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Chapter 1: Song Bird

~Sebastian~

There are two kinds of wolves in this world, those with a chip on their shoulder and those who are just downright cheery fuckers. I personally have a few chips on my shoulders. The first one is the annoyingly cheery asshat sitting in front of me. The Alpha to be — Nickolai.

Don’t get me wrong, I would die for this boy. Well, man, I guess since he turned eighteen a week ago. And since that day, he has been a grinning fool with a hero complex and the need to prove himself. I don’t understand why he wants to prove himself. The Alphaship is his. That’s how it goes. The alpha has a kid, and the kid gets the title. 

And I get to babysit.

“Hey, Seb!” Nickolai calls from the passenger seat.

He spins around, with a half-cocked grin on his face and I sigh internally. I love this freak of sunshine and smiles, about as much as I hate him. I’d call it a solid ‘he’s fine. And that’s saying a lot for me, but damn. He has been overbearing and annoying the whole damn ride. Constantly asking questions and then answering them himself. This is the first time he has been out to do real Alpha things without his father, Jameson. 

“What” I grumble, taking my headphones from my ears.

"Do you think there will be any fighting when we get there?”

I huff an amused chuckle at the thought. Nickolai is a good fighter, but he is always searching for ways to prove himself to his father.

“Don’t know,” I offer, crossing my arms over my chest and looking back out the window. The mission is to go in, get this treaty signed and leave, no fighting. What’s the point of a mission if I don’t get to punch someone? There is absolutely no reason to send me unless you expect a fight. 

And I sure as hell am expecting a fight.  

Life has been easy for Nickolai, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. No matter what he needs, or wants, he deserves it because he truly is a good person and a gentle being. Which is why I choose to protect him. If I can help keep his hands clean by dirtying my own, then maybe his soul will remain untainted. 

“I would love a good fight, ya know?” He says, spinning back toward the front, talking to our driver, Tank. Yeah, I know it’s an original name, but since the guy is a literal tank in size, it’s fitting.

“You would be cut down so fast, Nickolai.” Tank says with a deep chuckle. 

“Nah, I’ve got Seb!” he hooks a thumb to the back seat pointing to me.

“He is the only thing that stands between you and death more often than not,” Tank agrees. 

I roll my eyes and shove my headphones back in, turning my attention to the dense woods flanking us on both sides. The vehicle shakes and bounces back and forth down the rubble-covered road, the key indicator that we are close. Though they are expecting us in a few days, Nickolai insisted we arrive early to see how Alpha Alden keeps his pack in line.

Tank pulls off the road and down a path I’m certain doesn’t actually exist and we hide the vehicle in the woods and leave. Anyone can enter the major cities of other werewolves, but to remain inconspicuous, we have opted to walk the rest of the way. Because apparently, we hate ourselves. 

When we hit the city, Nickolai slows down, whistling lowly. 

“Damn. This place is a shithole” his eyes are wide as he sweeps it across the various holey tarps and makeshift shacks outside the main wall. 

I have, however, been here twice before. It looks exactly how I remember it — like a shithole. We move closer, Tank walking behind us. 

I catch movement out of the corner of my eyes, and I look directly at the hooded figure who stands perched on a lower portion of the broken wall. It is leaning back against the bricks, watching us, tracking us. I slip to the side, my interest piqued, and Tank takes my place next to Nickolai.

I watch as she looks around before pushing off the wall and walking closer. Her tight brown leather pants and her long sleeve shirt with a leather-banded waist clues me into her being female. I can feel a heat in my stare, one of hunger I have never felt before, and I grin. I have no idea who she is, but I sure as hell want to meet her. 

She leaps down behind Nickolai, pulls her hood down, and then turns, looking over her shoulder at me, throwing me a wink. In the next moment she falters in her step, slamming into him and he, like the idiot he is, spins to aid her. He blushes, as she presses her hands flirtatiously on his chest and his arm, no doubt flattering him with many compliments. I can’t help the frown. I don’t like her touching him. She blushes and tucks a hair behind her ear, before offering a goodbye and rushing away, acting shy and nervous. 

Oh, this little minx. 

I know where her type goes. This pickpocket must have a boss, which means he is at the pub waiting for his prize. 

It’s time for little Nicki to have his first pub drink. I drag us through the opening in the wall and down to a tiny pub a few blocks away. This is where the shady people belong. This is where I feel most at home. I’m a misfit, massive, and with more strength than an average wolf. My orphan parentage remains a mystery, though there is speculation of me being of an alpha bloodline, yet no known alphas claim me. Fuck if I care. I’m content serving the people who took me in. 

