Protect. Protect. Protect.
Stop her. Stop Her. Stop Her.
Find. Find. Find.
My wolf's voice erupts in my head, pulling me from deep sleep, my body jerking upright. For the second day in a row, I've heard him. Disbelief sinks in. Shaking the shackles at my wrist, convinced they somehow loosened in the past few days, but they haven't. They still hold firm, the heavy iron chafing against my bare skin. Idly, I wonder what the skin will look like beneath if these ever get removed. If my wolf will help me heal or if I'll remain a marred man for life.
Throwing myself back into the pillows, the cold sweat that blossomed across my skin doesn't evaporate, without my wolf to heat me as he used to. I will never get out of these shackles. Someone wanted me locked away. I only wish I knew why. I am no one special. I never have been. My father and mother are just regular pack members from Upstate New York. No special roles. Not a bloodline worth much. I guess that's why my dad was always so disappointed I wasn't better. That I didn't take earning a higher rank in the pack more seriously.
Still, none of it makes sense. I'm not the type to hold hostage. There's nothing special about me. Except my eyes. They're the only thing that makes me an anomaly. Where it's common in other canines to have mismatched eyes, it's exceedingly rare in wolf shifters. My parents have never seen one with eyes like mine, nor had their parents before them. My left eye an ice blue, nearly blending with the snow, polar opposite that of my right, so dark I'd be convinced it was ebony if not for the flecks of gold sprinkled like stars. No matter how rare I may be, it shouldn't be enough to kidnap me.
Heart rate finally slowing, warmth seeping back into my bones. I let my eyes drift close, calling on sleep once more. Even without windows, a watch or any way to know what's happening in the outside world, it's clear that it's the middle of the night. Just as my breath evens out, my muscles previously coiled tight, loosening, the roar of my wolf pulls me back out.
Find her. Find her. Find her.
Danger. Dangerous. Not safe.
Like a broken record, his words panicked and frantic vibrate through my mind. Never did I think I would want nothing more than to shut him up. After years of radio silence, it's odd to hear him so loud and clear now, urging me toward whoever this "her" is. Not entirely helpful Rocky, the name I gave to my wolf as a kid. I was obsessed with the Rocky Balboa movies and thought for sure my wolf would be invincible like him.
As silence surrounds me once more, another voice fills my mind. One of a female. One I've heard before, but I would have no idea where. Maybe, my dreams. Maybe, one of the females from my pack. Although she's not speaking to me, I can hear whispers of her thoughts. The strings of words broken as I catch them.
Vampires. Here. Trouble. Prepare for attack. Alpha. I'm alpha.
Alpha? Just as my eyes are a thing of fiction, so are female alphas. I must have heard her wrong. Lying perfectly still, I wait for her voice, that sends chills up my spine and a calmness to heart, to speak again, but there's nothing. Not her wolf. Not mine. It's hours before sleep claims me again. Only to wake twisted in the silk sheets and comforter to find a man I've never seen seated in one of the decorative armchairs by the fireplace.
He doesn't speak as I dress in low-slung sweatpants, refusing to even put on a shirt. He gestures for me to join him in the armchair adjacent to his, handing me a large cup of coffee as I plop into the seat. Long thick locks of golden hair drifts down to his mid back, the front pulled away from his forehead, in some sort of clip. His dark eyes seem to dive deep into my soul, learning all the secrets I surely don't have. Thin lips pressed into a straight line, punctuated by the fine point of his straight nose. By scent I can tell he's a wolf shifter like me. What I need to know is who he is.
"Relax. I am only here to speak with you."
His words roll in an elegant manner that speaks of wealth and an authentic Italian heritage. Everything about this man reminds me of royalty, something you read about in the history books in school. Yet, he's dressed very modern. Well-fitted suit of navy blue, with thin pinstripes that match the exact pastel gray of the shirt beneath and the silk handkerchief jutting from his breast pocket.
"Who are you?" I ask, taking a slug of my coffee. Brewed to perfection as always. If I ever get out of here, I'm stealing a barrel of this stuff to take with me.
"You are quite a loud talker in your sleep," he chuckles, no amusement touching his eyes or lips. He holds his coffee mug atop the saucer in his lap, but makes no move to drink it. Instantly, I worry that I'm being drugged. Ready to place the elegant mug back on the table between us, his words stop me. "There's nothing wrong with the coffee. I just prefer mine luke warm as I drink it."
"That's not what I asked you," I grimace, taking yet another sip. The rich flavor coats my tongue before sliding down my throat, warming my insides.
"My name is Mattia Bianchi. Many things have changed, young man. It's time you knew exactly why you are here."
The name sounds familiar, which means he's either notorious- usually not for good reasons- or he's an alpha of another pack. The man literally screams look at me, I am in charge, so more than likely an alpha. My next assumption would be of a pack somewhere in Italy based on the accent, but there are six of them that I know of. No way of knowing which he belongs to, especially since I still don't know exactly where I am.
"Can you take these off?" I raise my hands, the cuffs that used to slide down my forearms now barely moving due to the excess muscle I've put on this past year.
"In due time," he scoffs, the wave of his hand an indication that my question is a waste of his precious time.
Well, kindly fuck off sir. Years of my life have been wasted here, ticking away at the speed of my breaths. Years of life I could have lived. Chances at becoming a man and finding out who I am. Finding a mate. None of that has been possible since I was locked away so many years ago. None of it will be possible if they don't let me free, either.
"So why am I here?" My tone cool as I pick at the latch on one of my cuffs. One I've played with time and again over the years, knowing only one man possesses the key to open them. And he's not the man sitting in this room with me now.
"Kodiak Faolan, you are very special. I was to hold you here. Keep you safe, until the time comes for you to be released." Picking at an invisible piece of lint, he continues. "Many things have set our plan in motion. You, my boy, are one of the puzzle pieces. It's time for you to play your part."
A chill running down my spine, makes me shift uncomfortably in the chair. The room suddenly too hot. The space closing in around me. The way this man's eyes narrow on me, drives fear into my heart. The desire to flinch away strong, but I hold steady, eyes locked with his.
"And what is it I'm to do?"
A wicked grin spreads on Mattia's face. A dark shadow seeming to fall around us. "Why, find your mate. Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack."
It makes no sense. There's already and alpha and luna for the Crescent Moon Pack. Unless they're…dead.