Chapter 6: Welcome to the Family

Ace’s point of view

With a glass of tequila on my one hand, I decided to sit down on my swivel chair behind my mahogany desk. Something caught my eyes, the ashtray ones belong to the old man who took me in, the person behind this mafia he left me. I took it and watched it closely, remembering how I let the old man I was just a kid.

Seventeen years ago, in an orphanage run by corrupted nuns.

“The old man will be here. Make sure you all useless brats will catch his attention,” one of the nuns said as we were eating.

I was 12 years old back then and after escaping the relentless pursuit of those hunters that murdered my pack, I stumbled upon an orphanage. The nuns took me in with a smirk that made my heart jump seconds after I was exhausted to death by running.

I didn’t know inside the orphanage was run by corrupted nuns who collect money from the government. Instead of spending it with us children, they gambled on it and then forced us to do work for our own food source.

“Hurry! Line up! The old man was going to choose which one he would adopt,” Gracia, the head nun and the most corrupted bitch I had ever seen.

We lined up against the wall like little soldiers ready for inspection. Among those kids, I was the tallest for a twelve year old kid. Maybe because I was a werewolf. Despite that, bullies would often target me but I would fight back. And I would end up being thrown inside the closed cage for what the nuns called, disciplinary prison.

“Ace, you useless kid. Make sure to behave yourself. If you’re lucky enough, then maybe Andreev might pick you,” the nun replied.

When the nun finished saying those words, an old man with dirty blond hair came in. He was not smiling and his cold blue eyes looked at us. Starting from Sergio down to me, the tallest one.

There were five men in black behind the old man who called him Tsar. He was obviously the leader as I can see he was being respected by the men behind him.

I heaved a sigh. As long as I was in the orphanage, I knew I was safe, far away from the hunters. I’ll just go along with the flow. It wasn’t like the Tsar would go to pick me up, anyway. I would just be quiet and would never make any move for him to notice me. I lean on the wall with one leg crossed over the other as I watch him checking out Glen, the smart kid who loved hanging in the library.

I was already fitting myself off the wall and was about to leave when I felt someone 's eyes boring into my back. It was strange, cold and eerie as if someone's attention was on me. I turned around and saw the Tsar’s eyes.

I growled lowly, hated the idea of a mere human staring at me but I suppressed the feeling of lunging at him and just stared back at him.

I was annoyed. I never wanted the Tsar’s attention. I never wanted to leave this orphanage. I wanted to stay here, away from those monsters who mercilessly killed everyone in my pack.

I thought if I looked bored, the Tsar would leave me alone. But I was wrong, he was now striding towards me crouched down to my level. I was taken aback. The Tsar assessed me.

I noticed the black ink wrapped all over the Tsar’s neck. I was fascinated. My father, the Alpha, has the same thing as the old man.

When I looked closer, it was actually a dragon, just like my Dad. Maybe it was me missing my father because I already lifted my hand to touch it only to be snatched by a hand. And that very moment, I had sealed my fate and exposed myself to the hunters I desperately avoided.

You like tattoos huh?” The old man said, his piercing blue eyes bored into mine.

“This one. I’m taking this one with me,” he said to the nun. “How much for this one?”

Gracia flashed a wide smile. I could practically see the dollar sign in her eyes.

“Eight hundred,” she said.

“Alright. Pay her, Augustus and take this child with us.”

That was the last thing I remember before I was dragged away and shoved into a black van.

I remembered I kicked, scream and demanded them to let me go. I even used all my strength if my werewolf side but it was futile. There were too many strong men subdue me in an instant. They locked me between them.

When everything become peaceful again, the door was open and the Tsar appeared before sitting down facing me. He casually looked at me, enjoying my struggle to break free from his men.

Onenl of the men talked to him and smiled in a Russian language that I couldn’t understand.

“Он чертовски мощный пацан, Царь. У тебя нюх на правильных людей.”

(He’s one hell of a badass kid, Tsar. You’ve got nose for the right one.)

My parents and pack moved to the Russia sux months ago after the relentless hunting of human hunters before. We were in the middle of blending in and learning their language when those pests appeared and killed them all in one night.

The old man gave the man a knowing smile which made my heart sank as if this old man had sealed my fate.

“Let me go, old man,” I said.

The Tsar landed his cold blue eyes on me.

“Who are you calling old man, boy?” he asked.

“You,” I said, making him feel my Alpha command but to no avail, the Tsar didn’t even flinched.

The Tsar bursted into laughter, even his men. His cold eyes suddenly twingkled as if he was amused to what I said.

“I’m just forty, boy,” he said.

“And I’m just twelve, so that’s makes you an old man to my eyes.”

“I like you,” the Tsar said. “Welcome to the family, boy.”