Fated Shadow Of the Wolf Blood

SYNOPSIS Hearts imprint and love blossoms when Evelyn Quansa of the Hill Tribe Pack is saved by Alpha Michael of Riverton. Having her around him threatens to break down the walls around his fragile heart but he has no choice. He must help her overcome a conspiracy by her brother to assassinate her, while also trying his hardest to accept his responsibility as an Alpha. He cannot let his heart distract him, but can he resist the sweet temptation that is Evelyn? Can the werewolf fight his heart's greatest desire? CHAPTER 1- Woodland Creature It may have been a moonless night, but this didn't slow her down as she sped through the forest, trying her hardest to put some distance between her and her pursuers. She was breathing extremely hard, scared beyond reckoning due to the fact that she knew if she was caught up to, they would surely kill her without a second thought and she was not quite ready to die yet. Suddenly, she tripped on a vine and fell face first into the dirt. The pain of the fall wasn't what bothered her; no, she was more worried about being slowed down by it. She quickly rose back to her feet and continued scampering through the thick woods and when she looked up ahead, she saw what was certainly an overpass that led into civilization. She was overwhelmed with relief which was short-lived when a man almost twice her size suddenly leapt from out of nowhere and tackled her to the hard ground. The man snarled at her and got on top of her, pinning her under his weight. He struck her on the face with a backhand and before he could ball his fists to strike her again, she managed to grab a rock and she brought it hard against his face, forcing him off her. Now was her chance to make another run for it. She stood up, but just as she took her first stride, she bumped into the hardened frame of her other pursuer, and this one was definitely twice her size. He quickly grabbed her by the neck but she just as quickly kicked him in his crotch, forcing him to let go. The numbers finally caught up to her when the first man came at her from behind and hit the back of her head with the barrel of his pistol. She fell in a heap, barely able to keep her eyes open due to the pain of the blow and the incessant ringing sound she could hear inside her mind. She was not doing well. ''This b***h sure is feisty. No wonder the boss wants her dead,'' the first man said, struggling to catch his breath. ''Stop wasting time and just kill her already. I have plans for the rest of my night,'' the second yelled at him, still in pain from being kneaded in his softer parts. The man c****d his pistol and was about to blast the barely-conscious young woman in the head when his partner began to yell at him again. ''What are you doing? Use your knife or strangle her until she stops breathing but don't use the gun. We're too close to the city. Someone may hear the blast.'' The second nodded in understanding and put his gun away. He grabbed his knife and was about to bend over to do the deed when suddenly, a strange gust of wind blew past them, followed by the sounds of what was surely a wild animal. ''Did you hear that?'' The man with the knife asked, looking around cautiously. ''It's probably a deer or something. Stop stalling and do it already,'' the other replied dismissively. ''I'm not stalling. It sounds like there's something out there.'' Just then, the sound became even clearer, and after the angry growl was heard by both men, they raised their heads and saw the huge wolf standing just a few yards in front of them. ''Oh my god!'' Both men said at the same time. Without wasting a second, the animal dashed at the men, pouncing on top of the one with the knife, burying its fangs deep into his neck, causing him to scream in pain as he crashed to the ground. The other saw what was happening to his colleague and decided to run to save himself but before he could get far, the wolf turned its attention on him and bit down on his leg, sending him to the ground. The man screamed in horror as he was ripped to pieces by the raging animal which seemed to have only one thought on its mind; kill! The young woman was still hurt, motionless on the ground and barely able to keep her eyes open. She could hear what was happening around her but was too weak to see it. She tried to move her hands but it was pointless. She wasn't doing well and was soon to lose consciousness. As she lay on the cold damp forest ground, the clouds in the night's sky parted, revealing a full moon overhead. The rays of the moon's glow touched the forest floor and brightened up the darkness, just as the gentle wind blew majestically, causing fallen leaves to blow all about. She struggled to keep her eyes open, trying to focus on whatever it was that was moving around in front of her. Her vision was blurry, she couldn't make out what the figure was, but as it got closer, it began to look more and more like a person...like a man! Before she could confirm exactly what the figure was, her eyes became too heavy and she lost the strength to keep them open. She passed out and was now left at the mercy of the wild animal that had just murdered her assailants. Luckily for her, the animal that had saved her from being killed wasn't out to do her any harm. It was a white wolf, and not just