Lost.
1770 Words
Chapter 3:
Alpha Xavier's POV
“Cancel the Zurich meeting,” I said, pressing my phone to my ears while looking out of the window.
“But it took six months to secure—” Kael my omega’s voice came from my phone’s speakers.
“Reschedule it for Friday. I think I might be reconsidering their viability.”
“Alpha Xavier, please hear me out. I know you might not actually be in a good mood but please the company needs this alliance.
“Okay, you’ll sit in. take notes. But if it isn’t worth it… break the arrangement, everything!”
“I’ll do that Alpha.” Kael’s voice came with a tincture of happiness.
“Alright," I replied, dropping my phone to my table.
Then I collapsed by the sofa nearby, drifting into my thoughts.
Earlier today
“You cannot be alpha, not with your curse, I can't afford to ruin the future of the Dark Crest pack.”
“But Father, curses can be lifted.” I emphasized, almost raising my voice.”
“Well, how many more months before twenty-seven?” He shot back at me.
“Father, you said the curse can be lifted by the royal bloodline of the Moon River pack, didn't you?” I asked, trying my best to keep my voice in check.
“And are you not aware of your younger brother's claim on her? If only you'd shown yourself more. If only you'll forget about your companies and wealth, come home and do exactly and directly what's required of you as my heir.”
“The moon pack needs an heir before I pass on. I might be biased about it. Don't judge me.” My father said with a final look before stepping out of my house.
“Alpha Xavier!” A voice called, gently tapping my shoulders and I quickly jolted back to reality.
Back to the present.
“Beta?” I called, though not sure it was him because my sight was still in a blur.
“Yes Alpha Xavier it's Orion.” Orion said, stepping back to give me a clearer view.
"Alpha," Orion's voice, called again but this time laced with an unfamiliar tremor now, standing in the flickering sunlight of the chamber. Even his eyes that were usually calm, darted with a frantic energy.
I merely inclined my head, a silent command for him to speak while readjusting myself on the sofa.
My beta took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on my unreadable face. "Alpha, I have news. About your mate."
“My mate, what about her?” My jaw tightened, a flicker of something akin to pain crossing my features.
"Speak, Beta. Do not prolong it."
"It's... complicated, Alpha. I have both good news and bad news." Orion said wringing his hands, a gesture I had never seen from my usually stoic Beta.
"Okay, the bad news first," I commanded, my voice a low growl adjusting my position on the sofa.
He swallowed hard. "The bad news, Alpha, it's about your fated mate... Amelia... she is dead."
“What?” I yelled, before I was able to control my emotions. I felt the room spin, my feet removed to move.
"How?" Tell me how,” I yelled, standing to my feet.
"She was murdered, Alpha. The news had it this morning, though they're still investigating it.”
A cold rage, slow and deliberate, began to unfurl within me
"And the good news, Orion?" I asked, with my voice dangerously calm.
"The good news, Alpha, is that... she has a twin. A twin sister. Unknown to everyone, even Amelia herself."
“I've been tracking her for a while after I got news of it.”
"Where is she?" The words tore from my throat, raw and urgent, my eyes burning. “Didn't you say even her twin doesn't know of her existence?”
My beta’s face clouded again. "That's... the difficult part, Alpha. She's been living with a rogue pack. A particularly brutal one. They've been... maltreating her, probably using her.”
“Orion–”
“Wait, I'm not done yet.” Orion cut me short.
“I made arrangements already, like I set up a meeting. They are willing to sell her…so I made an appointment to buy her. That's the only way to get her out without a full scale war, which we can't afford now.”
“In fact, the appointment is scheduled today for 5pm in the evening.” Orion said with a gentle smile.
“Why 5pm?” I asked. “I could meet her now.”
“Well, you have to get there first. Don't you?” Orion asked, getting my blood rushing very fast.
“Athena is at—”
“Athena?” I asked cutting him off.
“Yes, Athena,” Alpha! I would appreciate it if you slowed down.” Orion said, gritting his teeth.
“I'm sorry,” I said slumping back on the sofa.
