Aryn

The ancient white wolves exist. 

I was so sure of it now as I watched the portal dwindle and fizzle out until there was nothing left of it but a few specks of coloured dust, floating in the air. I had my suspicions the moment I felt the surge of power that radiated from her as she tried to act oblivious to the wonders of her doing. But even then I wasn't convinced. There was a plausible explanation for the change in weather and in summer abrupt instances of heat burst were not uncommon.

Nevertheless, I deliberately moved to create an opening, sure that they would take the chance and run. And run they did. I had given them a head start on the race as I sprinted behind them, however, the speed at which they moved was preternatural and even more heightened than the normal lycanthrope. But still I knew they wouldn't go far because there was a fatal folly to their plan. They were not from here and so they didn't know the terrain. I knew the crooks and crannies of this city and combined with her maddening scent, I was sure to find her.

And find her I did. Just in time to witness the other she-wolf open up a portal. Her green eyes were the only visual souvenir that I retained before the tunnel swallowed them into another dimension. Those green feisty eyes that had denied me. As much as I had kept my cool facade and acted unbothered, Adolf and I were distraught by that, more so Adolf.

Mate rejected us, he whined and pawed at the ground. Mourning the absence of her presence.

She didn't reject us, I affirmed for the umpteenth time. I was sure of that one fact because I had felt her wolf call out to mine and rejoice at our anticipated meeting. She's protecting her clan, I mused. That was the only explanation. 

I had never yearned for a mate; it was the only way I had survived thirteen years without one. I had remained content to protect my pack and lead it to the top of the five clans, where it has remained ever since my reign. A mate was a weakness I couldn't afford. I had seen the way my mother’s death had plunged my father and elder brother into the depths of despair as well as our pack into the heat of an impending war.

Our enemies were very aware of the devastating effects that her death had on our pack and sought to use this weakness to their advantage. If I hadn't stepped up to fill my father’s position at the age of nineteen our pack would have ceased to exist ages ago. From then on I lived my life for my pack and never concerned myself with the nonsensities of mates or Lunas. I didn't need one.

But why then was I still fixated on her face. Her scent still lingered in the air and I took in a deep breath wanting to inhale it all lest another male got a whiff of what was mine. I remembered being so close to caressing her cheek and tracing the lines of her plum pink lips. Her silvery-white hair caught the reflection of the moon and her delicate beauty drew me in like a moth to a flame. She was a euphoric dream. Mine. 

Don't give me descriptions and poetic sweet nothings when you allowed her to run from us, Adolf abruptly snarled, irritatedly. 

I was drawn from my internal musings and I looked around the broken-down hall one more time, still entrapped in the brief memory I had of her, before I made my way out and unto the streets.

She didn't reject us, I reinstated but I got no reply. Adolf had blocked me out again. And even if she did I can find her now, I added.

The sudden flash of light drew my attention to an approaching car and I walked towards it.

“Taxi car at your service,” Roy stated with a wry smile as he rolled down the windows. I opened the door and entered into the passenger side.

“There's no need for the attitude,” I remarked as he maneuvered the car around the bend and made for the main street.

“Attitude? Which one?” he placed a hand to his chest, batted his eyelashes and feigned a sweet smile. “The only recollection of ‘attitudes’ that I have is maybe yours,” he momentarily took his hand off the steering wheel to make air quotes. I turned to glare at him but he continued unfazed. 

This was unlike him, so it was either he was very oblivious to the fact that I was glaring at him or he was seriously pissed. I was guessing it was the latter. “First you rush out of a very important meeting without so much as an explanation. Then even more bizarre…” he huffed and face palmed. I quirked an eyebrow as I tried to stifle a laugh. “The chase for the silvery-white-haired beauty, who claims she's not your mate, and her dark-haired friend began and then you mind-link me to stop the chase and go get the car,” he rambled on, his fake smile was gone and in its place an annoyed, irritated, exasperated expression.

“Silvery-white haired beauty? Hmm,” I asked, amused.

“Was that all you gleaned from my ramblings?” he asked incredulously as he turned to shoot me a glare. “Unbelievable,” he muttered as his hands clenched the steering wheel.

“They are white-wolves,” I announced after a moment of silence. “And the white-haired beauty is my mate,” I declared with a warning tone. 

As soon as I said that, Roy slammed the brakes abruptly and the car swerved off the street and to the side of the dusty road.

