STIX
Growing up, I lived carefree, thinking I would be in charge of my life when I became an adult.
Oh, how wrong I was.
I had everything I ever wanted, needed, or desired. I only realized after I had turned eighteen and was thrust into the world of adulthood how utterly stupid it was of me, to think I could live my life the way I wanted under my father’s protection. Even some things were out of his control.
I wasn’t an idiot; I just chose to be ignorant. Ignorant to the fact that as an Alpha born female, I had no choices. We weren’t free to find a fated, not that that happens very often.
Finding your fated mate that some goddess supposedly made just for you, they were a rare case, if there were any at all in the past century. Nor were we free to fall in love with a chosen, because as soon as that happened, some nasty Alpha would come to lay claim to you and threaten the lives of your pack members if you didn’t bow your head and submit to their demands.
I say females born to Alpha’s, but it was all females, ranked, omega, and human. None of us were safe. We were used as breeding machines, toys, mistresses, you name it, we were it. Sold to be whatever they wanted us to be. To the highest bidder.
Alpha born females were, of course, of great value. Mating with an Alpha female could only strengthen bloodlines. Producing an heir (male born), just meant the stronger their pack would become.
In this day and age, where barely one-third of the population is female, in an already vastly diminished population, you would think they would value women a little more instead of thinking of them as less than a piece of shit.
I scoffed with disgust at my own thought. Hell would surely freeze over before the male hierarchy of society, AKA ranked wolves, would ever change their way of thinking.
Now not all pack Alpha’s thought that way. Take my father for example, hell the idea of me being sold or claimed against my will was enough to give him and his wolf a heart attack!
Yet here we were, in that exact position. Last year when I turned twenty-one, my boyfriend, my chosen mate, asked me to be his forever. And I had said yes.
Alas, enter the big bad Alpha Crane of the Cardinal Moon Pack, twenty-odd years my senior. He has already gone through two Luna’s and when I say gone through, the second Luna was found dead in a river and the first Luna? Well, who knows where she is.
Some say he locked her away for all eternity, others have said he killed her. Then there are the ones that say she met her true mate and ran away to live happily ever after. I wouldn’t doubt if there was a little truth in all three stories.
Personally, I think the bastard killed them both. There was no way, I shook my head not believing it for a second.
I mean you can’t tell me that two women abandoned their children. Leaving their little girls there in the hands of that animal?
Hence, the reason why, Alpha Crane is looking for a new ‘Chosen Luna’. Neither of his previous Luna’s was able to produce an heir. The first Luna birthed twin girls. The second Luna birthed one girl and had a miscarriage. I‘m pretty sure that is why she ended up in the river.
You can speculate, or you could listen to the rumors, or you could do what I am doing right now.
Hiding in the walls listening to the conversation my father is having with Alpha Crane at this very moment.
“She is a beautiful woman James, and she will produce me an heir. Our packs will be united forever.” I shivered in disgust at the tone of Alpha Crane’s Slimy voice as he talked about me.
Through the peephole, I could see my father tense and his hands ball into fists, I couldn’t see his face, but I could feel the anger rolling off him, and just imagine his blue eyes glaring daggers at the crass old Alpha.
I mean Gods, the man was in his late forties, old enough to be my father, shit he was older than my father by two years, forty-five I believe. Or something like that. I shifted my thoughts and concentrated on listening to the conversation.
“Yes, Charlie, she is very beautiful and as I have told you before, she’s already betrothed and promised to someone.” My father, ever the protector discloses.
He had been fending off Alpha Crane for months now. Whose requests were becoming more and more demanding.
“James, what is it you want for little Hope? Money, land, jewels? Name it.” Alpha Crane offered my father.
I could just see where he was sitting. His posture is calm and confident. Like he knew he would get what he wanted by hook or crook. “Besides, I heard her chosen died a nasty death, so she is free.” A sick smile plays on his face.
The bile rose in my throat. We couldn’t prove it, but we knew Alpha Crane had something to do with Jason’s death. It was too convenient that my chosen mate suddenly died in a car accident and then he came sniffing back around.
See, last year Alpha Crane came to ‘buy me’ from my father and he was told I was already promised. A few weeks later, Jason turned up dead in a car accident and before his body was even cold, that bastard came demanding my purchase.
“She is not for sale Charlie. She is my daughter. Besides, don’t you think she is a little young to be your Luna?” I hear the hope in my father's voice as he tries to dissuade the dirtbag Alpha.
