The New Alpha Stole My Heart

Today was supposed to be a regular day hunting for food. But as the saying goes, “Let life surprise you.”

We were still holding our makeshift weapons when I and Maggie went to see what was hiding in the back of the old sycamore tree. To be honest, I kind of hoped it was some animal that could fill our stomachs in the following days. But alas! It was far from the awesome game we were expecting to be our trophy for today’s hunt. Instead, we were welcomed by an unknown man.

When the mysterious man felt our presence, he immediately stood on his fighting form. One of his feet was stepped backward while his fists were at cheek level. He was panting real hard, a clear indication of fatigue and exhaustion. But when he finally realized who we were, a sigh of relief escaped from his throat.

“Phew! It was just a bunch of girls,” he uttered to himself. He also let his guard down before leaning back to the tree trunk.

“What did you say, punk?” Maggie had queried. Her eyes were a bit narrowed, a sign that she was upset. “What do you mean by “just a bunch of girls?”

I tried to calm her down by grabbing one of her arms. Clearly, she took offense to the word “just a bunch of girls”. Maggie hated toxic masculinity. And this unknown man clearly gets on her nerves.

But instead of answering, the man coughed. It wasn’t a big deal except that he coughed blood! That was the only time we noticed his bloody side.

“You’re injured!”

The man twitched and I saw his wounds. It was a pretty ugly claw mark, which I think came from a wolf attack. “Who did this to you?” I asked again.

“A group of rogues,” he answered while still catching his breath, “I am doing some patrolling to the western border of this territory when I was attacked by a group of rogues. I was lucky I was able to beat them but not without getting wounded.

“Western border?” Now, it was Maggie’s turn to ask questions. She also scooted down and help me apply pressure to the man’s side. “Did you come from Grey Moon Pack?”

“Well, yes and no,” he answered while chuckling. Maggie’s eyebrows raised in yet another confusion. But before she could have reacted further, the man spoke once again. “I am not from the Grey Moon Pack originally. I came from a pack called Silver Arrow. It just so happen that our alpha was able to defeat the Grey Moon alpha so we decided to move to their lands.”

“Wait, what?” I interjected. “The Grey Moon alpha was defeated? Does that mean he’s…”

“Dead,” he responded back. “Our alpha beheaded him in a battle a month or so ago.”

I swallowed hard. The news that this man brought was clearly a surprise in my life. Never that I imagined that our fierce and ruthless alpha would come to his end this early. I mean, he was still in his prime and definitely not a weak leader. But to hear that he was beheaded in a battle of life and death really says a lot about this new alpha that was taking over our old pack.

He must be really strong to be able to do that.

“Here, much this herb. This would help your body speed up your healing ability. It would also help with the bleeding.” When I turned to my side, Maggie was putting some Krimson leaf into the man’s mouth. Good thing that Maggie always brings this very useful medicine whenever we go hunting. To her word, we might find it useful especially for some unexpected injuries. Well, she clearly proved her point now.

The man followed what he was asked. I also help him dress his wound using his torn clothes. A few more minutes and the man’s breathing seemed to become stable. By the looks of it, the Krimson plant might already have taken its effect.

“Thank you for helping me,” the man uttered a while later. “It’s Oliver by the way.”

“My name is Aria and this is my cousin Maggie,” I responded. The man nodded while exchanging his glances between me and Maggie. “Anything wrong?”

“Well, I just find it weird.”

“Weird?” Maggie asked.

“Yes, weird. You looked like a rogue but both of you seemed to be educated. Tell me the truth, are you both banished from the Grey Moon Pack? This location was very near to the pack’s border so I am pretty sure you came from that pack.”

“It’s none of your business,” Maggie dismissed him. She began fixing her things and was ready to go when Oliver spoke again.

“If you were a part of the Grey Moon Pack, then it is better for you to return to your pack. The new alpha had decreed that all of the banished or runaway wolves from Grey Moon should go back and pay respect to his leadership. Everyone was encouraged to attend his inauguration.”

“And what if we don’t?” Maggie asked in a challenging tone. She really hates controlling men!

“Then the new alpha would consider that as treason. He would hunt you down until you were both dead.”