any regular wolf; this was a werewolf, and just as he reached her, his limbs began to rearrange and he transformed into his human self. He stood naked as the day he was born, shining under the moonlight as he glowed like a majestic bronze idol. He bent over and scooped the unconscious woman into his arms. She was bleeding due to the cut on her head and her body was so warm; she needed help and she needed it quickly. The man carried her off into the night, back into the forest, leaving behind a pool of blood and the ripped body parts of the two men he had slaughtered. CHAPTER 2- Grenade Her eyes fluttered open as the sun's glow peered into her pupils, causing her to groan in slight discomfort. Her head felt like it was an anvil being slammed by a hammer repeatedly but she managed to fight through the pain as she sat up on the bed. Wait! A bed? She thought to herself, quickly realising that she was in someone's home; the last place she'd expected to find herself after what happened to her the previous night. What did happen the previous night? She wondered. She could remember being chased and caught, but after that, nothing else really. Although she was certain that she saw someone else but just couldn't remember anything about it. Cautiously, she slid out of the bed and made her way to the room's door, slowly opening it to look out. She tiptoed through the small corridor and walked into a small living room that was brightly coloured with all sorts of types of flowers. She took a few steps closer to the open door and that was when she began to hear the sound of someone struggling just outside the house. It sounded like the person was chopping firewood and surely enough, when she got to the door, she could see him under the sun, bare-chested with nothing but his jeans on, his bronzely-tanned body rippled as he swung his arms around, crashing the blade of his axe into the logs of wood, and he was the most beautiful human being in the world; at least, that was how she felt as she took him in. Everything about him was just breathtaking and she couldn't take her eyes off him. She knew to be wary of this handsome stranger but there was absolutely no denying the fact that she was already attracted to him. Regardless, she kept her guard up, remembering the seriousness of her situation. ''Good morning! Are you well rested? You took a serious blow to the head,'' the handsome stranger suddenly asked her, his eyes still focused on his chore. ''Um, I’m not sure...'' the words froze in her mouth as she rubbed her head. Surely enough, there was a bandage around it. He must have done it last night, she thought! She remembered when she was hit...and how much it had hurt. He placed the axe down swiftly and grabbed a towel from the cloth line, wiping off his sweaty body in one quick motion. He began to walk up to the young woman, and she tensed up as he got closer. She wasn't sure what to do, but she had a feeling that he wouldn't hurt her, so she didn't try to run. After he reached her, he took a look at her bandages to make sure they were still neat and after that, he looked at her face and for the first time, she saw his eyes and he saw hers. She had never seen eyes like his before. They were a dark ruby shade with an almost silver iris. They were beautiful and she was getting lost in their depths. But when he looked into hers, he didn't only see the beauty in those amazing ocean blue peepers; he also saw the mystery in them and he for sure knew that he wasn't dealing with a normal woman. She certainly would have an interesting story to tell. This didn't quell the longing he felt in his loins though, as she was so enticing that it made his warm blood a bit colder. There was heat emanating between them and a silent spark of electricity was definitely in the air. It was almost tangible. He was standing so close to her and she could smell his musk. It was tangent and strong, yet sweet and delectable. She wasn't sure what was making her dizzy; the trauma in her head or his sweet aroma. And for what felt like a moment forever frozen in time, she wanted to feel his lips on hers. He was so tempting and if he had tried to steal a kiss from her, she would most certainly let him. But, he didn't do that! ''You must be hungry. Come to the kitchen. I made you some eggs and toast,'' he said nicely as he led the way back inside. ''Who are you?'' She blurted out, too eager to know more about him. ''I'm Michael. You are?'' He asked as he reached the table and began grabbing plates. ''Eve! My name is Eve,'' she responded, now at the table as well. She took a seat and he served her the meal. For a man as rough-looking as him, he was actually delicate with how he served the food, and Eve couldn't help but stare at his cleanly shaven face which had strands of his long brown hair dangling in front of it. What is it about this man? Eve thought! There was something different about him but she just couldn't put her finger on it. ''You saved me last night, didn't you?'' She asked carefully. ''Yes, I did,'' he answered softly. ''The men that were chasing me, what happened to them?'' She asked again, holding his gaze. ''I wouldn't be worried about them,'' he replied. She could see in his eyes that he had killed them, and it made her tenser about her situation and the nature of the man