Nickolai eagerly orders us all around and looks at me expectantly. He looks like a big man ready to discuss the plan and the mission. I give him a blank stare and he sighs. He should know better than to expect me to talk about our plan here. That’s the dumbest thing we could do. Then, reaching into his jacket pocket, he goes pale. 

“It’s gone!” he whispers in worry.

“What is?” I ask, raising a brow. I know the girl was a pickpocket, a nice little lesson for Nickolai to keep his wallet closer. 

“The treaty” he seethes. “I must have dropped it.” he slaps his hands all over his chest and through every pocket, panic growing by the minute. 

I smirk into the beer that was placed in front of me when I see her skulking in the corner. I take a deep pull from my drink and stand. 

“Look for it outside then,” I tell him and he nods, ambling away with Tank in tow. 

I make my way to the corner and kick my feet up in the chair across from the little thief.

“Can I help you?” She asks, lowering her hood once more. Her auburn hair is French braided and pulled over her shoulder. Her hazel eyes size me up and I feel a flutter in my chest it's useless to try and hide my crooked grin, so I don't. 

“Oh, I’m sure you can. I need it back. And I need it back now or I will be forced to take it.” 

A sexy smirk plays across her pink lips. 

“I’m not sure I can help you, sir.”  

I push up from my reclining position and stand, stalking closer to her. I circle around her and stop when I’m behind her then I lean down inhaling her fresh smell. She shivers as I breathe in her ear and it thrills me that she reacts to my closeness. Then, leaning closer, I roughly push her chair into the small oak table she is sitting at. The air whooshes from her lips in a surprised gasp. 

“I’m not going to ask nicely again,” I mumble into her ear, my nose grazing the silky flesh on her ear.

“Good,” she forces out.

She throws the table and tries to run but I grab her by the hood and yank her back. She ducks and spins, moving to her knees as she brings a balled-up fist to my inner thigh. I growl out in pain and drop to the ground. My arm shoots up, reaching out to grab her leg but I fail to get a hold of her. She is fast as shit as she runs through the pub, bounding over chairs and tables like a sprite. Taking a more brute approach, I find the straightest line to the door and I barrel through anyone who stays in my path.

“Move!” I bellow to the barmaid, who curses as she narrowly escapes my shoulder. 

She is within arm’s reach but that’s not good enough, no, I want to take her down. I launch off my right foot, propelling myself through the air, and tackle her roughly to the ground. She grunts as we roll through the dirt in the alleyway, skidding to a stop. She fights me for the top position and I grin down at her once I get her pinned.

She freezes when she realizes she has lost and she lays there scowling at me as I run my hands over her pockets looking for what is mine. I cock a brow when I see the corner of the precious blue paper peeking out from under her white linen shirt. Chuckling, I tsk at her and she attempts a cocky shrug with a mischievous smile. I make sure I am holding her full attention as I run my hand up her side and carefully remove the envelope from her brassiere without trying to take a peek. I have to admit resisting the urge was much harder than I anticipated. I turn the treaty in my gloved hands, lifting it up to make sure it’s still sealed, and stow it away.

“Usually I get the asshole’s name before he feels me up.” She says. 

I sit back, her body still secured under my massive form, and my head tips up in laughter. 

I like her. 

“If I wanted to cop a feel, I would have. I have no use for thieves or easy women.” I push myself off of her, but she remains where she is watching me curiously from the dusty ground.

“Easy, huh? That was easy for you?” She props herself up on one elbow. 

“Eh, I will admit you got my heart rate up.” I smile. “Gotta be honest. I was worried this whole trip would be one without a fight. Thank you for making it that much better.”

“So happy I could help.” She mutters. I reach down and offer my hand to help her up. She eyes me suspiciously, so I take my hand back, tossing them up in a non-threatening manner.

“Just trying to be a gentleman,” 

“I have a feeling that there is absolutely nothing gentle with you.”

“Probably true.” I shrug.

She turns and walks away from me. I want to call out to her, tell her to get her ass back here, but I really have no reason for her to stay and I have nothing to say to her either. I think I just enjoyed her company. Which would be the first time for me. She bounds like a gazelle up the side of a building and runs across the rooftops. She stops for a moment as she turns and looks directly at me. A smirk on her pretty lips. Then she turns and whistles, like a little songbird, singing in the morning light.