✖ Seven Months Later...

Vulcan was right. My mother had cancer. And I watched her body weaken and fade away into the past, just like my father currently was.

The last couple of months I had to witness the two people I loved most in the world slip through my fingers and the more I lost, the more I realised how my life was spiraling out of control.

My beast wouldn’t stop pestering me and I found myself chained to a wall in our dungeons daily, which had made me oblivious to the fact that more people came flooding into the pack and I was nowhere near making them feel welcome or protected.

“Give me their names, please?” I asked Raphael, the person who would become my Beta by the time my father was no longer with us and a best friend since, well... Since we moved back here.

“Penelope - the runaway from Costa Rica. Richard, her mate - which I thought could and would be a good Third in Command once you step up as Alpha. Myi and her mate Akua - who are basically refugees from Hawaii. Brody - who is just a wanderer. The newest are Jason, your three cousins from Greece, Roger, Devon, Zareth, Andrew and Jamie.”

“That’s many people, Raph.” I breathed, scribbling their names down in my personal register. It was my duty as the future Alpha to get to know them before my father passed away.

People might call me heartless for pretending like none of what has happened to me since Alfred’s betrayal has affected me, but I couldn’t show emotion... The last time I did, a female ruined me and something told me that Darcy was going to be the next one by the lump she had nurtured to feed on my icy heart.

The times I’ve been in the dungeon, she’d warm me in ways no other female could. She’d make me feel more than any female could. And the growing hunger I had for her had me afraid of what magic she wielded on me.

“You shouldn’t daydream about her like that. She’s not what you think.” Raphael’s voice ripping through my delight.

“What do you mean?” I questioned, confused.

“She’s not that sweet person you think she is. She’s ruining your people behind your back. Including your father.” he almost whispered.

“Who?”

“Darcy.”

“How did yo-"

“How did I know? It’s in your eyes when you look at her, Luke.” His eyes staring right through my soul.

“Okay. Then again, what do you mean she’s ruining my people and my father?” the questions swirling through my mind in thick clouds.

“Because she’s poison Luke. Do you know she killed her own sister? Her blood?” he spat.

“Out of defence, yes.” my hands slam down on my desk as my chair skids out from underneath me. Maybe I was blinded by her... But she made me feel.

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