Zahria POV
Night had always been a refuge for me, a time to escape from
the day's cruelties and retreat into the quiet safety of my room. Tonight was
no different. Our parents had returned late, their presence felt only in how
they greeted Amelia and Kelvin. As usual, I offered my own greeting, a quiet
"welcome back" that went unanswered. It stung, but I had grown used to their
indifference. With no reason to linger, I retired to my room, closing the door
on another day of being invisible.
The hours passed in
silence, the house settling into its usual midnight stillness. But something
woke me, a shift in the air that prickled my senses. My eyes flew open, and I
froze as I saw him—Dad—standing in my room. "Dad? What are you doing here?" I
asked, my voice unsteady as I sat up.
His expression wasn't
one I recognized. His eyes were cold, his posture tense with something dark and
unspoken. "You are not my daughter," he said, his voice bitter and sharp, each
word cutting into me. "I can do whatever I wish, and you should be grateful for
all the years I nurtured you, made you the woman you are now."
I barely had time
to process his words before he lunged toward me. Panic surged through me as his
weight pressed me into the bed. I struggled against him, thrashing and clawing,
but his grip was iron. Fear turned to anger, and anger gave way to something
primal. A burning, excruciating pain erupted within me, consuming every part of
my body. I screamed as my bones seemed to twist and snap, my skin stretching
and morphing. The pain was unbearable, yet I couldn't stop it. And then it was
over.
I was no longer
lying on my bed. I was standing—no, crouching—on all fours. The world around me
was sharper, brighter, and my senses felt alive in a way they never had before.
I growled, low and
menacing, as I turned my gaze on the man who had attacked me. He was no longer
the invincible figure I had feared. He was small, weak, and at my mercy. With a
snarl, I pounced, my claws tearing into him as I threw him across the room.
Furniture splintered, glass shattered, and his screams filled the air. But I
couldn't stop. Anger and resentment coursed through me, blinding and
uncontrollable. There was a
pounding on the door, voices shouting as people tried to force their way in.
Panic surged within me—I couldn't let them see me like this. I couldn't explain
what had happened or what I had become. In one swift motion, I leapt through
the window, the glass shattering around me as I landed on the ground below.
Without looking back, I ran, my new form carrying me faster than I ever thought
possible.
The woods swallowed
me whole, their shadows offering a strange kind of solace. My breaths came in
ragged gasps as I slowed, finally stopping beneath the canopy of trees.
"What's happening
to me?" I whispered, my voice shaking. "You are awakening," a voice answered. I
spun around, but there was no one there. "Who said that?" I demanded, fear
creeping into my voice.
"It's me," the voice
replied, calm and steady. "I am your other half. Your wolf. My name is Olori." "Olori?"
I repeated, my confusion deepening. "It means Queen," she explained. Her voice
was soothing, but it didn't make any of this less terrifying. "Why am I like
this? Why am I an… animal?"
"You've been
chosen," Olori said. "You are one of the Moon Goddess's warriors, destined to cleanse
her children and restore balance. Evil has tipped the scales, and it's our duty
to set things right." I blinked, trying to make sense of her words. "Moon
Goddess? Warriors? Balance? What are you even talking about? If she's so
powerful, why doesn't she fix her own problems?"
Olori sighed, her
patience clearly wearing thin. "I understand this is overwhelming, but you need
to listen. You are part of something much bigger than yourself." "Bigger than
myself?" I scoffed. "I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask to be turned into
some… beast!" "You're not a beast," she snapped. "You're a warrior. And whether
you like it or not, this is who you are."
I wanted to argue,
but the truth was, I didn't have the energy. My body ached, my mind was racing,
and all I wanted was to be anywhere but here. "Fine," I said finally. "But
right now, we need to keep moving. I can't let them find me." We ran for miles,
the forest stretching endlessly before us. The farther we went, the more the
fear and anger began to fade, replaced by a strange sense of freedom. But that
freedom was short-lived. "What do we do now?" I asked, slowing to a stop.
There was a long
pause before Olori answered. "I don't know." Her admission sent a wave of
frustration crashing over me. "You don't know?" I yelled. "You made us run
miles away from everything I've ever known, and now you're telling me you don't
know what to do?"
"That place was never
your home!" Olori shot back, her voice fierce. "Amelia beats and bullies you.
Your parents treat you like you don't exist. And tonight, your so-called father
tried to—" "Stop," I said, my voice trembling. "He tried to hurt you," she
continued, her tone softening. "You deserve better than that nightmare."
Tears pricked my
eyes as her words sank in. "I know," I whispered. "I just… I'm scared." "I know
you are," Olori said gently. "But you're not alone anymore. We're in this
together. Trust me, okay?"
I nodded, wiping my
tears. "I trust you. I've been planning to run away anyway. I knew something
like this would happen eventually." "What do you mean?" she asked. I hesitated,
then said, "He's been looking at me… like that… for a while now. I thought if I
ignored it, it would go away. But it didn't."
"I'm sorry you had to
endure that," Olori said, her voice filled with sorrow. "It's not your fault,"
I replied. "If anything, I should be thanking you. You saved me." "We saved
ourselves," she corrected.
I managed a small smile. "I guess we did." Taking a deep
breath, I looked out at the endless stretch of trees. "We should keep moving.
We can't stay here." "Agreed," Olori said. And so, with the weight of my old
life behind me and the uncertainty of the future ahead, I ran. For the first
time, I felt like I was running toward something, rather than away.
Dexter POV
Hey, Dexter," greeted Beta Xavier as he entered the room, his voice breaking my thoughts. I glanced up, still scowling, my hands clenched on the edge of my desk. "What's the problem?" he asked, his tone shifting to concern as he took a seat across from me.
