Encounter

Stephanie Pov

I stood at the entrance of the gate, my heart beating uncontrollably at the enormous sight. It was a place I never dreamt I could come to but an unexpected call brought me to the gate of our Alpha.

Alpha Gregory, a monster feared by all.

I grasped tightly at my bag, wishing I had refused the offer but then I had no choice. There were bills to pay.

The gate was slowly opened and a burly guard that looked more like an assassin beckoned to me. I walked briskly toward him and told him the reason I was there.

The burly guard insisted I wait so they could confirm if truly I was asked to come to the palace as the children tutor by the beta's wife.

I waited for almost ten minutes before one of the guards, who seemed like their head, signaled his hands, telling his colleagues to let me in.

"Hurry up!" The burly guard yelled when I started to take slow strides into the pack house.

It was as if I was entering into a furnace of fire. The same way I was excited was the same way fear gripped my heart. What if something goes wrong?

It wasn't news of how ruthless and cruel Alpha Gregory was to everyone, especially those who wronged him. Maybe, I should have just rejected the offer.

He was the most powerful Alpha all over the territory. He was someone you shouldn't mess with, someone who wasn't scared of death or afraid to eliminate anyone that comes in his way.

He was a rude, arrogant, brutal Alpha feared by everyone in the pack including his friends.

“ You can do this, Steph!" I encouraged myself, wearing a forced smile.

But deep down I wondered what would be my punishment if I made a mistake while in the palace?

My eyes scrutinized the Pack house and my mouth parted ways in amazement. Just as expected and how those who had gotten the chance to enter into the Pack house had described, it was a big fancy mansion.

It was so gigantic that as soon as I passed through the huge gate, it was impossible to see what the rest of the pack house looked like.

"What are you still standing there staring at?" The burly guard asked, breaking into my thoughts.

"What?" I asked, confused. I was so amazed by the surroundings that I had totally forgotten I was in the territory of a predator.

"Can't you move?!" One of them snapped.

It was then I remembered why I had come here in the first place. I apologized for my rash ignorance and hurried after them as we made our way into the Pack house.

I was soon led into the Pack house and it didn't take us a minute before we got to the Beta wife's abode.

"Good day, ma'am," I greeted Mrs. Rigby with a genuine smile on my face.

Her gaze traveled to my direction, a sweet smile curled on her lips as she strutted towards me, spreading her hands to receive my hug.

"It's nice to meet you in person, Miss Stephanie. Oh, what a beautiful girl you are!" She sings sweetly, complimenting my look while I stood, smiling back at her.

"It's my pleasure, Mrs. Rigby." I greeted, making a slight bow.

She quickly made a gesture, stopping my bow.

" Oh, please! Come, come, follow me to the kids room, they've been anticipating you," she gushed out and I chuckled, feeling warm and less frightened.

We got into the kids room and after lots of greetings, I began my teaching. As the Pack tutor, I taught the infants pub some certain things they need to know about themselves, how they are different from humans and many more.

"How do we know humans when we see them?" Lolita asked and her two siblings nodded their agreement.

These were the beta's children. I smiled at them and squatted to their level.

"Through their scent, you can detect a human," I told them but their expression was looking all confused.

"You will know a human when you see them. Their energy is weak unlike us," I added for more understanding and it was then they changed their countenance.

I continued my teaching until Lolita told me she was in need of water. I looked around the room and saw that there was no water in the bottle they had in the room. When she saw my facial expression, she smiled reassuringly.

"I will go ask mom for water."

"Yeah, sure. I will appreciate it," I said, nodding my head.

It's been over five minutes and Lolita still wasn't back. I was getting worried.

"Where could she have gone to? I thought she only needed water," I said to myself as I gaze at her other siblings who were busy with writing down what I've taught them.

“ Aria?" I called one of them.

"Yes, Miss. Stephanie," she answered.

"Finish up your work and stay back inside, I need to check on your sister," I told her and she nodded her head.

I walked out of the room, following the direction I saw Lolita go through. It was like a dark corridor that led to several chambers.

After checking almost all the nearby chambers and still couldn't find her, I sniffled in the air to catch her scent. That little brat must have lied to me so she could wander off to play.

Her scent wasn't within the first building in the palace. Where the hell did she go?

Without hesitating a bit, I headed for the main door and went toward a lone passage which I guess might lead to another chamber. But that was after I shut the first door to avoid the other kids from coming out too. As soon as I came out, I felt same fearful nostalgia as when I entered the palace.

“ I should have just refused the damn job! If I can't find that little brat, I won't even know how I died,” I muttered, sighing.

I trembled as I took slow steps through the passage, hoping that I would find Lolita as soon as possible so I wouldn't get into trouble but then, her scent seemed to go farther. I became scared.

Her mother wouldn't like it all.

I continued to hurry through the corridor when suddenly I sniffed in a scent. It was a sweet strawberry fragrance, very alluring and it made my body become very active. Before I knew what was happening, I began to trace the scent, damning all consequences.

I went closer to a door that seem to be slightly ajar. Suddenly, a hand gripped me and I saw myself inside another chamber with someone, pinning me aggressively to the wall as the rough hands played all over my body.

Where was I?