If there was something I know nothing about, then that would be the existence of the White Stag and its significant purpose. When other regions said that the North Canideans believed in such a legend, I never acknowledged the idea of being one of the high believers because I thought that it was preposterous.
The prophecy itself was absurd and unimaginable. That’s why most people in other regions, specifically from the Central, looked down upon us for not accepting change and refusing to adapt to modernization, unlike others who had accepted it long years ago.
We, people from the North preferred to call our place Town when all of the regions upgraded theirs into a City. Our houses and infrastructure remained to be just a little wooden hut, our packhouse was some sort of old castle built centuries ago and had never been renovated even once, our clothing is perpetual, staying to be conservative, and we preserved our land by staying the way it was our ancestors left them for us. Almost all regions used bombs and guns for their defense, but we preferred to use hunting knives and swords as our weapons just like in the old times.
But no matter how outmoded our region was, our place became the refuge of the criminals from the Central. Too much from being modern and esteemed and here they were, treating our region as their safe haven. That’s why when the Justice Pack from the Canidean City Police Department roamed around in the North, it only meant one thing to us. A criminal is in hiding again. Even I have already lost count of how many times they searched in our region and caught criminals harboring in the woods, it’s outrageous.
If only looking for a White Stag is as feasible as seeing criminals get caught by the CCPD, then I wouldn't worry about its probability.
“But it doesn't exist...” I muttered, making Mason quirk his brow at me. “Does it?”
Mason narrowed his eyes at me for seconds, causing my face to heat in embarrassment and then panic when his gaze grew intense upon my face.
“If you believe it, then it will. Would you rather stay like this for the rest of your life then?” he asked testily, requiring an immediate answer.
“N-No,” I answered while looking down, my hands fidgeting in my middle. When I remembered that he didn’t want to hear me stutter whenever I spoke to him, I cleared my throat. “I mean, no. Of course not. I think I have had enough of disparage for the last ten years.”
“Then keep on the lookout for the woods starting today. It’s just a stag, it’s not that hard to find here in the North, especially in our town,” he said, as if nothing was to fret about.
Well, looking at Mason, maybe it was easy for him. If only I had his strength, agility, and not to mention his confidence, I wouldn't be having second thoughts about it.
“But it’s a White Stag,” I pointed out, refusing to meet his tenacious gaze. I was so agitated at the most ideal choice, it came out as a complaint.
“Sure, a white one was rare, Aera. But I know the Moon Goddess made it for a reason... and that is for you. It has to be for you,” Mason insisted while tapping my shoulder with rather powerful force. “Now, piss off, stop whining, and go home. I had enough of your trounces today.”
Mason pushed me so fervently that I almost stumbled at the exertion of it. I felt like somebody struck me on my shoulder because he had tapped me so hard. If I hadn't been so careful and quick to act, I must have already shoved my face into the ground.
Reaching for my shoulder, I secretly gave Mason an angry squint until Miya arrived, coming from their house just situated nearby in our training area.
She saw me wincing in pain while I was rotating my shoulder, so she darted her brother an arch look. As haughty and unbothered as Mason, he just gave it a careless shrug before walking away as he whistled.
“I’m sorry, Aera. Mason could be brusque sometimes, but believe me when I said that he’s a good brother,” Miya said and handed me a small container with a twisted cap. “It’s an ointment from our house. For your back wound at our next tending in your room. The one we have in your room already ran out and requesting one from your father would not be easy and efficient. He was so mad at you, there's a possibility that he wouldn't grant my request.”
Smiling, I accepted the ointment from Miya. “Thank you.”
She stepped closer to fix my hood and smiled at me while locking her hands on my shoulder as a gesture that I was ready to go home. “You did well with the shifting today, Aera. I’m so proud of you.”
I couldn't help but smile at the encouragement. And I never knew I needed it. That was the first time I ever heard a compliment from someone that didn't come from myself or my wolf, and I didn't know how gratifying it was to acquire.
I realized that it was one of the things that I was missing in this world. In fact, I was missing so many things that I couldn't help blaming myself for allowing me to be that ostracized in our pack when deep inside me I knew I could do more. At least, now I believe that I can. And I would gladly do anything just to receive some more compliments starting from now on.
That’s how huge Mia’s impact on me. She made me realize what instances I wanted for myself that I couldn't.
After that night, I woke up every day more determined, bold, intrepid even to sneak out of the house for months and train every night with Miya and Mason. At first, my wolf was slightly unsettled by my sudden change of demeanor, plausibly afraid that my father would find out about my secret endeavors behind his back, but then she failed to convince me to smooth down the growing sense of eagerness inside me because I was really unwavering.
I couldn't bear wasting any more time.
