The Fate of the Alpha's Orphaned Daughter

Daisy Louise Harmony Thompson POV (Name given as part of Witness Protection program)

"Hi, welcome to Sneakz Burger Emporium. I'm Daisy. How can I help you today?" I spoke through the mic of the drive-through headset.

"Ah yeah, can I please have one of your Sneakz Classic Sizzle Steak Burgers?" A woman's voice came back through the headset's earpiece.

"Sure can. Which sauce would you like on your Sneakz Classic Steak Burger?" I replied.

"Ah, now that's tough, as I've never been here before. What would you recommend?" The woman spoke again.

"Although it does depend on your personal preferences, if it were for myself, I would most likely go for Uncle Mateo's Secret Sauce. However, this sauce has three versions: light and tangy, mild, and hot. Any of these can make the burger taste different. Since it's your first time here, I recommend you try the light and tangy." I reply.

That's when a male voice chimes in through the mic, "What's the Volcanic Sauce like?"

I had groaned internally, knowing all too well where this was heading because it was hardly ever sold to anyone. Besides, it's more suited to were-beast than humans, not to say that they can't handle it. It's just that they are more likely to end up hospitalised from the Volcanic Sauce and then try to blame us for selling it to them, even though we go out of our way to warn customers against it beforehand.

This is also because, in some rare cases, the sauce can be fatal to humans, and a family tried to sue the company over it. However, all of our drive-through conversations are recorded for training and customer quality purposes, and the warning is written on the top right-hand corner of the drive-through menu to cover us in those moments.

I had to do my best to compose myself for the very conversation that was about to happen. I knew I had to explain why I hadn't suggested the Volcanic Sauce as a potential option; I was ready to face-palm, knowing how this would go.

"Sir, the Volcanic Sauce option wouldn't be a choice that I would generally suggest to anyone…" I paused to what humans would call to take a breath, but I used the second to sniff the air, and I looked back at Uncle Mateo, who was doing the same thing; as I looked at him, I could tell he couldn't smell anything that suggested that the male voice had come from a were-creature of any species. Still, some use masking sprays to hide their scent for one reason: common for wolves on the run or who had to be hidden like me. As I began again, "… as it isn't for the faint of heart and has been known to hospitalise and even can be fatal to people in rare cases. Reasons vary from case to case, but most range from being too spicy for the person's digestive system to having an allergic reaction due to one or more of the ingredients that make up the sauce. I would advise against trying that one, but if you were to go for it, I would have to advise the kitchen to only put a small amount of the Volcanic Sauce on the burger for your safety. Or the other option is that we could put it into a container on the side so that you can test your tolerance first. Then, you can add it to the burger as you see fit. This is only a recommendation at the end of the day, as I don't know how well you tolerate spicy foods normally, so at the end of the day, it's your call." I replied softly and tried to let out the breath I was holding, knowing it wouldn't come out until I knew his answer.

I wasn't sure if it would be my lucky day, but the woman's voice made a weird noise and said, "Ah, give us a moment, deary. We need to think about what sauce to use for a second."

"No worries at all. Let me know when you're ready to finish making your order," I said once more before turning off the mic on the end of my headset. The breath that I was holding only half came out, as it seemed to know that this wasn't the end of the conversation regarding the Volcanic Sauce; however, for the moment, there was at least a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel—well, I can only hope there was.

For some unknown reason, our warning about the sauce was like some weird dare to try it and disregard the warnings completely, like the cartoons I had seen growing up in the human world, where there is a warning label not to push the red button. Still, the cartoon character feels compelled to push it to discover what will happen if they do, which usually means 99% doom to everything around them.

I could have sworn I heard a growl from a were-beast coming from the other end of the headset. I know the growl didn't come from the woman in the car, as it wasn't a female growl. Also, humans don't growl, and I could smell her as a human, so it was easy to rule her out.

'Nah, can't be. Come on, you're just hearing things. You are still on edge after that rogue wolf came into the diner three weeks ago and said weird things about your late father's old pack and something regarding a rogue Alpha, rogue king, or something along those lines.' I tried to swallow my thoughts and feelings, but I subconsciously took my wolf pendant between my thumb and index fingers. Something I was told never to do, as someone might work out who I am and what the pendant meant.