“HA!” Alpha Crane gave a condescending smirk, then pursed his leathery lips together contemplating his next words “I will have Hope as my next Luna, James.” He said in a matter-of-fact tone and quiet calmly. “I will give you two weeks to accept my offer. If you decline my generosity, then… I will be coming for her anyway. He abruptly stood, buttoning up his suit jacket, and then offered a hand to my father, who stood looking at it.
Alpha Crane withdrew his hand, noting my father’s reluctance to take it, running a hand through his now graying, dirty, and greasy blond hair. “You will do well to remember James that your pack is smaller and not as strong as mine.” The Alpha left my father with those words, a subtle warning behind them, and made for the door.
“You can come out now Stixs” my father called to me as soon as the door clicked closed.
I opened the wall panel and stepped into his office. My father slumped down onto his chair and a pained sigh heaved through his lips.
I hung my head in guilt. I was the reason for his stress, all because I couldn’t stomach the thought of becoming his Luna. “I’m sorry father, this is my fault.”
“No! None of this is your fault Stixs. I don’t want you to worry about any of this. I will figure something out. Over my dead body will I let that narcissist prick claim you!” His fist hit the desk with gusto as he tried to assure me. Even his harsh gritted words couldn’t hide the worry I could see in his eyes.
“That’s what I’m afraid of Father; that the cost will be too great. My life is no more important than yours or anyone else’s in this pack. We cannot ask the pack to fight for me, these laws have been in place for too long.”
“They are not laws, Stixs!” My father growled, banging his fist on the desk once more and making me jerk back a little startled. “There is no law that allows him to claim you.”
“No, but there is a law that allows him to go to war to claim a chosen.” I bit back. Alphas like Charles Crane don’t play by the rules. They think they can bully others to their will because they have money.
“Branston will be starting training in twenty minutes, why don’t you go ahead and get down there? I want you to be able to protect yourself if and when the need arises.” He spoke more calmly, yet his words left me no comfort. All they told me was that he too was scared that he couldn’t change the inevitable.
Alpha Crane would start a war between our packs just to get what he wanted and because he could.
STIX I headed down to the arena to meet up with other pack members who were trained fighters. We were one of the few packs that allowed females to train. My mother, bless her soul, believed a she-wolf could defend her pack just as well as any male. My father always said that was one of many reasons he fell in love with her. For her strength, beauty, and kindness but above all for her quick-witted tongue, which, he reminded me every day that I got from her. That and my sassy attitude. Unfortunately, it was that fearlessness and her mouth that got her killed, probably. I was fourteen when she was attacked. One of the rare days she ventured out by herself to the market. On her way home she was murdered. Nobody saw, nobody knows what happened. They heard shouting, then the growl of wolves, by the time anyone could come to her aid it was all over. The assailants had fled. Leaving her body limp and bleeding out. They had clawed her throat open. My father took it hard, any mate would. L
GABEThe bar was hopping tonight, more crowded for a weekday night than usual.Jamerson had informed us that we had business meetings tonight, and the Gammas shit for brain son was being returned to him tomorrow morning, all limbs attached; After we let Dynamite Al teach him a lesson.My session with Bailey last night left me feeling somewhat relaxed, or at least relieving some of my constant tension.I finished changing a keg and went to sit with Jamerson at ‘our’ table. He was nursing a whisky; one we had distilled ourselves and sold to numerous other establishments and some surrounding packs.It wasn’t unusual for us to do business with packs, not just supply them with our products but also our more aggressive services. Especially to those weaker packs who required reinforcements when they were attacked by true rogues.We never took sides. Only the color of money determined what side our services would support. They all knew it was nothing personal. Just business.“Quiet a night, h
GABEThe man, an obvious Alpha; stood tall and proud looking around the bar flanked by his two men, I took note that one had a Beta aura, and the other was a guard. His eyes landed on me, and I lifted my glass and downed the liquid in one go, still holding eye contact.Two of my men stood up blocking the Alpha’s path to me. This was either going to be a shit show or the Alpha wanted something.By the look of desperation written all over his face, I was guessing the latter.*Let him through* I linked my men. I would praise them later for doing their job, as I had told no one we were expecting a meeting with an Alpha. Curious eyes from the bar were all trained on the unknown Alpha, and I could see my Zeta’s stiffen, ready to fight if needed.The Alpha was unknown to me, not one I had previously encountered. The older man stepped forward closing in on our table, his men close behind him, constantly looking around watching their Alpha’s six.Good loyal men, who were all dressed nice, too n