“It's okay, Alpha.” He said with a bow.
“I found Athena with her foster rogue family at the outskirts of Thornvale. To the south to be more precise where she's a slave. You'll find her there.” Orion explained further.
“But the outskirts to the south? Isn't that an over 8 hour journey?” I noted in frustration.
“Yes Alpha,” Orion said, checking his wristwatch. And it's only 9am now so…you should be there by 5pm latest 6pm.”
And…I would like to advise you to get going Alpha. This sofa ain't gonna help you.” He said with a smile. “Our mate awaits you”
Actually, he's right this sofa was turning me into something else. If I'm not sitting on it I'd be by the window looking at nothing. Then I turned to ask him “Aren't you coming with me?”
“No, Alpha. Kael is busy with company work, so someone needs to get your condolences to the Moon River pack.”
“If that's all, I'll be on my way.” I said, getting up to grab my car key to the tinted car.
I was going on a long drive to the most dreaded parts of Thornvale. The territory of ROGUES. Well I don't know what I would have actually done without my Beta and Omega.
****
My phone beeped, when I checked it. It was the address to Athena's foster home.
When I stepped out of my car, I looked at the address on my phone.
“Well, it certainly is here,” I said in a whisper to myself.
I walked towards the shabby house covered in snow. But as I made an attempt to knock on the door I heard loud voices.
“Hear my words you b***h. Today might be your last.” A voice that sounded old yelled. Then I heard a pushing sound followed by the shattering sound of chains on the floor.
“Father, can't we not sell her off? She has more duties to me than she does in this house.” Another voice came, a younger voice than the first.
“Father, you should sell her off, don't leave her for Kyrian's pleasure,” Another male voice came from the house. The third.
“Anyways, I believe we shouldn't beat her up. She should look presentable for her buyer.” the last voice continued, followed by the weeping sound of a girl.
I decided to check what it was because I was curious to find out what exactly was going on in there. So I knocked on the door.
“Looks like our buyer is here.” A voice I recognised as the third male voice said.
I sensed a shift in the weather so I looked up.
“Ouch!,” I exclaimed. “It's likely gonna be a full moon. Ohh, please…no.” I pleaded, to no one in particular.
“Come in,” A young man about my younger brother's age opened the door beckoning me to come in.
The first view I saw when I entered was a shabbily dressed girl clothed in rags with bruises.
“How could someone be treated like that?” I muttered to myself.
“Please sit,” the boy beckoned me.
“Thank you, but I have come a long distance.”
“Well, your good is over there,” An older man said, pointing at the girl I saw earlier. I suppose he's the father they've been talking about.
I walked over to her examining her. “How could people treat their fellow people like this?” I muttered to myself, because her body was a map of endless bruises.
“Why the f*****g chain?”
“To keep the little beast in check.”
“How much is your price?” I turned to ask the man, my eyes burning red.
“$8,000 would do,” He said with gleaming eyes. “You know she's really beautiful. For your household activities and your pleasure.
I stared at him with disgust. “I'll give you $10,000.”
“Really,” one of the boys asked. I didn't care to know whom.
I dipped my hand into my pocket, brought out a large amount of money, and threw it at the old man.
“The keys!” I bellowed. Filled with anger and the need to leave there before I changed my mind about these rouges.
“Here,” one of the rouge boys extended his hand.
“It's okay,” I'm going to get you out of her now.” I said to the young girl, taking the key.
However, as I unlocked the chain helping her to stand she collapsed to the floor immediately. I tried to lift her back up only to realise how cold her body had become.
“Athena!” I yelled. “Get up!” But her eyes were already shut and her body weightless, even her breathing had seized.
After a while It dawned on me. She was dead and so will I, in a few months.
I turned toward the rouge family with rage and a fierce ragged breath. “If only you had treated her better…if only you hadn't starved and abused her.”
“You're all gonna pay.”
I felt my wolf absorb energy from the now full moon that shone through the window where I stood. And within a matter of seconds I let out a sharp growl from pain. As my body transformed, I turned into my dreaded curse—The Thorn Wolf.
- Writer
