Gianna

There is no better feeling than running through the woods with the wind in my fur. I’m proud to be a Zidiahan wolf; I’m proud to be Gianna Astoni.

I come from a well-off family, my father is a senior guard in the King’s Army, and my mother is a pack doctor. Mum isn’t stationed in one place, however, though she works closely with Toby. Toby is the personal doctor of the Royal family.

Mum travels to nearby packs when called up, which she is a lot of the time. My mother is a fantastic doctor, and everyone loves her.

My sister, Isabella, or Bella as she’s known, is my best friend. It sounds weird to some that my twenty-five-year-old sister is my best friend, but it’s the truth.

Bella was born three years before me and loved me from the moment I was born. Bella never went anywhere without me, and never was she jealous as some siblings can be when a new baby comes along.

Bella took care of me during my first transformation at the age of fifteen, and we love running through the forest together.

Bella is a warrior and works alongside our father. She’s fierce and powerful and everything a she-wolf should be. She’d make a wonderful Luna one day; her dominance is something all bow down to.

Me, on the other hand, I work with my mother. I’m a healer, and I practice the old ways when it comes to medicine. We wolves have ancient traditions and medications that most have given up on, thanks to the art of time and science.

Mother believes that I waste my time with it all, but I love it, and I won’t give it up any time soon.

Why should I when there’s so much to learn?

I love learning new things; my brain is that of a sponge, constantly soaking up information.

‘Keep up, slowpoke!’ Clover, Bella’s wolf, laughs through our sibling mind-link.

Lyra, my wolf, chuckles as she takes off after Clover.

We shouldn’t be out in the forest at this late hour. Our parents would throw a fit; they’re too overprotective of us.

They have no reason to be; we’re in our twenties and plenty capable of taking care of ourselves. But Bella and I are their only children, and they worry about us, even if it is unnecessary.

They won’t find out that we’re in the forest, they’re out for date night, and Bella and I know to be careful.

Zidiah is a prominent place and has many packs outside of the capital. If you aren’t Royal, trespassing on territory that isn’t your own could lead to terrible things.

We could be killed or taken prisoner. I don’t know which is worse, but I do know that I don’t wish to find out any time soon.

I notice Clover running closer to the border.

The border of where?

I can’t tell in the dark. I do know that we shouldn’t be here, however. Sure, Bella can take care of herself and me; she’s a trained warrior. I’m no shrinking violet myself, but that’s not to say Bella and I go looking for trouble.

‘Clover!’ My wolf yells into our mind-link.

She stops and turns to my wolf. Clover, a large black and tan wolf, trots over and nudges my snout with her own. 

‘Let’s get out of here,’

‘I’m sorry, Lyra, I didn’t realise how far I’d run.’

A rustling in the trees has my wolf whimpering. Nothing good can come of us being here.

Lyra tips her head for Clover to run ahead. Yes, she’s older and more experienced in fighting, but I’m incredibly protective of my sister. To lose her would be to lose myself.

“Now, what do we have here?”

‘Clover, take Bella and run!’ My wolf calls to Clover.

‘I’m not leaving you,’

‘I’ll be right behind you, I promise. He can’t chase both of us, so go!’

She hesitates for a moment; Bella is trying to push forward and protect me. Bella would never leave me here, but her wolf listens to mine usually.

Clover’s slight hesitance allows the rogue to stalk closer to her. Lyra charges at him, snapping at his ankle, and he turns, red eyes burning like fire.

Lyra screams for Clover to run, and she finally does, leaving my wolf to escape the rogue.

“You want to play, little one?” The rogue smirks. “Let’s play.”

Lyra turns and runs as fast as possible; the rogue, now in wolf form, chases us.

Lyra runs into the territory we tried to stop Clover from entering. There are guards positioned everywhere, and each one aims their gun at Lyra.

If only I could tell them that we are no threat.

A-ROO-OOO!

The rogue howls so loudly, Lyra instantly crash to the floor in fright. She lies on her belly as bullets fly from guns in all directions.

I hear them hit their target, and Lyra chances a peek behind us. The rogue is definitely dead; the thing is riddled with silver bullet holes.

Lyra gets up and stands on all four paws, watching as the rogue slowly transforms back into human form.

From the light of the packhouse behind us, we can see his dark skin and the muscles he was packed with. Lyra shivers and pulls her subconscious back, leaving mine to push forward in wolf form.

‘Thanks a lot, you coward!’

“Who the hell are you, and what are you doing on my territory?” The Alpha! “Shift, and show yourself!”

I don’t know which pack territory I’m on, but I’m not staying here so the Alpha can tear me apart. I turn tail and run for my life. I hear the Alpha curse before chasing me.

I don’t want to die here; I want to go home. I need to make sure Bella made it back safely. But I don’t know how I’m supposed to outrun an Alpha!

If only Lyra had kept form, she’d be able to run faster than I can. Goddess, my wolf, can be worse than a coward sometimes when it comes to Alphas anyway.

Suddenly, the most oversized silver wolf I have ever seen – possibly seven feet tall on all fours lands in front of me. It must have jumped over my head, and my wolf howls in fear.

The wolf shifts, and standing in front of me, naked, is the Alpha. Tall, handsome, and built like a God and covered in tattoos. Across the top of his chest and his arms anyway. He looks familiar, but I’m too scared to acknowledge what I know deep down.

“When I tell you to shift, you shift, little girl.”

My wolf whimpers, stepping back. But Lyra can’t run, and nor can I because wolves suddenly surround us. Each one growls, teeth bared, and ready to pounce should their Alpha demand it.

“You have five seconds. Either shift, or I’ll force you to shift.”

What choice do I have?

With a sigh, Lyra retreats fully, and I take over our body.

Once in human form, I sit on my arse, knees against my chest, and my arms wrapped around them. As most wolves are, I’m not comfortable with my own nudity the way this man so obviously is.

Though now, as I look at him through my lashes, I can see that he’s gotten dressed in jeans and nothing else. I don’t know where he got them from; I’m just glad that he’s covered his lower half. He’s a big boy in every area of his body, and seeing his huge dick made me shiver.

The Alpha walks closer, sniffing the air. He crouches down in front of me and forces my head up with his fingers beneath my chin. His pupils dilate, and my body shudders.

“What’s your name?”

“Gi – Gianna.” I stammer.

The Alpha sniffs me again before growling, “Mate!”

“No!” I yell without moving.

This can’t be happening; this man cannot be my mate!

But the truth is, I feel it in my bones. The Alpha of this pack is my mate, and there’s no getting away from it.

“Please, I just want to go home.” I implore, hoping he’ll take pity on me and let me go.

But he smirks while cocking his head to the side. “You are home, little wolf.”

I whimper as he snaps his fingers, takes a t-shirt from someone near him, and drags it over my head.

I don’t fight back when he grabs my right arm and forces it into the sleeve before doing the same with the left. Then, he picks me up bridal style and begins walking towards his packhouse.

“Please, let me go.”

“Not a chance, little wolf. You’re mine now; there is no escape. Try, and I’ll find you, and you don’t want to know what I’ll do if that happens.”

I shudder with fear. “But my parents and sister will be wondering where I am.”

“They’ll be informed of your whereabouts. This is not up for discussion, Gianna,”

The authority in his tone has me clamping my mouth shut. I am terrified right now, and I don’t know how the hell I’m going to get out of this.

I do not want this man as my mate; I don’t know anything about him. I don’t give a damn about biology or the mate bond; I want to go home!

No matter what I have to do, I will get out of here.