"I just got off the phone with the Alpha of the Black Stone Pack, Alpha Knight," I said coldly. "It seems they've been dealing with frequent visits from the rogue called Venom." Xavier's relaxed expression instantly hardened. "Venom again? Who is this wolf, and why do they keep causing trouble?", I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "No one knows for sure. But I can tell you this—there's no way it's a female."
Xavier raised a brow, his usual smugness creeping into his tone. "You'd be surprised, Dexter. There are plenty of fierce female wolves who could handle themselves like that." I waved off his comment, unwilling to entertain the idea. "Regardless, Venom doesn't kill innocents, but they've been targeting known criminals. That's not their job. It's mine. As Alpha King, maintaining order and justice is my responsibility, not theirs."
Xavier nodded but didn't look entirely convinced. "So, what's the plan? How do we deal with someone like this?", "Call Alpha Knight," I instructed. "Tell him we'll be meeting soon. And get me a ride to Black Stone. We need to get to the root of this."
Xavier stood, pulling out his phone. "Got it. You know, this Venom person has everyone talking. With their massive wolf form, some believe they're an Alpha. But we've confirmed they aren't tied to any pack. No rogue Alpha has been reported either. It's strange—how could a wolf without Alpha blood be that big?"
Before I could respond, my secretary, Devin, knocked and entered the room. "Alpha, I wanted to remind you about the business meeting scheduled for next month. It's critical for the expansion project, and I've also confirmed your attendance at the dinner party tonight."
I sighed heavily, already dreading the evening. "The dinner party. Great. Another setup, I'm sure." Devin hesitated, then continued, "It's more of a social networking event for influential figures, but…". "But we both know what it really is," I finished for him. "A blind-date party under the guise of business."
Devin nodded and left, while Xavier smirked from the corner of the room."You know, one of these days, you might actually find your Luna at one of these things," Xavier teased. I rolled my eyes, the topic a sore point. "I'm not interested in just anyone. I'm waiting for my mate. My parents don't understand—they want me to settle down with someone they deem suitable for a Luna Queen. But I want my goddess-given mate. Nothing less."
Xavier leaned against the doorframe, his expression softening. "I get it. But you're 27 now, Dexter. You've been searching for nine years. Don't you think—" "No," I interrupted firmly. "The Moon Goddess will bless me with my mate in her time. Until then, I'll wait."
Even as I said it, doubt crept in. My parents' constant pressure was wearing me down, and my wolf wasn't making things easier. He was just as frustrated as I was.
By 7 p.m., I was dressed and ready, donning an Armani suit and polished suede shoes. My hair was combed back in my signature style, giving me the appearance of a man who commanded attention wherever he went. As I looked in the mirror, my wolf's voice broke through my thoughts.
"Stop admiring yourself," he growled. "You're not that impressive." I smirked. "Jealous much?", He huffed, retreating into silence. Despite his sarcasm, we both shared the same hope—that tonight might bring us closer to our mate.
When I arrived at the party, I knew I had stolen the spotlight. Heads turned as I walked in, conversations pausing as people took notice. But I paid them no mind. The only person whose attention I cared about was still out there, somewhere.
"Feeling yourself, aren't you?" Xavier's voice cut through my thoughts as he approached me, a smirk plastered on his face. I returned the smirk, adjusting my cufflinks. "What can I say? A man of my caliber tends to command respect wherever he goes."
Xavier laughed, but before he could respond, Devin joined us, looking slightly uneasy. "Your parents are here," he said quietly. "And?" I asked, though I already had a bad feeling about where this was going.
"They've been speaking with the Alpha of the Red Moon Pack and his daughter. She seems… interested," Devin added cautiously. My mood soured instantly, and Xavier could see it. "Relax," he said. "it's probably nothing." But I wasn't convinced. I scanned the room, and sure enough, there they were—my parents, laughing and chatting with a young woman who was clearly hanging on their every word. Her interest was written all over her face.
"I'll handle this," I muttered, striding toward them. When I reached them, I gave a polite smile to the group before gently pulling my parents aside. "Excuse us," I said, my tone firm but controlled.
Once we were out of earshot, I turned to face them. "What are you doing?". "What do you mean, Dexter?" my mother asked innocently, though her expression betrayed her. "You know exactly what I mean," I said, keeping my voice low. "Why are you talking to her? Are you trying to set me up again?"
"We're just looking out for you," my father interjected. "The Red Moon Pack is influential, and their daughter would make an excellent Luna. You can't wait forever for your mate, Dexter." "I'm not settling," I said firmly. "I will find my mate, and when I do, she'll be the only one standing by my side. Not someone you've chosen for me."
My mother sighed, placing a hand on my arm. "We understand how you feel, but you have responsibilities. The pack needs a Luna, and you—". "The pack will wait," I interrupted. "I'm the Alpha King. I'm doing my job, and I'll continue to do it. But I will not compromise on this."
My father looked like he wanted to argue, but my tone must have convinced him otherwise. "Fine," he said finally. "But don't take too long, Dexter. Time waits for no one. " I nodded curtly, stepping away before they could say more. Xavier and Devin were waiting for me when I returned, both wearing knowing expressions. "How'd it go?" Xavier asked.
"Handled it," I said shortly. Xavier chuckled. "You know they're just trying to help. "Help?" I scoffed. "They're trying to control me. But it's not happening. I'll find my mate, no matter how long it takes." Devin smiled faintly. "We believe in you, Alpha. And when you do find her, it'll all be worth it." I nodded, grateful for their support. But as the night wore on, I couldn't shake the feeling that time was slipping away faster than I'd anticipated. My mate was out there—I just had to find her before it was too late.