Hell Hound

Chapter One.

Chapter One.

19 years later.

Kiara was nervous. As she paced the hallway outside her uncle Silver’s office, her mind whirled with thoughts. Was she in trouble? Had she lost or forgotten anything? Or was something wrong with Silver? Or her cousins? She stopped pacing as the worst thought of all crossed her mind. Had someone seen her last night? The panic was beginning to rise in her chest when the door to her Alpha’s office opened, distracting her. Sienna and Helena exited their father’s office with excitement on their faces. Opposites to her in every way, Kiara’s cousins were tall, blonde and confidant. Sienna was the more dominant of the twins but that didn’t make Helena a submissive. On the contrary, both twins were already settling into roles high up in the pack’s hierarchy. While Kiara was so far down that the only ones underneath her were the children.

Sienna flicked her long golden hair over one shoulder as she walked past and gave Kiara a condescending smirk. “Oh, this is going to be so much fun.” Then, without further explanation, the twins continued on down the hall. Kiara’s stomach dropped.

“Come in Kiara.” Forcing down her anxiety, she entered the office. She was only ever summoned there very rarely. A good thing, because she found the Alpha’s office to be awfully intimidating. Two walls were covered floor to ceiling with bookcases and maps. Another supported eight large screens used during conference meetings. Rising Moon had a large territory, and not all of the Lieutenants could attend the meetings in person. The final wall was all windows and heavy green curtains. The window, cut into the cliffside, overlooked a sixty foot drop into a dense forest. It gave Kiara the feeling like the entire room could break off and plummet to the bottom at any moment. A thought that had never crossed Silver’s mind. Which is probably why he could sit at his desk with his back to the impressive view. He was sitting at that big desk bent over his computer when she entered.

“You wanted to see me uncle?” Silver looked up, his namesake eyes seeing something in her face that wasn’t there. Kiara knew she didn’t look much like her mother, but every time he looked at her, he saw Ellaine.

“Kiara, please sit down.” She did as she was asked and took one of the seats by his desk. She couldn’t quite read the look on his face. It was like the look he got when his mate Layla told him there were no more chocolate biscuits. Disappointed acceptance. She silently waited for him to tell her the bad news. Bang! Silver suddenly thumped his fist on the desk, causing her to startle. “Sorry.” He apologised. Letting out a big sigh, Silver finally decided to just tell her. “Another Alpha has invited you and the other juveniles to visit his territory next week.” Kiara was stunned.

“Is this about that training camp I heard Hank talking about? Do I have to go?” If given the choice, she’d gladly stay behind. The thought of being surrounded by a group of strange shifters unnerved Kiara.

“You and your cousins were invited personally.” He told her. “They were very insistent.”

“Why?” She was so confused. “Why was I invited?”

“The Alpha is Marcus Hunter, of the Scarlett River pack.” For a moment Kiara couldn’t place the name. But then it hit her, and her confusion turned to fear.

“No.” She whispered. A word she hadn’t muttered to him in years. “No, please uncle?” Marcus would kill her, she was sure of it. Her instincts told her to run and before she realised it, she was out of her chair. Silver was faster. He caught his niece in a protective hug and placed a kiss on her hair.

“I won’t let him hurt you.” He had promised Ellaine. “I’m so sorry, but it’s out of my hands.”

“But you’re the Alpha.”

“That’s why I can’t refuse. I’m sorry, but this is for the pack.” Pack. The good of all vs the good of one. Despite his decision to make her go, Kiara took comfort in her uncle’s love. The hug was over too quickly. Like always, Silver had to maintain his Alpha appearance.

“I understand.” She told him. And she did. Kiara might not fit in with the pack, but that didn’t mean she didn’t think of it like her family.

“Good girl.” With that, Silver returned to his seat and dismissed her.

Kiara barely paid attention to the maze of stone tunnels that made up their pack home. She was completely preoccupied by the thoughts in her head. It didn’t make a difference. Kiara knew those tunnels like the back of her hand, and could navigate them with her eyes closed. A sense of dread was weighing on her when she finally wandered through the door to her room. It was small compared to the other rooms in the den. The only furniture Kiara’s space held was a single bed, old chest of draws, and a very worn-out armchair with a stack of books beside it. An old broom handle wedged in a corner functioned as her hanging wardrobe and she had propped a small mirror up on the draws, with toiletries scattered around it. It wasn’t much, but it was hers. And it was so far away from anything else that people rarely wondered past. She had been there since she had turned thirteen. She’d originally been ten when she’d first asked her uncle Silver if she could move out of the Alpha family’s living space. But he had refused. Stating that she was too young to be away from them. Eventually, he had given in, after a little pushing from his mate. Layla didn’t hate her the way Sienna and Helena seemed to. But she was always wary of her. Layla knew the truth about Kiara and despite herself, she’d kept a clear distance from the pup. It was something the others in the pack had noticed. If their Alpha’s mate avoided the shy black-eyed child, why shouldn’t they?