************************

It has been an hour since we left Oliver under that sycamore tree. We decided to go back to our camp after ensuring that he was okay to be left alone. Besides, his wounds are way better than we first so them. The Krimson plant really helped him recover.

Maggie was surprisingly quiet and wearing a straight face. I didn’t know whether that was because we will go back empty-handed from our camping trip or because of the warning that Oliver had told us.

Talking with Oliver gave us some invaluable information about Grey Moon. Living in the woods meant that we were completely isolating ourselves from the outside world. So those news and important events we learned for him were highly valuable to us.

We had learned from him that instead of fighting the new leadership, the people of Grey Moon accepted the new alpha with open arms. Well, I couldn’t blame them. Alpha Casimir was ruthless, unjust, and a power-tripper. I personally witnessed how he abused his power. Isn’t that my reason for leaving Grey Moon in the first place?

But now that he was gone and the new alpha was demanding our presence, then I think it was time to go back. While I was thankful for the knowledge and useful life experiences that I obtained here in the wild, I couldn’t deny how difficult our life here was. There were times that we didn’t have some food to eat or perhaps our camp was destroyed by a storm. There were some moments when I missed the comforts and protection that our pack was able to provide. I also missed Uncle Stan.

“Maggie?” I called my cousin’s attention. “I think it was time to—”

“I will not set foot on that pack again. Ever,” she said. She sat down on a boulder while fixing our firewoods.

“But you heard what the tracker said. We need to go back or else, we are going to die here.”

“Then so be it. I am ready to die anyway.”

“But Maggie—”

“I said no!” she yelled. She threw away the firewoods she was holding while looking at me without flinching. “Please don’t push it, Aria. I said I will not go back to our pack and that is final.”

“Then give me an acceptable reason why you didn’t want to,” I challenged. “Unless you tell me the reason, we will be having this conversation until you agreed.”

Maggie stood up while putting his hands on his head. He was pacing back and forth, contemplating whether she would tell me her reasons or not. Maggie knew me very well. She knew that I would keep on opening this conversation with her until I urged her to side with me.

Again, Maggie sat down. This time, tears are flooding her face. “I just…I just didn’t have the face to see dad. I’d rather be dead instead of seeing his disappointed face.”

“What do you mean?” I inched closer and sat next to her. “I don’t understand. Why would Uncle Stan be disappointed if you will come home?”

She took a deep breath before opening her mouth again. “Two years ago, I met a vampire one night while strolling into the woods. And that vampire was my mate.”

My jaw dropped to the ground upon hearing her story. However, my mouth remained shut. Maggie was mated to a vampire? What the hell!

“Knowing that our pack would not accept our union, we decided to run away. He convinced me to come with him to their vampire coven, stating that our love would have a bigger chance to be accepted there.”

“So…that’s the reason why you run away without telling us, right?”

“Yes,” she responded. “I ran away to be with him. But when we arrived at the coven, his parents, who are the head of the coven, opposed our union. They urged him to marry another vampire who happened to be a daughter of a high-ranking noble in their place. At first, he refused. But when his parents threatened to disown and disinherit him, he…he…he abandoned me.”

Maggie’s voice cracked upon uttering the last word. I put her head on my chest and wrapped my arms around her. So this was the reason why she decided to live as a rogue.

“I couldn’t face you and my father after what had happened. How will I tell both of you that I left to be with my mate who abandoned me in the end? I was so stupid to believe his words. I didn’t deserve you or my father. I am worthless! I am dumb and useless!”

“Stop it, Maggie! Don’t you ever say that!” This time, I moved her body away from mine and faced her. “He didn’t deserve you. You are wonderful, kind, and beautiful. And besides, I know that Uncle Stan would be happy to see you back in his arms.”

“Really, Aria? What if he wouldn’t accept me? I hurt him big time!”

“Everybody makes mistakes. Uncle Stan loves you and that would never change.”

“I…I don’t know, Aria. What if you are wrong? What if he drives me away?” Her face was full of doubts and uncertainties. I heaved a sigh.

“There’s only one way to find out whether I am right or wrong,” I stated. “Let us go back to Grey Moon and see for ourselves.”