Chapter 1 : Alpha Archer

Archer 

"I'm sorry, Archer. I don't think I can help you with this", Zion, the last person I could rely on, has given his verdict since he had been working with the council for decades now. 

"You're one of the important members of the council, Zion", my voice is buzzing against my throat as I try to keep any kind of anger and frustration to myself. 

"I am. But it has nothing to do with the decisions we have to make. You're one of my favourite students, Archer. And trust me, my heart goes for you", his voice is full of sympathy that I don't even need right now. "But I can't be unfair to my job. I can't be unfair to the packs which are more capable than yours. But I hope—"

"You may leave, Zion. Thanks for your time", frustrated, I get off the chair and surge towards the giant window of my office. 

Zion doesn't try to take the conversation further as I hear his footsteps towards the door. The door smashes shut, snuffing out my last chance to protect my pack. 

It's been seven years since I was crowned as the Alpha king of my pack. My father assigned me to be the most powerful Alpha in our region, someone who could protect his pack at all costs, set examples, fight foes, and be the best version of myself in difficult circumstances. 

I barely stayed home. My entire childhood was spent in camps to train myself, to push myself until my body breaks to take any kind of pain, and to overcome the fear of death. 

I thought I was ready to live up to the expectations of the elders— especially my father. 

But as soon as I ascended to the throne, the years of labour and dedication began to crumble. I have been battling for years to keep my pack safe despite all of my efforts. 

"Alpha!" Hayden, my beta speaks, entering the cabin. "Alpha Dorian and other elders are waiting for you"

A sigh of disappointment escapes my mouth as I clear my throat. My skin begins to throb as my wolf shows signs of my pressure.

Another day. And another moment of disappointment is waiting for me. 

I surge towards the door and make my way to the last floor. 

* 

As I reach the last floor of the pack office and enter my grandfather's cabin, I find everyone gathered over there. 

My father, my two uncles along with a few of the elders from the pack authority and a few others. They are all eyeing me with another glimmer of expectations.

"What did Zion say?" my grandfather asks.

I avoid eye contact with him. "He can't do anything about it"

The entire cabin falls silent as I feel the air becoming heavy with yet more dismal news from me. 

I feel nothing but shame. 

"How could he even do something when our most capable Alpha king is unable to do anything?" my dirtyhole-mouthed stepbrother spits, sending a jolt of anger through my veins as I shoot him a scorching glare.

His silent smirk is laced with a hint of malice. Raymond never leaves a single opportunity to put me down. Of course, he dares do it in front of the elders. 

That coward never runs his shitty mouth when he has no one to protect him from me after I punched him to death a few years ago.

"Raymond!" Dad scoffs. "This is not the time for any blame game"

"And you clearly know that this issue is genetic. There's nothing Archer can do about it", Lucia's sharp voice comes in my defence as I let out a sigh of frustration about this stupid argument between them again. 

"Huh! You're surely gonna cover up for your fiance, Lucia. But this is the freaking truth. Wait for the day your father will break your alliance with an unsuccessful Alpha", Reymond blurts out.

"That's not going to happen", she fires back, coming beside me and holding my arm. 

"Enough!" Dad howls, silencing both of them. "You think your stupid arguments are helping us either way? If this is how you're helping us, we don't need you in the meetings anymore. Lucia and Raymond, out right now"

"Don't worry, okay? I'm with you", Lucia caresses my shoulder. I pass her a dead smile. 

Sometimes, she irritates me and sometimes I feel bad for her. I want to tell her that I don't really need her damn support right now because most of the time she just clings to me everywhere I don't even need her, just like this meeting. Support feels good to a point where the person isn't distracting you and bugging you during something important. 

For Lucia, chasing me like a bodyguard in every single place is her duty as a future Luna and that's how she's being the most supportive partner. 

As Lucia and Raymond finally leave the cabin, I loosen myself and walk towards Dad. 

His eyes were once red with rage, but now they are now glinting with helplessness.

"Archer!" he sighs. "Did you see the latest list the council has released?"

Surprised, I shake my head. "New list?"

"Yes, Alpha", Thomas, one of the authority heads says, turning on the invisible monitor. 

The names of the packs gradually appear on the list from number one to thirty. We had slid to the bottom spot a few months ago, and I'm hoping we can go up or at least stay put.

To my horror, we are out of the list. 

"We have slipped out of the list, Archer!" My grandfather scoffs. "You know what that means"

As I tighten my hands, I can feel my wolf pulsing against every inch of my flesh.

I know what that means. 

We're one of the packs abandoned by the council of werewolf packs.  

