Chapter 1 The Looming Encounter
In the depths of the night, a blood moon loomed high in the sky, casting an eerie crimson glow over the Midnight Pack. The air was heavy with the scent of blood, saturating the atmosphere.
Amidst the tumultuous chaos, a tall figure walked slowly, obscured by the veil of darkness. Though his face remained hidden, his powerful presence could not be concealed. It emitted a chilling and bloodthirsty aura that deterred anyone from approaching.
Four equally imposing and agile figures trailed beside him. Among them, one wore a sinister smile as he effortlessly kicked aside a warrior—no werewolf who dared to attack them could withstand their assault for more than three seconds.
The man's footsteps were steady and unhurried, as if he were not an invader but a conqueror who surveyed the world with disdain. No one could defeat him, and he feared no one.
"Noah, their Luna must be in the house up ahead. I can't wait to have some fun," the man with the wicked grin exclaimed, excitement gleaming in his eyes.
However, Noah, surrounded by his companions, suddenly halted his steps. He raised his right hand, gesturing for silence.
"What's wrong?" the man asked.
Noah moved his ears slightly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He hadn't expected the Midnight Pack to call for reinforcements, and it sounded like a sizable group of them.
"We have to go," Noah whispered his command. Yet, as he spoke, he heard the sound of weapons slicing through the air!
"Duck!" he shouted, but it was too late.
The individuals on his left and right froze, falling forward. Arrows were embedded in the back of their heads.
"Capture the Rogue King! Take him alive!" commands and footsteps resounded from behind.
Zach, who had been laughing moments ago, finally realized the gravity of the situation. He grabbed Noah's arm. "They want to capture you. Let's retreat!"
Noah remained silent, turning to leave, but his steps faltered.
A sweet scent drifted from a distance.
His blood instantly surged, desire momentarily clouding his mind. But within a second, he regained his clarity.
He looked back and locked eyes with a pair in the sea of charging werewolf warriors.
In just one glance, he was certain—the source of that scent came from that person...
Olivia smelled a scent as she climbed the stairs. It was a subtle blend of mint and vanilla. Her wolf stirred restlessly, and excitement filled her mind.
Fortunately, her previous apprehension was wrong, Olivia reassured herself. During the attack by a group of terrifying rogues that she had helped her neighboring pack fight off, she had sensed a dangerous and enticing scent coming from the rogues. The panic and fear she experienced at that time were still vivid in her memory.
But now, she smelled a different scent that filled her with excitement and anticipation. Olivia finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that her mate was a normal werewolf after all. The moon goddess apparently didn't want to play a terrible joke on her.
"Please, let it be Damian!" Olivia's wolf couldn't contain its roar when it sensed the presence of its mate. Olivia was extremely nervous.
Damian was the boy she had been dating since high school, the beta's son in the pack, and a future beta himself. Olivia had always hoped and believed that he would be her mate in the future.
With such longing, Olivia took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and prayed to the moon goddess. And in the next moment, as she turned the corner of the staircase, she saw her high school sweetheart.
Damian.
Olivia let out a huge sigh of relief. The sensation she felt from one of those rogues was just a misconception.
As their eyes met, Olivia heard Damian utter the word "mate" in a roar, just like she did.
That was great. Olivia took a few steps forward and embraced Damian, kissing him. Damian reciprocated with excitement, holding Olivia even tighter. Olivia held onto Damian's neck tightly, their bodies pressed against each other.
Indeed, what could be more joyful than finding out that your mate is your own lover?
"Hey!" their friend Lucas, the alpha's son, whistled. "Don't get too excited, love birds."
"Yeah, on such a terrible day like today, do you really want to show affection in front of us?" Jason, Olivia and Damian's other friend, the gamma's son, pretended to be sad.
Olivia quickly let go of Damian, ignoring the lingering passion in his eyes, even though her wolf trembled with desire upon seeing Damian's fiery gaze.
She even heard Damian growl softly in dissatisfaction. Smiling, she pressed her forehead against his, soothing her disheveled breath from their passionate kiss. "They're right, now is not the time."
This time, the alpha gathered the high-ranking werewolves in the pack and a group of young, talented werewolf warriors, including newcomers like Olivia and Damian. Despite having acquired their wolves not long ago. This was because several neighboring packs had recently been attacked by a group of rogues.
It was said that although the rogue group consisted of only five members, their leader was extremely formidable. Not only was he a brave fighter, but he also had ruthless methods and exceptional strategic skills. In just two months, they had successfully attacked several packs, and two packs had been completely wiped out by them.
Olivia was very eager to see the leader of those rogues. She wanted to see the kind of person who could commit such heinous acts.
At that moment, Olivia had no idea that this man would become her greatest nightmare in this lifetime.
