The Atrocious Legacy

I spent the next day hovering in the city library, gathering all the information I have access to. To be honest I still haven't fully processed what happened last night. No, it's not like I haven't had company of any woman in my entire life, but the number is very few. So for a that type of guy, getting a proposal from a girl out of blue surely would strike a nerve. Not just any girl of course, the daughter of the lead Alpha of Blood Moon pack. 

"I heard her mate rejected her, two years ago," said my friend Andy nonchalantly, he tagged along because he had nothing better to do. While I was crawling in the pile of books and parchments, he fed me up with all kinds of rumors, as he's quite the popular wolf, especially with she-wolves. 

"The reason was the common trope obviously, that dude had some other chick in love with. And he was very much the dominant, criminal type Alpha, so even his pack committee couldn't do anything about that. I heard Alpha Vincent wasn't around the pack that time, he went to visit a foreign country or something. Thus not much action was taken, I heard the chick is neglected by her own pack and that's where new gossips unfold," he sighed. "Nyx, her name, isn't it?" 

"Yeah," I nodded, as I was listening with concentration. 

"There's also another thing. As Alpha Vincent has only two pureblood children, Nyx and her younger brother Walker. Even though according to law, Nyx would be the lead Alpha of her pack, there's plenty of rumors which reveal that Walker is preparing an army in combat to conquer the legacy to throne, after finishing her sister off."

"That's unfortunate." I know it's very common in the werewolf society, but it's not a conventient situation for Nyx, while being alone and looked down by her own family. "But I still don't get her purpose of coming to find me. I'm pretty sure she would have better options."

"It's not a mystery case, ya don't have to read too much to it. Our pack isn't that big, but no small thing either, is it? And you're one of the sons of the lead Alpha, it's clear that she would have heard of you somewhere. Then maybe she took a liking upon you or she's just desperately in need of a mate, but boy, what she did was truly reckless, she could have simply sent a ravon. So what else did you two talk about?" Andy winked, smiling mischievously. 

"Come on bro, you know me," I stood up from the floor, organising the pile into correct order. "Don't get any weird idea. But surely I got more responsibilities on my shoulder." 

~

I come back at my den when the sun has already set and decide that I won't go hunt tonight. Not for any specific reason, but I got lots to think and sort out. Will it be too weird if I ask Nyx to go hunt with me a few days later? It's kind of dangerous for sure, but I'd like to know more about her. It's simple law of attraction. And she proposed to me, it's natural that I would wanna know her. 

"Can I come in?" suddenly Albera appears at the door, looking at me with curious eyes. She's one of my sisters, two years younger than me. 

"Sure. Why so polite all of a sudden?" I get up from the bed. 

"Mother said to check on you, assuming something happened to you," she utters softly, taking a seat across the bed. 

"Nah, nothing happened," I lie. I don't wanna disclose this matter to my family right now, they already got lot on their plate. 

"You know, brother, our pack isn't that much of a big deal. Something definitely happened yesterday night at the festival, at least I can guess this much from the rumors." 

I sigh. "Why didn't you go there? Everyone was having so much fun." 

"I'm not a fan of crowd much," she scrunches her nose with a hint of disgust. 

"And you're saying this when you're a werewolf."

"My wolf gets scared when there's a big fire! I can't do much about that." 

"That's normal I guess, since you've had your wolf only six months ago." 

Albera eyes me silently for a second.

"So what did the daughter of lead Alpha of Blood Moon pack want from you? Of course you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but it's kind of a big deal. Two days ago the Blood Moon Alpha visits our father, and now his daughter? And also coming alone in an enemy pack?"

"Look, I don't wanna be mean but I don't wanna say something about that topic. Let people gossip, I'll handle it on my own", I ruffle my hair impatiently. 

"Huh, I see," suddenly she gives me a sinister smile. "But I think, you'll be quite curious if you know who was her mate, the Alpha who rejected her. 

I frown. Andy didn't mention anything about that. 

"And who's that? Anyone from her pack?" 

"Oh, now you want to know." 

"Not in the mood for jokes really." 

She straightens her face, looking directly at my eyes. "It's Noah. Alpha Noah from Vengeance pack."

Wait, Noah? The Noah I was familiar with? He was my best friend when we were young, but then we drifted apart slowly. Even a decade ago, our Crescent Moon pack and Vengeance pack had quite a good and peaceful relationship. But things changed when a different leader was appointed, it's not like we're foes, but we're not exactly friends either. Hence I haven't seen Noah for a few years, because the transportation isn't that avaliable between our packs, not like before. 

"He's not like the type to reject his mate without any valid reason. But how can I say now, people change over the time."

"Yeah, that's right. I guess his mistress is more important to him than his mate, who was choosen by the nature to be his. Otherwise why would anyone reject such a prestigious person? I heard she's pretty too."

Yes, she is. But not only that, she still has lots to show off her potential. She didn't seem like the girl who'd accept rejection that easily, she would definitely strike back. And the outcome would be burning, outrageous, just like the pheromones I sensed from her yesterday.

Suddenly a pained, weak howl sound makes me come back to reality from my thoughts. It's coming from the forest beside my den and it's not the signature howl of our pack.

"Do you hear that?" Albera's eyes turn blue, her wolf is ready to come out any time. 

"Wait, don't be impatient," I whisper, stepping out of my den making less sound as possible. 

There's smell of blood in the air, but it's vague, meaning the wolf isn't that much injured. Me and Albera walk quietly to the source of smell, keeping our guard up since it's definitely an enemy wolf. 

As I push aside the brunches to make way, I see a grey colored she-wolf lying on the ground with eyes closed. She's bleeding from the bottom side of her right leg, it looks like a wolf bite mark, also she sprained her ankle.

"Can you get her back to her human form?" I ask Albera. 

"Yeah." She reaches the she wolf and releases pheromones that would create an environment where she can force the wolf's subconscious mind to come back to her human form. 

I startle when I see the face of the girl, shining under the moonlight. 

It's Nyx.