Years ago, the werewolf community began to show signs of extinction, which prompted the council to select crews to find a cure for this problem. It was announced that the council will not waste its valuable assets and help on the weakest packs that are unable to contribute to the community in any way. 

As the weakest ones were considered the wolfless— the deviants, we removed them from the pack to ensure our spot in the council list. Everything was going great until the birth of deviant pups rapidly increased. 

According to my grandfather, this ratio was never so insanely high. Every pack clinic takes tests of the newborn to ensure their coalition right after their birth which has been easy due to the technologies discovered in the community. 

In the past six years, more than half of the pups were born deviant. The amount rapidly increased. As of now, there hasn't been a single perfect pup in the last ten months which is alarming. 

We have been getting constant warnings from the council to do something about it because they can't help us. 

Now since we have already slipped from the list, we'll be getting no assistance to save the existence of our pack anymore, at least this is what everyone believes.

Not me.

I snatch the remote from Thomas and turn the monitor off. 

"Dad!" I turn to my father who has a defeated look in his eyes. Then I look at every person in the room. "I know it seems to be impossible now. And I have disappointed you all ever since I have been crowned. But I'm not going to give up. I'll find a way out of it. Our pack is going to survive. I promise you that"

* 

Hayden catches me up on the way to my cabin as I get inside the elevator. My head has stopped working as I can't come up with an idea.

"Alpha! I have to discuss something with you", Hayden says.

"Hey!" Lucia appears out of nowhere into the elevator and I can't help rolling my eyes. 

Hayden pauses, passing me a glance, a clear sign that he won't speak in front of Lucia. 

The elevator door closes. 

"What are you still doing here?" I ask her.

"I'm coming with you", she smiles. 

When the elevator door opens, Hayden straight walks to my cabin and I halt near the door with Lucia.

"Lucia, I think you should go now", I tell her straight and her smile fades away. 

"Why?"

"Because you have nothing to do here. You might have your own stuff to do"

"I want to be with you, Archer. I want you to know that you're not alone and I'll always support you"

I inhale deeply to keep up with the annoyance I'm feeling right now. 

"I know that, Lucia. And you know you don't have to be around me all the damn time to prove that", I shrug. 

Her eyes flinch with a trace of ignorance in my words. 

"Okay. Why don't you return to your pack for a while? I have a lot of stuff to do. And you know that your father isn't going to arrange the wedding until my pack is secured", I tell her. "He might not even allow you to marry me anymore"

"My dad doesn't allow me to do anything. I do what I want", anger surges through her voice as she gazes at me, crossing her arms. "I guess you don't like me around you anymore. You can just directly say that. Bye"

The next moment, Lucia is back in the elevator as it closes shut and I let out a sigh of relief, walking back to my cabin. 

"Finally", Hayden sighs too as I shrug, reaching my desk. "So, I have got something, Alpha"

"Just call me Archer, Hayden. No one is around", Hayden has been my friend since childhood and we spent the whole time together in the squad. He's more like a best friend and brother to me which is why I appointed him as my beta and I also don't doubt his capabilities. "So, What did you get?" I ask. 

"Maybe, the last thing that can help us", he tells me. 

My entire focus hastens to him. His confident smile makes me even more hopeful and desperate all of a sudden.

"You heard about the Canis Anatomica Research Pack, didn't you?"

I put a little pressure on my memory. "The only pack which is directly connected to the council? Known for mostly science geeks and research"

"Exactly. I got to know about someone from that pack. There's a female alchemist who's actively working and researching the werewolf genome. Recently, she's been in the news for her research on how to turn deviants into perfect", Hayden says.

"Isn't that impossible?" I groan.

"Well, everyone thought the same thing until she experimented on five females aged from eighteen to twenty. Guess what, they have been successfully turned into perfects. Their wolves have come out", Hayden's voice has pure happiness.

However, on the other hand, my jaw dropped to the floor after hearing the most unbelievable miracle I have ever come across.

"Who's she? Well, who's that wonder?" I exclaim, truly mesmerized.

"Dr. Ruth Solaris"

Ruth Solaris?

I abruptly flinch at that name. Seems like I have heard this name before but I'm not sure where I heard it. 

"Archer?" Hayden's voice brings me out of my thoughts. "You good?"

"Yeah", I shrug. "So, Ruth Solaris. I would like to meet her. I need to meet her, Hayden"

"Yes. We do. I knew you would ask me to do that. So, I have already sent a request for an appointment to her. Hope she responds", Hayden tells me.

All my expectations now lie on Ruth Solaris. My last ray of hope.