KATRINA
My legs moved faster than my body as I ran out of the packhouse. Everyone around looked at me like I had gone insane but I didn’t care about them because my mind died every time I replayed the scene at the packhouse.
I couldn’t believe it. My evil mother was cheating on dad, but how could she? Dad had done nothing but love and support her, yet she stabbed him in the back. She was not only hurting dad but me as well which she was an expert at.
“See her go! A*shole!” I heard someone say from behind as the others erupted in laughter.
But I didn’t stop until I was out of the pack and crashed into someone’s hands. I looked up and stared into my father’s hazel eyes.
He was Gamma Leonard of the Southpaw pack.
My father was only a few inches to six foot. His chocolate brown hair was made to a neat curly quaff which complemented his hazel eyes. He had a short beard and a nose that was sculpted just for his face, like mine. I got my good personality from my dad but there were traces of my mother in me.
He had a blue T-shirt on and sweatpants but paired it up with a bad choice of green flip-flops.
“Dear, what’s wrong? You look terrified.”
Just there I wanted to spill everything but when I looked into his bright eyes, I couldn't. He was in a good mood and I didn’t want my mother to spoil it like she always did.
Mother tried to mind-link me but there was no way I would answer that.
“M-me? N-no, I was just running to meet up with time.” I looked at my watch and smiled cheekily.
“Still five minutes late though.”
“Sure there’s nothing else?” He raised his styled brows.
“Sure, let’s train.”
“Okay, dear.” He rubbed my hair.
My dad was the best in the world. Everyone in the pack was against training a wolfless wolf. They thought it was a waste of time and skill—among the many other things they stopped me from doing—but father didn’t agree. He battled everyone for me.
Life in the pack would be unbearable without him. I was glad I had him because I didn’t know what I’d do if he wasn’t here.
Our special training ground was located on the outskirts. Southpaw was a populated pack and we were almost two thousand. Our domain was about 1.8 million square meters and we were the third largest pack in the south. The first was Moonstone.
Our training ground was surrounded by tropical trees and a stream demarcated our borders. We were near this just stream. The sounds of birds and insects filled the air, coupled with the soothing flow of water. The atmosphere was cool here because of the beautiful trees.
This was why nature was my favorite thing, after books of course.
“So what’re we doing today? Dodging water balloons, hunting rabbits, or oh, are we climbing trees?”
He chuckled.
“None. We’re moving to a new topic.”
That didn’t sound good. The first lesson on every new topic was always the hardest.
“It’s called endurance and the first lesson of the day is, in difficult times pain is a reminder that you’re still living. If the pain is gone, so is life.”
I grimaced. Why was my father suddenly talking about life and death? It didn’t sound like him because he was always so positive.
He took a big black stone and spun it on its finger like a football. Every wolf has a special and personal attribute that we call… a ‘powl’. Super strength was his powl. He was so strong that one time, he saved the pack from a human truck accident that would have killed many but with his bare hands, he stopped it.
I used to think he was superman, and I still do.
“Catch!” He threw it at me but I dodged it.
“Are you crazy, dad?! You almost killed me!”
He laughed. “You were meant to catch it, dear.”
“Catch that?!” I picked the stone and threw it at him with all the power I had but as expected, he caught it like it was nothing.
“Catch it this time, would you?” He threw it again and I did try but when I saw that mighty stone rushing towards me, I ducked.
“Katrina?” He laughed again.
Anytime he laughed, his dimples revealed and that made his laughs worth watching. I prayed they never faded.
“There are easier ways to kill me you know. Since it seems you’ve joined the rest in getting rid of me.”
His smile lowered. “They don’t hate you, dear. They just… Catch!” He threw it at me but this time, I summoned energy and caught it.
My hands turned red and I had to drop it.
“Goddess, that hurts!” I rushed to the stream and put my hands into the cool graceful waters.
Swimming would be nice to ease all the pain I was feeling.
“Throw it back, dear!”
I shook the pain off and threw it back at him. He caught it and threw it back as well. We continued this process and every catch hurt more than the last. My hands were red in pain and it was so much that I felt the pain in my head.
“Come on, you can do it!”
At the fifteenth catch, I dropped the stone. I couldn’t take it anymore. I crashed to the ground and blew my fire-hot hands.
“Hope it doesn’t hurt too much.”
I stood up and gave a weak smile.
“Not much. Besides, pain’s all part of a wolf’s training.” My smile strengthened.
"That's my girl."
A powerful aura came from the left and dry leaves rustled.
“Of course, you’re here.”
The wolf's voice was not as carefree and soft as my father’s, it was tough and commanding.
Beta Damien of Southpaw appeared. He was six foot and a few inches tall. He had a bushy dark beard with bushy brown eyebrows. His brown eyes were dark, they appeared black in the darkness.