Luckily, that rogue wolf was high on ice, so once Uncle Mateo's security restrained him and removed him from prying eyes, Alpha Logan Diamond's men came and took him. He went to Alpha Logan's pack, as it was the closest pack to the human territory to where this Burger joint stands, which rogues should know better if they were hunters, let alone go near unless they were clean and on their best manners. Especially one that borders on another pack's territory.

I had to breathe, calm, and compose myself, but when I looked at Uncle Mateo's face, I knew I wasn't hearing things. His wolf, Sneakz, was trying to get out and deal with the situation; after all, he had been my protector for as long as I could remember. I also had to hand over the headset to another female staff member and head into the stockroom, which hid a special safe room in case the wolf was there for me.

But now, other members of Uncle Mateo's security had also been quick to move, and one of them was a female trained to work as a staff member who was the one to take my place in these situations.

Her name is Millie. She looks and sounds similar to me, so most people hardly notice, but she knows just what to say if, by some chance, they do realise the difference. However, a were-beast most likely will, but the differences are barely noticeable to a human.

That's when the front doorbell went off; as customers entered the door, it was none other than Alpha Maison without his twin brother, Alpha Jackson and their Alpha unit. Great, that's one more problem we don't need right now. Alpha Maison is the eldest of Alpha Logan's sons, and since both Maison and Jackson are twins, they are the heirs of the pack that I happen to have to live in with my adoptive human parents and Uncle Mateo. Which is meant to be for my protection, so I have been told by just about everyone. I wondered if my day could worsen when I noticed Maison watching me. His unit must have seen it because they began to make fun of him. This allowed me to get to my safe room in the diner, where I was closely followed by one of Uncle Mateo's guards.

"GROWL," roared from outside the diner.

'What the hell is going on? Has someone found me?' The thought that ran through me, along with fear, seemed to get Maison's attention. I have no idea why, though he hated me for some reason. 'No, it's nothing. He probably also heard growls from outside, which got his attention.'

My safe room also had cameras and an alarm, so I knew what was happening outside. This was so my guard, and I knew if and when it was safe to come out, and if the sh*t hit the fan, we were to take the hidden passage back to Alpha Logan's pack from a panel only I knew about besides Alpha Logan and Uncle Mateo.

Although Uncle Mateo trusted his guards, he knew he could only trust them to a point. Each of them had been a rogue at some point in their lives, either exiled, on the run or even just liked living independently from pack life for one reason or another.

Also, Uncle Mateo knew that those who had been a rogue from one point in their life were easier to turn for the right price if it meant they could live another day. Like most humans, rogues could be easily swayed by money, or for some rogues, being offered a chance to join a pack after exile would be more than enough to get them to do something they normally wouldn't do.

That is not to say that rogues aren't nice people. Most generally are nice people; they have had a hard life, either growing up or after being kicked out of their old pack. And for many of them, it isn't their fault. However, that's all hearsay, as we rarely get the whole story from either party for varying reasons.

Alpha Maison and his Alpha unit took their seats, pretending nothing was happening. However, it wasn't unusual to hear growls this close to the Moon Diamond pack; regardless, this was considered human territory.

I stood at the main counter as Mille had taken the drive-thru headset just in case. Alpha Maison watched me from his seat at the dinner. His Beta Dean noticed, giving me a smirk that could only mean one thing: I was going to get yet another round of the stray is in town comments.

Delta Carter and Gamma Tristan seemed to be up for their usual banter.

Beta Dean noticed Maison watching me as usual, "Dude, if I didn't know you better, I'd say you were attracted to that weirdo." He teased.

"Yeah, man. You've been watching her like a hawk for weeks now," Gamma Tristan added, his voice carrying just enough to reach my ears. I pretended not to hear, busying myself and wiping down the spotless counter.

Alpha Maison growled low enough that humans wouldn't hear, but my enhanced senses picked it up clearly. "Shut it. I'm just doing my job."

"Your job doesn't include staring at the human girl's *ss every time she turns around," Delta Carter snickered, earning himself a sharp elbow from Maison.

I felt heat rise to my cheeks despite myself. The fact that they thought I was just some oblivious human girl was keeping me safe. Everything would fall apart if they knew who I was—Marabelle Daisy Graystone. The pendant felt heavy against my chest, and I resisted the urge to touch it again.