she was currently alone with. ''You should be..,'' she whispered so he didn't hear it. ''Why were they trying to hurt you?'' Just as he asked the question, he heard a weird sound and it came from the back door. Michael quickly became cautious, standing up to inspect what the noise was. It sounded like someone was in the house with them. ''We're not alone,'' Eve said, already fearing the worst. ''We're supposed to be,'' Michael added. Just then, an object rolled from out the corner and stopped in the centre of the kitchen and when Michael looked at it, he realised it was an unpinned grenade. ''Get down!'' He yelled before running over to Eve and tackling her to safety before the bomb would explode. CHAPTER 3- Bullet's Fly Michael slowly raised his head, surprised that the bomb was yet to go off. He moved his body off Eve and got back to his feet, and then he helped her up as well. He walked over to the grenade and picked it up, realising that it wasn't a real one. ''Aren't you a little too old to be playing with toys, Rafael?'' Michael said aloud and for a moment, Eve wondered who he was talking to. A younger looking man suddenly walked into the kitchen area from the back. He was almost a carbon copy of Michael in terms of his facial appearance but it was clear that he was much younger. He was wearing some cargo pants, a white shirt and a black leather jacket. ''Brother! It's good to see your reflexes are still as sharp as ever,'' Rafael said with a smile and when he reached Michael, the siblings hugged with smiles on both their faces. ''What are you doing here?'' Michael asked, a bit upset, ''I left because I didn't want to be disturbed.'' ''I know that, Michael, but you're the Alpha and we need you at the helm overseeing things,'' Rafael said. ''Jade is more than capable of managing things while I'm away,'' Michael said as he walked back to Eve. ''Our sister is strong, but she's not you. She needs help but she's way too proud to seek you out herself,'' Rafael finally had the chance to fix his attention on the other person in the room. ''No wonder you're in no mood to return home. You're already in good company,'' he said with his eyes fixed on Eve. ''You should leave, Raph. I'm not ready to return home,'' Michael said dismissively and Rafael became more serious. ''Look, I didn't want to say anything but the pack's in some serious financial trouble. It's really bad. We could be facing bankruptcy and you know what will happen if that happens. Our competition will overwhelm us and we'll lose control of our territories to them. You're the only one who can rectify this problem. Please, brother. Do it for the sake of our parents,'' Rafael said. ''Don't bring mother and father into this,'' Michael said angrily. ''I don't need to use them to sway you. This is your responsibility as Alpha and you must return...'' ''...I never asked to be the Alpha,'' Michael retorted. ''And yet, you are! Suck it up and come home with me. It's time to get back to work.'' Eve wasn't quite sure what was being discussed between the brothers. She barely knew anything about Michael and frankly, she was still too worried about her own problems. She needed to ensure her own survival, but as far as she knew, the only person who could help her was the one who saved her last night, so she had to stick around for a while longer. ''Will you come home with me, Michael?'' Rafael asked again. Michael seemed to be deep in thought and before he could give his brother an answer, a grenade crashed through the kitchen window, breaking the glass as it made its way in, just a few yards away from where they stood. This time, it went off and the blast seriously affected them, seeing as they were taken unawares by it. After the blast sent all three of them flying through the house, a flurry of bullets were being released all over the little cottage, destroying the place like it was nothing. Michael and Rafael crawled on their bellies to avoid being hit and took cover behind the kitchen counter. Eve was also with them as they contemplated what to do in order to escape with their lives. ''You didn't tell me you were expecting visitors,'' Rafael said sarcastically. ''I wasn't!'' Michael answered. ''Well, if they're not here for you, then who are they here for?'' An answer wasn't needed because to the brothers, it was already clear what it was. They could see it in her face that she was the cause of this attack, and she also admitted it immediately. ''They're here for me,'' Eve said. ''And who the hell are you supposed to be? Michael, who is this woman and why are a bunch of armed men trying to kill her, and in case you haven't noticed, us as well?'' ''She'll explain herself later. For now, we have to find a way to get out of here,'' Michael said, ''How many do you think they are?'' ''Judging from how many guns I can hear going off, maybe five or six,'' Rafael replied. ''Where's your car?'' ''At the edge of the forest. If we're going to get to it, we'll need to get past the shooters.'' Michael opened the kitchen counter and looked into the hidden compartment at the base. He opened it and took out a rifle which was already loaded and handed it to his brother. There was also a pistol in there and he kept the weapon for himself, loading up the magazine. The men that were shooting at them from outside