STIXSMy father came back late into the night, two days after he had left. I stayed up waiting for him, pacing the front of the pack house like a possessed cat. Ready to pounce as soon as he steps out of the car or through the door, and demand answers from him. I hate being left in the dark and not knowing what is going on.Finally, around 2 am his car pulls up. He, Beta Branston, and two of his top warriors exit the vehicle. He looks tired and worried, and I detect a little edginess in him. Heightening my curiosity at where he might have been even more.“Pops,” I call out to him as he tells his men goodnight. I stood there with my hands on my hips and an accusatory look on my face. “Where have you been?” I glare at him when he acknowledges me.“Tomorrow, Hope. Let’s talk tomorrow. This old man is too tired tonight.” He says while hooking an arm around my shoulder and leading me back into the pack house.I knew he was tired; I wasn’t an idiot. I could see the dark circles under his ful
STIXI glanced towards my father who was wearing a sheepish look. Yeah, he should have talked to me last night. “You can call me Stix’s” I reply coolly, taking his large hand and feeling the warmth from it. I expected him to show dominance and grip me, instead, his large thumb stroked the back of my small hand in a flirtatious kind of way.My stomach flutters as this handsome man locks his deep blue orbs with mine. He was easy on the eyes, confident and built, and a good foot plus taller than me. His blue-washed jeans hugged his thighs and his white shirt stretched across his arms tightly showing off his toned muscles. The black vest he wore donned the skull of a wolf with crossbones.I furrowed my eyes, trying to think where I had seen that image before.“Stixs? That’s unusual,” The blond hunk chuckles.“She was given that nickname as a kid, it stuck.” My father laughs along with him but for a different reason.Stixs was the name my mother had given to me because I didn’t take any st
GABEKillian had come back last night after spending a day at the Raven Knights' pack. I’m sitting in the usual booth waiting for him to grace me with his presence. I would have had a sit-down last night, but he didn’t pull into town until the early hours of the morning, saying he needed sleep and attention. Making a point to say ‘attention first then sleep’.The Raven Knights pack was a good day’s drive from here, so he had been gone almost three days.I watch my sister dry and shelve glasses, preparing to open this afternoon. I smile to myself knowing the bar gives her purpose and insanely keeps her sane.“I can feel your eyes on me, Gabe!” She shouts with her back turned to me. “Why?” She questions still putting up glasses.“It's because big bro loves you to death,” Jamerson says walking in through the back of the bar and leaning over the end of the counter.I let out a low growl when I see the way my best friend's eyes roam over my sister. *Whatever you are thinking… I’ll kill you.
STIXSPulling the heavy door open to one of the enormous greenhouses that sit on our pack lands, I contemplate what my father is trying to do. The hot air hits me and I struggle to pull air into my lungs. The vast difference between the heat outside and the muggy heat inside the greenhouse is a sudden change and it takes a minute to adjust.I lift my nose and scent the air, trying to catch a whiff of Ruby’s perfume. The only thing I can smell is the overbearing scent of oranges.I couldn’t get it out of my head that my father was willing to give every penny he had to a mercenary pack of wolves just to keep me from falling into Alpha Crane's hands.On one hand, I’m proud of my father for sticking up for me. On the other hand, I just can't wrap my head around him sacrificing so much just for me. We couldn’t go to war with the Crimson Moon pack. We would lose for sure. With or without this band of rogue wolves. That and I wasn’t worth the lives of our warriors or the future of this pack.
GABE“So, what are you thinking oh fearless leader of ours?” Jamerson asks as I roll another barrel his way to change out.I lean against a case of liquor, some of our own brand, Propping an elbow on top. He was talking about the Raven Knights pack. “I think you should tell me your thoughts.” I shrug watching him re-hook the line to the keg.“No. No. You don’t get to put this on me.” He laughs, glancing at me. “This is your call, Gabe.”Swiping a hand down my face, realizing I need to shave when I feel the rough stubble scratch my palm. “The cause is sound. The money not so much.” I cut Jamerson off as he tries to rebuttal my statement. “But… I keep thinking of my sister. How she didn’t have a choice, how her voice wasn’t heard. Then think of how the alpha is willing to give up everything he has to keep his daughter out of the hands of a tyrannical pack.”“So, we’re taking the job?” Jamerson stands to his full height now all the kegs have been changed, crosses his arms, and sits on the