Alpha Marcus Valen was having a meeting with his beta Theo Hayes about the rogue wolf problem and how they would tackle it , two smaller packs had already fallen including the one that was owned by his bride to be , when he got there the pack had been completely decimated, there was no single survivor, burned alive, he shuddered at the horror.
He suspected there must have been a survivor because they bodies were not littered, he doubted the perpetrators of such crimes would hang around burying and doing final rites to their victims so there was a survivor because they, he followed the trail until it went dead at the river edge, it was a woman he suspected she must have died or drowned, saying farewell to her and all the departed, he vowed to do whatever it took to stop this inane killings and protect his territory.
He had felt anger, anguish and yet he had never met her , what was her name again Luna, but he had been willing to accept the marriage proposal to merge her pack and maybe get himself an heir. Theo also reported that hoards of animals had been killed but apparently not for food, he tracked the scent to the human territory to ascertain if whatever it was posed a trait to his pack but unfortunately he lost the scent.
Marcus was confiding in his beta that they would have to host a meeting amongst all the alphas in the territory to enable them find a way to protect their individual pack and put a stop to rogue activities. Meanwhile he agreed with Theo to intensify training and recruitment of all the eligible males from the age of fourteen upwards and also any females willing to train in the military.
He also advised that compensation should be used as a form of enticement and every wall surrounding their borders should be repaired ,security would be doubled and of course they would gather and store more food, increase taxes and generally prepare for a war so that when it came, they people would not starve to death.
They were still talking about it when a member of the border patrol knocked on the door of the meeting room, Marcus granted him access and the guard bowed his head in submission,speak. "We caught two men snooping around and we put them in the dungeon there was also an omega, female we didn't know what to do with her so we placed her in the waiting area awaiting your command on what to do next".
Your dismissed, I would come round to look them over Marcus waved dismissively, for the men question them , find out whatever you can from them, if they seem like rogue traitors have them executed publicly and hang their head at the border, to pass a message to the others , if they seem to be from one of those destroyed pack offer them a place in the military or farm , if they reject it, turn them out we need every help we can get.
"Yes alpha". The man answered looking totally uncomfortable and flustered. He nearly bolted out of the room, a bit pissed at his colleagues for making him the bearer of the news, none of them wanted to come with him either, they had allowed him to face the alpha alone, he would get them , he muttered to himself and continued back to his job to report to the alpha's dictates to his superior.
Conrad looked up from the paper work on his desk, his office was specious. Sparsely decorated, Conrad was a man in his forties, greying a hit, with a bit of a pudge, he was not a bad person but his personality was not what you would call a ray of sunshine, often times he was grumpy. "Yes boy what do you want, he barked, don't stand there gawking at me".
Sir, it's the alpha he gave an order that we should interrogate the make prisoners and the female he would do the interrogation himself. "What are you waiting for go do it , or do you expect me to go interrogate them for you?". No sir I would get right to it. He went to his friends and relayed the message to them, kelvin, didn't really have the balls for torturing people or gory activities , his friends were more than happy to oblige.
The headed off to the dingy dungeon that was made to break any man, the dungeon stank of sweat ,waste and fear and there was barely enough oxygen saturating it, both men were tied up and gagged."which one should we start with ". his friends bob asked his eyes glinting with mischief.
There was a treaty between all the alphas long ago after the Great War for territory, a pact was created to avoid chaos, no wolf can leave his pack unless his fated mate was someone front another another pack and they would leave after a ceremony was conducted to severe ties from their old pack and then create new ties in his new pack their mate was from. If a pack was decimated they can be accepted to join another pack.
Though if a member of the pack leaves because he or she feels wronged or just want to join another pack, they would be rejected and not absorbed making them into rogues(wolves without a pack or an alpha). If they are accepted into a new pack outside this conditions, that would mean the alpha was breaking a century old treaty and plunging his territory to ruin, attack and also possibly infiltration by rogues, when a werewolf becomes rogue, he gets a brand on his shoulder blade to show he was a miscreant and such wolf were killed on sight to avoid the growing number of rogues.
This rogues began inking tattoos or going as far as peeling off the mark with knife to hide what they were and infiltrate territories, learning their weaknesses and leading to a packs down fall, hence the need for interrogation their goal was to put an end to the reign of alphas, they felt wolves should be free of any inhibition. They border guards began questioning the two men, who were bound hand and feet in chains and forced to their knees.
The men looked terrified, first of all they beat them within an inch of their life, just for sports, blood and sweat rolled down their faces as the begged for their lives and then they began interrogation, each question was followed by a torture device being dug into, then it was allowed to heal and then repeat over and over again, they screamed until they were hoarse, their skin stung so much that they became one with they pain, they ran out of strength to scream, various accusations where thrown at them.Then the proceeded to strip them.
