ELLIOTT
Dominic was close.
Every movement resounded through the walls, the creak of his bones as he shifted sealing Alpha Elliott’s fate.
Breathing was difficult, but Dominic already knew Elliott was weak.
There were no screams of warning, no war-cries.
Just claws on tiles, a growl warning him that he wasn’t far.
Alpha Elliott had turned his mind link off at the advice of his doctor, he wasn’t to be disturbed in his final battle with death, but he didn’t need it to know that Dominic was inhaling his dying scent.
“Come in, son,” the words left Elliotts chapped lips in a rasp.
The door flew open, revealing Dominic in his wolf form, his fur wet from the morning dew. He bared his teeth, and Elliott knew that the end was near.
“I’m dying, Dominic, let death take me naturally. You don’t need this on your conscience.”
The wolf circled him, his golden eyes staring into Elliotts.
I want to, they told him. I want to be the reason you cease to exist.
The end was quick, for Dominic had too much rage to be anything other than violent. His teeth sank into Elliot’s leathery skin, his wolf howling in agony as Dominic ripped his veins out of his throat, his snout buried in the crevice that was once his fathers neck.
Elliotts final thoughts drifted to that of his pack and his other son, Dante.
He would be the next to die.
DANTE
“Hide,” I snapped, shoving a sleeping Sasha from my arms, my neck snapping as I turned towards the door. “My brother is here.”
Sasha looked around helplessly, but it was too late.
“I do hope I’m not disturbing anything,” Dominic purred from the doorway, blood dripping down his chin, the sound of it hitting the floor beneath him the only sound in the room. “But I’ve decided I’ve quite had enough of this fucking family.”
“Sasha, leave,” I commanded, as Dominic turned his attention to my mate.
“Oh don’t. You’ll miss all of the fun.”
Sasha’s chest rose and fell with her fear, and Dominic inhaled it deeply, his lips cracking into a devilish smile as his eyes glowed gold.
“How are you, Alpha?” He addressed me, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Dominic, I told you, I don’t want to be Alpha, regardless of what father said.”
Dominics eyes glinted at my words, as he nodded. “I know that, dear brother. But the pack only heard what our pathetic father wanted. As he was their precious Alpha, they’d never accept me. There’s only one thing for it.”
I swallowed.
“I challenge you to a fight to the death,” he declared, giving me a gleeful smile. “I mean, allow me to kill you, dear brother.”
Sasha whimpered, and Dominic put a hand on her shoulder, pushing her into a sitting position on the bed.
“Don’t touch her,” I barked, my protective instincts kicking in. “I don’t want—“
“Enough!” Dominic hissed, reaching over to grip me by the throat. “I’m bored of conversation, Dante.”
His grip tightened on my neck as I struggled against him.
“He’s submitted!” Sasha cried, her hands clawing desperately at Dominic’s grip. “Please, Dominic!”
“You’re next, little girlie.” Dominic grinned as I choked, until I managed to release my airways enough to gasp at air. “Anything,” I managed to choke out.
Dominic paused, easing his grip slightly.
“Sorry?”
My eyes met Sasha’s, and I saw her trembling with fear.
Don’t baby, please.
Her thoughts caressed my aching brain, and I exhaled, looking back into my brothers eyes.
“I’ll do anything.”
“You leave here.” He tightened his grip on my throat as Sasha’s screams filled the air. “You never return. For you killed our father.”
I heard Sasha’s knees hit the floor behind him, a howl escaping her lips.
“Yes, your precious Alpha is dead,” Dominic sang. “Long lived the king!”
“You monster,” Sasha sobbed, as Dominic snorted.
“You haven’t seen anything yet, precious.”
“I’ll leave,” I coughed out, as Dominic released me, allowing air to soothe my parched lungs. “But you have to swear to me that you’ll never hurt Sasha.”
Dominic rolled his eyes, his finger dragging across his chin, scooping up wells of blood as he licked it off his finger.
“Why would I hurt Sasha? I’ll be her Alpha. I’ll have to protect her.”
My wolf cried when Sasha’s eyes widened, lunging into my arms, her sobs echoing around the room.
“Sasha, if I don’t leave, he will kill us both. I can’t…I’d never forgive myself.”
Dominic yawned, his arm wrapping around Sasha’s waist as he pulled her away from me, my soul dying inside. My wolf howled at me to do something, but the truth was, Dominic had no soul. He would think nothing of killing her in front of me.
“You leave now, brother,” Dominic called over his shoulder. “If I see you again, Sasha dies first, after the whole pack has devoured her. Whilst you watch, of course.”
I hung my head as Sasha screamed at me to fight back.
I couldn’t.
I wouldn’t win, not against Dominic.
I had to leave.
