The Blackmail

[ALPHA HUNTER’s Point-of-View]

"What’s wrong?" Weston whispered, sounding worried.

It was gone. That bewitching scent that had just distracted me disappeared, leaving me searching and craving for whoever that was. The smell was so strong that its absence suddenly created an empty space in me. It was so compelling yet perplexing.

"She’s here," I answered my Beta with my eyes still scanning the hall, trying to track that enthralling scent that hopefully would lead me to the person I had been searching for for so many years. I never felt so pressured and desperate until this moment. Weston was confused, but I couldn’t waste time anymore.

I approached Alpha Carter and didn’t care if he and his Luna were debating about something. "Alpha Carter," I uttered in a casual tone but failed to hide the eagerness in it, "I need you to gather all the female Omegas in this hall."

Alpha Carter frowned, but then he knew he couldn’t say no to me. That was when his expression softened to a hypocritical smile, and he stepped away from his she-wolf with a resting bitch face. She smiled at me as well, but I had no time for her phoney approach. That’s when I caught her scowling at me secretly from the corner of my eye.

"What’s happening, Alpha Hunter? Why are you demanding to see all of them? Is there a problem with the Omegas here?" Alpha Carter asked, looking confused but chuckling a little, but he was sounding nervous. The muscles on his face were tense.

"Just do what I say, Carter. There is something important I need to know. " I answered dismissively and then went back to my seat while I waited for him to do what I wanted him to do.

It took him half an hour to gather all the female Omegas after sending messages all over the village. My inner wolf was getting impatient at how slow it was getting. Soon, the hall was lined up with female Omegas. The only one that caught my attention was the ginger girl among the brunettes and the blondes.

"What do you think, Alpha Hunter? Is the girl you are looking for among these ladies?" Weston whispered with eagerness in his voice, realizing the whole situation.

I massaged my forehead, feeling so nauseated and outrageous. "No!" I scowled at him, my eyes glaring at the faces of the anxious and scared ladies in front of me. "This is really frustrating, Weston."

"She’s not here?" Weston seemed puzzled despite Carter’s effort.

"The pheromone they are giving off is not as strong as the one that captivated me," I uttered in exasperation. "ARE ALL FEMALE OMEGAS HERE?!" My angry voice echoed throughout the hall, making the ladies shiver in fear.

I saw the hesitation in his eyes, but Alpha Carter replied, "Yes."

I squinted my eyes in suspicion.

Alpha Carter’s Luna, whose name I had forgotten, walked towards us with annoying confidence. "There is one missing Omega here," she said with a smirk on her face while looking at the faces of the women lined up in front of us. I even saw a ginger-headed one glare at her.

"Shut up, Kaya!" Alpha Carter closed his eyes, looking so offended. He curled his lip against his teeth and glared at her as well. It seemed everyone hated that woman, and I shouldn’t be surprised.

A snarl ripped through my throat. "I don’t care what kind of stunt you two are playing, but I have no time for this, Carter. Just take me to that missing Omega RIGHT NOW!!!" 

Alpha Carter tensed. He gave his Luna another threatening glare before he gestured for his men to dismiss all the Omega as he escorted us out of the hall.

***

[CASSANDRA’s Point-of-View]

My phone rang while I was busy baking chocolate chip cookies with my Nana. It was Macy, and I figured out that maybe she was just worried about why I ran away from the convention when the program hadn't finished yet. I didn't know what kind of excuse I would give her. I was a bad liar, and she knew that.

Macy, I'm sorry if I didn’t tell you—"

"Cassy! Oh, thank goddess!" Her voice was so tense and scared.

I frowned. "What? What happened?"

"I am just worried why you didn’t show up after Alpha Carter gathered all the female Omegas in the Feast Hall, and now people are looking for you!" 

I was stunned. I didn’t know why I suddenly felt scared. Maybe Carter was so pissed with me that he wanted to punish me after what happened at the back of the stage? The worst punishment I knew of was banishment. And it would be ridiculous if he would banish me just because of that!

But if Kaya saw me as a threat to her position, that could be possible.

"They? Do you mean Carter and Kaya?" I asked, my hands shaking.

"No. That Alpha I told you! Alpha Hunter of the Black-Haw Pack!"

My eyes widened when Macy mentioned his name. That man… he was looking for me!

His beautiful, god-like face resurfaced in my mind, and it felt as if I could smell that wonderful scent again. But I knew the terrifying story behind that gorgeous face, and my body started to shiver, knowing that that ruthless man was looking for me all over this village!