He wore his usual… an unbuttoned black jacket over a white shirt and free straight pants that were similar to the jacket.
“I tried mind-linking you…”
Dad scratched his hair nervously. “Oh that, I was training.”
His dark eyes went to me and I swallowed my fear. The aura he imposed on me wasn’t strong as my father’s even though he was the Beta but it was dark and that’s what terrified me.
“We have better things to do than train a wolfless wolf.”
He said it with so much hate that made my heart sink.
“Damien, please…” He stepped forward but the Beta stopped him.
I’ve heard rumors that said my father used to be the Alpha’s best friend. They were as close as brothers and everyone expected him to be the next Beta but that never happened. Instead, a newcomer, Damien, was made the Beta.
It raised questions amidst the pack but answers were never given. I did ask my dad about it but he always evaded my questions.
“No, she should understand her worth.”
“Damien!”
“Enough!”
He took his eyes off me in a repulsive manner and I held myself together. It was just too early to break down.
“The Alpha has summoned us. We must go to his quarters now.”
Damien left the scene. I bit my lip, trying to control myself. Dad rubbed my shoulders and hair.
“It’s okay, dear.”
“I’m fine dad. Go, I’ll be here for a while.”
He kissed my forehead and reluctantly left.
I needed to relax my nerves so I pulled my clothes off when I made sure no one was around and entered the stream. The feeling of the chilly water rush through me was helpful and I almost forgot my problems until I heard the rustling of bushes from the left.
My eyes snapped there and I sighted a wolf. I didn’t want him to see me so I submerged myself into the slow-moving water and stayed under.
The wolf came along with a lot of other wolves in uniform. I knew that those were Sigmas.
He wore weird clothes that highly resembled rags. He was slimmer than a usual wolf and had pecan brown hair which was cut to a skin fade and spiky texture. His sky blue eyes fired with passion and they were a perfect fit for his baby-smooth face. His nose and ears were pierced in silver rings and he wore a silver chain over his neck.
He was breathtaking and I couldn’t stop myself from imagining things. He smoked a cigarette as the Sigmas crossed the stream first but when he did, he stopped cause he caught a whiff of something.
He stared at the exact spot in the deep stream I was hiding.
‘No! No! No! Goddess, please help!’
But a stronger part of me wanted him to find me… and take over my body.
IAN My nose tingled in arousal. Not because of the smoke I inhaled from my cigarette, but because of the sweet, nutty smell of vanilla that I couldn’t resist. I couldn’t move on until I found where that lustrous scent was coming from. My wolf, Bolt, howled in pleasure as I walked closer to the stream. Vibrations came from the very spot I kept my eyes on and the smell grew stronger. “Sir, is something wrong?” The leader of the Sigmas asked, keeping his attention stance. I didn’t reply but bent down to the water and put my hand inside. I stretched it in, about to reach for something when I heard a loud squeal rise from the pack. A wolf ran toward us with all the excitement and energy in the world. “Oh, My Goddess! I can’t believe it! It’s really you!” Her squealing was ear-deafening. “I’m Kendra, the Gamma’s daughter.” She flipped her cinnamon brown hair as her golden eyes flickered in delight. I withdrew my hand from the stream and walked up to her. Her heart leaped in joy but I
KATRINA“Take her,” Ian commanded.The Sigmas attempted to grab me but I escaped them and ran to my dad. He’d help. He couldn’t just watch them take me away.“Dad! Dad, won’t you help!!”I expected him to step in immediately but he stood there like a statue, still avoiding eye contact with me. My heart shattered. No, I didn’t believe it.“Dad, won’t you look at me?! They’re taking me away! For slavery, dad!”He turned his back against me and I crashed to the floor. All hope was lost if the wolf I always thought I could count on turned his back on me. Me?! I didn’t think my heart could break more than it already had.“Dad!!!” I tried to walk up to him but mother came in the way and pushed me back.I fell to the floor, almost hitting my head on the ground. Tears welled up. “Mother, how can you do this to me?!”She sneered. “For the last time, don’t call me mother! I’m not your mother. I regretted the day I gave birth to you!”My eyes turned to Kendra, hoping that maybe, just maybe, that
KENDRAI paced around my room as my heart lunged for my ribcage. I would stop for a second but when I remembered that Katrina was with the Alpha Triplets, I went all crazy again!‘Mum, we have to talk!’ I mind-linked her.I couldn’t take it anymore. I knew she was at the doctor’s appointment but if I didn’t speak to her, I’d lose my mind. I hadn’t changed into a nightgown yet and my room was a mess.My queen-sized bedroom was carpeted in a furry wild berry pink and a pink-themed four-poster bed stood at the far end, near my sliding windows, leaving little space for a squeezed-in white drawer. A white sofa was at the far left, with two pink throw pillows at its corners.And a plastic table with a makeup mirror, and a matching cantilever chair opposite, was on the far right. One light bulb was over the sofa and another over my desk, and my pink closet was just a few steps from my sofa. A white vase of ballerina roses sat on my desk and to top it off, small pots of jasmines were lined on
