Klauwen

O N E

                                                                                        Finding

                                                                                       B E A U T Y

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                                                                                        Alpha Red

I'm an Alpha. I'm a dangerous predator that will stop at nothing to get what I want, even if that means I'll burn the world down to do just that.

It's a certainty. In this life of battle and me having to assert my dominance on everyone; living a life of duty. I'm sure of one thing.

When I was taken out of my mother's womb, that night, the moon shone on me like I'm her long-awaited warrior son.

The moon favors me. It's pulsing in my blood, the bond I share with her. My Fur side is blessed with power, it's beyond rational reasoning.

This bond has brought more good than bad into my life. All the Alphas before me had also been blessed with the Blood Moon, causing a strong lineage going as far back as the beginning of time.

                                                                                              ****

                                                                                 C H A P T E R   O N E

It's a blistering night, the fresh air thickening with the smell of a brewing storm. As I concentrate more, I can feel my mate.

Her presence awoke me from my slumber, in the wee hours of the morning. I can't describe this feeling, other than a drum thumping asynchronous to my heartbeat. Something is troubling about the beat of her heart.

This beat has an echo of despair and pain. I knew then, when I felt it for the first time, that I had to be accompanied by reinforcements, as my tribe wouldn't let me put our future at risk.

My Fur pushes my legs to thump harder against the clammy soil of the woods, adjacent to my territory. He again growls at the warriors, emphasizing the importance of the retrieval of my mate. She'll be the Alpha Female.

In the werewolf community, the Alpha Female is seen as a beacon of not only hope but also strength, thus the tribe will never reach their full potential without her. An Alpha Female was seen as an equal leader to the Alpha.

Just as the Alpha had to be tested and had to earn the title and respect of the Tribe, such as expected of the Alpha Female. She will be tested, to see if she aligns with the needs of the pack.

My body vibrates as I feel her presence intensify. The wind sweeps West, to our advantage. Scouts are on the borders, on the lookout for potential danger. My Beta and brother, Everest is behind me with my other right-hand man, John.

My heart is thumping with both anger and hope as we near the battleground. It's a musty building, hidden in the thick woods. I know of places like these, they are torture houses, these are some of the worst crimes committed against shifters.

They are lanky, fanged beings, walking around the premises like they own the world. Their stench causes my nostrils to burn. Vampires.

It's no surprise that the incompetent, filthy savages aren't going to be prepared for the pain that is about to be unleashed upon them. They should've known that the torture house would be found eventually. They're just unlucky that it's me who found them.

There are no other scents that I can detect except their rotten flesh. There are hints of wolves' scents, but it's dimmed down. Almost hidden completely.

Werewolves are other types of beasts, we're protective of our own, and when others start to kill us off, it's enough to make our beasts surface. Our Furs calling for blood.

I come to a stop, my warriors following suit. The hunger for revenge courses through our pack bond. We feed off one another's savageness.

Opening our pack bond, "Stick to the usual tactics, remember, we need to retrieve the Alpha Female alive, if any harm comes to her, you'll head will be taken back on a pike."

My weight shifts, as I crouch down, ready for the battle. My Fur bristles, his mouth-watering, the enticing taste of blood appealing to his ferocious mind.

Even nature sees the vampires as vile creatures as their auras taint the wilderness with their rottenness.

Charging forward, my first unsuspecting opponent is met with my canines digging into their cold skin. The rest of the warriors follow suit. He falls to the side, his head dislodged from his body.

My next victim is a pale slender woman who charges full force. Her brown hair swishing as she comes closer, her fangs shining in the light.

"Aww, little doggy wants to fight." Her voice sounds close to the sound of nails dragging on a chalkboard.

It's painful to listen to.

Unbeknownst to her, she has just poked the beast with a stick. The air shifts as I attack her head-on, my claws scratching at her, digging into her guts. My teeth wrap around her hand as she goes for my chest.

Not today or ever, will I be the victim of the lesser species. Her body shakes as I tear off her arms.

Her limp body thumps to the ground as I step on her head, crushing her skull. My body morphs into my skin, my people taking care of the rest of the parasites as I put on my clothes.

Walking into the building, my eyes analyze every crook and cranny of the place. The halls are empty, my nose burning as I smell decay.

My eyes adjust as I move through the building, dodging puddles of feces and other bodily outlets.

My instincts are on fire, my mate bond stinging my skin. I don't have time to waste. There's a spiral staircase that leads to what only I can describe as pure hell. The metallic smell of werewolf blood wafts past me. My wolves don't dare talk about the place as I move through.

As I walk into the room, there are prisoners littered all over. The piercing scent of silver wafts through the air along with the smell of dying bodies and despair.

The pull is growing stronger, I won't be able to fight against it even if I wanted to. My feet lead me to her. She's but a tiny bump inside of a cell. Not minding the venom-laced bars, I break it open.

There's no other time in my life I've felt this frenzied by anything. Her scent lures me in deeper, as her eyes fall closed.

Panic sets in as her chest seize to move. Jumping into action, the sparks I feel when our skin meets is on the back burner as I do CPR.