I stuffed up.

Momentously.

It was one of those times you wished you had a time-machine, so you'd go back in time and prevent your past-self from making your future-self look like a complete ass.

How did I miss his scent?

It was potent.

His presence itself was overwhelming.

Before I could get a word out, more men emerged from the murky silhouette cast from the rocking trees. There were seven of them in total and they looked freaking scary as they prowled closer in one accord like they'd specifically rehearsed for this moment. They ambled along, muscles flexing and gazes searching as they quietly scouted the area. They barely made noise as their combat boots flattened the grass.

These men, no doubt, were the Elite Syndicate's main men- the seven men who always kept close to the Alpha. In the mix, I was surprised to spot a grim-faced Jamison but there was no sign of a smiling Luka in sight.

"Give me your name girl." Alpha Slater ordered in that gravelly baritone of his.

For some reason, his voice elicited a dose of self-consciousness within me. I dashed away the abrupt feeling, slightly baffled by the incongruous emotion and held his searching gaze. "You really don't need to know that." I whispered, searching for an exit route.

How could I be so stupid?

His eyes did a slow, lazy sweep of me from toe to head. When his languid gaze met mine, nothing visible changed in his expression except for the slow blink he did. "Little girls shouldn't be wandering around alone at night." He warned, cocking his head to the side. The small shift should've been arrogant but there was something about him that didn't quite meet the haughty factor.

I clenched my jaw, refusing to bite.

This Alpha Slater sorely lacked in the fun and happy criteria of life.

"So, you're the Alpha Slater?" I asked, just to be sure.

He nodded, quiet and still assessing me with distrust.

The lingering silence would've made anyone shift in discomfort, but silence was my comfort zone. Even when I trained, silence was my comforter. So Alpha Slater being on the quiet side was to my favour. I was expecting a macho man who threw out angry bellows to everyone just for the thrill of being the Alpha, but he surprised me with his quiet manner, despite his aggressive bloodline.

"What the- can someone explain this?"

My attention flew to a man sporting a thick, untamed russet beard. His hair was cropped closely to his head and his right brow was embellished with three black balls. He crouched in front of the dead changeling and the atmosphere took a noticeable turn as everyone's attention finally acknowledged the dead wolf at our feet.

"I killed him." I admitted. There was no point in lying since Alpha Slater already caught me plucking the stars from its body.

Who knew how long he'd been watching me.

Genuine surprise lined his features. "You killed it?" Russet beard guy asked warily.

I felt their curious gazes on me all at once as I confirmed his question, "I sensed him coming towards me. His purpose was ill, and I struck him down with these." I flashed the blood-covered metal in my palm. Warm blood trickled between my fingers, dripping against my boots in dull thumps. I inwardly grimaced but held it up so they could see the evidence.

"You sensed it?" Beard Guy asked again with furrowed brows. He appeared perplexed, maybe even a little surprised by the possibility.

"Yes. He carried no scent and still doesn't even after his blood was spilled, so I couldn't exactly track him as efficiently as I would have liked but I felt him come for me once I turned my back on it." I shrugged, "Crazy huh."

"Emrys, is it possible she's being honest?" Jamison spoke up.

I forgot he was there, until he piped up. He immediately cast a dark veil over the situation and my mood.

First, he had doubted my ability to win the sparring match against Pen and now he was questioning my honesty?

It was the audacity of the man that irked me off.

This man was out for my metaphorical balls, and I had no idea why.

Emrys, the bearded guy hummed, "I don't know. Never met anyone who could sense them. They carry no scent, and they are only detected until the last possible second when it's too late and its claws have already sunk into your skin. You know, impending doom as they call it. Tell me girl, when did you sense it?"

"I sensed it the moment I knew it was there. Like how'd you detect a familiar scent of a Pack member if they were near." I explained.

"Interesting." Emrys stroked his beard, looking all thoughtful again.

"Jamison and Solkolov burn the body before someone comes across it. The rest of you, add this spot as a frequent patrol area. We don't need any more people being felled by our lack of duty and protection to our Pack." Alpha Slater instructed with the poise of an autocratic leader.