Kiara flopped onto her bed. A whole three weeks stuck with all the juveniles from not only her pack, but several others as well. At 19 Kiara was still a child and would be for the next three months. Once she finally turned twenty years old, she would be an adult by all Pack standards. Two years ahead of her, the twins were technically adults but they were still young enough to occasionally train with the juvenile members. The fact they were going to be there as well was unfortunate, but understandable. The real concern was the Scarlett River Alpha. Out of everyone who hated her father, Marcus was the one who had the most reason. If the stories were true, Kiara’s father had killed seven members of Marcus’ pack the night he had kidnapped her mother. Kiara looked across her bed into her mirror. Dark hair, dark almond eyes, wide bridged nose, and kind of short. She had her mother’s chin, nothing else. Would Marcus really kill her the second he laid eyes on her? Given his violent reputation? It was definitely possible. A quick look at her watch told Kiara dinner was starting. She had half an hour before pack members would start wondering outside. She grabbed her towel and some clean clothes before slipping out the back entrance.

There was a natural waterfall a ten minute run from the den. The sun was setting, and Kiara planned to make the most out of the fading light. Stripping off her clothes, she stepped into the cool pool beneath the waterfall. Mud and smooth stones shifted beneath her feet as she waded to the falls. The water was cold that time of year, but not freezing. Kiara stepped under the water and let it run down her body. It was only a little stronger than an ordinary shower but spanned 4 feet wide. She was only submerged up to her thighs, leaving her so openly exposed to anyone that would happen to pass by. That was why she always came at mealtimes. Kiara’s sunset showers had become almost a nightly thing. She found the possibly of getting caught thrilling, however she’d rather not actually be seen. There was a sense of danger about it. Especially since she knew there were still wolves out running patrols. Silver would be furious if he knew. She may not have been his daughter, but he insisted on treating her like one. Kiara lathered up a drench sponge with an eco-friendly soap that smelled like warm vanilla and began washing her body. It had been specially formulated by shifters to have little to no impact on natural waterways. Shifters made their homes in nature, and it was their job to protect it. It was also a good source of income for the packs. Her own pack, Rising Moon, had made most of their fortune developing eco-friendly water treatment technologies, now used in homes all around the world. Human and shifter.

Kiara finished washing her hair and closed her eyes for a few minutes. She concentrated on the feeling of the cool water falling down her skin. She felt the splashes and little waves hit her thighs and as she took a deep breath, Kiara plunged herself below the water and let the feeling of weightlessness surround her. The roaring of the waterfall filled her ears and she felt relaxed. It was her own little world under the water and nothing else existed except her and her wolf. The side of her that ran on four legs shared its content. Brushing its fur against the inside of her skin to express its pleasure. The wolf loved the waterfall even more than Kiara did. It begged to run. To take over their form and loose itself under the moon. Kiara hated that she had to deny it. They were running out of time. Soon pack members would be wandering out of the den to walk and run under the moon. Silver had forbidden her from shifting in front of the others. Because at the end of the day, Kiara’s wolf was different. And no one in Rising Moon would accept her. In fact, she’d likely be mistaken for an intruder and attacked. Disappointed, Kiara walked out of the pool and over to the tree where she’d hung her towel. After drying off, she quickly dressed in grey lounge pants and a white long sleeved shirt. She didn’t put her sneakers back on, instead choosing to carry them so she could feel the forest floor beneath her bare feet. The wolf wasn’t satisfied but understood the need for control.

A sound on the wind caught Kiara’s attention. She looked up towards the rustling leaves ahead to see Malachi stepping out onto the path. He was imposing at six foot five and all solid muscles, clad in jeans and a black t-shirt. He was extremely good looking at 40 with long blonde, silver streaked hair that fell over his shoulders. Despite his beauty, there was nothing feminine about his appearance. He might have been pleasing to look at, but the second he pegged you with his ice-blue eyes, you could tell how lethal this wolf was. But despite how much he scared her, Kiara knew Mal would never hurt her. Malachi had been Silver’s second since long before she was born. He was like a big disapproving uncle.

“Kiara.” He greeted her.

“Good evening Malachi.” She refused to look him in the eye. An act like that from her, would be read as hostile. She was a submissive member of the pack. He folded his big arms over his chest and eyed her suspiciously.

“What are you doing out here alone?” It wasn’t unusual or against the rules.

“I was swimming.” It was as close to the truth as she could get. He’d smell a lie.

“Again?” Kiara looked up wide-eyed. Busted. She could have sworn she saw a mischievous glint in his eyes before she looked away. “I won’t tell your uncle. But you really should be more careful. Not all males are as chivalrous as I am, little wolf.” After scolding her, Malachi stepped back into the brush and disappeared. He was scary good at that. Kiara started down the path again. She thought about what Mal had said. She was sure at least one other wolf had seen her before, although she didn’t see who, but was Mal only worried about just peeping? Huh! She almost laughed, like anyone would actually try and join her? Kiara had learned early that pack boys weren’t interested in dating her. Anyone that even hinted that they liked her, was up to something. Dash had proved that when she was sixteen