Making fun of their shivering and shrunken male member, they searched every inch of their skin for the telltale mark of the rogue there was none so they unbound them, both men were obviously telling the truth. They were given a chance to choose between milita and farming, both men chose farming wanting to get away for a brief moment from the horrors of war.
"Cowards". Kelvins friends spat at them.
The men had soiled themselves severally over the course of the torture being inflicted , they had not been giving anything to eat or drink since they arrived. You should go shower kelvin told them motioning them to the bathroom, where the washed and dried themselves. A grey joggers and shirt was handed to each of them and they looked better. Kelvin took them to the kitchen where the Chef Susan a heavy set woman brought them some beef broth, a jug of beer and freshly made bread and of course a jug of water.
Kelvin watched in fascinated disgust as both men wolfed down the meal placed before them sighing and moaning as they are, his friends had since gone back to their job allowing him to integrate their new pack members into the pack, his friends who he also ran border patrol shift with macron and Peter always left him to do the dirty work.
The men once cleaned up didn't seem as ugly as they appeared earlier, they were both gaunt probably due to not eating for several days. They both had brown hair that looked clean but slightly unkempt, there the similarities ended the one that Kelvin's couldn't keep his eyes off of had hypnotic blue eyes, blush pink lips and extremely muscular, like he would have been a warrior or something.
The other man seemed smaller,kelvin couldn't quite tell what exactly it was he did, but he knew he had to return to his duty post soon , he couldn't afford to be caught slacking off. When both men were done he showed them to the temporary dorm they would be using which was a bit small but perfect for the men, it was double bunked with a shower and some clothes and shoes, that was were newbies to the pack were housed and catered for until they could afford their own place, but men were extremely quiet, he was yet to find out their names. Both men nodded their thanks and kelvin went back to his duty post, watching the screen of the monitor, honestly he found it boring nothing much ever happen.
He would rather be doing that that being in the shift that patrolled the border, though sometimes he got unlucky and got picked to run and it was a hassle for his wolf to catch up with the others, it usually left his suffocated and extremely hot and humiliated being at the tail end of the hunt, often times when they had ascertained there was no threat, they haunted for animals and feasted on them.
Marcus finished his meeting with his beta around noon, then he proceeded to call other Alphas for a meeting about the decimation of the two packs and how they would handle a strike back to prevent further attacks on the other territories, he was sifting through his paper on pack account when he rememsbered his meeting with the girl.
He felt extremely bad because it was already three in the afternoon and he doubted anyone would have fed her, he began hurrying to the waiting cell, there he saw the saddest girl he had ever seen in his entire life, she looked so forlorn, so desperately sad his heart broke, he knew he was not supposed to let his emotion cloud his judgement, slowly he slid his cold impregnable mask and made his presence known by clearing his throat.
Luna jumped to her feet whirling to face the most beautiful man she had ever had the pleasure of meeting, he was easily over 6'4 broad shouldered, muscular, with dark brown hair cropped short with strands falling over his forehead, his brown hair caught the light showing golden strake as if he highlighted it, his eyes were a piercing amber , almost like liquids gold, his skin was tanned and smooth with a faint scar running down his hands, he was tattooed from neck to sleeve giving him a dangerous look, he was exuding dominance, which really didn't affect her being that she was an alpha herself, but she bowed her head in submission remembering her place, she didn't want to give him any reason to distrust her.
Luna had woken up by twelve noon from her alcohol induced sleep to the roaring pangs of hunger, at a point she wandered if the plan was to starve her to death, she wondered what did extremely handsome man was doing in her dingy cell, she could not help stealing a peak at the man that stood before her now and again,
He was easily the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her life, this man would have been her husband, this very handsome unattainable man was her betrothed, if she wasn't so stubborn she would have come here as his equal, his wife , their Luna but now she was just a lowly omega in prison without a wolf.
She wondered if she revealed her identity to him if it would change anything, she was not worth much anymore except her virginity which was pretty much nothing, moreover she didn't know who destroyed her pack yet, her main purpose here was to stay hidden and gather the strength and intel needed to take revenge, her mind was made up she would stick to her alias Lauretta.
Marcus watched the woman standing before him almost skin and bone, barely 5"5 , her hair was dirty and matted and her skin was covered with dirt, lightly scrapped with cuts that littered her, some properly healed and other still in the process of healing, but her eyes was very pretty large and luminous a startling silver that made you realize she would have been beautiful if properly taken care of, whatever curve she had was hidden in the shirt that was much too large for her.