Jamison and a man with a man-bun warily approached the limp body. Someone tossed a box of matches towards them and Solkolov reached for his back pocket, fishing out a metal cannister undoubtedly filled with liquor. He twisted the cap off and doused the animal in it before Jamison flicked a match and threw it onto the rusty fur of the animal. His coat immediately caught into a burst of fire.

"You all are dismissed." Alpha Slater turned but then paused, glanced back at me, and motioned me to follow him.

I reluctantly obeyed, trailing behind his long strides.

"You're a Recruit." There was no way that he meant that as a question. It was a statement and one he wanted me to confirm.

"Yes."

"You weren't there at dinner." He said. He was probing and I worried a little.

To be honest or not to be?

"I slept in." Honest it was.

Someone give me a gold medal.

More silence followed as we steadily neared the complex bathed in the faint halo of the moon. I desperately wanted to go into my room, wash myself from the blood of the changeling I just killed and go to sleep. My eyelids were getting heavy with fatigue, and I had to be up and ready early for the next day.

"Sleep well. Tomorrow will be worse."

And just like that, he was gone, vanishing into the dark quietly.

While I watched his retreating back, I had a tired thought that Alpha Slater was not as mean as people portrayed him to be. Candid, yes. Purposely evoking fear out of his brethren to feel like a top dog, no.

Maybe Alpha Slater wasn't all that bad as people perceived him to be.

***

I was wrong. So wrong, I could've slapped myself for ever thinking that Alpha Slater was not bad. No, he was worse. Much worse as my other fellow Recruits and I stood in front of him, tense and just waiting for something, anything to happen. At this point, I was hoping that he'd at least take notice of the few girls in the group who were vying for his attention in an act of subtlety by wearing low cut shirts that showed the right amount of cleavage to catch an interested male.

He was either legally blind to the attention or he seriously didn't notice that some females were willing to give him a free peep show just for the sake of it. Even some of the other males in the room had succumbed, taking a few glimpses.

At least, I now knew Alpha Slater was a man of his word.

He was right.

Today was worse and I should've at least had a goodnight's rest instead of tossing and turning, thinking about the way the changeling's eyes evinced so much agony and relief just before it crossed the line to the Passover.

"Do you understand?"

What did he just say?

I turned to the other Recruits. They were all nodding. I sought out Pen. She had that perpetual fuck-off kind of vibe which I found cute. I intentionally chose to ignore it as I approached her while everyone dispersed into different directions.

She caught my eye and lifted a dark brow, "Aella, right?"

"Correct." I paused in front of her, "I hate to ask this of you but what the hell did he just say? My mind wandered off and it's safe to say that I'm screwed."

Instead of ignoring me like I somewhat expected, she surprised me when she explained patiently, "He's pairing us off with a member of the E.S for the coming weeks. Said it'll be good for us and him to know whose fit for the jobs and who is not. Also means we'll have to shadow them and sleep in close quarters to them."

"What? That's stupid."

"Which part? The pairing up or the sleeping arrangement?"

"The sleeping arrangement. We have our own accommodations."

"Hey, I'm just saying it how it is. If you're pissed, take it up with the Alpha since it was his doing."

"Fudge, sorry for sounding like a bitch. I just don't like inconsistencies."

She laid a comforting hand against my shoulder, "No worries. Just be careful with your feelings. It's catching attention." She said with meaning, peering over my shoulder at something that made her straighten her spine.

I followed her gaze and found Alpha Slater himself staring right at me, unblinking. I stared right back. For a brief second, I thought maybe he was looking at someone else, but I checked discreetly. There was no one in two metres of my being, even Pen had sauntered off.

I waited for him to withdraw his staring, but he simply kept at it.

I didn't want to look away because he clearly was daring me to keep eye-contact. I didn't know how but it was something that I just knew. He'd never be the first to look away. He was too stubborn to, and he was the Alpha. He'd keep it going as long as he wanted.

Which would be too long.

I swallowed the lump that grew in my throat, surprised he hadn't walked over himself to snap at me for being outright defiant.

Fortunately, a distraction entered the room in the form of a petite woman with blonde ringlets and mismatched clothes that were bright and sorely uncoordinated. The bright orange crop top she had on clashed viciously with the red skirt she wore. Her shoes were green peep-toes and her glittery handbag, which was an obnoxious hot pink colour, could blind anyone with good vision in the room.

"Who in the world is that?"

