Chapter 5

Vincenzo POV

    I’m pacing at the entrance to our territory, waiting for the twenty warriors I sent to Running River Pack to return. It’s been over two weeks since they left to do a simple recon mission. I quickly found out that their mission turned into a small attack when they were spotted and had to defend themselves.

     An attack was never in the plans. I spoke with Alpha Darius, and it seems my Beta, Renz, got carried away in the heat of battle and killed one of their warriors. This is a mess. I explained to Alpha Darius that we received threats from his pack that they would attack us. We both realized that this was all coordinated by The Underground. Alpha Darius explained that they're a rebellious group of wolves in the territory.

   This is not what I need right now. My pack has been doing really well the last couple of years. Our numbers have grown. The design and architecture business has been taking off and creating lots of jobs for our pack members. 

   I need to talk to Renz to figure out what the hell happened out there. Alpha Darius wouldn’t let me speak to any of my warriors while he held them captive. I don’t blame him. I would have done the same, if not worse. I would have killed anyone who attacked my pack. Kill first, ask questions later.

    I see a group of wolves running up to our territory entrance; Renz’s gray and white wolf is in front. As the group approaches, I notice his wolf’s face is scarred and I can only imagine what happened to him. He and the rest of the warriors shift back to their human forms. His piercing green eyes are looking down at the ground. He knows he has messed up…big time.

“Alpha… I… I’m sorry,” he begins to speak. 

   I raise my hand, telling him to stop talking. “Get dressed and let’s meet in my office.” I turn around and make my way deeper into our pack territory, heading for my office at my house.

   “Yes, Alpha,” Renzo says as he bows his head. He and the rest of the warriors find a stash of clothes that we keep hidden in the trees throughout our territory. 

   I enter my home, which I designed myself. It’s a large house with floor-to-ceiling windows everywhere. The windows are all one-way glass, so you can’t see inside. The interior is made up of dark wood and beams. It’s sleek and modern and easy to get out if there’s an emergency.

   I get to my office and sit down at my desk. I run my hands through my long, wavy hair. My sister and I always bicker over who has the best hair- I do. 

   Speak of the devil.

     “Vin! Back so soon! Have Renz and the rest of the warriors returned?” Viviana, my younger sister asks, as she sits on the edge of my desk. I tense up when she shifts my pens and papers out of their spots.

   “They just got back. Renz should be here shortly. I need to find out how a simple recon mission turned into a full-blown attack,” I say as I nudge her off my desk and fix my things. 

   She rolls her eyes at me and simply sits on the other side of my desk. Now her legs are knocking over pictures and moving my computer screen out of the angle I have it set at. 

    “Goddess, Viv! Sit your ass in a chair like a normal person, would you? You’re moving all my things out of place!”

   “Ugh, you’re too tense, big brother. Did your sexual escapades from last night not help with that anxiety that plagues you so much?” she teases while crossing her arms and tilting her head to the side.

   “We are not talking about my nightly activities. You’re too young to discuss such matters,” I dismiss her while I adjust my desk, double-checking the spacing between everything. It needs to be just right.

    “Too young?! I’m twenty-two years old. Perhaps you’re too old to be taking a different lover every night. Maybe it’s time to consider looking for a ma-”

“We are not speaking about that! Now, please, take a seat in a chair, or leave if you cannot act civilized while Renz and I meet!” I cut her off and stand up leaning over my desk, glaring at her. 

   I can feel my anger rising. I hate yelling at my sister, but she loves pushing my buttons. She knows, better than anyone, that the topic of taking a mate is out of the question for me. She knows it’s impossible for me. A knock at the door pulls my focus away from Viv.

   “Sorry, Alpha. I’m here to discuss the Running River Pack mission,” Renz stands in the doorway like a dog waiting to get hit with a newspaper. I would never. I may be ruthless to my enemies, but I would never harm my own pack members.

   “You’re fine, Renz. Vincenzo is just being a bully to me,” Viv says to him as she bats her eyelashes. 

