CHAPTER THREE

Far beyond the walls of the Alpha's mansion where the world grew quieter and the air still smelled of dew, a lone witch woke to the same dawn.

Her name was Lady Eden. The forest around her cabin was still. She was not old but her hair was grey. Her fingers were long and dirty from years of handling ash.

She rose from her bed and stepped into the circle she had drawn before. Candles, White Chalk, bones, a werewolf skeleton, and a bowl of clean water that reflected her face.

She knelt to do her prayers, waved her hand and the candles lit themselves, she whispered incantations and the air around her felt like danger was lurking. Her hand trembled. The clean water darkened and she saw a vision through the bowl of water. She stumbled back, holding her chest.

“A baby" 

She murmured. “Something has awakened.” she chanted more and deeper and she saw more vision. 

The bowl of water caught fire.

Then came a flash – a woman carrying a baby in her womb, glowing faintly with fire. Wolves burning, witches falling to their knees, supernaturals burning and screaming as they were burned to ashes but she didn't see the woman's face.

“Something is coming,” she said in a more trembling voice. “It grows in the womb of fire. It's going to end us all.” Her body shook violently as she tried to look deeper into the vision, but the moment she did, her eyes bled out. 

Blood ran down her cheek like tears. She screamed and slammed her palm against the floor breaking the connections. The fire in the bowl of water went out instantly. Only her intense breathing remained. She stared at her trembling hands.

“Someone has broken the balance. If this child is born we will all burn.” She reached for the bowl of salt on her table and cast it into the air trying to cleanse the vision but the air still felt dark and unmoved.

The night came, the Zerok family private property sat on the edge of the forest – old and private. It held all their family's secrets. 

 Alpha had two half-brothers. They are of the same father but not of the same mother. Alpha and his two half-brothers always gathered there whenever they needed to present a united front to the outside world, especially at the council meetings even when they could barely stand each other's scent. They would never attend any council meeting alone, they always went together to let the other packs and council members know that their family bond is unbreakable. They never visited each other. That's why they rendezvous at the family's private estate property. 

Kael and his wife were the first ones to arrive. He never liked being kept waiting – certainly not by the Alpha. Dressed in his black tailored suits, he paced near the windows watching the moonlight and the polished cars in the driveway. 

He checked his wristwatch for the third time. Irritated. “He's late again,” he muttered, glancing towards the massive wooden door that hadn't opened over an hour ago.

His wife Malory sat near the grand piano, her legs elegantly crossed, scrolling through her phone as if she were bored at a funeral she didn't want to attend. “He enjoys it – making us wait. He likes making an entrance “ she didn't look up. “

Kael Scoffs while pacing. “Typical Killian. I really don't have time for this.”

Malory looked up and said “I guess it's his favourite form of dominance ever since he lost the ability to shift into a wolf “ 

Kael gave a low chuckle “You think it makes him feel powerful?”

“Power has to be seen, Kael and he is desperate for everyone to keep seeing it,” she said coolly. 

“We've all gone crazy following an Alpha without a wolf. What kind of Alpha gives up his wolf simply because he couldn't handle guilt?” Kael stopped pacing and looked towards his younger brother Dante.

Dante was lounging on the far side of the room. Quiet, calm. And disinterested, he had been flipping through the pages of a worn out book the whole time, enjoying a glass of whisky, ignoring them. 

Dante is the calm one among the three brothers but he is also a man who can burn the whole world down if he chooses to but he wants nothing to do with the werewolf hierarchy. His posture is lazy but yet he is very strong.

“Dante” 

Kael called with irritation “You've been sitting there long enough like a corpse, don't you have anything to say?”

Dante’s gaze was still on the book, and he sipped his drink from the other hand. “About Killian being late? He's always late, you are always angry and Malory is always talking. Nothing is new.” 

Malory adjusted her fur coat. “None of you ever listens.”

Kael shot a look at his wife then looked back at Dante. “You think pretending like you don't care about all of this makes you look cool?”

Dante rolled his eyes. “You crave the Alpha's seat so much, it's eating you alive.”

Kael laughed “ I crave for balance brother, a leader who can actually lead properly, someone who's not a walking corpse. An Alpha who can't even shapeshift should at least show up on time.” 

Dante shrugged his shoulders “he may have lost his wolf but the pack would literally die for him. He's got loyalists who would sacrifice everything for him. You've seen it. So quit blabbing and make yourself useful."

Kaels expression darkened “They'd die because they fear him, That's not loyalty, that's control, He's weak."

Malory sighs “You might as well get them to fear you too.”

Kael turned sharply towards her “Careful now Malory."

Dante watched them from his seat unimpressed. “You two need therapy.“

Malory ignored them, moving toward the window, she saw headlights in the distance and the engine rumbled. The Alpha's convoy rolled into the compound. “He's here,” she said, voice dropping. 

Immediately both men straightened. Kael exhaled “Finally.“ 

Dante shut his book and gulped down the remaining whisky. “It's show time.”

The door opened and the Alpha walked in. He didn't apologise for being late, he never did.

“Hello brothers, Malory.” He simply said with one hand in his pocket. 

Kael forced a smile “Brother, we were starting to think you forgot about the council meeting today.“ 

“Kael, wipe that fake smile off your face.” He said calmly. 

Kael smirked almost like he expected that response. “The council is waiting.” 

No matter their opinions or grudges,  

In front of the world, they stood united. They would never let the council see division. That was a rule.

Dante stood up now, slipped his hand into his pocket. “Anyway,” he said slowly and unbothered. “It's what we always do. Let the council see us together – united even if it's for a show”

Kael fixed his gaze on the Alpha “Well we wouldn't want them thinking the great Zerok brothers can't keep to time.”

The Alpha was already walking towards the door. “Let's go” he turned towards the door and they followed behind him.

The Zerok brothers' convoy drove through the forest road, three cars, all moving in perfect sync. 

The brothers and Malory rode inside Alpha's executive black luxury van – armoured and tinted so deeply. The interior and seats were arranged like a private jet cabin, facing each other.

The brothers sat facing each other, and Malory lounged at Kael's side. No one spoke. Alpha didn't like small talk.

Then–

“Ping.”

The sound of a text message dropped, cutting through the quietness.

Alpha Killian slipped his hand into his breast pocket and pulled out his phone. He glanced through the screen and opened the new message from Onika.

Onika

“She's gone. The girl escaped.”

Alpha's eyes looked so mad, he gripped the phone tightly “stop the car” he said calmly but the car didn't stop maybe the driver thought he misheard. 

“I said stop the car now!”