HOWLING MOON PACK
THE LYCAN ALPHA RESIDENCE
There was no way he could get rid of the memory of her no matter how much he tried. A tinge of regret washed over him.
Somehow, her scent still lingered in his brain. Her long dark hair that always found a way to her face the entire night occasionally flashed in his mind. And her moans still rang in his head.
He sighed regretfully. He had never intended for it to happen. But the attraction was a lot. She was so pretty when she stared up at him. Not many women dared to do that. And heck when she had bluntly asked if he wanted to sleep with her, he nearly lost his mind.
Perhaps it was because he hadn't laid any woman for too long a while. He hated himself more because there seemed to be no guilt in his heart. The thought of his first mate crossed his mind. His wolf leapt ready to judge him.
Asher sighed and shook his head. Not now, wolf.
He rubbed his tired eyes. “Who is she?”
“Who is who?” Ethan sauntered in casually.
Asher jolted, gave a small cough and sat up.
Ethan peered suspiciously.
“Don't act like you didn't hear me. Who is she?”
“I said nothing. You should go check your ears.”
Asher stood up and walked over to the mahogany desk and grabbed hold of a bottle of drink. He kept his ears open expecting another word from Ethan.
“The council members are gathered at the meeting room,” Ethan began in a serious tone.
“Mmh-hm,” Asher nodded calmly.
A moment of silence passed. He corked the bottle open.
“Are you really going to abolish the long held tradition? Why? Because you suddenly feel pity for the werewolves?” Ethan asked.
“I believe we have held it enough. Besides, it's just going to be a pause for a few years.”
“Why? Is there something I don't know?”
Asher downed the glass of drink he had just poured. He felt his throat burn briefly. He craved another. And began to pour again.
“Is this about what happened years ago…your father…and your mate…” Ethan hesitated knowing he would be striking a dangerous cord if he went on.
Asher abruptly paused, the bottle in the grasp of his fingers midway in the air. After a few seconds, he shrugged. “I don't bloody care anymore, Ethan. But I am done being an obedient coward. I am done saving my head.”
“Asher…” Ethan called calmly. He left where he stood and aimed for Asher's direction. “This is risky, Asher. I think it is not time yet.”
Asher gave him a levelled look.
“When will it be time? When? The people hate me, they mock me everyday because I chose to remain a coward. Have you heard the rumours about me? Ah, yes. You are the Beta of the Pack. Of course you hear everything.”
Ethan let out a sigh. True, he was his Beta but he was first his best friend. And he felt more useless not being able to be of real assistance to his best friend and Alpha.
“Can you give it more time while we still gather evidence?”
“You mean I should continue to act blind and deaf to the people's injustice? I get a lot of petitions every damn single day. The women are brought to me. I decide to use them however I wish. How dare they claim them right under my nose?” Asher's jaw clenched. His fist tightened. He wished he could crush them all.
“For the sake of peace,” Ethan mumbled.
“Well, I don't want peace any more. Don't you think we have had peace long enough?” Asher said with the corners of his mouth suddenly twitching upwards.
True, they have had long years of peace. Thanks to him acting blind and deaf for years.
“But Asher, you have never cared about the werewolves women? Why make a case of it now?”
Asher wheeled. His cobalt eyes grew with intensity. “Do you see nothing that I see Ethan? This is not about werewolves women. This is about me breaking off this… this chains my father made me wore. My own elders are getting more powerful than me because I choose to act blind and deaf. They loot lands and women and buildings and cash right under my nose,” he paused and for a moment he shut his eyes and sighed heavily.
“You know what the people call me when I pass the streets and the cities? A puppet Lycan Alpha, a weak boneless and useless Lycan Alpha. Some call me wolf less now. They say all I do is sleep with the werewolf women and get high and ride horses and shoot arrows.” Again he paused and a wry chuckle left him. His eyes darkened. He had sworn to keep his lycan Alpha instincts and aura locked like his father had asked on his deathbed. But it seemed he might have to let them loose now.
He glanced at Ethan before he continued.
“I am not fond of the werewolves but it seems my elders are greasing their palms behind my back to take me down. The peace I wanted to shut my mouth for was all for nothing because very soon when they have gained all the power, you know what they will come for next? My position and my life.”
He spun and strode out of the room.
Ethan’s shoulders rose and fell. He adjusted his shirt and his Beta tag and followed after Asher.
At the door of the meeting room, a guard tried to open the door for Asher. He raised his hand and the guard stopped.
He had to gather himself. He must be wise.
At last, he nodded and the guard pushed the door open.
At his appearance, the elders immediately rose to their feets.
Asher climbed the dais and settled into his seat.
The lycan elders sat around a long conference table.
A heap of appeal files lay before Asher. He picked one and read and the next and the next. A mocking chuckle left him. As usual the ones that had anything to do with complaints against the injustices of the elders had all been taken away. And he was left with the ones that will only fill their pockets and children’s pockets with wealth.
