Marked By The Cruel Alpha

Chapter 2

***Lyra***

Hidden in the shadows of the Silver Crest Pack house, I watched the arrival of Alpha Slade. My heart raced, not from fear, but from a deep, instinctive unease that surged through me each time the Blood moon Pack drew near. The air felt charged, like a thunderstorm ready to break, filled with tension that could ignite into conflict at any moment.

The whispers from my pack painted a vivid picture of Slade’s ruthless reputation, stories of merciless acts and lives taken without a second thought. I couldn't let myself be blinded by my brother Micah's desire for an alliance. I stood in the dark, unseen, observing the false unity being presented between the two packs. It was a thin veneer over the deep-seated mistrust that lingered beneath.

Introduction after introduction passed, each one more strained than the last. Smiles were forced, lips twisting into expressions that wished to snarl instead, revealing the hidden disdain. I could see that neither side truly wanted this meeting. There was no brotherhood here, only a business deal being brokered under the guise of diplomacy. Each wolf present understood the stakes, yet we put on our masks, playing the game required of us. It made my heart ache for my twin brother, Lorenzo, who was too angry to stand beside Micah, instead he had gone to our pack garden. We were both completely unaware of the brewing storm between our packs, until we turned fifteen and Micah had explained it to us.

I shifted slightly, trying to catch a better glimpse without exposing myself. I wanted to be with my brother, to sit in on the meeting, but caution held me captive. I knew too well the dangers lurking within the Blood moon Pack, and my protective instincts flared.

The tension tightened like a noose around my throat. My instincts whispered warnings that I couldn't ignore. A part of me wanted to dash out into the open, to have my brothers back in this volatile situation. But another part cautioned against it, reminding me of the power dynamics at play. And of cause the fact that I’m yet to shift into my own wolf is still weeks away. The only reason Lorenzo got the offer from Micah was because he is an Alpha male by blood and wanted him to learn how an Alpha runs a pack. I couldn’t say I was mad that I was born a female, I just wish I wasn’t excluded from the duties my brothers had.

As I watched, Slade followed my brother inside the pack house, the pack members all showcased how his presence was overwhelming. He exuded confidence and control, flanked by his own loyal followers who mirrored his every move until his figure was no longer in my view. I recalled the stories, the chilling anecdotes of how he commanded fear and respect in equal measure. Ice crept into my veins at the thought of the destruction he was capable of.

With every passing moment, my apprehension deepened. I felt trapped within the shadows, torn between loyalty to my family and the instinct to flee from the darkness that threatened to engulf us all. As I descended the stairs, I could see the subtle exchanges happening around me the flickering glances, the clenched fists, each detail heightened my unease.

Then, as the door to my brothers study closed, Slade spoke, his voice crept out throw the small crack, smooth yet firm, layered with the authority of an alpha who had fought tooth and claw to reach the top. “We face a common enemy,” he said, and the gathered wolves shifted, leaning in slightly, absorbing his words. “We need to work together if we are to survive the rogue threat that looms over us. We cannot allow our history to dictate our future.”

His words were meant to quell fears, to bind our packs together, but I sensed the underlying tension. It was more than mere words; it was a challenge, an assertion of power, and even from my hidden vantage point, I felt the ripples of resistance brewing among my packmates.

I turned to go find Lorenzo, who came into my view at the same moment. He nodded at me, letting me know he had cooled down My heart sank further; he was so eager to not believe in this alliance, yet he did not day it out loud. He and I have always said that it was a twin thing, it became obvious when Micah couldn’t read out silent facial expressions.

A murmur rippled through the crowd around the pack house from some of my packmates whispering doubts to one another. They were fueled by the palpable anger and inherent distrust that simmered below the surface. I could sense their resolve slipping, and my protectiveness flared.

Lorenzo and I left the pack house together going to the stream not to far from our border, it was our quiet place we would go. Especially whenever we felt sad or frustrated. We would just silently walk there together and either sit in silence or talk to each other about what was bothering us.

The stream that ran through the forest was our sanctuary, yet even here, the atmosphere was thick with anxiety. The mounting tension between the two Alphas was thick in the air that it was almost hard to breathe, especially with the weight of impending war closing in on us all. I forced my feet to carry me, seeking solace until Lorenzo sat on a boulder.

As I reached the edge the stream I bent over and picked up a few pebbles to skip across the water. Uncertainty washed over me as I recalled our upcoming birthday. “No long until we turned eighteen.” I said breaking the silence.

A scoff, “don’t forget I’ll still be eighteen before you,” he said in a teasing tone.

“Only by seven minutes.” I scoffed as I threw a pebble at the water.

Him about being seven minutes older was always a tease from him and I never took it to the heart, only because I would tell him that I would look younger than him. I longed for the laughter we shared, but that lightness faded in an instant as chaos erupted nearby.

Three rogue wolves charged towards me, and I felt the familiar tingle of adrenaline flood my veins. Lorenzo and I had trained hard under Micah's guidance for moments like this, yet the reality of the fight still knocked the air from my lungs. We fought hand-to-hand, struggling against them as they pushed us back. Not yet having our wolf form to shift into to fight them, I threw my pebbles at the first one before I found a branch. I looked over to Lorenzo for a second and saw he had grabbed a stone the size of his hand and hit the rouge that targeted him.

I stood to fight off the third one that was circling me, when a fourth rogue appeared, everything shattered, my focus on the third splintered. The creature lunged for me but struck Lorenzo instead. Blood fell from left arm as a scream clawed at my throat as I desperately lunged forward, embodying every lesson learned. In a flash of instinct, I killed the rogue that had injured my brother. I ran to him tears falling from my eyes and panic filling my entire body, I didn’t dare wait around for more rogues to show as I began to drag his limp body back toward our territory. He was losing blood and without a wolf to heal faster, I had to get him back to the pack grounds to see the packs doctor.

I don’t know how long it took but as I came into view, pack warriors rushed towards me. Panic gnawed at my gut, as I took in areas of the pack ground. Lorenzo and I weren’t the only ones that rogues had attacked. I saw my brothers Gamma approach Lorenzo as the warriors took him to the doctor.

I ran towards Micah’s office to find him and as I burst through the doors, "Lorenzo! He’s been attacked! He’s in the infirmary!" My breath came in ragged gasps.

My heart racing, eyes scanning for Micah, only to collide with Alpha Slade, who was covered in blood. Before I could comprehend what had just happened, he bit me on the neck, and darkness swallowed me whole.