I have been wasting it for almost two decades now by being locked in my room and abused by my cruel father. If there was a right time to act for me, then it has to be now.
One morning, I spent my entire time in the woods, trying to have sight of a White Stag but only to no avail. Mason was right when he said that stags in the North were abundant and sparse in the woods, but there was no White Stag that I could find.
And maybe— just maybe, it doesn't exist at all, making that prophecy unattainable.
I heaved a long sigh and idled while leaning my back on the trunk. I directed my face at the radiating sun and prayed to the Moon Goddess in silence.
I cared less if I couldn't find a white stag any sooner, as long as I could locate one no matter how long it would take me. And if I can't locate one in this lifetime, then I hope I won't be the weak daughter of someone's father or a shameful sibling to someone's sister and have a fair life instead. Apparently, the White Stag was the only option I had. Finding and killing one was the only way to alter my sullied reputation here in our town.
I purposely went home late to have my lunch. I had a feeling that my father wouldn't love me to join him for lunch at our long table. If Aena was here, she wouldn't want me to join her as well, unless she had a plan on boasting about her achievements in front of our father, leading me to receive harsh comparisons and dejection remarks while she got the praise and appreciation she ought to have.
With that memory, I rolled my eyes in irritation and went back to the packhouse where we, the Alvarez family, had been living for almost five decades now.
On my way to the packhouse, everybody was eyeing me like I'm nothing but a disgrace in our average pack yet full of good fighters.
I would have been hurt if it was foreign to me. Except it wasn't because I had been receiving those gazes many times now, every day to be precise, that I no longer cared, unlike before that would easily dishearten me.
I walked past them and went straight to my room. When I was about to open my door, I heard a sound that I had never heard before.
A moan from a woman.
In fact, not just any woman but my sister’s, causing my brain to be short-circuited and unable to process what I was hearing.
“Yes, Jared... deeper,” Aena moaned, followed by a high-pitched whimper. “Oh, yes... yes!”
My hand flew to cover my mouth and I stiffened in front of my door before I found myself pinned in my position with wide eyes.
“Oh, yes... just like that!” Aena screamed, as if she was in pain and pleasure, making me wince in disgust.
And I swore in silence before I realized what they were doing inside my room. They were doing it in my bed. Hell, I'm not even certain if they were doing it in my bed or if they had been doing some of it anywhere inside my bedroom before I even arrived.
“I’m almost there, darling... don’t stop!” Aena demanded in between her heavy breaths. When her voice turned desperate and impatient, chanting her mate’s name, again and again, my eyes dilated and I found my heart racing. “Jared...”
My heart was beating so loudly inside my chest, it was jabbing my ears as it was in rhythm together with Aena and Jared's continuous moans.
My cheeks heated at the lewd noise and yet I couldn't move a muscle. And even though I knew I needed to leave, my wolf disobeyed me by being adamant and choosing to listen in exhilaration instead.
And it was then I realized that my wolf was in heat, making my body scorch and rouse all of a sudden.
My heart was pounding inside my chest and my wolf was getting out of hand. I could feel her swelling up together with the burning of my body. Oh, Goddess... I was no stranger to the idea of the traditional mating of wolf shifters like us, but I had no clue that depriving my wolf's needs was such a torment for both of us. At the age of fifteen, our family's duenna taught us that our duty was not only to be a good wife but also the purpose of the wolf in heat and how we are able to manage it. After the acceptance of claims during the sacred mating banquet, we are obliged to give him our first liquid release to be fully marked and imprinted forever. And then, at the mating season, we are obliged to succumb to the heat to give our mate children if required. Basically, the only way to ease the heat needed to be done by mating. Except the problem was I had no mate to ease the heat that ignited inside me. Rather, I had, but he rejected me and now I was suffering this excitement that I had
“Any luck?” Mason queried, dodging my attack when I tried to give him a swift jab in the face. He locked my fist in his palm, twisting it, forcing me to veer before pushing me as his defense. Panting, I glowered at him. “Would I be here trying to defeat you if I have?” I didn't wait for Mason to answer and charged through him, aiming to land on his face and followed by a supposed to be knockdown attack. But as quick as Mason, he predicted my offense and sent me back from my position by kicking my lower back, making me slightly wince in pain. Fortunately, I didn't lose my footing but I did felt the pain gnawing in my back. My wolf howled inside me all of a sudden, offering her strength for my assistance. If only I hadn't been attempting to defeat Mason without shifting, I would have let my wolf help me earlier. Defeating Mason is all I have wanted to accomplish since the moment I met him, now that five years had gone by and I still haven't found the White Stag, I just want to prove
