I cross my arms over my chest and say, "I really hate your pack." I absolutely detest small packs or packets with little to no development. I detest seeing woods right outside my window when I first wake up. And I can't help but be incredibly irritated that I even have to be here as I sit before the Black Blood Pack's Alpha.

Aiden mutters, "And I really hate girls that complain," banging his whiskey glass against the tiny glass table separating us. Sofia, who is standing next to me, flinches a little, but I don't since I won't be scared of him.

Sofia admonishes, "Temper, temper," as she spins her finger through a silver hair lock. Her silver eyes sparkle eternally.

No, I want to murder her. Aiden yells as he fixes his eyes on Sofia. Sofia turns her head to look at Aiden, her lips pursed in thought.

"Slow down. She reminds him that Ava is really helpful to the team, and he begins to calm down and take a sip of his whiskey. As he shoves everything down his neck, his blonde hair falls backward. I can only sigh impatiently.

I get up because I'm done with this nonsense.

I finished the task. I glance at Sofia and say, "Now, I want my freedom." She doesn't even look at me; instead, she concentrates on the hair strand in her hands. This infuriates me. The question "Are you deaf?"

Once more, she ignores me, so I move quickly when I take my blade out of my jeans and point it at her. I'm stopped before I can strike her in the eyes. I feel myself collapsing to the ground as a headache that shatters every square inch of my skull spreads through me and makes me experience anguish that I didn't know was even possible. They are staring at me with such intensity. I'm screaming because it never ends.

When she finally stops, I'm still screaming.

She says in a low voice, "Try that again, and next time, I'll blow your brains out," and I roll over on the ground, cursing witches, especially the one in front of me.

The promise of my independence, which I've been dreaming of for six years, was what this silver-haired witch used to entice me into her and this sicko Alpha's cunning grasps.

"We did not agree to this," I scream in frustration as my hair falls out everywhere, the strands tumbling down like never-ending waterfalls. "I finished the task, Sofia. I followed your instructions exactly, both of you! I now desire what is mine.

Oh, quiet down. I want nothing more than to plunge my knife into Aiden's throat as he screams at me. This scumbag. But even if I were quick enough to actually cut open his throat, I have no doubt Sofia would put an immediate end to me. She is strong; I will grant her that. I also require her. The only one who can genuinely assist me is her.

"Since you nearly wrecked everything, the deal is off," Aiden yells once again as he scatters the glass across the room. It instantly smashes and makes a loud noise.

"You guys said you would," I protest, becoming furious but unable to stand up since the effects of what Sofia had just done a few seconds earlier have left me feeling lightheaded.

As he reclines back in his chair and laughs, Aiden crosses his legs. He makes fun of me. I desire his death. I want him dead.

Since the first day I met him, I have never liked him. He is a lovely devil who, in my opinion, belongs in hell alone.

"There will be consequences if you don't give me what I want!" My cheeks begin to heat up as I caution, still furious. Aiden never stops giggling and having fun.

What's your plan of action? Tell the Assassins to report me. I tensed up as I heard him laugh more and saw Sofia's grin deepen. I shouldn't have put my faith in these two. A witch had my trust! The witch! You stupid, brave fool, Ava, you trusted a witch. You can see that they would do anything to possess you. Their leader is searching hard for his cherished little favorite. What benefits would I receive if I reported you? Or even better, I believe Max would be quite eager to possess the greatest assassin in his pack's history.

I close my eyes as the treachery slowly but surely sets in, like a needle prick.

I'm helpless.

You have your life to lose, Ava; I don't. Don't test me. I choked as his words really hit home.

I was forced to join the Assassins when I was seventeen. The Assassins are a bandit group of seductive murderesses who are paid to seduce senior members of my pack, the Shadow Night Pack, and other packs in order to either murder or kidnap them. We are infamous and hazardous. In fact, Max, the Alpha of our pack, has issued a "kill on sight" order to anyone who, by an extremely unlikely accident, discovers an assassin.

I never intended to follow them. I never chose this life, like many others, but when the Assassins pick you, that's it. I became an assassin after being picked at the age of seventeen. I am the greatest assassin who has ever lived, in addition to being an assassin. I've never missed a kill or a target, and up until lately, no one could stand in my way.

My teachers always advised the girls to look up to me. The person who was most revered within a murderous organization. However, the desire to escape the life I was compelled to live only grew stronger with each murder I committed. I detested being in charge, being made to perform tasks I didn't particularly enjoy, and seducing men who I found repulsive. Seductive assassination is entertaining, but I prefer to carry it out on my terms rather than those set by a group that won't even permit me to take a breath. I did everything I could to get out, but nothing was successful.

Up until the day Sofia and I met.

She showed up where I was meant to finish—a restaurant—and informed me that she was in possession of the key to my release. In every pack I wanted to go in, she would give me a whole other persona. A different identity, a different existence, and a different appearance. I only had to entice an Alpha whom both she and her other Alpha companion intended to severely hurt.

When he dumped her, she was rejected, but when he injured Aiden's sister, it infuriated him. I was supposedly going to be the key to getting the pair's revenge.