suddenly ceased their fire, giving the brothers the opening they needed to launch an attack of their own. They crawled out of the kitchen area and fired back at the gunmen, killing about three of them. The shooting resumed as bullets were exchanged from every which way. After a while, the intensity of the shooting reduced and the leader of the attackers yelled at his men to cease fire. ''You! Check if they're dead,'' he ordered. One of the men walked into the house and after he reached the kitchen area, he realised that their targets were gone. He moved further along the back and noticed the backdoor wide open. ''They must have run away like cowards through here,'' he reported. The leader reached the backdoor and could see the trail of footprints that led into the forest. ''We must go after them before they get away. Come on,'' he ordered and all three of them that remained gave chase. CHAPTER 4-A Clean Shirt Rafael drove the black Dodge into the gates of the relatively large compound and parked in one of the spots of the open-space garage that had two other cars parked on it. They were back in the city and he had taken Michael and Eve back to their family home in richer parts of the urban area, so it wasn't noisy at all. After they came out of the vehicle, Rafael took his phone out of his pocket. ''I'll call Jade and let her know you're back home. Also, we'll need to beef up security after what happened at your cabin. While I do that, maybe you can get your friend here to explain who she is and why she has an entire militia hunting her down. This is the last thing we need; more trouble,'' Rafael said before walking away. ''Come with me,'' Michael ordered her as he led the way in. They walked through the house and up the first set of stairs until they arrived at a bedroom. He went in and gestured her in as well, and as she walked into the room, he slammed the door shut and his next actions nearly scared the skin off of Eve's body. Michael suddenly grabbed her by the collar and pinned her to the side of the wall. He put his forearm over her neck and pinned her forcefully, causing her to gasp for breath as he rained her with all sorts of interrogative questions and accusations. ''Who the f**k are you, and who sent you to set me up?'' ''What?!''She coughed, trying to breathe, ''I haven't set you up.'' ''Lies! Your Alpha knew I'd be ready for a straight attack which was why he sent you to ensnare me first so you could trap me later. Tell me the truth or I'll snap your neck right here and now,'' he threatened. ''They came for me, I swear, it had nothing to do with you. You have to believe me,'' she begged. ''Why should I?'' Michael snarled, all humour gone from his eyes. ''I'm a werewolf like you, Alpha Michael,'' she said with so much familiarity, it bothered him. ''No, you're not. If you were, I'd be able to--'' ''To smell it on me? You can't because I haven't had my first shift and the wolf in me is weak. It won't come out, and it's been four years since I turned eighteen. I'll tell you the entire truth, just let go. Please...'' Michael could tell now that she was being honest, so he let go of her neck and she caught a large breath, coughing in the process. He felt a little bad to have hurt her but he remained stoic, eager to hear what she had to say. ''Being a weak Omega is not enough reason to send eight men to kill you. Who are you?'' ''My name is Evelyn Quansa and I'm the daughter of the late Alpha of Hills Tribe; Jarrell Alexander Quansa III.'' He became suspicious again, ''Jarrell Quansa only has a son. The current Alpha of the Hills.'' ''Born of his Luna, yes, my father's legitimate child is my brother Derek, but he also had me. My mother was one of the maids in his home. She was a human and my father lay with her and she had me. I've been kept a secret my entire life but my father always took care of me and I grew up in his home.'' ''So, who sent those men to kill you?'' Michael asked. ''Derek did!'' ''Your own brother?'' He asked. ''He's never actually been a brother to me. I never knew my mother, but I knew my father and he loved me. But, ever since he died and Derek took command, I've been mistreated and scorned by my brother and his mother. They tried to marry me off to a business partner of our family's, some young Alpha of another wealthy pack. He took one look at me and rejected me with venom, causing my brother to believe that I was nothing but a shameful stain to my regal family name.'' ''So, he tried to assassinate you?'' Michael asked with a raised brow. ''I had always been a secret, so he felt if I couldn't help the pack, I would be a secret forever. I found out about his plans to kill me and tried to escape and that was when you found me in the woods,'' she admitted. ''Something is still not adding up,'' Michael said with distrust, ''You're the pack's Omega. There is no need to kill you because you pose no threat, unless you did something. What did you do?'' ''It's not a matter of what I did, but of what I am. I was born before my brother Derek. My mother may not have been Luna but I was my father's first born child and by the laws of Hills Tribe, I have a legitimate claim to the seat of power.'' She revealed. ''You can be the Alpha of your pack,'' Michael added, knowing this to be true of the ways of the Hills Tribe Pack