"Cassy? Cassy?!" 

I couldn’t speak. I was so terrified that I put my mobile phone down on the table and still didn’t know how I should deal with my situation right now.

"The Moon Goddess has plans for you, Cassandra." My Nana smiled at me so gently that it calmed my nerves a bit. She went to give me a tight embrace and said, "Just take it as it comes. You will be alright."

"I have to head back home," I murmured, and she nodded at me, giving me small pats on my forearm with a smile.

After giving Nana one last embrace, I ran back to our house to talk to Dad. I had to tell him what was going on. The night was cold, but my forehead was beaded with sweat, and my hands were still trembling. No!  There would be no way I would ever go with that man! They couldn’t force me!

"Dad!? Dad!" I yelled as soon as I got in the house, looking for my Dad. He immediately emerged from the kitchen and walked fast, his face full of worry as he hugged me tight.

"Where were you!? Troy and I have been looking for you!" he scolded me, but he looked more relieved than angry.

"I went straight to Nana after I found out you weren’t home!," I cried to him, and then dread appeared in my eyes once again. "Dad! Macy called me! She told me—"

"I know, I know... there’s no way I would let them take you away from us!"

That’s when Dad and I saw a squad of men appear at the front door.

"Sir Xanthros Clark! We came here for an important matter! Open your door so we can talk!"

Dad’s brows furrowed, but I understood that he couldn’t defy an Alpha’s words. I could see the weight of it on his face, and that’s when he let out a sigh of exasperation as he let go of me and went to open the door to negotiate with them.

But as soon as the door got opened, I sniffed the fresh air and was greatly enamoured by that smooth, sexy scent of lavender with a touch of vanilla that captivated my whole being until I saw him—that white-haired devil with pale, glasslike skin who captivated my heart in a second. I never expected I would experience this terrifying feeling in a person I have just met my whole life.

His stoic amber eyes caught mine, and our eyes locked and my heart went wild.

G*dd*mnit, he was really my fated mate!

"Take her." 

"No!"

One of them dragged me away from my Dad. I screamed as I struggled to free myself from their painful grip. I couldn’t believe they disrespected my father’s authority in his own house!

"You can’t take my daughter away from me!" My father angrily yelled at the men wearing black suits.

My brother, Troy, who had just arrived, rushed towards us. His face was bewildered as he saw the commotion happening in the receiving area of the house. But when he saw me being dragged away from Dad, he didn’t think twice and lunged at one of the guards and punched him straight in the face until the others pulled him away from the bleeding man and restrained him. 

"What is happening here?! Where are you taking my sister?!" he snarled against the Alpha.

Alpha Hunter’s face hardened. He didn’t like what Troy did to one of his men, "This is not a negotiation, Mr. Clark. I want your daughter to go with me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t sign the truce agreement and won’t mind if I declare another war with the Midnight Pack."

I gasped, breathing hard, as I looked at Dad and Troy’s faces turning pale; both were looking helpless in front of a powerful Alpha. He’s not serious. He couldn’t be serious about that!

"No, you can’t do that!" I snarled at Alpha Hunter, feeling so enraged by how he blackmailed my family.

Alpha Hunter raised an eyebrow at me with a contemptuous smile on his face. "You want to try me?"

Another man stepped in. Among these people, he only had a gentle look on his face; his eyes were pleading to my Dad, "Sir Clark, let me introduce myself. I am Weston and I am Alpha Hunter’s Beta," he politely uttered, and Alpha Hunter didn’t stop him despite the impatience on his face, "I need you to understand that our Alpha would never think twice about doing that if you fail to submit to his demands. You have to surrender your daughter if you don’t want to be a sinner, sacrificing your pack to a new war.”

My Dad was silenced, and I looked at him and couldn’t believe that he was even considering the Beta’s words. Even Troy was in a dilemma as well.

I couldn’t let them bear this heavy ordeal that fell on their shoulders.

My chest was tight and heavy. I was scared. I wasn’t sure what will happen to me. But I have to do it. "I’ll go with you! Only if you allow me to visit my family and continue college—"

"That’s settled then." Alpha Hunter uttered dismissively and gestured for his men to drag me with them.

"What? Wait! I haven’t said goodbye to my Dad—"

They forced me to get inside the sleek black car, and I shivered when I had to sit between the Alpha’s two bodyguards wearing black suits. I was so angry and scared, and I felt like I was going to explode.

There would be no way I would let myself fall for someone as cruel as him. I promised he would regret that he dragged me out of my Dad’s house because I would never submit to him, even if he killed me!