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The earth flew beneath his feet as he ran, sweat trickling down his brow. The tracker could smell his fear, mingling with the scent of the forest. He cursed himself for coming here, knowing it could cost him his life, just like it did his friends. As his hands rummaged for his gun, he realized he had dropped it in the chaos. He kept running, though his exhausted body slowed his pace.

A distant howl echoed through the woods, followed by the sound of heavy paws pounding the ground. Birds' cheerful chirping turned into alarmed calls. A shadow flickered among the trees, a reminder that he was the prey, slow and defenseless against his pursuers.

His heart pounded in his chest, his breaths coming in short gasps. He needed more oxygen to survive, but his lungs couldn't keep up with the demand. It was a race for survival, an urgent desire to see another morning. The shadow behind him grew darker and feeding off his fear. Suddenly, he stumbled, his drained body tumbling down a hill, teetering on the edge of a cliff.

As he wobbled on the edge, ready to fall into the abyss below, a strange force gripped his forearms, holding him back with incredible strength. He was pulled back from the edge, his savior revealing themselves to be a tall, naked man surrounded by a pack of deadly wolves. The fear deepened as he watched one of the wolves transform into a human covered in blood, devouring the spoils of its hunt. Growing up in a hunter family, he had heard stories about these creatures, but his training hadn't prepared him for facing a pack of werewolves.

His eyes focused on the towering figure before him, the silhouette casting a dark presence. There was nothing left for him to do but surrender and beg for his life from these monsters disguised as humans. They were merciless and cold-hearted, and they would not hesitate to kill him if they knew he came from a family of hunters whose mission was to exterminate their kind.

He dropped to his knees and glanced up, meeting the eyes of his captor.

"Who are you?" The captor questioned through gritted teeth.

Desperate to save his own life, he pleaded, "Please, let me go." But his response was not what they sought; they wanted his true identity. In an instant, he felt a searing pain across his jawline, followed by a metallic taste in his mouth.

"I didn't ask you to plead. I asked for your name," a smile curled on his captor's face. However, he chose to take his chances, pulling a dagger and swiftly attacking him.

"Not today." He caught his assailant's hand and crushed the bones that dared to threaten him.

“Welcome to the blue moon pack territory. Take him to the dungeons," the command was given, and the pack members followed suit. They chuckled as they dragged him away, taking him to a place where punishments were doled out. Whether human or not, this place was off-limits for intruders.

He was shackled, his body lifeless, while his unconscious mind fought to awaken. People like him kept coming, pests in their territory. He might be a reporter risking his life to expose the survival of werewolves.

"Call the Alpha and send someone to check his motel room," Beta Ruben commanded.

The man walked away from the dungeons, making his way towards the grand mansion. 

Nobody dared to disturb the Alpha during his early morning workout. The sound of angry music blared from the other side of the door. Summoning his courage, he knocked at the door.

The door exploded open, and the messenger instantly grasped the gravity of his intrusion into the Alpha's relentless routine. 

"Alpha," he murmured.

"Speak," the Alpha thundered, his voice commanding attention. The messenger spilled the beans of urgency. In the dungeons, the wounded man pleaded for his life, his fear palpable. However, Beta Ruben confronted him with the evidence found in his room, revealing that he was not a mere reporter but a supernatural hunter.

“Grayson Hunter…You are not a reporter but…”

 "I've been following all of you for the past two years," Grayson confessed.

His eyes widened, glancing over Ruben's shoulder as a formidable figure entered, the air turning cold.

"You? How is this possible?" his words died in his mouth as he realized that the presence of the newcomer had no effect on the others. Ruben gave a curt bow to the man who entered with an eerie aura.

"You're the Alpha? Their Alpha? How is this possible?" Grayson stammered, finally piecing together the puzzle in his mind. All this time, he had been trying to find the leader of this pack.

The Alpha Wyatt Romano

A prominent figure in the business world, known as the owner of the largest construction company. In the corporate arena, he was formidable—aggressive, dominant, and always achieving his desires.

But beneath the façade of success lay a concealed truth.