So I concurred. I've spent years of my life charming guys, so it wouldn't be difficult to seduce one more. Or so I believed. Alpha Axel was as rigid as a pencil. He simply wasn't a man who would budge. The first man who refused to fall into my trap, no matter how carefully I attempted to set it up, for that, I despise him.

In the end, I failed to seduce him, but the job was completed nonetheless, and Aiden was enraged. He wanted Axel to sleep with me. This was probably done to further inflame his sister's animosity toward Axel. Since then, there has been no sign of my release or Sofia fulfilling her end of the bargain, and all I want is to slay this odd but iconic couple. I didn't come here to be tricked by two nasty chess players; I didn't give up my life as the greatest assassin ever. Before I ever have to endure that kind of humiliation, I'll murder both of them in cold blood.

I firmly state, "I want my freedom; that was our agreement," before standing up. My long hair is a disaster; it falls wild below my ass and gets everywhere when I stand up, threatening to obstruct my eyesight. This long woman's rapid growth is intolerable; I abhor her. I yanked her away.

I look at Sofia, also known as Mesa, and she doesn't seem upset. "Our deal was that you take Axel to your bed and get him to whisper sweet nothings into your ear, and Mesa over there will grant you your heart's desire," I say. You couldn't even get Axel to your door; forget about your bed! I'm interested in the group of clowns in that organization if you're the finest the Assassins have to offer.

"I don't know why he didn't fall for me," you say. I debate while feeling the sting of rejection, which is a concept that I find to be the most alien.

"You have a task to do! You stumbled. Mesa is no longer required to take any action on your behalf. Mesa won't keep up her end of the bargain if you don't keep up yours. Deal over, plain and easy," he says, crossing his legs in response. He then fills his glass with more whiskey and raises it in the air while saying, "Cheers."

My foot strikes the hardwood as I kick it.

You're welcome to stay in my small pack as long as you don't annoy me, but just so you don't go around saying Mesa and I were mean to you,

My mouth is gaping. Is he currently shitting on me?

He goes on: It's referred to as little pack hospitality. You large-pack people surely think this idea is strange.

Sofia laughs. Are they making fun of me?

I turn to gaze at Sofia after saying, "Fuck you," to Aiden. It's "Fuck you both!"

I storm out of the room, slamming the door to my bedroom behind me, and they both laugh as if I were some horrible joke. I take off my boots and scream angrily into my pillow. I really despise Axel. To acquire all I've ever wanted, I only needed one night with the moron, but he messed that up. What should I do at this point? He was the first person to reject me in my entire life. That seriously bruised my pride.

I get out of bed, but because I sat on my hair, I unintentionally fall back into it. I cry out. I can't stand how long it is. I neglected to cut it because of the recent difficulties I've had. I detest how quickly it is growing. It's not enjoyable to manage hair that occasionally grows longer than your arms or that is as thick as wool. I often feel buried beneath it since it's so thick. It is the biggest nightmare to brush it. I find the entire workout to be unbearable.

I will wait for a pair of scissors to materialize as I stare at my long, straight, silky black hair. This hair was adored by the Assassins. It was supposedly my best-kept secret. I am opposed. In actuality, it's a physical liability, but for some reason that I will never understand, men seem to adore it.

Yet another reason to despise this sh*t.

I get up and walk over to the window. The sun is out and blazing brightly behind the trees at lunchtime. I detest compact packets very much. I despise these woods. Even if they make me want to shift and let lose my black wolf, I'm not in the mood right now.

I'm already annoyed when there's a knock on my door.

The question, "What is it?" Mason, Aiden's beta, or, more accurately, goon, receives my yells, but all he does is toss me a newspaper and walk away.

I pick it up because I know how it's laid out. I took this newspaper out of my pack.

"ALPHA MAX'S ADDRESS GIVES US HOPE THAT OUR FIGHT AGAINST THE ASSASSINS WILL YEILD AMAZING RESULTS SOON." I roll my eyes and push back my hair. What has that idiot Alpha to say right now? Every month, he conjures up some trite speech about how our pack is gradually defeating the assassins and that everyone should hold onto hope because Max is making every effort to get rid of us.

Breaking news: He is not. Right now, the Assassins are more powerful than ever.

It's just a marketing ploy to keep people from criticizing him. Not that anyone would, considering how weak my pack members are and how Max has the potential to be more lethal than all of the assassins together. He has even the Assassins running for cover. We all abide by the unspoken rule that getting caught by Max is preferable to dying. In all honesty, there are those days when I'm unsure of who is worse: Max, my Alpha, or the Assassins, my organization. Both are brutal evils in equal measure.

He's undoubtedly delivering his customary spiel about doing everything in his power to combat crime and violence.

The text causes my eyes to widen, and I have to read it aloud several times before I can begin to think. I cringe as I sit down. When I reread the newspaper's fine print, my fingers were still trembling.

"The Assassin Rose has been discovered thanks to the assistance of a fellow Alpha. She is exceedingly deadly and highly competent. I swear to you all that if somebody manages to murder her or capture her, you will receive a hefty prize from me. Alpha Max.