Chapter 1

“Please sweetheart, just five more minutes.” He whined pulling her close and buring his head on her back. “No, you are going to be late for the alpha’s meeting.” She reminded him making him groan in frustration. “Go now or your beta will be knocking on this door and you know how much I hate it when he does that.” He laughed getting up from bed going to the shower. She finished making the bed then went to join him in the shower before going out meeting Beta Larry on the stairs.

“I was coming to get you.” Laura rolled her eyes at Larry. “See, I told you that he was going to come.” He laughed. “Were you guys talking about me?” asked Larry looking between his brother and his mate. “Laura, was telling me to hurry up and get ready for the meeting before you come and get me.” Larry looked at Laura. “Don’t look at me like that, you are always at our door knocking every morning.” Larry rolled his eyes.

“I won’t come knocking again, I will just relax in the kitchen with my niece and let this lazy alpha of ours be late.” Xander glared at his brother. “Am still here you know, come let us go before we get really late.” Laura called on the way to the kitchen. “Xander, breakfast!” Xander sighed, he knew that if he left without eating breakfast or at least taking some fruit to eat on the way Laura will not like it.

He was huffing and puffing going to the kitchen with Larry laughing at him. Xander was older than Larry by two years, Larry was a morning person, an early riser while Xander was a night owl. He did not like waking up early in the morning but did not mind working until late at night. When they got to the kitchen, he took an apple and an energy bar then ran out with Larry behind. They drove out of the pack going to a meeting to a neighbouring pack.

“We are going to be late and you know how those old men are with time.” Larry told his brother. “I know but there is nothing we can do at the moment, if I felt safe enough on these woods we would have gone in our wolf form but a lot of strange things happen here.” He told him and his brother shook his head. “Okay, then let us take a short cut through the Canine Pack and we will get there in no time. They are our friends, so they won’t have a problem with us going through there.”

He suggested almost insisting on it. “You are right, then give directions.” Xander agreed and that seemed to make Larry happy. He gave directions as they drove, soon they were about to pass the caves before joining the main road but found big rocks on the road ahead. “This was supposed to be a fucking shortcut, what the hell are those rocks doing on the road!” Xander was frustrated because they were already late and now, they were going to be later than they already were because they must remove those rocks so that they can pass.

“Come on, its just two big rocks and that is nothing with us. Come let us go, it will be quick you will see.” Xander groaned in frustration, this is not how he anticipated this day going. He planned on coming to this meeting, returning home doing some pack work then go and spend time with Laura and their daughter Anita. She was leaving home before her 18^th birthday for orientation at the collage she was going to attend the following year.

So, he planned on celebrating with her before she left because she will not be home when her birthday comes. They got out and Larry walked slowly behind. Xander caught a scent of something rotten and knew that rogues were close. “Larry, hurry up there are rogues nearby.” Larry did not answer, Xander turned to look at this brother and found him standing there and two rogues were coming behind him. “Larry, behind you!” Xander warned his brother but he just looked over his shoulder and shrugged.

Confuse Xander moved forward but stopped on his tracks when he saw that the rogues were not attacking his brother. “You know them?” he asked because he never mentioned knowing any rogues to him. “Yep! They are my new friends, and we happen to have something in common.” Larry told his brother, Xander was not stupid he knew that something was amiss with this situation. “Larry, what is going on?” he asked sensing that there is more to these rogues than them being just friends with his brother.

More rogues appeared behind him and he stood on the side so that he can be able to see on both sides. “A lot is going on dear brother, but today we focus on you.” He answered looking bored by his brother’s questions. “What do you mean by that?” asked Xander, he already figured that his brother organized this, but he did not know why. “It’s simple, I want to be the alpha of the richest and most powerful pack, but you are in my way. So, I am removing the obstacle, I hope that is simple enough for you to understand.”

Xander felt defeated, in all these years he has been the alpha and him the beta, Larry never showed any hostility towards him or his family. Never betrayed the pack or anything like that, in fact he gave his life to the pack and respected Xander as the alpha and followed orders just like everyone else. Which is why Xander could not understand the sudden change in his brother. “So, your plan is to kill me for the alpha position.” Larry smirked. “Bingo! Am glad you get it now and I will be taking Laura as my chosen mate and we can be parents to Anita. But she doesn’t need parents anyway she’s not a baby anymore.”

Xander got angry and charged for his brother but was stopped halfway by the rogues as they held him back, he struggled pushing through but they held him tight, they were more then six of them holding Xander back. He fought and killed one of the rogues before the others got hold of him again, he growled trying to get free. “Now would be the right time to inject him, don’t be foolish thinking you can beat him like that, he is an alpha and will not hesitate to kill you should you give him a chance.” Larry warned the rogues, he stood a good distance further from them.

One of the rogues came from behind and injected him. While he was wondering what they injected him with, he stated to feel hot everywhere, his throat got dry and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Right then he knew that he was injected with wolfbane. While he was trying to process and live through that pain, they started beating him. All five of them at the same time, he tried putting up a fight, but he was losing his strength and fast.

Larry came when he was laying on the ground, he pulled his hair making him look at him. “I didn’t want it to be this way brother but I also can’t wait for you to die to get the alpha position, I hope you understand and please say hello to mom and dad for me.” He said then slit his throat with his claw and then let go of his head. “Well, I guess that’s it, to be honest I thought it would be more difficult than that. Anyway, good job gentleman you will be handsomely rewarded as soon as I take my position.”

The rogues nodded; they were happy because they were promised a lot of money by Larry. “You can leave now I will take care of the rest.” He told the rogues and they left.