Uncle Mateo appeared from the kitchen, his limp more pronounced when stressed. He carried a tray of burgers directly to Maison's table.

"Gentlemen," he said with his practised jovial restaurant-owner voice. "Special order for our favourite customers. On the house today."

Maison's eyes narrowed slightly. "That's generous of you, Mateo."

"Not at all. You boys keep this area safe. Least I can do."

The tension between them was subtle but unmistakable. Uncle Mateo had never explained why Alpha Maison disliked me so intensely, but the feeling was mutual. Something about him set my nerves on edge, like my wolf could sense a threat my human side couldn't identify.

Through the window, I spotted the car from the drive-through pulling around to the front parking lot instead of collecting their order. The hair on the back of my neck stood up.

"Incoming," I muttered under my breath, knowing Uncle Mateo would hear.

The door chimed as a petite blonde woman entered, followed by a tall man with sunglasses despite the cloudy day. The scent hit me immediately—wolf, but with something chemical layered over it—a masking agent, just as I'd suspected.

Alpha Maison and his unit tensed immediately, their casual postures shifting subtly into defensive stances. The atmosphere in the diner thickened with supernatural awareness.

"Welcome to Sneakz," I called out with fake cheerfulness. "Can I help you?"

The woman smiled too widely. "We changed our minds about drive-through. Thought we'd come in instead."

"Of course," I replied, keeping my voice steady despite my racing heart. "Your order will be right up."

The man with sunglasses hadn't spoken, but his head turned slowly, scanning the restaurant until his gaze landed on me. Even through the dark lenses, I could feel the intensity of his stare.

"You know," he finally said, voice rough with a growl underneath, "you remind me of someone that is meant to be long dead. The night that the Blue Moon pack fell."

The moment the words left his mouth, everything seemed to freeze. Uncle Mateo dropped a plate with a crash that shattered the silence. Alpha Maison was on his feet instantly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor.

My heart hammered in my chest, but years of training kept my expression neutral. "I think you have me confused with someone else," I said evenly, though my fingers trembled slightly as I reached for the register. "Your total is $12.45."

The man's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Maybe. Or maybe Marabelle Daisy Graystone isn't as dead as the world believes."

The name hit me like a physical blow. I hadn't heard it spoken aloud in years—not my true name or identity.

Uncle Mateo moved with surprising speed for someone with a limp, positioning himself between me and the strangers. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"We're just having a friendly conversation," the woman said, her innocent tone belied by the predatory gleam in her eyes. "About old pack histories. Fascinating stories, don't you think?"

Alpha Maison was suddenly beside me, his presence both irritating and oddly reassuring. "This is Moon Diamond territory," he growled, dropping all pretence. "You weren't invited."

The man removed his sunglasses, revealing yellow eyes with vertical pupils—not wolf at all. "We're just passing through, Alpha. No need for hostilities." His gaze flicked to me again. "Just curious about certain... rumours."

My fingers found my pendant without conscious thought. The moonstone eye seemed to pulse warmly against my skin.

"There are no rumours worth discussing," Maison said coldly. "And that sauce you were asking about? It's not on the menu today."

Beta Dean, Delta Carter, and Gamma Tristan had fanned out, effectively blocking the exits. The few human customers in the restaurant seemed oblivious to the supernatural standoff, chatting and eating as if nothing was happening.

The man's nostrils flared. "I can smell her, you know. Even through that clever concoction she bathes in. Blood calls to blood."

Uncle Mateo's hand slipped beneath his apron, where I knew he kept a silver-edged blade. "Last warning."

The woman sighed dramatically. "So territorial. Fine, we'll go." She turned to me with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "But we'll see you again, Daisy. Or should I say—"

"Out," Maison snarled, his eyes flashing gold for a split second. "Now."

The pair backed toward the door, the man's eyes never leaving mine. "The rogue Alpha sends his regards," he said softly. "He's been looking for the one that he had chosen to be his for a very long time. Especially after we tested the blood of the one that was dressed as Alpha Matthew and Luna Elena Graystone's daughter and sister of their Alpha Kenneth Arthur Graystone."