His true nature, hidden behind his handsome exterior, distinguished him from others. Wyatt was the Alpha of the most formidable urban Appalachian werewolf pack, the BLUE MOON PACK. His strength emanated not from humans but from his loyal pack members. The mantle of Alpha had fallen upon him after the tragic demise of his parents. Despite his power, he had yet to find his mate. Speculations circulated that she might be deceased. For an ordinary wolf, the absence of a mate could drive one to madness, but for an Alpha, the stakes were even higher. Great power brought great responsibilities.

The looming threat of madness without a mate did not deter Wyatt from his commitment to the pack and the empire he had built for them.

Every wolf in the territory recognized Wyatt by his aura alone. Power exuded from every pore of his face, and the act of taking a life was like a game to him. The suffering of others brought him pleasure, and he commanded the strongest army within the largest pack.

Standing tall at 6'2", his physique boasted an eight-pack, a sculpted form resembling that of a demigod with thick brown curls cascading. As Alpha, his wolf, Xerxes, was the mightiest among the mountain wolves. Wyatt's cyan blue eyes flashed, darkening as the man before him froze in response to the overwhelming aura he radiated.

"The question is, Grayson, who the hell are you? A reporter or a hunter?" the question echoed, but Grayson remained silent. Wyatt's eyes darkened, a low growl escaping from his chest.

"Please, don't... please, I beg you," Grayson pleaded.

"That is not the answer I'm looking for," Wyatt retorted. He could sense the terror in Grayson's eyes, and with a swift strike, his claws transformed into lethal weapons, slashing the hunter's neck and ending his life.

"Clean the place," Wyatt commanded, his mind focused on the task at hand. Ruben expressed his concern about the implications of killing a hunter, knowing that more would inevitably come. 

"Hunters don't exist, and even if they do, you know where they belong," Wyatt raised a cold brow, a smirk tugging at his lips.

But what if there is more? A hunter's death will not go in vain; they are like roaches, one dead and ten more will come, Ruben contemplated in his mind. However, Alpha Wyatt didn't spare another moment to think about the cold-blooded murder he had just committed to start his day.

“I am hungry, let’s get some breakfast,” Wyatt called Ruben, and left others to clear the scene.

***

Near the mountains, the other part of town housed a home filled with the morning giggles of a beautiful family.

"Mom, I'm done," the girl declared, crossing her hands over her breakfast plate.

"Hazel, look at you. You're a doctor. You need more strength," her mom scolded, glaring at her with a hint of anger.

"Dad," Hazel hoped for her father's support in this challenging situation.

He shook his head, aligning himself with her mom's perspective.

"Mom, give it to me. I'll eat," an annoying voice interrupted their silent conversation. Hazel winked at her younger brother, Eason, and passed her remaining breakfast to the growing teenage boy.

"Thank you, sis," Eason acknowledged, and Hazel dashed outside.

"At least have a banana," her mom's voice echoed through the house.

"I will, in the cafeteria," Hazel replied in a hurry. She waved her hand as she hopped into her old Honda Accord. Hazel Colton, a new intern at a reputable city hospital, recently joined after her family moved to this small town two years ago, oblivious to its history. Despite having the option to work in a renowned urban hospital, she chose to be with her family and contribute to the local community. Hazel is a bubbly girl with a belief in spreading love to every corner of the world.

"Oh, my God," Hazel exclaimed when she spotted a pup lying unconscious on the side of the road.

"Poor baby," she murmured, finding herself immediately picking up the tiny creature, gently patting it, but sensing no signs of life.

"Daddy," her voice filled with urgency, not allowing him a moment's rest until he agreed to take the pup to the vet. With each passing moment, her concern for the little one grew.

"Thank you, doctor," a bright smile spread across her face as the pup stirred slightly in the vet's hands. With lots of love, she handed the pup over to her dad to take care of.

"I'll see you in the evening, little one," she said happily, starting her day by saving a life, which would undoubtedly make her day brighter.

Arriving at the hospital, she met her friend Jack.

"Hey there," his eyes were glued to his phone, and beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. They had been good friends since college, and although Hazel was new to the town, it was Jack's hometown.

He quickly pocketed his phone and summoned a smile. "Hey," he seemed stressed about the news he had just read in a text message.

"What happened? Is everything okay?"

"Nothing, it's about some news of a reporter," he replied cryptically.

"What about him?"

"Nothing," he dismissed her inquiry. They started their day, and Hazel shared the story of how she had saved a pup.