Alpha Trials

Prologue

Three Years Ago

Blue was typically a calm, soothing color – often suggesting serenity and peace. Labhrainn  never actually thought it possible to be an intense hue. And yet, there it was: scorching blue eyes glaring back at his own vibrant ones.

He silently watched from a distance, although made no attempt to hide himself. He was a Hunter, after all – one with Alpha blood at that. Hunters do not mask their presence.

"What is it, Law?" Keandre asked in a hushed tone, head still bowed at the fear he felt.

Labhrainn had to admire the wolf's willpower, though. The anger being thrust at them in powerful waves, especially from this close, was enough to incapacitate lesser creatures and even petrify them. Kean being able to still talk was commendable.

"A dying female," Law answered, eyes not straying from the source of murderous intent.

Chained at the waist and ankles to a large boulder was a she-wolf in torn clothing, bleeding everywhere from numerous open wounds. Her wrists were pinned above her head by one thick silver nail, which prevented her from escaping. It was a miracle she was even still breathing.

What made it even more incredible was the fact that despite her state, she was still able to release such dangerous waves of anger to keep rogues and other scavengers away.

It was a hopeless sort of desperation.

Law estimated, if not treated within a few hours, the female would succumb to her wounds. And then she'd be fair game to anyone.

"What are you going to do?" Kean pressed again, this time heaving deeper for a breath.

What, indeed.

Two days ago, there had been reports about a disruption in the border patrols. Their wolves had informed them of being unable to move forward when passing by a single location. They were afraid it was a witch coven's coup d'état. Alpha Raion himself had asked handpicked wolves to go check it out, and to eliminate the cause of distress.

A small army behind Law waited for his next move. But they, too, were struck with fear the moment they've come close, so it was up to him to act first.

To think, the underlying problem was one single dying she-wolf.

The easiest course of action to take was, of course, to bring her out of her misery. If she had been a normal she-wolf, Law would have had no second thoughts. But mercy-killing an Alpha Female didn't sit well with him.

Where he came from, Alpha Females were sacred and the birth of one was celebrated, seeing that they were so rare. Brutalizing one in any form was considered sacrilege – the worst kind of insult to the Moon.

The strong hum of her scent and blood also meant she was a Lycan, a pureblooded wolf with no human or Lupine ancestors in her family tree. The she-wolf truly was something.

Going against his better judgment, Law took a step forward, deciding to free her.

With his imposing presence, however, she took offense. "Stay back," she spat, voice already hoarse with thirst and weariness. She was shivering from the cold, but her heated glare did not cede.

Law gave up trying to think of a greeting which would not aggravate her further. So he remained silent as he approached, merely returning her gaze – albeit, without the anger. Upon closer inspection, he realized she couldn't have been more than eighteen summers old, only a couple of years younger than he was.