Wealth…wealth…wealth! He was damn tired of it.
The Chief Lycan elder, elder Silas Darkthorn stood up.
“My Alpha, today we must talk about the honourable tradition of this great lycan Pack. We have respected your decision to postpone the talks but we cannot do it anymore as the time is upon us now.”
Asher dropped the file and straightened. Chief lycan elder Darkthorn. Was it him? Was he among the ones that killed his father?
He broke out of his reverie and refocused.
“Elder Darkthorn, I was thinking of pausing the bringing in of the werewolf women into our territory for a few years…”
Elder Darkthorn’s brows raised.
“What? Are you planning on abolishing a tradition our fore fathers, including your father, carried out for centuries?”
“Only temporarily.”
“My Alpha. You can not do that. This is a long held Lycan tradition. No one can wake up one morning to bring it to an end. No reason is justifiable,” Elder Ezekiel Grimfang spoke up.
The other elders murmured amongst themselves. All against Asher's suggestions. Asher watched them. Their mouths moved and their faces squeezed with displeasure.
His jaw tightened. One or two of them must have had a hand in the death of his father and his mate. He had to tame them and expose all their evil doing but how.
“My Alpha,” Elder Darkthorn began after the murmurings mellowed. “We have already sent words to the werewolves and the women will be arriving very soon. We cannot take back our words now especially when it concerns our tradition and authority over the werewolves. You do not want them to see us weaklings. We must continue to show we are superior to them and can wipe their existence out if they show their fangs. Have I not spoken the minds of everyone here?” he looked around and the other elders growled approvingly in support.
Asher’s fingers tightened on his armrest. They were all against him. None… not even one of them spoke on his side. That was because they were all benefiting from it.
He had to say something. He had to make them stop. But when his eyes caught with Ethan’s, Ethan shook his head in disapproval.
“Damnit!” He cussed under his breath and sank back against his seat.
“You must give your approval my Alpha so that our long held tradition and authority over the werewolves will continue to soar,” the elders said in unison.
Anger coursed through Asher. His approval? He scoffed inwardly.
Then he stood. “Fine. I give my approval. Let the werewolf women be brought in. I will be there to receive them.”
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Scarlett heard a loud thud and jarred awake. It was still early. Who was trying to bring down the roof of her father's measly house. She sighed and dragged herself up.
Outside she heard her father arguing with uniformed men.
“Not my daughter! She is not in! Come back another time!” Her father growled.
She flung the door open.
“Father!”
Once the men sighted her, they shoved her father aside and came for her.
“Miss Scarlett Davies. You must follow us now. You have been selected as one of the women to be taken to Howling Moon Pack.”
“Miss Scarlett Davies. You must follow us now. You have been selected as one of the women to be taken to the Howling Moon Pack.”Two of the uniformed men reached forward and grabbed her. “What?” Scarlett shrieked. “Father! You can't let them take me away!” Scarlett cried. Davies lunged forward in attack but was grabbed and held down by one of the Alpha’s guards. “Not my daughter…. unhand my daughter now…!”“That we can't do Mr Davies.”A voice came from the door. Scarlett swore she recognized that voice. And right she was as Noah entered. Her jaw dropped. “Noah? What are you doing here? Don't tell me you did this…”“I had no option, Scarlett. My father trusted me with this and I needed to make him proud. Besides, you are without a mate and still a virgin.”“You cheating lying bastard!” Scarlett charged. The men held her. She fumed glaring at Noah. The Noah she didn't recognize anymore. Had he always been this way or was she blinded by love she didn't see.“Easy now Scarly darli
SCARLETTI looked behind my shoulder. It was the girl from the vehicle. Where had she appeared from again? “You…” I gasped. She steadied me. “Get a grip, girl. You don't want to be singled out on your first day.”I swallowed back the rest of my words. The Lycan Alpha was nearing where I stood and my heart was pounding hard. I dipped my head. He stopped before me and lingered. Dear moon goddess, make him go please…“Look up,” he ordered and I froze. Seemed I prayed too late to the goddess. Slowly, I raised my face. His eyes pinched. He tilted his head and regarded me. I kept my face plain, ready and determined to quickly deny if he so much as brought up the night at the club. As long as everything was concerned, that night never happened. Then he spun without another word. “Take them to their quarter,” he commanded. Together with the Lycan elders, he strode off. Huh? Didn't he recognize me?Perhaps I was too early to think the moon goddess didn't answer my prayer. But h