KATRINASomething light and smooth fell on my body.I shrugged as the white light from the dungeon disappeared when the door shut. I got up with weary eyes, almost forgetting where I was and for a second, I thought I saw dad but unfortunately, it was my shadow.With my back against the wall and a short white satin dress in my hands, I closed my eyes, hoping I could escape reality but the flashes of Ian rough-handling me pushed me back to the reality I didn’t want to be in. I let the tears I had been fighting all this while fall. A flood gushed down my ashen cheeks as I let out a great sob, covering my face with shaking hands.I had been fighting for so long, trying so hard to be strong but I couldn’t take it anymore. I was just human and there was only so much I could take.“Why?!” Hot torments of grief coursed down my face. The dungeon became eerily cold and I was forced to wear the dress, but even that didn’t protect me from the murdering cold. I laid and cuddled, resting my head
KATRINAI thought Kane was a hotcake, which he is, but Cannon was on fire. He was dressed in a business suit, that made him appear like a CEO, and dark shades hung from his neck. He was a few inches than six foot and had walnut brown hair with cerulean blue eyes.His cheekbones were defined and there was a suitcase in his other hand. I wondered how he could grip me so tightly with only one hand. He had a hawkish nose and concrete jaws like the rest of his brothers. His thin arched eyebrows complemented his almond-shaped eyes that glimmered with interest.He looked over to his brother, anger written on his face. “Isn’t this Ian’s new slave? What’re you doing with her?”I then remembered who my ‘savior’ was. It pissed me off that he called me a slave. I tried to struggle out of his hold, hoping I could use the distraction to free myself, but he only held me tighter, and besides, I was the center of attraction.“Give her to me, right now!”My heart quaked at the high volume of Kane’s vo
KATRINAI would give anything to be out of my prison! Cannon might have saved me from Kane, but I was still returned to the packhouse and there was nothing I could do about it. On normal occasions, I don’t have night vision or any sharpened senses because I was just mere human, but yesterday, I could distinguish the scents of all three of them.Ian had an earthy musk scent with traces of bergamot. Kane’s strong Bay Rum scent couldn’t be overlooked even without a sharp nose but his sweet peppermint combo just contrasted his attitude. As for Cannon, he had that comforting Eucalyptus smell with an equal dose of vetiver.I was given a new dress this morning. It was a long singlet strapped cashmere dress and I was cuddled against the wall. This time, I wasn’t in the dungeon, but in a grand room.The room was bigger and better than mine at Southpaw. There was a large golden wingback bed at the center of the end of the room and the walls were covered in white classic wallpaper. Two comfortab
KANEA kind of unexplainable rage filled me when I saw Ian on her. I should be on her, not him!Ian growled. He pulled his d*ck out and put his sweatpants back on. He had grown red in anger and his claws were out, ready to pierce through anything that came in his way.“What’s your f*cking problem?!” He attacked me with his claws but I stopped him by holding his hands and pushing them back. The f*cker might be faster than me but that was only on the field. I was stronger than him in many other ways.“I’m gonna f*cking kill you!” He snarled.I looked back at the slave. She covered herself up in the golden sheets and I wondered if she was naked. She looked around the room for some kind of escape route but unfortunately for her, all the iron windows were shut and there was just no escape.He held the collar of my tux, wanting to strangle my neck but Cannon showed up and punched his face. That irritated me.“Mind your f*cking business. I can take care of myself!” I roared at him.“Didn’t
2 HOURS EARLIERCANNONThe ceremony didn’t bother me as it did my brothers. I would be attending many more when I became Alpha anyways. Being the eldest, and having tripled senses of a normal wolf, I had a better chance than they, especially Kane.Ian was super fast but Kane was born without a powl, a special and personal wolf power move. I knew it angered him a lot when father neglected him because of this. But for some reason lately, father had been trying to get closer to him. As I removed the bowtie from my neck and my tuxedo from my body, icy cold hands rested over my shoulders and it breathed down my neck as it stretched its neck to lick my face.“What do you want?”I turned to her and, she wasn’t behind me anymore. She giggled and I saw her lying on my classic blue sofa. As usual, she wore a short red dress that complimented her imp-thin body. She was without curves or shape and her thin legs were scrawny.Her red eyes complimented her dress and a lustful smile formed her face.