“Would you mind explaining this insanity,” I growled turning to stare at him but I was met with his wide-opened mouth expression.

“They are what?” He asked, silently.

I was starting to get irritated with this but to be fair he needed to be in the know about the new developments. I was just anxious to get the box to Star so I could find her. I didn't even get her name.

“White-wolves,” I repeated, deliberately slow.

“And how would you know?” he asked in disbelief.

“Because I happen to see her friend open up a portal,” I said matter-of-fact. “Would you like the dust remains?” I teased and he scowled.  “Also they are unusually faster than the normal lycanthrope and the wind-tricks in that dark alleyway was not the weather. It was her. I’m guessing she is an Airian and her friend is an Ortion,” I explained and I saw his eyes light up in understanding as he placed the pieces together.

White-wolves had a maximum of two talents each but I wasn't sure of the other element that she -or her friend- could control.

“What the hell?” he whispered, shocked as he leaned back into his seat. “So I could have been devastatingly injured by the dark-haired she-wolf and you didn't have it in you to warn me,” he accused, still staring ahead at the road in shock.

“You self-conceited brat,” I announced with a chuckle and he turned to glare. “You are one of our best warriors, maybe a few scratches here or there. Nothing major,” I teased and he grimaced. “Besides I only found out after I saw the portal opening,” I explained, turning serious.

“So where did they go?” He asked. Not waiting for an answer he continued. “Is she even your mate?” he turned and eyed me sceptically.

“What exactly do you mean?” I enquired.

“Well with the absence of your heart,” he started, pointing to my chest and I scowled. “I was sure the Sky Lordians wouldn’t want to pair any she-wolf with you,” I growled warningly at him but he ignored me and continued. He was making a bad habit of ignoring me. “Also, I have never seen a she-wolf vehemently deny her mate the way she did,” he pointed out and muttered. “I mean who can blame her,” he took one look at my intimidating expression and turned to whistle.

I felt a slight pang in my chest at his words and promptly pushed it down, not wanting to dwell on any other possibility besides her protecting her pack.

“She's my mate,” I affirmed with a deep growl. The intensity startled both Roy and I. “And we will find her,” I declared and craned my neck to peer at the back seat of the car. “Because we now have that,” I said, staring at the ancient white-wolf power box.

He understood my meaning and restarted the car to rejoin the long stretchy road out of human territory and towards our pack.

Tall pine trees stood at ease in a straight line, along either side of the road, as we neared the Black moon pack. Our arrival was acknowledged with a rustle of their branches as they drifted in time to the current of the gentle breeze. Further ahead the pine trees ended to be replaced by dogwood trees, their fallen flowers littered the whole street and as we sped past they rose up and flitted in the air. I caught a petal in my hand and marvelled at the softness of its form. 

“Gosh! I love autumn because I get to do that all the time,” Roy commented, momentarily disrupting my thoughts as he grinned from ear to ear.

“So childish,” I murmured with a shake of my head as I let the petal be blown away from my hand. In response he deliberately sped over another pile of fallen flowers. 

“Live life a little Mr Alpha!” he yelled with his hands lifted out of the convertible. 

“I better get to the pack without so much as a scratch,” I warned and he quickly placed his hands back on the steering wheel smiling sheepishly. I turned to look out the window and tuned out his apology.

The view was breath-taking. The endless blue sky acted as a backdrop against the splash of colours emanating from the magnificent greenery, differing species of breath-taking florae, the calm translucent lake and the rows of modern-styled cabins. The creation of this landscape was surely the result of the artistic wonders and excellence of the Sky Lordians. It was a place I was proud to call my home.

This land was the envy of the other four clans —Scarlet Moon, Mystic Shadow, Midnight and Silver Dawn— and had it not been for our win at the chain war, we would have lost our ancestral home for the surviving wolves would have been displaced as rouges. The pack was situated in a valley and by far the most fertile due to the river basin which cut across the land, bestowing life unto the soil to bring forth fruits and food of all kinds.

Surrounding the four corners of the land were the snow-capped mountains and on them the main pack’s defence were situated. So apart from the pack patrol at the border, this additional strategy granted us an anticipatory edge over our enemies because due to its height our warriors were able to see far and wide. Consequently, our enemies were sighted before they even ventured close to our territory. It was a land of sorts. A provider. A protector. Just like the Alpha I strived to be.

