it was a sign. He should never have been an alpha. May this curse never affect my family. "

" Still, he protected us well. Better than Alpha Kristen ever did. "

" Does it matter? Every alpha needs a Luna by his side to be able to perform his duties.

Each word felt like a dagger piercing deep into Enzo’s heart. He had hoped this time would be different…that his efforts to care for the pack would matter. But what he never expected was to be plotted against by the very people he had protected for six years.

Now all he wanted to do was to disappear. Or better yet, burn this entire place to the ground and go along with it. Because the more he listened to people's judgement against him, despite everything he had sacrificed for them, the more he hated himself.

Soon, the entrance door opened, and everyone stood to welcome the head judge. As he took his seat, everyone sat down in unison. A bell rang, echoing through the hall, signaling the beginning of the meeting.

One of the members of council stood. He was bald and wore a brown robe with an ancient necklace that symbolized peace and truth.

Clearing his throat, Kona began, "Moon bless the Claw Pack. I know many of you might be wondering why we arrested Alpha Enzo when his ten years are not yet complete. But it has already been six years. We can't wait any longer. And from what I heard, our neighboring pack is already plotting against us after hearing about our mateless Alpha. Presently, we look vulnerable to every pack out there. Without the boost from a Luna, our Alpha wouldn't be able to protect us. We need someone capable, someone who has already received the blessing from his Luna and knows how to lead..."

"But he has been protecting us all without a mate!" a voice interrupted from the crowd.

Kona glanced in the direction of the voice and spotted a black-haired woman seated near the front and narrowed his eyes. But when he noticed everyone watching him, he faked a smile and continued.

"That's true. But will a lone wolf be able to protect us when the Alpha of the neighboring packs attack? Rumors are going around that they are already on the move."

Panicked whispers filled the room as fear spread among the crowd. They all looked at each other, wondering if it was true. They had survived a war before and it was brutal. They didn't want to go back to it again.

Noticing this, Kona's smile widened. "Anyone else?"

No one dared to speak. His lie had already struck everyone present in that room with fear.

Kona nodded and turned to the other elders. "In that case, let the elders vote. If you wish for Alpha Enzo to be replaced, cut your hand and place your blood on your desk."

Kona and two other elders drew sharp claws and cut their hands, letting the blood fall on their desks. The silver-haired elder, Elder Edwana, however, did nothing. She only stared at Enzo with pity in her eyes.

When the votes were counted, Kona's face brightened as he imagined himself enjoying the new life and title he was promised.

"In that case, a new Alpha will be chosen. Do you have anything to say, Alpha Enzo?" He asked, looking at him with nothing but a mockery.

"No," Enzo said flatly. But inside him, all he wanted to do was kill everyone present in this room.

Seeing the hatred in his eyes, Kona scoffed. "It is settled then. Step forward and hand over your Alpha power to your half-brother, Diego."

Murmurs spread through the hall, but no one dared to object. They only wanted to save themselves. Even though everyone knew Diego was nothing more than a spoiled, entitled, and greedy man, no one had the courage to speak.

Enzo slowly lifted his head to glare at the proud wolf sitting in the front like royalty and said firmly. "If he wants it, he should come forward and take it."

Diego’s eyes darkened. Embarrassed, he stood and barked, "How dare you? You might think you're a true Alpha, but you're nothing but a bastard my father created. The Alpha throne is mine by birth." He looked at the guards holding whips beside Enzo and shouted, "Whip him until he hands over the power!"

But the guards hesitated. The aura emanating from Enzo still terrified them.

Furious, Diego snatched a whip from one of them and began lashing Enzo himself. But before he could land the last blow, Enzo grabbed him by the arm and threw him across the room.

With a surge of anger, Enzo stood up to finish him off but was pulled back with the heavy chain tightened around his body, which was slightly touching the fresh wounds on his back.

" Hold him tight! " Kona shouted to the guards, who pulled the chain with all their strength, yet, couldn't match the strength of the lean man, struggling to break free.

Diego staggered up with his face red with anger. But upon seeing the raging wolf slowly approaching him, his face turned pale, and he instantly stepped back in fear.

“ Tame him! ” the head judge ordered immediately after noticing the rage in Enzo's eyes. He had known him since he was a child and knew what he was capable of doing in this state.

However, this didn't stop Enzo. He continued to pull, lunging forward, until he felt an arrow pierce through his shoulder.

" Aah" he groaned in pain and quickly pulled the arrow out of his shoulder, only to notice a silver liquid painted at the sharp pointy end of the arrow.

And just like that, he felt his knee go weak, and he collapsed on the floor. The silver liquid had weakened him.

Seeing this, Diego cautiously approached the weakened wolf, extending his hand toward him.

Enzo raised his head slightly, eyes blood-red, staring straight into Diego's soul. Diego flinched and halted at the spot, not daring to move an inch. Feeling Enzo's murderous gaze on him, he swallowed hard, then he hesitantly reached forward again. When his hand hovered close, Enzo didn't waste time in channeling the last of his power into him. All he needed right now was peace. Away from hate, away from everyone’s judgmental stares, away from here.

As the transfer ended, Diego stepped back with a wicked smile on his face, while watching his brother, who he had always hated from childhood, being sentenced to death. “ See you in hell brother. ”

The head judge rose. "Since the transfer is complete, Alpha Enzo Blackwood, you are hereby banished. Take him to the human border."

Five guards approached and dragged Enzo away from the hall. When they reached outside, they put him in a boat, then shipped him towards the human border.

By the time they reached the border, it was already dawn. The sun had hidden behind the ocean and the weather had become slightly cold. Upon nearing the shoreline, they unchained Enzo and threw him out of the boat as discarded cargo. Then, turned around and left, leaving Enzo bleeding on the floor.

Moments later, three human police officers arrived at the border. They had just been informed that illegal immigrants snuck into their country using this route. They had come to investigate. As they looked around, all they saw was a calm river with no boats in sight. However, when Elizabeth looked down from the cliff, she was shocked to see a body lying close to the river bank.

“I see someone!” Elizabeth yelled, earning the attention of her colleagues.

“ Where? ” Smith asked, coming to stand beside Elizabeth.

“ There! ” she pointed at the body dappled with seawater. " Close to the river. I don't think he's alive. ”

Just as she was about to complete her statement, she noticed the boy's fingers twitch. “ I think he's alive! Hurry!”

Without waiting for a response, she rushed down the cliff to help the wounded man, but as she bent to touch him, Smith grabbed her shoulder.

"Don’t touch him,"

Elizabeth Grant turned her head towards him and frowned. "Why? He’s bleeding. He needs help."

" Yes, but we don’t know what he is. ”

“ What else could he be? ” Elizabeth argued. “ He's a human who needs our help. “

Smith stepped closer, his eyes scanning the wound on the stranger's shoulder with a frown. “ There is news going around that werewolves are often spotted in this part of the town. Judging from appearance, I suspect he might be one. So for now, arrest him. We will conduct a few experiments on him. If he’s human, we’ll patch him up and let him go. If not…well, research labs pay handsomely for his kind and their flesh can cure any type of disease. Perhaps, this is your chance to finally find a cure for your mother's heart condition, Liz. "