   She’s always had a crush on him. Renz knows better than to mess around with my sister. I’ve done a good job keeping the men of this pack away from her. She is gorgeous, with long, brown hair and bright, blue eyes like mine. No one is good enough for her.

   “Viviana, either sit down and be helpful, or leave,” I do my best not to growl at her, but my sister tests my patience on a daily basis. 

   She huffs and rolls her eyes at me, taking a seat across from my desk. Renz walks in and takes the seat next to her.

   “Oh my Goddess! Renz! What happened to your face?” Viviana exclaims now that she has a closer look at Renz. His face has some pretty nasty scars. The only way to get scars like that would be if his wolf was suppressed and he wasn’t allowed to heal.

    “I killed one of their warriors during the attack and one of their wolves knocked me down and tore my face open. I started to heal, but was immediately restrained with silver and I’m pretty sure they gave me some wolfsbane too,” I can hear him trying to sound impassive like it doesn’t bother him, but I can tell it does. I run my hand through my hair and frown deeply at him.

    “Why was there an attack? This was supposed to be a recon mission,” I ask him as calmly as I can.

   “We were scoping out their territory. Their patrols weren’t too difficult to get around. It was my fault, Alpha. I thought we could send a message to them. I didn’t want to risk another attack. We have been dealing with so many rogue attacks lately. I wanted to show our strength. I told the warriors to attack, but they quickly overpowered us. Fortunately, we didn’t lose anyone. They spared our lives but kept us in their dungeons for a while. They didn’t harm anyone while they held us captive,” Renz explains, keeping his gaze down to the floor. He is new to the Beta role. I can understand his desire to prove himself.

    My former Beta, Alfonso, decided to move back to Italy after he took a chosen mate. Many of the packs back home are struggling to regain normalcy since the plague. Alfonso offered to return to assist with setting up a new pack. I offered any support he may need in the future.

   Renz is one of my strongest fighters and showed an interest in leadership. He’s been my Beta for about a year. He’s still young at twenty-three but eager to prove himself. He has a reputation around the pack for being an asshole and getting into fights, but I see him as being misunderstood. I had hoped by giving him some responsibility and purpose, he would show the pack that he is more than they say he is; he has been doing well.       

   “I see. Well, we can’t undo what’s been done. I have spoken with Alpha Darius and convinced him to visit us after the full moon next week. We have a common enemy in The Underground. We have been a lone pack long enough. It’s time to try and build an alliance,” I say to Renz and Viv as I lean back in my chair.

   “Visitors? How exciting! I’ll get the guest rooms ready!” she says cheerfully as she pops out of her seat.

    “Guest rooms? In my house?” I ask, my brow arching up and a deep frown forming on my face.

   “Yes, you big ogre! What better way to forge an alliance than to invite Alpha Darius into your home? It’s not like we don’t have the space. Will it be just him visiting?” Viviana asks as she bounces on her feet, her hands moving quickly as she speaks. I roll my eyes at her and look over at Renz. He puts his hands up and shakes his head, avoiding any involvement in this discussion. Thanks for nothing.

     “I believe Alpha Darius is bringing his mate and his Gamma, and he said his other lead strategist,” I say quizzically.

   “Oh, his mate! How cute. A Luna will be so nice to meet,” she says practically doing a twirl. She’s always been so bubbly; I can’t help but smile at her.

   “She’s a warrior. And from what I heard while I was there, they are fated mates, Alpha. The first fated mates since the plague,” Renz informs quietly, his green eyes looking straight at me.

   “Fated mates! This is incredible! All the more reason for them to stay here. I’ll have so many questions for her. Vin! This could mean fated mates are back. The Moon Goddess must be blessing us all with fated mates soon!” Viviana looks like she is about to break out into a song if I don’t reel her in. She has always dreamed about falling in love and finding someone special to spend her life with.

    I gave up on that dream long ago.