The unsteady movement of the car as it moved down the hill jostled me out of my musings and I noticed we had passed the border and were almost at the pack house. The huge cabin was positioned in the middle of the pack with two stone chimneys on either side of its rustic styled sloping roof. The exterior had been redecorated with little pillars, arranged in a circular design, which upheld the balcony of the two storey building. In addition, the placement of the numerous rooms in the cabin were architecturally balanced over a number of disjointed levels, making one room slightly higher than the other. The design was an embodiment of modern styles with a touch of classic vintage.

We finally arrived at the cabin and almost immediately I was greeted by the scent of Dina’s baking. The sweet smell had lured many a pack member into the confines of the kitchen and heaven help you if you touched the brownies while they were hot, you were sure to get smacked by the wooden spoon. 

“Finally, air worth breathing,” Roy inhaled deeply and promptly got out of the car to stretch.

I could relate, with the amount of chemicals that I had inhaled, I was sure to have future health problems.

“Alpha, welcome and just in time for my brownies,” Dina sauntered out of the pack house and smiled brightly at my emerging form.

Dina was my younger sister and replica of our late mother. It was such a shame, however, that she never met the woman with whom she bore such striking resemblance. She possessed our mother’s dark locks, olive-skin tone, big blue eyes just like mine and an upturned nose leading to delicate pink plump lips. She was so dainty and I sought to protect her. Even now more than ever because she was a regressing lycanthrope. 

Dina had always been different, she didn't have her first shift at the age of ten and her abilities were much less potent than normal lycanthropes. Nevertheless, I wasn't worried and she continued to train dutifully. However, one night she experienced excruciating pain and we all thought she was finally undergoing her first shift. But it was not to be for she was only able to half-shift. Here, she was covered in her wolf's fur, her fangs and claws were elongated and her eyes changed colour, however, she still retained her human form.

Such had never happened in our pack but after numerous rumours it was later revealed that similar occurrences had happened around the remaining four packs and there was only one explanation for this. The wolf race was dwindling. Our wolf gene was getting weaker and recent births kept resulting in pups who could only half-shift. They were more human than wolf and this made them more susceptible to the injuries and illness of their stronger half. In Dina's case, despite her young age, she suffered from dementia. Today she knew me as her Alpha and not her brother.

“Hello to you too babe,” Roy grinned with his arms opened wide as he waited for Dina’s hug. “And those brownies do smell amazing,” he remarked. I growled a low warning to him and he let his arms fall to his side while mouthing an apology.

‘Do I know you?” she stopped and scrunched up her face. “I don’t think so,” she shook her head and continued my way. I saw the mischievous glint in her eyes and I knew she was only joking. She never seemed to forget Roy. “And those brownies are not yours stranger,” she added with a slight giggle. 

“Ha Ha Ha. Very funny,” he mocked. “I’m not invisible, you know and I happen to like them as well,” he retorted and closed the door with the black satchel placed firmly across his chest.

“You can have every one of them,” I shrugged and bent to hug a scowling Dina. It was either I was unnaturally tall or she was just so small. I was banking on the latter. “How are you, kiddo?” she ignored my question and shook her head vehemently.

“Alpha, I made them specifically for you,” she persisted with a slight pout. 

“Well, he said I could have them,” Roy insisted while sticking his tongue out. “It’s compensation for having to be his beta,” he added with a humph. 

Who would have guessed that he was the beta of the most feared pack? Those who made rumours about how scary he was were either blind or drunk when they reiterated such stories.

“I’ll have one or two. How about that?” I negotiated. It looked like she was going to put up a fight but she got distracted by my manner of dressing.

“What are you wearing Alpha?” she asked, giggling hysterically. “Was it his idea?” she choked out in between a fit of giggles as she pointed towards Roy who was already half-way into the cabin. Probably to get a head start on those brownies.

“What?” he stopped mid-step to face Dina and I. “I don’t see anything wrong with it,” he shrugged.

“Well, if everybody else sees a problem with this,” I said, gesturing to my outfit. “Then surely your impeccable sense of fashion is skewed,” I ground out irritatedly as I proceeded to enter the cabin with Dina following behind me.

If one more person commented on my dressing, they were seriously going to have it.

“But at least it fulfilled our mission and let me remind you…” Roy attempted to explain but was cut-off by a familiar voice. It was one that I detested.

“Mission? So that was why I couldn’t find the mighty Alpha in his quarters,” I glared at Roy who stared off in the opposite direction and turned to face a smiling Demetri Williams who was escorted closely by some pack guards. Upon sighting me, they proceeded to bow in greeting.

