Prologue
WILLIAM
“That’s the third one this week, Eric. We have to cancel that wedding.”
Eric’s dark eyes glared through the viewing window down to the cell floor below. We both watched as another diseased werewolf was forced into one of the cages that lined the walls. The room was partly dungeon partly containment unit. It used to be for enemy interrogations, but lately almost every cell was taken up with these sickly werecreatures. We didn’t quite know what to call them or what to do with them. We always called ourselves werewolves, but looking at these creatures even I thought they were more werewolf than us. Truly the vile Hollywood stereotype. Monster upright beings with long snarling snouts and razor teeth. Beady black eyes and wild large lion manes. Slim arms that drug on the floor, their deadly claws ticking over the tile. They were beasts.
Maybe that made us more wolf or shapeshifter. We could turn into a wolf form on demand, but we were still us in our heads. These things wanted nothing more than to rip flesh apart and bite anything it could come into contact with. Even on the full moon when we were forced into our wolf shape, we still were ourselves.
The problem was this disease was spreading. These creatures bite and curse another to the same disgusting fate. More and more are brought to our cells every day. That means that at least one monster is loose. Rogues must have this curse and are bringing it upon our packs. Maybe. I mean what rogue would doom himself to live as these creatures?
Disgusting.
“The wedding stays on.” Eric stated rubbing a scarred hand through his black beard, eyes still on the werecreatures.
“But Eric...” I started incredulous he’d let others come into this danger.
“That’s final.” He stated in his Alpha command.
I grit my teeth. “It isn’t safe. There will even be humans. We don’t know what this disease does to...”
His dark eyes finally reached mine. Brow strong over his eyes in authority. “I don’t know why. But I know it has to happen. There is something about Catherine and Blake that I know needs to be here. So it doesn’t matter the danger. They will have the wedding here. Don’t push me on this Beta William.”