The door chimed as they left, but the tension in the room remained, thick and suffocating.

"Everyone alright?" Uncle Mateo asked, his eyes never leaving the door even after they'd gone.

I couldn't speak. My throat had closed up, and I felt the room spinning around me. The rogue Alpha. Blood tests. Someone pretending to be me. It was too much.

"Get her to the safe room," Maison ordered, his voice cutting through my panic. "Now."

Uncle Mateo nodded, his hand firmly on my elbow as he guided me toward the back. The customers remained blissfully unaware, the glamour spell woven into the restaurant's foundations ensuring they saw nothing but normal fast-food interactions.

"I'll check the perimeter," Beta Dean said, already moving toward the door.

"I don't understand," I finally managed once we were in the corridor leading to the safe room. "How could they know? We've been so careful."

Maison followed us, his presence making the narrow hallway feel even smaller. "Someone's talking. Someone who knows your real identity."

"That's impossible," Uncle Mateo argued. "Only a handful of people know she's alive, and none of them would betray her."

The safe room door closed behind us with a heavy thud. The space was small but secure—reinforced walls, no windows, multiple escape routes. I'd spent more hours here than I cared to admit over the years.

"They mentioned a blood test," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "They said they tested someone pretending to be me."

Maison's jaw tightened. "The body double."

"What body double?" I demanded, suddenly angry. "What aren't you telling me?"

Uncle Mateo sighed heavily, sinking into one of the chairs. "When your parents were killed, we needed the world to believe you died too. A young she-wolf volunteered to take your place."

"Someone died in my place?" Horror washed over me. "All this time, I thought—"

"It was necessary," Maison cut in. "For your protection."

I rounded on him. "Don't you dare talk to me about protection. You've hated me from the moment you met me."

Something flashed in his eyes—not anger, but something more complex. "I don't hate you."

"Could have fooled me," I spat back.

"This isn't helping," Uncle Mateo interrupted. "If they've confirmed the body wasn't yours, they'll be looking harder now. We need to move you."

I clutched my pendant, feeling the familiar warmth pulse through my fingers. "I'm tired of running. I'm tired of hiding. Who is this rogue Alpha? What does he want with me?"

Maison and Uncle Mateo exchanged a look that made my stomach drop.

"Tell me," I demanded. "I deserve to know."

"Daisy—" Uncle Mateo began.

"My name is Marabelle," I said firmly. "If they already know I'm alive, then I think you owe me at least that much."

"I think you both owe Jackson and me an explanation." Maison's voice cut back in with his usual cold tone.

Uncle Mateo nodded, "But not here, unlock the escape passage."

I pressed my palm against the hidden scanner disguised as a brick in the wall. The passage door slid open with a soft hydraulic hiss, revealing a narrow corridor lit by motion-activated lights.

"This way," I said, leading them into the escape tunnel. The passage sealed behind us, the sound of heavy bolts sliding into place echoing in the confined space.

The tunnel smelled of earth and magic—a subtle enchantment woven through the foundations to mask our scents and presence from any supernatural trackers. Uncle Mateo had shown me this route during my first week at Sneakz, making me memorise every turn and exit point until I could navigate it blindfolded.

"Your pack secured these tunnels decades ago," Uncle Mateo explained to Maison as we walked. "Before your father became Alpha."

Maison's footsteps were nearly silent behind us. "That doesn't explain why my brother and I were kept in the dark about her true identity."

"Need-to-know basis," Uncle Mateo replied tersely. "Your father's orders."

"I'm his heir," Maison growled. "There's nothing I don't need to know about pack security."

I spun around, nearly colliding with his chest. "Maybe he didn't trust you. Can't say I blame him."

Maison's eyes flashed dangerously. "You know nothing about my relationship with my father."

"And you know nothing about me," I shot back. "Yet you've judged me since day one."

"Children," Uncle Mateo sighed, pushing between us. "Save the bickering for when we're not in immediate danger."

We continued in tense silence, the tunnel gradually sloping upward. After about fifteen minutes of walking, we reached a junction with three separate paths.

"Which way?" Maison asked.

Uncle Mateo pointed to the rightmost tunnel. "This leads to the pack compound. The left goes to the old hunting cabin by Silver Lake. The middle one connects to the interstate rest stop."

