Rae
"No matter what happens, do not open your eyes," Frea, my wolf, whispered to me, and for once, I agreed with her. I could feel the powerful aura of the man who stood before me engulf me, and I knew that this was no ordinary Alpha.
The Lycans. I had heard of them, but thought it was a myth. These powerful Alpha Kings that had so much authority beyond werewolves. The evening's breeze chilled my flesh, but it was something else about this man that made me tremble.
"Open your eyes, girl," he said finally. His voice was a low baritone. It engulfed the space between us with the sheer power of it. It was the voice of one that was accustomed to being obeyed, and yet, as much as I feared him, I could not bring myself to open my eyes. I knew what would happen to me if he discovered who I truly was.
Someone, probably my boyfriend, Jerome nudged me from behind, and I bit back an angry retort. What did he expect me to do? He was the only one that knew my shameful secret, knew that I had the moonbane, and if I opened my eyes when I was in a state, my clear blue eyes would change to a dark red right in front of everyone.
"Forgive my girlfriend, Alpha," Jerome finally stepped in, and I drew in a breath of relief that immediately changed to anger at his next words. "She is a little stupid, and very shy. Please speak with me instead."
I could hear the anger in Jerome's voice as he spoke, anger that was directed at me, and just for once, I was too tired of once again being at the receiving end of his anger.
Jerome was all I had, he had been the only family I really had after my parents were killed in a raid. He was the one who taught me how to survive, permitted me to join his band of rogues, but I had paid dearly for it with each beating, each time he took pleasure from degrading me, each time he treated my body like it was an extension of his property.
And now, as I stood at risk of being discovered by the Alpha of the new pack we wanted to join, Jerome had decided to use that opportunity to insult me yet again. I should have been used to Jerome's ways, yet, I felt a lone tear flirt briefly around my closed eyelid, before slipping through my lashes to trail a line to my lips.
I felt a thumb – the Alpha's thumb, firm and warm brush against my bottom lip – tracing the line of the tear? I didn't know. I simply knew that I was breathless, and the tremor that ran through my body heightened. I knew at this moment that if I opened my eyes, they would be a rich wine-red, my reaction sparked by my heightened awareness.
There was a pregnant pause, no one made a sound, then finally, the Alpha broke the silence.
"When I speak to the girl, I want her to reply to me by herself, stupid or not." He took his thumb off my bottom lip, and I was ashamed by how much I missed his touch.
"And you, what's your name? Do you lead this pack?" He asked Jerome, easily dismissing me.
"I lead, Alpha, but we are hardly a pack," Jerome replied, and the anger had left his voice, replaced by the pride that was usually there whenever he spoke about his achievements.
"Yes," the Alpha replied easily. "Except I have the power to make you a pack, and name you Alpha. Come. Walk with me," the Alpha said, and when I peeked under my lashes, he had already turned around. Jerome hurriedly followed in his wake, leaving me to handle the rest of our band, while of course still keeping my eyes shut.
I swallowed the hurt I felt clawing at my throat. I should be happy. If indeed, this mysterious Alpha was to be trusted, then we would soon become a pack, and my boyfriend would be Alpha.
I had long since given up on meeting my own mate, that was too much of a rarity among rogue wolves, so most of us settled for relationships that were not endorsed by the moon. I felt so lucky when Jerome had chosen me to be his girlfriend, but within a week, I found out how foolish I was forever thinking I could be lucky in anything.
"Jerome has gone to speak with Alpha…. With the new Alpha," I improvised, realizing that I had not even bothered to ask the name of this new Alpha. "He would negotiate better accommodation for us this time around," I tried to reassure them.
Already, the murmuring had begun. The last pack we had joined had provided a home for Jerome alone, while the rest of the band slept out in the open. The fact that I spent most of the nights with Jerome only made the pack hate me – maybe a little more than they already did.
We were a band of misfits, rogue wolves, made up of orphans, people outlawed from their own packs, outright rogues and deserters, and all other sorts of rejected people. I had heard there had been very bloody fights among members in the past, right before Jerome found me and brought me into the pack. Now, it seemed that another bloody fight was brewing, and the anger of the entire band seemed to be directed at me.
"Maybe we just have to sit out here a little while till Jerome calls for us –"
"You mean till he calls for you," came an angry retort from among the crowd. My eyes were still shut, and so I could not tell who had spoken, but whoever he was, he got a lot of murmurings of approval from the rest of the crowd that I feared they would decide to attack me there and then.
Luckily, before things could get heated, Jerome returned. Without the Alpha, and with a huge smile on his face, I knew because I had finally dared to open my eyes. The crowd, I noted was still angry, but Jerome seemed oblivious.
"I have splendid news guys," he said finally, and I turned to really look at him. He was really happy. I had never seen Jerome in such a state. His sea-green eyes radiated with happiness, and for once, his lips were curved in a full smile. Even the perpetual frown I had come to associate him with had been eased off his forehead.
"Alpha Kendricks has made his decision, he is a Lycan king, and therefore has the power to name a pack. He is naming us a new pack, an extension of his kingdom, and I am to be Alpha."
"Guess who is going to be Luna then," a sarcastic comment came from among the crowd, followed by a few more murmurings, but I was not paying attention to anything that was said. Once again, I felt fear clawing at my heart, only this was worse, because no one would understand me.
I should be happy at the wonderful news Jerome, soon to be Alpha of our pack just shared, but there was something I could not just shake off.
Jerome had said our new saviour was Alpha Kendricks, the Lycan king. My moonbane had shown me a lot about Alpha Kendricks that frightened me, things that Jerome would never understand.