Asher’s face rumpled. He had been at it for over a few minutes The girl at the club and the girl that surely would be at the werewolf quarters by now were the same. The very girl that had occupied her mind the past few days. He was definitely sure about it. He was so certain she was the one yet couldn't understand why she acted so different. But why was she amongst the werewolf women?He paused and envisioned all over again her face and her reaction when he asked her to look up. He kept on wondering why she acted like she had never seen him before. He should have asked her right there and then but the elders were watching. And he clearly saw Elder Conor’s eyes on her. His jaw tightened. Those greedy elders…He knew what they would have been planning. He saw through their lustful eyes. Unable to hold back anymore, he called Ethan in. “I need you to bring one of the new werewolf girls to me.”“A new werewolf girl?” Ethan was surprised. Then his face broke into smug grin.“You know
SCARLETTI was fuming as I left the lycan Alpha's house. I almost charged at me but my wolf kept holding me back. I forced my legs to a stop outside the Alpha's house. What? So one had to give up something to be able to have a life in this shit hole?He had the mind to say those disgraceful words to me as the lycan Alpha. He knew the werewolf girls were facing such humiliation and troubles and he kept shut. He knew about the evils of his elders and he had been ignoring them. Little wonder they call him the puppet Lycan Alpha. It was getting clearer, the rumours. It was the Lycan elders that controlled him and it was clear he didn't have a mind of his own. How could I have given my virginity to such a coward. I had almost forgotten about my anger until strange things started to happen. And it didn't even take long. Some rough looking men came and took the girls away. One today, two the next day. The girls came back battered in the body with swollen faces and others came back bod
SCARLETTElder Conor was undressing when one of his men barged into the room. “My lord! The alpha is here!”“What? Asher is here?”“Yes.”“Why will he suddenly be here?”“We have no idea sir. He just arrived with his men and he is demanding to see you right now.”“Make him go away. Tell him anything. Just make him go away. Don't you see I’m busy?” elder Conor said angrily. Almost at the same time, another of his men dashed in. “My lord, the Lycan Alpha is on his way into the house.”“Fuvk!” Elder Conor cussed and hastily began to put his robe back on. He shot me a look and heaved with frustration. The guards were still standing at the door.He smacked their faces cussing as he dashed past the door. A big heavy sigh left me. The Lycan Alpha is here? Why? I stood up and began to find my way out. When I peered through the door, it turned out one of Elder Conor's men was mounted there to watch me. Even if I escaped, I was never returning to werewolf quarters. I knew my punishment
WRITER'S POVELDER CONOR'S HOUSE AFTER SCARLETT LEFT WITH ASHER“Damn it!” Elder Conor growled. He got up and slapped hard across the face of one of his men. “Fools! Bloody fools!”The men bowed their heads and apologized in unison. He shoved another one, clenching. “Now get out! Get your useless selves out!”“They can't do anything! They can't get anything done! Hopeless idiots.” He continued to bark even after his men had left How on earth had Asher known he brought in one of the werewolf girls?Asher had never had interest in the werewolf women, they all knew. And that made it more strange and suspicious that he had left his high horse of a house and brought himself to his house just to clarify his claim on the lady. “Get my car ready!” he bellowed. One of his men rushed into the place. “My elder, you…”“I said get my car ready morons!”The man dashed out again. Once his car was ready, Elder Conor climbed in and gave his driver the location. After minutes of driving, his ca
Asher had had many things happen to him but he had never had a woman, a werewolf woman confront him. The most surprising thing about it was that he was not angry about it. Perhaps because everything she said was the truth or because she was the one doing the confrontation. Moments later, Ethan strode in. “My Alpha, you sent for me.”Asher looked at him head to toe. He looked like he had been dug out from mud. “Where in Howling did they dig you out from?”“Somewhere nice and warm,” Ethan said grinning. “So what is it? I was told it is urgent. By the way, Lucas isn't back yet,” Ethan asked looking around. “You think he is alright?” He added, concerned. Asher dragged in a long breath. “I'm sure he is doing alright.” Lucas wasn't just the Gamma but one of the strongest Gamma alive. Asher trusted he could take care of himself. But what he didn't know was if his mission would be successful. Pushing that aside, he focused back on Ethan. “It's time to act. It is long overdue. I need y
Just as Asher ordered, Ethan took charge of the werewolf quarters’ affairs and began to act. Taking some of the Lycan Alpha guards, he trotted over to the werewolf quarters. Mamie saw him coming through the window that overlooked the quarters and hurried out of her office. “Welcome Beta Ethan,” she greeted meeting him halfway. “Follow me.” Ethan ordered without stopping. “My Beta, you did not inform me you were coming. Does the Alpha have a message for the werewolf women? Is there a woman he wishes to bring to him?” Mamie walked behind Ethan barely able to match his stride. Ethan did not speak until he entered her office. “Bring the other heads,” he ordered. Mamie hurried out and a few minutes later returned with the other heads. “I see you all are here now,” Ethan started when they had all arrived. “What brought you here, my Beta?”“Your sins.”Startled, the women looked at themselves with fear. “Your sins brought me here and I am here to punish you on the orders of…” he