"The cabin," I said immediately. "We can regroup there before deciding our next move."

Maison frowned. "The compound would be safer."

"The compound would be the first place they'd look," I countered. "And I'm not putting the entire pack at risk."

Something shifted in Maison's expression—a flicker of surprised respect, perhaps. He nodded curtly. "The cabin, then."

As we moved through the left tunnel, Uncle Mateo pulled out his phone. "No signal down here. We'll need to contact Jackson and your father once we surface."

"Uncle Mateo," I said quietly, "you still haven't answered my question. Who is this rogue Alpha, and what does he want with me?"

The silence stretched between us, broken only by our footsteps and the distant drip of water somewhere in the tunnels.

"His name is Viktor Bloodmoon," Maison answered when it the name brought a flash back from my memories.

When I was younger, Viktor Bloodmoon used to be one of my brother Kenny's closest friends from Alpha Boarding School. He was the son of Alpha Dominick Bloodmoon and his heir. I was younger than Kenny and had only met Viktor once in my life. I was sketching in the rose garden of our pack house. I was what, 12 at the time.

I remember that day vividly—Viktor found me there, his shadow falling across my sketchbook.

"So this is the little princess I've heard so much about," he had said, his voice surprisingly gentle for someone so imposing. He couldn't have been more than eighteen, but already he carried himself with the confidence of an Alpha.

I'd looked up, squinting against the sun behind him. "I'm not a princess."

His laugh had been warm then, nothing like the monster Uncle Mateo's expression now suggested he'd become. "Of course not. You're a future Luna, which is far more powerful."

The memory sent a chill down my spine. "Viktor Bloodmoon," I repeated. "The one who came to our pack house that summer."

Uncle Mateo stumbled slightly, his limp more pronounced with fatigue. "You remember him?"

"Just once. In the garden." I swallowed hard. "What happened to him? How did he become a rogue Alpha?"

Maison's jaw tightened. "Five years after visiting your pack, he challenged his father for leadership. When he lost, instead of accepting his place, he killed his father in his sleep. Broke every pack law there is."

"He was exiled," Uncle Mateo continued, his voice hollow. "But instead of disappearing, he started building his own pack—recruiting rogues, outcasts, anyone with a grudge against the established order."

The tunnel began to brighten as we approached the exit. Maison moved ahead, checking for any sign of danger before motioning us forward.

"But what does he want with me?" I pressed as we emerged into the basement of the hunting cabin.

Maison and Uncle Mateo exchanged another look, and my patience snapped.

"Stop doing that! I'm not a child anymore. If my life is in danger, I deserve to know why."

Maison secured the hidden door behind us before turning to face me. His expression wasn't cold or dismissive for once—it was grave.

"Before your parents died, there was talk of strengthening alliances between the major packs," he said carefully. "Your father and Viktor's father had discussed the possibility of..."

"An arranged mating," Uncle Mateo finished when Maison hesitated. "Between you and Viktor."

The floor seemed to tilt beneath me. "What? I was a child!"

"Not for immediate effect," Uncle Mateo clarified quickly. "A future arrangement, to be fulfilled when you come of age. But nothing was ever formalised. Your father was considering it, but your mother was against it. She sensed something... wrong about Viktor."

"Luna Elena always had excellent instincts," Maison added quietly.

I sank onto a dusty chair, trying to process this revelation. "So Viktor thinks I'm his... what? His promised mate?"

"In his twisted mind, yes," Uncle Mateo said. "When your family was killed, we made sure the world believed you died with them."

"But you just said there was a body double," I whispered, horror spreading through me. "Someone actually died in my place."

Uncle Mateo's eyes clouded with old grief. "Her name was Leila. She was a distant cousin of your mother's, similar in colouring and scent. She volunteered knowing the risks."

"Viktor's attack wasn't random," Maison continued, pacing the small basement. "It was calculated. He wanted to eliminate your family and claim you in the chaos."

My fingers clutched the wolf pendant so tightly that the edges bit into my palm. "This makes no sense. If he wanted me, why kill my family?"

"Because your brother was next in line to be Alpha," Uncle Mateo explained gently. "And your parents would never have allowed the mating. With them gone and you isolated..."