Killian
1452 Words
Killian Black.
The most feared, ruthless, heartless Alpha to ever exist. When people told stories of Alpha’s who reined terror, claiming territories that weren’t theirs, waging war, torturing innocents.. they told stories of Killian Black.
He was the Alpha of Blood Moon pack, which was the most powerful pack in the region, and arguably other regions, too. It was by far the largest; Killian had invaded and taken over at least four other packs in his region, absorbing them into his own. The man was only thirty years old, and yet she had heard her mother tell stories about him as if she were telling ghost stories. The solitary, cruel Alpha— who thought a mate was useless for anything other than an heir. If it weren’t for his age, Catherine was sure he wouldn’t be seeking a mate now.
Catherine stared at Josie, her face blank. “What?”
Josie pouted. “You don’t know?” She asked her. “Killian Black entered the claim for the first time this year, but he only entered one claim. Yours.”
Jade, the short haired twin, hissed. “Shut up, Josie. You’re scaring her.”
Josie shrugged. “I’m trying to warn her. There’s no chance she makes it out of there unclaimed by Alpha Black. I’ve seen him. He’s a fierce warrior.”
“Don’t listen to her,” the long-haired twin turned her amber colored eyes on me. “She’s just trying to scare you.”
“Killian Black is a monster,” a small voice said from behind the twins.
Catherine turned her attention to the little redhead behind them. Augustine was her name, Catherine thought.
“If he claims you, you’ll be dead in nine months when you give him a child,” Augustine growled. “I heard he thinks a mate is a weakness.”
“He’s not going to claim me,” Catherine growled. “I’ll claw my own throat out first.”
Josie snorted. “Yeah, like they’ll let that happen. You know we can’t shift during the claim, right?”
Catherine’s eyes snapped to Josie. “What do you mean we can’t shift?”
Josie rolled her eyes. “Wolfsbane. It’s infused into the tracker they put on your ankle. It keeps you from shifting. You have to be marked in human form. They don’t let us shift.”
Catherine’s stomach rolled. “How are we supposed to defend ourselves if we can’t shift?”
“We aren’t supposed to defend ourselves,” Augustine interjected. “They don’t want us to leave unclaimed. This is a test to see who is the strongest male.. not to see if we can make it out.”
Catherine’s fist clenched. This went against everything she had been taught. Knowing she couldn’t shift— knowing Killian Black was in her claim— she didn’t have a chance if she couldn’t summon her wolf.
“Why didn’t he enter any of your claims? Why just mine?” Catherine asked.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Opal’s face twisted. “You’re the only female of Alpha blood. He wants a strong bloodline for his heir.”
Catherine’s stomach rolled and she felt herself turning green.
Her wolf snarled in her head. Get it together, you weak imbocile. You cannot make yourself look weak in front of these males.
Still.. Killian Black had never entered into The Claim before. Why this year? Why her? Anger boiled underneath her skin, followed my fear. She couldn’t let herself be marked by that monster— no matter what.
Opal cleared her throat. “That’s if he doesn’t do something stupid to get himself disqualified, Josie,” she glared at the brunette. “Stop with the fearmongering.”
Josie’s eyes flashed. “Do you know who we’re talking about, Opal? Alpha Black has murdered children. Women. Torn apart families and burned villages to the ground without a second thought. To this day, not a single person has—“
Augustine snarled, her lips pulling back from her sharp canines, her eyes flashing silver. “Shut up! Do you ever shut up?”
Josie stared at Augustine for a moment before shrugging her shoulders. She got up and strode past Catherine, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
“Your funeral, not mine,” she said as she trailed off down the hallway.
“Don’t listen to her,” Jade sighed. “She’s just pissed off that the most powerful Alpha of our time had no interest in her claim.”
Catherine raised an eyebrow. “Why would anyone want a monster to claim them?”
The twins shrugged. “It’s Josie,” Opal sighed. “She always wants what doesn’t want her.”
Catherine looked between them. “Am I missing something? Do you know her from somewhere else?”
Jade and Opal exchanged a glance. “She’s our cousin,” Jade explained. “Her mother is our father’s sister. Her mother is mated to the Beta of Lunar Mountain.”
“And what about her?” Catherine gestures towards Augustine, who was now off in the kitchen digging through the fridge. “Do you know her?”
Opal shook her head. “No one really does. Scarlet Moon is such a secluded pack. They barely even do trade with other packs. My father says that they’re strange.. not right.”
Catherine watched the redhead in the kitchen, and she wanted to laugh at the twins. Augustine seemed odd, sure, maybe a little unsocialized— but the wild tangle of her hair and truth in her words when they rolled off her tongue were refreshing to Catherine.
With a sigh, she plopped down on the blue velvet sofa that Josie had occupied before. It was comfortable, and she sank into it gratefully. Opal grinned, a dimple forming on her chin.
“Alpha Thomas Conri is your father, right?” Opal smiled, sitting down across from her.
Catherine’s heart ached at the mention of her father. “Yes.”
“My father always said Alpha Conri was a kind and honorable man,” Augustine popped around the corner, her eyes meeting Catherine’s. Catherine was surprised. She had never seen a visitor from Scarlet Moon in her pack— she wasn’t even sure her father did business with them, but she didn’t meddle in his affairs, either.
“He is,” Catherine confirmed with wistful eyes. “He’s a kind and humble Alpha. I am fortunate to be his daughter. I have heard good things about Beta Lucian from my father.”
The girls beamed with pride at hearing Catherine speak highly of their father. “Thank you!” Opal cheered. “Oh, I need to get a shower. I’ll get to see Archer tonight!”
Catherine blinked in confusion. “Archer?”
Opal giggled. “Beta Archer. He’s in my pack, and he’s entering my claim this year. I want him to claim me.” A blush crept over her cheeks.
Catherine stared at her. It was different— watching someone be excited about The Claim. She had picked her claimant ahead of time, which was strictly against the rules. Jade rolled her eyes. “They think they are fated mates,” she scoffed. “I told her it’s not possible.”
“Fated?” Catherine’s eyes widened. “Nobody has been gifted a fated mate in a hundred years. And there’s.. no ‘think’ when it comes to fated mates. You know.”
You’re wrong, you know, her wolf said snootily in her head. The moon goddess still gives those that are worthy a fated mate.
Catherine snorted to herself. Shut up, Tala. Nobody asked you.
You did when you thought the question! Tala snarled. When can we go for a run? I’m bored in here. It’s stuffy. Catherine sighed.
“Well, I think he’s my mate,” Opal said with a stubborn tilt to her chin. “We even tried to tell the Elders, thinking they’d honor a mate bond.. they won’t.”
Catherine nodded. “With so few females, it’s about the strongest genes to carry on our species. They want the best male to win you. Destiny plays little part to them in desperate times.”
Augustine’s green eyes lit up. “It seems simple. Agree to meet somewhere during The Claim, and let him mark you.”
Opal nodded intensely. “Yes. That’s the plan.”
Augustine rested her piercing eyes on Catherine’s face, her eyes flaming and intense. “If you were smart, you’d pick one and do the same.. before Killian Black gets to you.”
An uneasy feeling settled into Catherine’s stomach, one she’d have to get used to very soon.
- Writer