Pen was at my side again, now holding two blueberry muffins in her hand. She handed me one and I thanked her quietly as the nameless woman searched the crowd, before she found what she came for as she gasped happily and ran.

I trekked her from across the room as she flew into the arms of Alpha Slater himself.

I wasn't the only one shocked as I heard a few confused noises and gasps.

"Who is that?" Pen asked.

"His mate?" I offered, although I was not convinced.

"Um no Honey. That right there is not what mates look like." She circled the air where the two stood, embracing each other.

"Okay." I trailed off.

"They're friends." She filled in the lingering silence.

"Do friends usually hug that long?" I asked. I wouldn't know since I had no friends. Pen was probably the closest person to a friend I had. With my reputation back at home, no one was willing to befriend the daughter of the Alpha's mate who rejected him. Which ultimately sucked ass but at least I had Marcel. She was the only person who had enough balls to befriend both Ma and I.

"Hmmm, maybe but I can sure as hell tell you they're not mates. Probably best friends because if they were, the whole room would be notified."

"True." I conceded.

"Well then, shall we go see who we're paired off with?"

"Yes." We linked arms and moved towards the table where Luka was standing, holding a clipboard.

I spotted my Pack members in line. All were ignoring me as usual but that didn't bother me in the least. Pen and I stood behind a Recruit with a long pony-tail, despite being a boy. He looked feminine, one of the pretty boys.

"Ms Rivers." Luka said once we were at the front of the line.

"Yes?" Pen fluttered her lashes.

"You're with Alexei."

That name sounded familiar; now where did I hear that from-

"Crap on crackers, is that the same Alexei who freaking mutilated a were-bear with one hand alone?"

"Why yes."

"Holy freak! This is the shit." She beamed.

"I'm happy for you." I grinned.

"Thanks girl. Can't wait to get up close and personal to Alexei."

"Need I remind you that relationships between Enforcers and Recruits are strictly prohibited, unless you're mates?" Luka's stern question put an abrupt halt on our fun.

Pen rolled her eyes, "Got it."

"Good, now Aella. You're paired with Jamison."

Why did the world hate me so much?

"Thanks." I left and went to stand in line with the others.

The E.S Enforcers were coming.

I could feel the excitement gathering in the air. These men rarely showed face in public, unless necessary. I already seen a few, the seven who usually guarded the Alpha, although if one asked me for detailed descriptions of each one, I would fail epically. My brain had simply leached onto Alpha Slater and still lingered on him, even when he wasn't in my direct vicinity.

I looked towards the doors as they slammed open, indicating the arrival of the Elite Syndicate Enforcers.

Heart pounding, I watched as men and women- no, warriors entered the room in single profile. It was an amazing sight, seeing the men and women who guarded, defended, and protected their Pack decked in black gear from head to toe. They all wore tight thermals and flexible bottoms, so it was easy to manoeuvre in them when they were in the midst of battle.

They all walked in a synchronised unit, emanating pure lethal grace and silent intimidation. They were dangerous in their own right and could slay a man quite easily with just their bare hands sans weapon. That was the thing about the Elite Syndicate. They didn't need weapons. Weapons were just mere accessories. They had no need for them when their hands could do it all.

"While you all pair up, I want to remind you that you must always listen to the Enforcer responsible for your care. If you don't, we'll have no problem sacking you." Alpha Slater announced sternly that his order ricocheted from the walls.

And so, it began.

I approached Jamison, who found himself a corner to lean against to silently observe everyone. When his eyes landed on me, I couldn't help but notice that he looked noticeably more pissed off with my company.

"You got a problem with me?" I asked.

"Do I have a problem, with you?" He repeated slowly, equally irritated as he slowly straightened to his full height, glaring down at me.

"You know, if you're pissed off with being paired with me. It's not my fault. You have to take it up with Luka, or the Alpha or whoever placed us together, so don't get pissed off at me." I crossed my arms, "I know I got the short straw since you're not that great to work with either, especially with that golden attitude of yours."

Several seconds ticked by in which he actively glared me down before he rotated on his heels, moving promptly towards the exit "Come. I have no time for this childish behaviour. We have things to do."

I sighed and followed him. "Pain in the ass I tell you. Pain in the bloody A-hole."