The Curse of The Alpha

Chapter 2- A Descent of Darkness

A day before the attack

He stared icily at the men in front of him, his distress palpable, but it didn't deter him from asking, his voice dripping with menace, "Is everything in place for tomorrow?"

The room fell into a chilling silence as Oscar and his team looked up at their Alpha, their faces filled with trepidation. Oscar mustered the courage to step forward, bowing low before uttering in a trembling voice, "Alpha, everything is ready and in place, just as you instructed."

"Good. I only need the girl. I don't want any blood on my hands-at least not yet," Richard growled, his anger pulsating through the room. His warriors dared not meet his gaze, their hearts pounding in fear. "Bring her to me alive!"

Oscar's voice quivered as he dared to question, "What if someone gets in our way, sir... We have to-"

Before Oscar could finish his statement, Richard's face contorted with rage. In one swift motion, he lunged at Oscar, gripping his neck with an iron grip and throwing him across the room like a ragdoll.

The room echoed with the sound of bones cracking as Oscar crashed into a wall. Richard's narrowed eyes pierced through his son, filled with a chilling intensity. "I gave you an order. You do as I say, not as you wish. Anyone else have something to say?" His voice dripped with venom, his struggle for self-control barely contained.

Chloe's eyes fixated on the ominous piece of metal her sister Eliza had discovered.

A sense of foreboding hung heavy in the air, sending shivers down her spine. Nothing made any sense.

The Rival pack could have easily annihilated her pack since they were unprepared for a war, yet they refrained...

Was it a mere coincidence?

"I know that look. What's going through your mind, Chloe?" Asher's voice trembled slightly as he relinquished his attempts to pry into his Alpha's thoughts. Her blocked mind was a dark abyss, hiding her deepest concerns.

"Richard and I share a long history. We made amends years ago, and we've avoided bloodshed as we each faced greater challenges. So, I'm bewildered that he ordered an attack on my people," Chloe murmured, her voice laced with unease, trying to unravel the enigma before her. "But this attack feels personal. He didn't take anything significant, only two casualties-"

"About that, we secured all barriers and meticulously searched every household to ensure their safety, but...," Asher hesitated, his words hesitant and laden with a sense of dread.

Chloe's breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding against her chest as she implored, "Spit it out! What happened?!"

"Ava was abducted last night, right during the pack's assault," Asher revealed, his voice trailing off as he took a step back, fear evident in his eyes.

Chloe's body went rigid, a jolt of terror coursing through her veins. She collapsed to the ground, bones crunching and breaking as her body contorted in agony.

In a terrifying metamorphosis, her red wolf emerged, eyes ablaze with a malevolent mix of red and black, signifying her transformation from patient waiting to a formidable force.

She shoved the mysterious metal into a glass vial and stormed out of the room, leaving behind an air of chilling apprehension.

But before her departure, she turned to the Beta, their minds connected in a macabre link. "You're in charge until I return. I'll be back in three days." With those haunting words, she vanished into the night, leaving behind a suffocating aura of impending.

Chloe, who didn't have a child of her own, treated Ava as if she were her own daughter. At just sixteen years old, Ava was Chloe's beloved niece, someone too precious to lose.

So when Chloe received word that Richard had kidnapped her niece, she knew she had to leave immediately. She was well aware of Richard's intentions. Once an admirer of hers, their relationship had soured when Richard found his mate.

Blinking back tears, Chloe's strong legs carried her swiftly over the dirt path beneath her. The wind caressed her face, offering a brief respite from the turmoil in her mind.

She hadn't released her wolf form in weeks, but now, after shifting and taking a long run, she felt alive. Powerful. Yet, beneath it all, fear for the life of her niece consumed her.

As she ventured deeper into the forest, Chloe caught a faint trace of Ava's scent in the air. It meant only one thing: the men who pursued Lunar Crest had traveled through here.

They couldn't be too far, she thought. Relying on her instincts and her gift, she trailed Richard's pack, heading south from her own pack's territory.

Lunar Crest lay in the north, so Chloe knew she needed more than just three days to complete her mission.

Before venturing too far away, Chloe quickly established a mental link with Asher, her Beta, aware that the distance might sever the connection. "Asher, I'm going to need more than three days to retrieve Ava. I'm leaving you in charge, with Eliza as second in command," she conveyed urgently. "If I don't return within one or two weeks, come and search for me. In the meantime, study the metal we found and keep it a secret until we uncover its true nature and determine how we can use it against the Rival pack." Without waiting for Asher's response, she severed the mind link-there was a reason behind her actions.

Turning her attention to Eliza, Chloe continued, her voice filled with determination, "Eliza, you are second in command. I will bring your daughter back, no matter the cost. But whatever happens, do not leave the safety of the north. I need to know that you are protecting Lunar Crest until my return. If Ava comes back before I do, it means something terrible has happened to me. However, do not come looking for me. I refuse to put you in further danger." With those instructions firmly imparted, Chloe resumed her solitary journey through the forest.

Hours later, with nightfall casting its dark cloak over the land, Chloe decided to pause and rest. She sought refuge in a cave, a temporary shelter from the perils that lurked outside.

Sleep eluded her, her eyes remaining wide open. The surroundings were unfamiliar, and she knew she had to remain vigilant, her guard always up.

Resting uneasily in the sheltered cave, Chloe's senses remained heightened, acutely aware of the dangers that lurked in the darkness beyond.

She knew that time was of the essence, every passing moment increasing the risk to Ava's life. Though her body craved rest, her mind refused to quieten, plagued by thoughts of her niece's well-being and the impending confrontation with Richard and his pack.

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Your at the end of this chapter...

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