Family. ''That's the real reason he tried to have me killed, and he's not going to stop until I'm dead. You have to help me, Alpha Michael. You're the only one who can. I have nobody to go to.'' For a moment, she believed he would offer his help but his next words completely shattered her optimism, filling her with nothing but dread. ''Your internal family affairs have nothing to do with me. I have no say in it. I already saved you twice, and I believe that's enough from my part. I can give you some money so you can relocate but I'm not getting in the middle of your family's squabble. I have my own problems to deal with and they're great as well.'' To Eve, that was a dismissal and a refusal to give her any real help. She was devastated and with no other choice, she crashed to her knees and held the Alpha's feet, weeping in desperation. ''Please, you must help me. I'm as good as dead if you don't. I should be dead right now, but you saved me. If you abandon me now, then what was the point of saving me to begin with? He won't stop coming after me, no matter where I go. I don't want to die. Please...'' Alas, Michael was left with a serious choice to make when truly, all he really wanted was a freaking shower and a clean shirt! CHAPTER 5- Rejected by the Alpha Standing along the huge corridor, Michael stared at the large portrait of his deceased parents and admired the way they were portrayed. He was reliving his fondest memories of them in his head when he suddenly heard Rafael from behind. ''I never did like that painting,'' he said to Michael. ''That's cause you know nothing about art,'' the Alpha replied. ''I forgot! You're also the Alpha of Fine Art,'' he joked and closed the distance, ''Jade should be on the next available flight out tomorrow. She'll arrive in the morning.'' ''How did she take the news of me being back?'' ''How do you think?'' They both smirked, thinking the same thing. ''What about your guest? Are you going to help her after all she's told you?'' ''I don't know yet. I'll have to think about it, but in the meantime, let's just keep this between the two of us. There's no need for Jade or anyone else in the pack to find out,'' Michael suggested. ''I can do that,'' Rafael replied. ''Also, how the f**k do you guys almost drive the company to bankruptcy in just seven months since I've been gone?'' Michael was serious now. ''I think it's better if Jade arrives and answers that question herself. You left her in charge, not me,'' Rafael said. ''I can do that,'' Rafael replied. ''Also, how the f**k do you guys almost drive the company to bankruptcy in just seven months since I've been gone?'' Michael was serious now. ''I think it's better if Jade arrives and answers that question herself. You left her in charge, not me,'' Rafael said. Michael exhaled in exhaustion and put his head down, facing the floor. He hadn't even been back a day and yet, the weight of his position was already causing him to sink. He hated the power of the Alpha and the responsibilities that came with it, but alas, he couldn't run from his destiny. He managed to do so for seven months but now, it was time to resume looking after what he inherited. ''I want to be alone,'' ''Of course, Alpha,'' Rafael bowed before walking away. Now that his brother was gone, Michael decided to try to get some sleep himself. He walked away from the portrait and made for his bedroom but along the way, he noticed that the lights of Eve's room were still lit, which probably meant that she was still awake, so he decided to check on her. He opened the door and found her lying in bed, facing the other direction. She didn't move and he presumed that she was asleep, so he decided to leave. ''Could you stay a while?'' She asked, turning over to face him. ''You should get some sleep,'' he insisted. ''You staying will help me sleep faster. Please, come in,'' she insisted also. Michael didn't want to enter due to the temptations that she posed. However, he was an Alpha and this was his house. He had no need to be so cautious in his own territory. He came in and sat on the armchair beside the bed. ''Can I ask you a personal question?'' Eve said. ''What?'' ''Why don't you want to be Alpha? I heard you when you were speaking to your brother and it sounded like you hate the title,'' she said. ''That's none of your business,'' he responded coldly. ''I'm sorry. It's just-- You don't want the title so you ran from it and decided to live in the forest. Meanwhile, my brother wants the title so badly, he's willing to kill his only sibling to ensure it. The contrast is fascinating.'' ''I guess the title means different things to us,'' Michael said just before rising, ''You should try to get some sleep.'' ''Could you...'' Eve caught the words in her mouth, afraid of finishing the thought, ''...lie with me until I fall asleep, if that's not too much to ask?'' Michael didn't understand why she was making such a request but he felt she had her reasons. Against his better judgement, he decided to do as she'd asked. He climbed into the bed and came up behind her, unsure what to do next or where to put his hands. ''It's so cold,'' she said with a shudder. Michael wrapped his hands around her waist and pressed himself against her, sharing his heat with her. This was a new feeling for him, and although he wasn't.