The Alpha Of Darkness

Chapter 3

Lolita gasped as she looked around for friends, lost in a swarm of petrified teens. Some shifted into their wolf form, racing off to find the elders, others searching for safety. Regardless, Lolita could not find the twins, scanning the amidst for the familiar faces, the girl remained disappointed, all she could see was a sea of blurred bodies.

That was when she noticed the blazing heat. To her horror, the cabin was alight, the flames danced freely and rose, almost mocking her. Consumed with overwhelming thoughts, she ran deeper into the woods. She wished this was all a dream. In fact, this reminded her of many of the nightmares she had after her brother had been taken, no doubt killed too. Her legs suddenly stiffened, the small girl almost fell forward from the impact of the abrupt stop. Isaac.

He was like a second brother to her, what was she thinking leaving him in there alone? She had to go back and find him. Help him. He could not suffer a similar fate, no, Lolita would not allow her best friend to foresee such a tragic end.

But where was she?

Scanning her unfamiliar surroundings, the petite brunette soon realized she had run deep into the woods, she was no longer on SilverMoon territory, she had far past Isaac's father's land. Crap.

"If I run back in the direction I came from, I'll find my way back" The brunet reassuringly whispered to herself, she needed to hear those words, she needed the comfort. However, before she could turn, the crunching of freshly fallen leaves caught her attention.

"You can try" The sharp shrill of a voice. which seemed to belong to an ancient wolf lingered in the cold air. "But I promise you, you won't get very far, my darling."

A dark grey wolf emerged from the shadows, his fur uneven, patches smothered in mud. The shivering princess daren't meant his gaze for his bright yellow eye carried a look of hunger. The other eye, unreadable due to the thick scar which ran jaggedly down his face, unsparing his eye.

Lolita wanted to run but she knew he was right. She could not. Despite her extremely quick reflexes and speed, she could not outrun him in his wolf form, there was no time for her to shift, this would leave her in a more vulnerable state regarding the pain which accompanied shifting as the girl had only recently first shifted. The memory alone sent a chill down her spine.

Before the girl could even think to move, the wolf growled, pouncing on her, his jaw locking onto her neck. She felt him bite down. Was he marking her? Fear overwhelmed her fragile figure. Well Rapunzel, father's never going to let you out the castle now.

Before the wolf's bite could puncture her skin deep enough to mark her, a new wolf jumped the attacker.

Lolita covered her eyes desperately shuffling towards the tree. She was so close to crying, but the determined teen attempted to calm herself, her legs pressed against her body while her head rested against her knees to protect herself.

Whimpering sounded through the forest as she heard a wolf rush off, praying this had been her attacker she kept her head tightly engulfed in her arms. The new wolf seemed unfamiliar and therefore a threat. She did not know what he wanted from her, assuming the worst she remined still, now sobbing.

"Hush little princess. He can't hurt you anymore." Whispered a strangely soothing voice.

Lifting her head up, Lolita expected to be greeted by her savior, however when she saw a dark nothingness, she felt disappointed. Did she imagine everything? But the mark left on her neck was very real.

a fatigue rush overcame her, realizing how lightheaded she felt, Lolita attempted to stand but just shifting her muscles caused an electrifying pain to shoot up in her neck, subsiding to the nauseous feeling, the princess felt her eyes clamp shut and her surroundings fade away.

Lolita's eyes fluttered open, she was greeted by the warmth of her bed, nuzzling into this, she felt her nerves calm. She had dreamed it all.

"Is she awake?" She heard mute murmurs causing her to jolt upright, the pain shot back into her neck.

"Seems awake to me" Smirked the sandy haired boy.

In that moment, Lolita forgot all about the pain as she launched herself into the speaker's muscular arms, he wrapped them cautiously around the fragile figure, smiling into her midnight black hair.

"You had us worried sick, Lo. What happened to you?"

She winced as he gently touched the plaster which now covered her neck, earning a growl from him and the King, who's presence Lolita now had only just made aware of.

"My best warriors are out on. We will find whoever did this and I will execute the brute myself" Her father's powerful voice echoed through the room as all eyes fell towards him.

"How did you find me" was all Lolita could compose herself to say.

"Daniel found you on the outskirts of his territory" He motioned towards Isaac's father. His voice quieter than usual but still holding the same air of dominance "My sweet child, I don't know what I would have done of I lost you" To everyone's astonishment, he pulled his daughter into a loving embrace. The king was not known for expressing his emotions so openly, but the queen was. She soon joined him, weeping and clinging onto her daughter desperately.

"We'll be down in your office, my king" Stated Daniel, bowing respectfully before steering his son away.

Lolita savored the emotional outpour of her father as she knew she would soon be greeted with an endless lecture. However, time assed and the lecture did not come. Finally the king broke the hug and her mother pulled Lolita onto her lap, holding on to her tightly. Lolita didn't mind, she knew her mother had been hurting immensely. She knew she would if the roles were reversed, the love Lolita and her mother shared was endless and all consuming, their bond stronger than any mate bond to exist. The tragedy of Lolita's brother only further brought them closer.

The king was the first to speak "Listen Lo, I have some news. Vincent, the Alpha of the Ember pack has asked for your hand in marriage. I have not given him an answer yet; the Ball is near, and we still await to see if you find your mate. However, he will there, and I want you to respect him. Understood?"

"Respect him?" What kind of joke was this? Lolita burned in anger and her mother sensed this.

"James, your daughter has been attacked by a rouge. We're lucky it did not kill her; now don't you dare stress her anymore. We will speak of the matter tomorrow."

The king grunted in response, he did not want to witness another argument, rage flowed through his veins, he did not want to take this out on his family, instead he decided to find his old friend Daniel and murder any rouge he could find.

As the door shut, Elizabeth shuffled into the warm of the bed with her daughter, who rested her head on her mother's shoulder.

"This is going to sound so clique and childish, BUT. It's not fair!"

"I understand my Lo. Your father is very old fashioned and has strong feelings about this, I'm afraid it's not a topic which I can change his mind on."

"I know" murmured Lolita, grateful for her mothers understanding.

Her mother smiled at her sympathetically. "I always assumed Isaac was your mate, so I didn't really engage in conversation about his plans for the Ball. I realize how silly of me that was now as that's not the case"

The thought of Isaac as her mate caused Lolita to burst into laughter, despite the pain this brought to her neck. Then a wave of realization hit her. Not the case? Lolita gulped, realizing the Ball may be closer than she thought.

"How long was I asleep?"