TWO YEARS LATER“Dante!”I looked up, still counting the reps the man beneath me, Arnold was lifting.“Yeah?” I called back, not moving my eyes from Arnold.“Ten minutes till closing, you nearly finished?”Blaine was anxious to leave, being a Friday night and all.I eyed Arnold, whose face looked like it was going to burst.“That’s it, pal. Easy,” I gripped the bar, marveling at how weak humans were. I could lift this thing with my little finger, and I wasn’t the most powerful wolf in the world.“How is it so easy for
beta/ˈbiːtə/nounthe second letter of the Greek alphabet ( Β, β )AXEL“Alpha doesn’t care what the books say. No teen is going to school in the local society until they have their shifting completely under control.”“But Beta—“Axel leaned back in the chair, the cool leather soothing his skin as it sparks with rage at the prick in front of him.“Do not say another word, or I will cut out your tongue,” he snapped. “Greg, escort Bez back to base.”Greg glared at me but nodded stiffly. He wouldn’t argue with his Beta, not when he
DominicI twisted the pen in my hands, listening as the council argued it out.In the end, it was my decision, but it was fun listening to them.“If we send them to our school, how will they function in society?” Vex barked, shaking his head.Axel didn’t seem to be paying attention, and I looked at him sharply, mind linking him to speak. He bolted up, but something was on his mind. I knew something was on his mind, and it was consuming him.“I’ve told you all, countless times, Alpha doesn’t want them mixing with humans until they are at least college age,” Axel reminded them.
DANTEI laid the girl on my bed and slumped into the chair in the corner of the room.The moonlight slipped through the window, which bore no curtains. The silver light shimmered over the sleeping girl’s bruised face, but at least the blood was gone. I’d cleaned it up carefully so as not to wake her.I tilted my head back, exhaling as I closed my eyes, imagining an uncomfortable night’s sleep lay ahead. Nightmares had chased my dreams away, but still, I had to sleep, or I would become weak.A bolt of pain burns at my throat, snaking its fiery way into my chest as it took my breath away. I clutch at my throat, falling to my knees as my eyes well up with agony.What is going on?
AMBERDante was about six foot, give or take, and his eyes were almost green up close.The same gold that spilled into the ones that had gazed at me from the wolf’s eyes swirled with the green hues, and I knew.I haven’t imagined it.This guy is a werewolf.I’d heard whispers about the mysterious Seven clan that lived out in the woods. No-one ever saw them, and no-one dared venture in.Yet here I was, in a flat above a gym with one.Glancing around, I can’t help but wonder if the rumours are true.If they are indeed millionaires, then why was this one living in such a basic flat? There was a battered sofa pushed up against one wall, none of the windows I’d seen had curtains, and the floor was…ripped.Dante gazed out of the window, his breathing warming the glass in clouds of smoke
DOMINICThe door opened to reveal Sasha and Axel, their hands laced together to show their new unity.“Leave us,” I barked at Axel, who flinched, but remained still.“You want me to watch, right?” He said quietly, his eyes on the floor. “I’m not leaving her with you.”I lifted my eyebrows, flabbergasted that my beta would continue to disrespect me so.My eyes met Sasha’s, her chest heaving as she met my eyes.“Tell your mate to leave, Sasha, before I rip his throat out and fuck him in it.” I smiled, examining her ample cleavage with interest.Axel moved forward, but Sasha put her hand on his chest, shaking her head as she gazed at him.“Go, Axel,” she commanded, and Axel flung open the door, nearly snapping it off his hinges as it slammed behind him.“What the fuck is his problem?” I laughed, mo
DominicMy wolf was silent.I ran through the forest at speed until the branches closed in on us, the scent of wet bark soothing my senses. My mind whirled with thoughts of the issues the pack faced, mainly the land we lived on.It was owned by us and had been for as long as I could remember, but land surrounded it that the government owned. For years, they’d pestered me about putting little lodge cabins by the lake, leading to the coast not far down from us.Did they want tourism or scandal?There was no way the pack would resist humans dotted around like fucking candy.I had to stop us from being exposed.But how?The Lylan Pack were the closest pack to us, but this didn’t concern them. They were happy in the mountains, and they coexisted peacefully with humans, something I refused to do.I hate humans. We’d been lucky enough not to have any as our fated mates, and no one would dare choose a hu
DANTEI watched Amber walk away towards the train station. Her head turned back once or twice as she tugged her shiny case behind her.You’re connected. I didn’t need my wolf to tell me that.I felt an affinity to her, and it was nothing like the mate bond I’d shared with Sasha that day.FLASHBACK“Are you looking forward to finding your mate?”I’d looked up at my father, grunting something inaudible.He was nervous because he thought I’d end up like my brother, Dominic, who was mateless.My eyes scanned the room, landing on Dominic as he glared at everyone around him.Unsociable, that’s all, Mother had said. My chest ached at the thought of her words in my mind. I could still smell her perfume, hear her sweet yet authoritative voice.She’s gone, Dante. Dominic’s gaze met