Ch 1: An Unexpected Visitor
Elias, Personal Residence, Shifter Colony- 1:42 PM
A lot has changed in the past year. First off, my father got arrested after people discovered his various illegal dealings. The sad thing is, he conned me into covering for him with weak-ass excuses that made no sense. I was relieved when people discovered his sins. It allowed everyone involved to recover and move on accordingly.
I’m not saying what he was doing was right, but it helped connect a lot of residents and settle more than one dispute.
Then, Lucien, my good friend, reforged his bond with his estranged Mate, and finally got married!
Last I heard from them, Anna gave birth to twin boys.
What else is new? Oh yeah, how could I forget? I’m also living with a human.
Yeah, yeah, Mr. I Hate Humans living with a human, how ironic.
To be honest? It’s not that bad.
Gregory is a model roommate, and we stay out of each other’s way, like friendly strangers.
Like today, as I read paperwork for an upcoming project, he’s visiting Anna’s family on the hillside.
Sighing, I flip through another boring page of legal jargon. Fuck Father for forcing this headache on me.
Ignacius, my wolf huffs. “Still a grumpy asshole, I see.”
Shut it, I’m busy, Ig.
He chuckles. “Just saying, we were both happier when she was around.”
Emotions clog my throat as I try to ignore my feisty wolf. As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. We were happier back then.
My role as Alpha hung around my neck like a noose, a fate my father strictly enforced, as his father did to him, yet she made the weight tolerable. Her radiant beauty, goddess-like spiritual presence, extensive knowledge about nature, and refreshingly positive attitude are the things I loved about her.
Well, love actually. To this day, she fills more than half of my heart
And no one will ever replace her. Several women have tried, but I’m not interested.
I belong to one woman forever, or at least until I die.
Why do I say that? She was my soulmate, and humans took and killed her.
During my trip down an unhappy memory lane, my phone rings.
“Elias, state your business.” I grunted, flipping through more papers with annoyance. My eyebrows furrow as I see several financial inconsistencies from old accounts.
“Alpha, there’s a vampire at the base of the woods!” Nick practically screams into the phone, panic lacing his tone. “Naomi and I were on a date, and the sensor went off! What do we do?”
I groaned. Seriously? The village across the lake knows not to come over here. It was part of our peace treaty!
"Listen to me," I began, speaking in a calm tone. "Get away from the area immediately. I will come assess the situation personally. And if there's danger, I'll call for my soldiers, got it?"
“Yes, Alpha!” Nick affirmed, promptly hanging up.
Jeez, why do I have to deal with all these issues? Can’t the Elders at least try to act like leaders for once?
Ignacius huffed, ”You already know the answer to that.”
With a sigh, I nod in resignation.
Unfortunately, this is my fate being the Alpha of this Colony.
Whether I like it or not
I followed the shrill beeping to the Lycan side of the river. The arrangement was made decades ago between my father and the Alpha vampire Andrei, that the two races would coexist so long as we didn't intrude on each other's territory. Without an agreement, that is.
Evidently, the arrangement has failed.
Pushing through the brush, I found the small metal sensor tangled in vines.
That's strange; where's the intruder? Normally, they have to be right on top of the thing to set it off.
Ragged wheezing cuts through the peaceful silence.
And then a familiar scent filled my nostrils: blood and roses.
My heart stutters. The last time I smelled that was...
No, no it can't be!
Frantically, I dash around the area, ripping bushes, rocks, and small logs out of the way, looking for any sign of her.
Of my long lost love.
Please God, let me find her.
As if an answered prayer, I see a curtain of wavy, crimson hair.
Vibrating with anticipation, grief, and fear, I ripped an enormous mass of vines out of the ground and tossed them into the distance.
I gasped at the sight: a pale, sunken, disheveled, starved creature dressed in a grossly oversized hospital gown. Wearing the once beautiful face of my Mate, Dahlia.
Overcome with relief and sadness, I collapsed to my knees and sobbed like a child.
Dahlia was alive, after sixteen years of mourning.
Ignacius gasped, "Damn, it's just like the first time all over, huh?"
Cradling her thin, weakened form, I croaked within my mind-link, "Yeah, it is."
Elias, 18-years-old, sixteen years ago, Shifter Colony.
"Alpha!” one of my soldiers yelled, running toward me. “We need to retreat. We’re out of bullets, and have several men injured!”
Dammit, I grunted to myself. We’ve trained our asses off for an attack like this for years, and now we have to retreat? Because of some crazed humans?
I conferred with Ignacius with my mind-link:
What do you think? Should we retreat, when we could drive them away?
He barked, “Of course! Remember what Father says, being a leader means making hard choices, even when they’re unfair or stupid.”
Swallowing harshly, I nodded. He’s right, I need to think about the well-being of my soldiers.
After all, I’ll be fully in charge in another year or two.
“Send the order! Retreat!” I ordered.
As he scampered off, a strange smell hits my nose.
Following the smell, I realize something, it’s the putrid stench of blood mixed with roses.
I sprint in the direction where the smell is strongest, and discover something unexpected.
A woman with flaming red hair, blue eyes and pale skin, lying in a tangle of vines
My heart stops as I assess the situation. She reeks of blood and she’s deathly pale, so she must be injured, somewhere.
I leaned down and examined her carefully. Then, I see it: a deep stab wound in her side.
“Medic!” I roared, pulling my knife out of my jeans. “We’ve got injured over here!”
Silence. All of my men have retreated.
Except for me and Ignacius.
Full of anger, I stabbed and tore at the vines, trying to free her.
"Help me..." she croaked, grabbing my arm.
Her grip is so weak, as if she will die in the next few minutes.
“I’m trying!” I grunted, gently moving her hand.
“Blood,” She begged. “I need blood, please...”
