Shadow Alpha

Chapter 7 🌙

After I scream – the rest is blue and red lights, chaos, havoc and panic.

Ferir murdered her.

So he's not just merciless, he's absolutely insane.

I don't see him anywhere, despite the hairs on my neck standing on end. I know he's watching me from the shadows, unseen but still close. Taunting me.

Everyone is away and crying and the perfect gleam of our first year at college is tainted forever.

I don't stay still for long.

I'm on a fucking war path.

At 3am, I'm heading into the nearest park outside the university campus, I run as my wolf until I hit a river bed, and I transform back into my human form.

My Lupine nose can smell him.

"FERIR," I scream his name by the river.

I turn around in circles, looking for his ancient and enormous black Lupine.

However, he doesn't show himself, and I suddenly lose his scent like it was never there.

Is he taunting me again?

I scream his name once more, but there is no response and my voice just echoes back to my ears.

The image of Jacklyn dead flashes through my eyes, and I feel the lump in my throat grow and burst. I can't hold it in anymore.

I fall to my knees and sob.

After maybe 60 seconds, I hear water and mud squelching behind me.

Footsteps.

I turn around in the mud, naked and vulnerable, just like him. In the reeds I see Ferir casually walking out of the river after a swim. He is holding a fish in his hands. The monster walks right up to me. He drops down near me, mimicking my pose, knees in the mud. Ferir takes a bite out of the raw fish, his fist buried in the soft mud, more at my level now, his whole being though is like a wild untamed animal. I did not understand his movements, his actions, his looks or the fact he is eating a fucking fish from the river like a bear.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I whisper him the question on the wind, "You just killed a girl for no reason. You murdered her. You killed her. You killed her!" I star to scream – and Ferir has the audacity to smile, "This isn't funny?!"

"She was a virgin," Ferir finally answers me, so brutally calm. And my mouth slams shut, "Mmhm..." his voice goes so deep as he answers me, "...now you know where she is...."

Holy fuck.

Wraithdom.

She's alive.

Jacklyn is alive!

The relief that slams into me is enormous.

"F-fuck, fine... actually g-good, she'll escape just like I did," I stutter at him, trying to contain my emotions, "Just wait and see, she'll run and escape."

"Doubtful," Ferir offers me some fish, "No? I'll fuck the rest – since they're all whores, no more virgins in this place. They'll integrate well into our pack."

"Oh, shut up, you fiend – don't call it our pack – you're psychotic, no one will follow you," I start to stand up, and as I move, Ferir is laughing, so deeply amused for no reason – and it causes me to snap.

I leap for him – to fight, however, when I see the satisfaction bloom in his moon-blue eyes with a yes, he's ready for it – I suddenly shut myself down.

I skid my feet to a stop and I fall to one knee in front of Ferir, my lips literally right in front of his. Even his head dives down toward mine – and his eyes look hopeful that we're so close.

For a moment we say nothing, but I taste his breath on his exhale, and I inhale it into my lungs.

I can taste his intentions.

What I taste on the air of his pheromones confuses all of me.

It's all sweetness like a black forest cake. Like something I can indulge in if I want. If I dared. If I submitted –

I swing my head back for a second, tilting it back at him.

"You won't trick me into fighting you, just so you can touch me," I say it firmly because I can see it in his demeanour – close to me, leaning down to me, hunched over, appearing small, appearing vulnerable – because all he wants is to lure me into a brawl.

It wouldn't end with me on top.

I'm not stupid.

As I'm waiting for his response, Ferir reaches a curious hand toward my face, but he knows better than to touch me, especially when my only thought is to bite.

So his fingers hover just above my cheek instead, as he tells me, eye to eye, the truth off his tongue, "She's safe. Do you believe me?" I say nothing, and he drops his hand into the mud, over my hand, pressing it down.

Ferir pulls his body up, he starts to stand, his face suddenly coming closer to mine.

To avoid him, I duck down, but his hand over mine causes me to lean over and slide into the mud.

I lie on my side and then roll onto my back, as Ferir turns and looks down at me, now on his feet.

I quickly sit up, but he's standing over my hips, so I lean back on my palms to keep a healthy distance from his crotch.

I am not staring at his dick by the way. I refuse to give it attention.

I raise a brow at his smug face, "Jacklyn might be alive in your castle, but that doesn't change that you ruthlessly slit her throat. You still murdered her."

"Shadow Alphas show no mercy to mortals – only to their chosen Luna, to secure you," Ferir speaks kindly and patiently, as if educating me, "...I saw that you liked her, Evie... so I've made sure Jacklyn is yours in Wraithdom, a helping slave and a helping friend... when you are mine you'll get everything you want. Anything. Doesn't that sound delicious, little wolf...? As long as you submit... you have my word."

Great.

Ferir. Is. Fucking. Nuts.

"I know what you really said, don't you dare blame her death on me as if it's my fault!" I scream my rage at Ferir and I scramble to my feet, but when I look to him – I am no longer staring at the man.

The Lupine of the Shadow Alpha is looming over me.

His wet black nose is pointed down, his sapphire-blue wolf eyes are at least two stories above where I stand. I stare up, I'm sure I look totally dazzled and starstruck, but his wolf was fucking menacing and gorgeous at the same time.

Ferir starts to bare his fangs – jokingly, because while I hold my breath and get scared of the incoming growl I can feel is building in his throat, he suddenly ceases the threatening sneer and playfully licks me instead.

Then he pounces to the right, and lopes away into the trees.

I stand where I am, dripping in saliva and half-covered in mud.

I look down at the half eaten fish, left there as if some kind of offering.

A psychotic Shadow Alpha was courting me.

No Alpha would ever dare behave like this – totally unhinged. Like an actual maniac. Murdering Lupines.

But he was an ancient cursed Lupine god.

To top it off, I was not some cure, rather just a vessel for his dark affection.

And this was day one?!

Fuck.

It was only going to get so much worse.