I am Alpha Marcus Valen of golden moon pack and I demand to know your business in my pack. His voice was extremely rich yet soft that sent a shiver down Lunas spine and she quickly clamped down on it, she could not afford to like anyone ever again after her last mishap.
"I am Lu- Lauretta Olgen, she quickly corrected herself, cursing her stupidity, I was an omega in the red moon pack when my people where slaughtered, everyone died she choked at her words as images flashed before her eyes and tears slid down her cheeks, I had no where to go and just walked until I got here, before Marcus could realize what was happening, he found himself reaching for her but when she flinched he caught himself, he realized that the poor girl was traumatized and may have been raped ,he felt disgusted at the kind of depravity his kind could decend to.
He sent a mind link to his sister Zara Valen briefing her about the omega in his territory, she didn't seem harmful only badly traumatized. Pretty soon his sister was bounded towards them a blur of black chiffon, looking extremely beautiful with her auburn hair in a bun, complaining about the stench and how poorly lit the area was.
When she sighted Lauretta, she cooed at her "oh you poor darling, you look positively awful, you need a bath and food", come with me Marcus can be such a brute sometimes, "shame on you Marcus treating a lady this way". Luna followed her glad to be leaving that dingy place. This was the first time she was seeing the main pack, she had been blindfolded when she was being led to the dungeon and even if she wasn't it was dark and without her wolf she didn't have night vision anymore. It was an extremely beautiful mansion.
It was almost a thousand times bigger than her pack the, main house was huge and painted white and gold color, giving it a regal look, all kinds of flowers were planted and there were rows and rows of houses as far as her eyes could see, she stumbled along barely able to keep up with Zara's energy, when she got to what she thought might be Zara's room she could not help the gasped that escaped her, the room looked like it was built for a queen, the room maintained the gold and white design with rows of wardrobes painted gold color filled to the brim and spilling with clothes all sorts of them, there were various cases that contained all kinds of jewelry. There were chandelier and beautiful purple chairs.
Fresh flowers sat by the window and a large gold mirror sat on the dresser, a large portrait of Zara in a tiara, took one part of the wall. The window overlook the hill and riverbed and cool air wafted in, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, Zara carefully prodded her out of her clothes and into the bathtub which was filled with warm water and she added an assortment of oils and bath bombs , Luna soaked into the warm water sighing in pleasure and eliciting giggles from Zara, who proceeded to wash her hair and scrubbed her skin, changing the water and refilling it until the water ran clean. Then she left Luna to do whatever business she needed to , when she was done she stepped out wrapped in a bathtub, she gave her a spare toothbrush and paste to brush her teeth when she was done, Zara began putting an assortment of oils and conditioner in her hair and attempting to brush out the tangles,it took hours before she was done, then he trimmed the frayed end.
Luna hair still fell waist length, going through her drawer, she selected a simple blue gown for Luna, when she deemed her presentable she took her to the kitchen to be fed. "Am so sorry you had to go through whatever you went through, you are safe now and protected and anytime you wish to talk am here to listen". Luna didn't say anything but nodded in acknowledgment.
Am Zara, Marcus sister and acting Luna and you are? Luna knew it would be rude not to reply so she forced the words out, I am Lauretta Olgen, thank you for everything Luna. "You're welcome". Zara replied. Luna felt weird calling her Luna even though it was just a title but it was her name. Thankfully they reached the Kitchen, the cook seemed extremely, happy and fascinated to see Zara and she introduced her to Luna. "This is Lauretta Olgen", she would be staying with us for now and am sure she's starving can you please prepare something for her.
Oh my poor darling Susan tutted looking over Lauretta's gaunt frame. She made her some porridge and toast and some steak, Luna ate as quickly as she could grateful for a warm meal, the heater kept the rooms extremely warm and toasty, Luna was thankful and ate quietly watching the two women chat like old friends, eventually Zara asked Susan to show Lauretta the hostel when she was done eating and of course assign her a chore so she could join in helping out. Luna was grateful, chores was something she was not afraid of.
Marcus saw Zara and Luna branching into the kitchen, to say she was breathtaking was an understatement, the blue dress set off her olive tone, her full pouty red lips looked absolutely stunning, with her midnight black hair well brushed and oiled and fell in waves to her waist, the dress accented her waist perfectly, her large silver eyes appearing almost metallic blue, she was completely oblivious to him, even Zara turned slightly to acknowledge him, Marcus realized with a pang that Lauretta had no wolf, no wonder she was not healing, He wondered the kind of trauma she had undergone to make her lose her wolf spirit, with a slight nod to his sister, she mind linked him informing him that she had gotten the girl settled and she refused to speak more than a few words. Marcus chuckled at that as he strode to his office.