“He refused to leave when we said you were not in, Alpha,” Cayden, a park guard, explained.

Demetri Williams was the Alpha of Mystic Shadow pack with a cocky, smug attitude that ticked me off. If not for the fact that our packs had reached an armistice because my elder brother, Liam, was mated to his younger sister, Bella, I would have done away with his pristine form a long time ago. Or I could just push him to break one of the binding rules.

“Why does Narcissus have to be here?” Roy asked under his breath behind me. 

Being the youngest Alpha among the five packs, his vanity was out-worldly and his attitude was one of juvenile recklessness. His bleached green hair stood out in stark contrast to his pale skin and his thin lips were forever placed in an overconfident grin. The teenage male was hard to read sometimes but I was certain that he was not as stupid as he painted himself to be.

How else could he have succeeded his father who had died miraculously?

I stood to be corrected but I was convinced he had something to do with that change of event because behind his frivolous, air-head, self-conceited façade lay a very dangerous, venomous and sneaky side to him. He was a dangerous and unstable male, one to be weary of.  

“This is the last time I’ll let it be known that my pack is not an annex of yours,” I placed my hand into my pockets and stared coolly at him. “If there happens to be a next time. I will not hesitate to end your useless existence,” I finished.

“Oh my bad,” he smirked. “Did I hit a sensitive nerve?” he sniggered and moved forward. I growled lowly and he stopped just a few paces from the terrace. “Geez! you lot have to chill, you know,” he turned around to gesture to the pack guards who took on a defensive stance and then turned back to face me. “Maybe we should start from you, so it trickles down to your subordinates,” he suggested, taking a moment to wink at Dina who scowled back and Roy who growled menacingly.

“If you value whatever is left of you, I suggest you leave,” I threatened with a flex of my forearm muscles as I crossed them against my chest. This young’un was deliberately riling me up and I was so not having it. 

“Okay, okay I’ll get straight to the point,” he said with a raise of his hands. “I’ll hit the nail right on the head. I’ll stop beating about the bush….” he rambled on walking back and forth.

I watched on in irritation and so did the guards who were waiting on my order to haul him out. Patience wasn’t a virtue of mine and this child was stretching the little I had left.

“Would you quit your yapping and talk,” Roy snapped abruptly. “Or do us all a favour and get your green-haired anomaly far away from this pack,” he added in sheer disgust. 

“Ah I remember, the black bag,” Demetri stopped walking and clicked his fingers while eyeing the bag in interest. “The funny clothes,” he continued turning to stare at my clothes. “A French man and his side-kick were seen entering Big Joe and their descriptions were awfully close to your own,” he mused. “And we all know what really goes on there. So my question is for an Alpha who hates humans so much what were you doing there?” he enquired. 

“Get out!” I barked and he shook from the power radiating through my voice. I had reached my limit. Behind me I felt Dina’s trembling small hand on my back and I tried to calm my nerves. She was always very rattled whenever I had episodes of sporadic angry outbursts and so I made sure not to get angry in front of her. “Leave this instant,” I repeated in a calm tone and signalled to the guards to escort him out.

“Did you find the ancient white-lycanthrope power box?” he persisted, evading the grasps of a pack guard and stepping forward. “It would be very selfish of you if you used it only for the good of your pack,” he declared.

Finders keepers! Oh how I wish I could say that out loud.

“The box hasn’t been seen for ages that’s why it is ancient,” I stated as a matter-of-fact. “And unlike you delusional lot,” I said, referring to his pack as well as the remaining three. “I believe in rationality and practicality so when you do find this box do me a selfless favour and let me know,” I said, smirking. “Until then do not make the mistake of coming into my territory because I will not hesitate to end you,” I threatened. 

“You wouldn’t dare,” he announced. “We have a peace treaty. Unless you want to start a war,” he smiled as the park guards surrounded him in an attempt to escort him out of the pack.

“Firstly it’s an armistice,” I corrected. “And secondly I wouldn’t be called the King of war for nothing so whenever you are ready, my fangs are getting thirsty,” I said, eyeing the base of his neck. He flinched slightly and I turned to walk into the warm comfort of the pack house with Roy and Dina following closely behind me.

I could care less about his pack or the other clans because every second counted and with each minute the further away I was from finding a solution to the dwindling wolf gene……. and finding her.  
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