5 years earlier...“What?” Miya asked incredulously, as if she heard the most absurd idea she ever perceived. “You are going to what?”“Revenge,” I answered promptly, still striding towards the woods where I frequently look for the White Stag. I walked past the members who were spearing their eyes at me in contempt, so I huffed and even hastened my step. “I’m going to take my revenge on them. All of them. Aena. The high members. My mate who rejected me. Including my father.”Without looking, I felt Miya winced in disappointment when the tenor of her breathing changed for seconds, before she continue to take quick breaths as she trailed after me with long steps.“Are you hearing yourself?” Miya asked, which made my forehead crease. Not just because her query was carries a hint of inhibition but because I couldn't believe that she didn't understand my notion given the fact of my dire situation that she's been always aware of.“Of course, I am. I am never been more certain doing something
My father was smiling. Never once had he offered me a smile before whether it was fake or forced. It was the thing my father couldn't spare for his disappointment child. However, I have to admit that I reached the point when I waited for this day to happen. For the first time in my life, I finally saw him smile at me, yet it never gave me a sense of fulfillment but rage. I have hated him ever since he blamed me for the death of my mother. Even so, sometimes I found myself yearning for his appreciation as his daughter. But now that I have sought exactly what I yearned for so long, I never knew that I didn't need it. At least, not anymore. To me, it was easy to appreciate a person, to purse lips to give someone a smile. Father never had a problem giving it to Aena, but to me... I had to fucking kill an animal just to earn his appreciation. Unbeknownst to me, I got tired from doing a lot of exertion that always ends up being a futile attempt. It wasn’t worth it. I have another purpos
ALEXEI“Stop! Go back to the banquet and withdraw what you declared. Claim your mate just like what you are supposed to,” my father, Alexander Volkov said, disappointment playing along in his voice, making me halt from taking another step.I saw most of my father’s beta walk past me with concern, almost a wary expression before I glared at them to walk away, indicating that I didn’t need anyone’s pity. These betas think that they were entitled to show me mercy since I was on cue with a long chastise from my father. However, I care less about what they think. I did what I thought was right, not for myself but for the sake of Triton’s pack.With a smug expression, I turned to my father. “Father, you must have gone blind. Did you see that woman? Is that the kind of woman you want to reign alongside me? The kind of woman you want to be the mother of my child and your grandchildren?”“It doesn't matter if that woman was weak or mute or crippled. It doesn't matter if it’s from another regio
For a moment, I felt like I was struck by lightning. Alexei’s sudden appearance caused my ability to discern things to malfunction. I remained frozen as I gazed down at him, dumbfounded, not knowing what to react, think, or say. I was completely surprised, weighing down all the hatred I felt for him for the last five years.“Alexei...” I murmured, and then hated myself that his name escaped from my lips pretty naturally, as if he had never caused me pain and misery. All of a sudden, I heard haste footsteps from the door and saw Mason arrive by the door, gasping for air with a bruise on his right eye and a cut on his lips, fresh blood scattered on his chin, untidily wiped. I don't have to confirm who caused that wound because there was only one who intruded into the packhouse.Alexei.“Forgive me. I stopped Mister Volkov at the entrance of the packhouse. Unfortunately, I was defeated by the brawl initiated by Mister Volkov and I wasn't able to stop him from ruining today’s...” Mason tr
Three years earlier...“You need to choose an heir,” Diego suggested solicitously, his voice was low but vehement.I stopped taking a step toward my room when I passed my father’s office. Suddenly, I felt my wolf enlivened at the topic and forced me to stay. So instead of going on my way, I placed my ears near the open door while paying attention to my surroundings just in case someone passed and caught me listening to someone's undisclosed discussion, especially a discussion between the Alpha and his most trusted strategist.It wasn't my attention to eavesdrop. After every unjust treatment I received, nothing excites me anymore other than killing the White Stag. However, I have no idea as to why I tolerated my wolf’s inclination. I ended up taking it as my chance to find out what my father’s decision was about this important matter.At the very least, I have to admit that Diego was right and smart to have prodded this regard. At my father”s age, he was accustomed to choosing an heir
Four. There are four ways to kill this arrogant shifter by laying his hands on me, let alone wrapping his arms around me, just by the use of my hunting knife hidden in one of my boots.First is by wringing his neck, which will end his life for approximately thirty seconds. Severing the trachea below the larynx to prevent him from screaming and then meeting his death. A clean and quick murder, I could say, and preferred by most of the rogues to get away with murder after executing a wolf shifter that belongs in a pack.The second one would be cutting his wrist. Although the first one was faster than cutting his wrist, however, slow death is what Alexei deserves for rejecting me five years ago. It wouldn't be as slow as five years of suffering but I know it would be worth a sight to watch.Thirdly, by stabbing his heart directly and then twisting the knife to sever all the functions that were causing his heart to beat. My hunting knife was sharp enough to get through his heart and kill