Chapter Two: Up In Flames

The moment Isla revealed this truth, all I could do was freeze in place in utter fear, watching as my brother and father ran around the house stuffing all these items into two backpacks. Alpha Lucian was a name which made even the toughest of people shudder in fear, not much is known about him or his pack… aside from what they do to others.

The stories and gruesome tales from the small number of survivors of Alpha Lucian all bare the same truth, he is evil, cruel and dangerously deadly, many even say he does not have the capacity to feel emotion, his wolf has taken more control than his human side. His pack filled with the same monstrous members, invade any pack they wish and not only destroy, kill and burn it down… but the Alpha takes immense pleasure in the torture of these innocent people, a dark and deadly smirk on his lips as he watches them die in front of him.

Many people have a variety of theories as to why Alpha Lucian acts in this way and what led to his deadly ways, some people say it was the death of his father when he was young, others declare it was due to some mysterious woman telling the Alpha he would not have a destined mate of his own and he would ultimately, die alone. But one truth is made clear, nobody ever wants to be in the presence of his Alpha and his deadly power.

“W-why is Alpha Lucian coming here?” My timid voice asks after I’d snapped out of my initial shock, Isla still holding so tightly onto my arm with her tears refusing to stop while Jeremy ran in with a torch which is soon shoved into his pocket.

“The Alpha was not clear on those facts when he ordered every pack member to gather at the pack house just before dusk, but from what has been heard from workers inside his home, Heather, the Alpha’s daughter, has somehow been kidnapped by Alpha Lucian.” My father now takes over the explanation handing the bags over to Jeremy but to hear Heather had been kidnapped by that beast, the same shock and worry for her safety clung to my chest, nobody who has been kidnapped by Alpha Lucian has ever been seen again.

“Once the guards who were tasked with protecting Heather returned and explained what had happened, the Alpha contacted Alpha Lucian and begged for his daughter back. In some odd way of fate and something Alpha Lucian has never done; he agreed to hand Heather back to the Alpha but at a cost… he is to trade one of his pack members for her.” My father continued with his haunting retelling of everything which had happened while I was working in the fields alone, but now everyone’s reactions and how they were pulling around their family members made perfect sense.

“With who Alpha Lucian is and what we believe he wants with this pack member, everybody is assuming he’ll want a female in return which is why Isla as a precaution and you Adeline, will head off with Jeremy into the surroundings woods and wait until Alpha Lucian has left.” Father wrapped up his story while pulling Isla out of my hands and wrapping a white shawl like blanket over her body, even though I was absolutely terrified of Alpha Lucian and his ways, leaving here to evade him seemed like the worst idea, which my wolf seemed to agree with.

“We can’t leave! We have to meet the Alpha.” She demanded in my head as though something awful would happen if I didn’t go to stand with the rest of the pack and meet the Alpha.

“But what if we’re found hiding and even after, the Alpha gave us an order to meet him outside of the pack house, we may be punished for not following such orders.” I spoke up as though I wanted to stay here and face the true embodiment of evil, but Jeremy was quick to shake his head pulling out some kind of map.

“Getting punished by our Alpha is much better than being claimed by Alpha Lucian, he’s due to come any minute now, so come on.” Jeremy announced not at all agreeing with my protests and began to push me back out of the house I’d only been inside for a minute.

“What about mother?!” Was my next question as I was pushed past the staircase which led upstairs into her bedroom, I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye!

“Your mother will be fine Adeline; you can tell her all about it after you return home later tonight, now do everything Jeremy tells you to.” My father added continuing to push me out of the door so I arrived outside again, I now understood the feeling in the air full of despair and worry, even though it was a warm summers day, it was as though the area sunk into a cold, almost suffocating darkness.

While my family rushed around the house getting the last things they thought we needed, through the tension and fear which clung in the air and lingered through each person, a hint of sweetness made its way onto my tongue. At first, it was easy to ignore with all that was happening in this moment but with a soft gust of wind, the taste on my tongue seemed to engulf me. Each breath that I would take, that beautiful, mouthwatering smell filled my lungs, my heart not only pumping so hard and loud but my already energised wolf, began to bounce even more in my brain.

“FOLLOW IT!” She demanded excitedly, as though ignoring this smell and getting on with my business was impossible and, in this moment, it felt like it.

Somehow the thoughts which should have been doing laps around my brain due to who was visiting, took a backseat and my only desire screaming through me was to follow wherever this smell was leading me and find whatever was on the other end. Without my mind having the chance to intervene, my legs begin their journey away from my parent's house and deeper into the main section of pack I should be running from.

With each gentle step I’d take, the smell only grew more potent, and my body filled with such adrenaline and energy it was as though I was preparing to run some 100 mile marathon! Even my mind seemed to have switched off in that second, my hands shook with anticipation and my wolf, only bounded even happier in my brain.

The moment I reached the very edge of the main section of the pack and where the Alpha had ordered us all to meet, I couldn’t stop my eyes from scanning the growing crowd of people so frantically, I began to feel dizzy. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be looking for but my heart and wolf wouldn’t allow me to stop. The moment the smell became so strong I thought I’d soon pass out, my eyes finally, land on what, or who they’d been looking for this entire time.

Stood in the front of the growing group of people, alongside our Alpha, Luna, Beta and Heather, who sat in chains on the ground shaking, was a man I’d never met before. His body was huge, even though Alpha’s are meant to be the biggest of all shifters, this man toward over the Alpha and any other person I’d ever seen!

His broad shoulders were held back and covered by a tight and beautifully fitted suit, this not only defining some of his hidden muscles that my body begged to see and even touch, but it allowed such power and authority to radiate from him, even though I stood some considerable feet away from him, I felt that unfiltered and raw power, almost demanding respect from anyone around.

As my eyes climbed higher up this beautifully sculpted body, they linger past his chiseled jawline with some light stubble peaking through his skin that matched his thick midnight black hair, slicked back in such perfect waves, I melted at the sight. But one thing which truly made time stop, was the moment my eyes rested upon his stormy grey ones, so captivating and oddly dark, I couldn’t look away.

The world around us melted instantly, all I wanted to see and all I cared about was this beautiful unknown man and his captivating eyes, even my breathing became slow and even, as though even under his gaze, my body somewhat belonged. I was not the only one of us that seemed to be transported to another dimension, the way his eyes looked into mine and searched them for some hidden answers, he couldn’t look away.

If I thought my wolf was unbearable before, the way she howled so loudly in my mind full of glee and excitement almost gave me a headache, I believe this is who she was begging me to see and after the next sentence left her mouth, I knew why.

“Mate! That’s our mate!” She declared howling even louder, her words leading me to gasp in pure shock as I watched the beauty of this man who for some reason, was my mate.

Even though I knew I was destined to find him, I didn’t think I’d find my mate for some time but here he was, gorgeous as ever standing right in front of me, those luscious lips mine wanted to feel against them more than anything in this world soon uttered his own words of understanding.

“Mine.” His lips muttered and due to how far away he was and the loud commotion happening in front of me, my ears were almost annoyed that they didn’t catch what his voice sounded like.

“Adeline!” A voice from behind me shouts and with a hand placed on my arm, I’m forcefully broken from the stare down with who I now know was my mate and I whip my head around to face Jeremy.

“What are you doing, come on!” He shouts almost annoyed that I accidentally, walked away when I was told to stay by him and before I could stop it, I’m dragged away from the area and my mate, whose eyes that had captivated me in that moment, turned black with a deadly rage and possessiveness.

Now he’d seen me, my father’s escape plan would soon go up in flames.