CHAPTER TWO

Almost immediately after Atlas warned them of the incoming danger, he lost consciousness, inspiring great panic in his mate.

He was taken to his cabin to be properly cared for. Meanwhile, the pack was filled with confusion, and even Celia could smell the fear laced with the air.

It was contagious. She was getting uneasy. Anyone would after seeing a council member in that state.

She felt a hand slip into hers and squeeze tightly. “Do not fret,” her mother said with calm eyes. “Trust Nicholas. He will protect this pack.”

Celia nodded. It was not Nicholas she trusted. It was her mother.

“Stop your whining and listen up!” Jon yelled, his voice carrying across the center of the settlement where the pack was gathered.

The Beta left the floor for his brother to speak.

“I know you’re worried, but there’s nothing to fear,” Nicholas assured everyone. “This Alpha is a phony. His real ability is inciting fear—”

“Look what he did to Atlas!” someone in the crowd retorted. “How can we be calm after seeing that?!”

Jon glared and took a threatening step towards the man that dared to speak, but Nicholas stopped the Beta, shaking his head in disapproval.

“We have lookouts prowling the perimeter. The moment this threat is sensed, I will take care of it.”

“We are not cowards either!” Sheeva said with an unwavering voice, hand still linked with Celia’s. People gave way, turning their attention to her. “If we must fight, we will!”

There were murmurs of agreement from the pack members. Nicholas, his gaze fixed on Celia’s mother, nodded in acknowledgement, and she nodded back.

“Alright!” the Alpha bellowed. “Round up your pups so they can be protected. Also, I need more people patrolling the—”

Celia caught a whiff of the scent that turned the area quiet, and had heads turning to the foliage that led past the settlement. It was the scent of an unfamiliar werewolf—no, werewolves—trespassing in their territory.

There was a shuffling sound, and someone proceeded out of the bushes, pulling two unconscious bodies with him.

From the opposite direction, two other unfamiliar wolves stepped into view, pulling one unconscious person each.

The people they were pulling were members of Celia’s pack. They had been patrolling the area around the settlement, but not anymore. The trespassers tossed the unconscious lookouts aside.

Aggression set in. Most members of the pack growled, spreading out in a bid to surround the threats. Celia conceded a step back. What was she supposed to do?

Jon looked about ready to spring into action, but Nicholas was assessing the situation calmly.

“I wouldn’t advise taking any action,” someone warned, coming out from a different direction whilst pulling two more members of Celia’s pack.

This trespasser was not unfamiliar. He gently let go of the bodies he had been pulling.

“Darius…” Nicholas called, voice laced with disbelief.

Darius was the Alpha of the Flora settlement pack. He was a dark skinned man with a clean shaved head and full beard.

Jon scoffed. “I told you we couldn’t trust them.”

“What is the meaning of this, Darius?” Nicholas asked, taking steps towards the Alpha. “Are our packs not allies?”

“Your pack members are only unconscious,” Darius informed them. “None are dead, and none have to be. If you haven’t noticed, we’re all Alphas.”

That explained how the trespassers were able to reel in the mid–ranked werewolves without any scratch. Only an Alpha or powerful Beta could pull it off.

“Why would you do this?” Nicholas asked.

Darius shook his head. “I am sorry, my friend. I had no choice, and if you are wise, you will understand that you have no choice either.”

“Even if you are all Alphas, you can’t take on our entire pack and leave here alive,” Jon pointed out.

“I reckon we could,” one of the trespassing Alpha’s said. He folded his arms. “However, we won’t have to.”

On the cusp of his words, someone came through the foliage and took his place beside Darius. Under the moonlight, Celia was certain that this was the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

He had coal–black hair falling over his face. His striking features were perfectly symmetrical, his deep set eyes a dull red, and he had just the right amount of stubble to give him a rugged edge.

Celia felt a sharp tug in her chest, but it left as quickly as it came, so she ignored it.

The newcomer surveyed the area till his eyes fell on Nicholas. He smiled. It was both dazzling and sinister. “You’re the Alpha. It’s great to finally meet you.” He slowly strolled towards Nicholas. “I am Marcel.”

There it was again—a pain in her chest, like she was resisting being pulled. Her eyes fixed on Marcel, and when he scanned the crowd, she had the weird sense he felt the same as her.

“You all may leave,” Nicholas said, referring to the trespassing Alphas. “If you leave now, I’ll overlook this treachery.”

Marcel laughed. “And what about me?”

“You’re dead. From the moment you entered my territory, your life was forfeit.”

“I see.” Marcel rubbed his chin. “Didn’t the one–armed werewolf pass my message?” he asked. “Your pack is mine.”

Nicholas roared angrily and sprung into action. He raced for Marcel, and while doing so, he shifted into his wolf form.

The rest of the pack followed his lead, some shifting in preparation to gang up on the trespassing Alphas.

Nicholas and Marcel clashed, but the enemy Alpha didn’t shift. He fought Nicholas as a man, with his hands. His arrogance would get him killed, Celia thought, and that would be better for them.

“Return to the cabin,” Sheeva instructed Celia.

Even though Celia was trembling with fear, she said, “I…have to stay. I have to fight—”

“We can contribute in ways that don’t involve fighting,” Sheeva interjected. “You can protect the pups.”

There was a loud crash, and when they turned to the scene, they found their Alpha had been thrown into a cabin with so much force that the entry was shattered.

Everyone fell silent, and no one from the pack moved in on the other Alphas. They had to be just as surprised as Celia was. The fight between Nicholas and Marcel had just begun. 

How did it seem like it was already over?