Caine

I trudge down the steps of the mansion's porch to return to the party. I need to find Amira. I take a deep breath, but don't catch her scent. Furrowing my brows, I try again, but have the same result. Where could she be? Did she leave already? Her father is a royal guard, isn't he? So even if she did leave, I should be able to smell her, but I can't. Why can't I smell her? I'm starting to panic now, but not because I care. I just need her to gain power and defeat Trenton.

I never liked that prick. I'll pay anything to watch him die at my hands. After all, that's what I'm known for, being heartless. Trenton is the last person I would show mercy to. Normally all Alphas are respected, that's how our packs live in harmony.

Trenton has always aimed to upset the harmony we have, therefore the remaining Alphas are going to exterminate him, and I hope to the Moon Goddess that I get to be the one to do it. Killing or even challenging the Alpha of the Malignity Pack will start a war, but it's three packs against one, I think the odds are in our favor. Trenton and his pack are strong, but my pack and I are stronger.

Now, once I find my mate and use her for the one thing she's good for, I'll be unstoppable. But of course, it's as if she's fallen off the face of the earth, her scent lost in oblivion.

*************************

Amira

I sigh as the warm water rolls down my back. Jade was going to kill me for leaving the ball early, but I wasn't up for staying another two hours. One o'clock is late enough for me. My parents are still at the ball, I walked home myself. I didn't want to stay around and wait for another visit from Mr. Alpha himself. After my mate abandoned me at the food table, I searched for about an hour for him, touching random men and getting blank looks in response. With no luck I decided to come home and sleep off the disappointment. I may not know who he is or why he left, but I do know that this water is really helping me relax.

I squirt more of the rose scented body wash on my hands and rub it all over my body, my nose being filled with the overwhelming beautiful scent of flowers. I take a relaxing breath before reluctantly shutting the water off and stepping out of the shower. I wrap a towel around my body and step out into my room, flopping on my bed before getting dressed. I didn't realize how tired I am or how much I missed the feeling of these warm blankets around my body. Before I know it, I drift off to sleep.

****************************

Caine

I stretch out on my massive bed, finally able to relax after all the guests have left. That was hell, being forced to dance with different partners nonstop to see if any of them were my 'possible mate'. Brayden was on my ass about it all night after our talk with my father. I don't want to tell him that I already know who she is; mainly because I don't want to mark her quite yet, even though I know I should. That and I still can't catch her scent, and I have no idea why. It's actually pretty frustrating. I'm supposed to be a master tracker with amazing scent now that I'm Alpha, and since I'm the Moon Goddess's Hunter; a special wolf who's a master tracker. There's only one every generation and I'm it, yet I can't even smell my own mate.

It makes me worry that my senses aren't working. Right now, all I can smell is the plentiful scents of my royal guards, the leftover food from the ball, the disgusting scents of many other wolves, and the overwhelming stench of flowers: my least favorite of the four. Frustrated, I sigh and stop trying to find her scent, just so I don't have to smell thousands of other things as I do so. It's beginning to make me sick.

I raise my arms and rest them behind my head as I stare up at the roof of my bed canopy. I already know I'll be getting minimum sleep tonight. It's already four in the morning, so I don't know why I'm wasting my time even trying to sleep. I have to be up at six to start training the new soldiers. Our senior and retired soldiers will be doing most of the training, but Brayden and I have to supervise. Trenton sure is making my life more difficult, but he'll get payment for that as soon as I get my hands on him. I am about to fall into a deep sleep when I hear a knock on my door.

"What?" I groan and throw an arm over my eyes, but peek at the door. One of my maids sticks her head through the small crack in the massive double doors that encase my bedroom.

"I'm so sorry to bother you, Alpha, but two of your guards are here requesting your presence in the penitentiary," her voice is hoarse. I take a deep, annoyed breath.

"Tell them I'll be there in ten minutes and call for the Beta."

"Yes, sir," she quickly buds out of the room. I sit up and stare out the window.

My reign as Alpha begins.

*****************************************

I can hear Brayden's voice from inside the penitentiary already. I wrap my fingers around the cold handle of the door and forcefully pull it open. The cells quiet as I walk past them and every inmate stares, obviously affected by the power that radiates off of me. When I reach the other end of the hallway and open the door that leads to the containing rooms, I see Brayden talking to two of our officers, though they quiet down as I enter.

"This better damn well be good," I growl and out of the corner of my eye I see one of the officer's cower.

"The guards found who they believe to be a spy from the Malignity Pack," Brayden addresses me first. Before I can respond, one of the officer's speaks up.

"He was found digging in the woods on the Obsidian-Malignity perimeter."

"Why was he digging?" the officer hesitates at my authoritative voice, "When your Alpha asks you a question, you answer as quickly and accurately as possible, officer."

"He was burying a body," Brayden answers for the officer, much to my disapproval.

"Whose?"

"A young male omega, from the Obsidian Pack," the officer decides to speak again.

"Did he kill him?" I ask.

"His prints are the only ones we found on the body, sir. When we questioned him, he admitted to it." I take in the officer's information with a scowl on my face before lightly nodding.

"Kill him," I say nonchalantly.

"But sir-"

"I said, kill him," I emphasize the words, "better yet, why don't I show you how? Unlock the door." The officers look at me wide eyed before one finally opens the containing room door. When I walk in, I see a grungy man chained to the wall. He looks at me with a malicious smirk, a hole where one of his front teeth is supposed to be.

"I was wondering when they'd get the almighty Alpha," his voice is disgusting and makes me cringe.

"Why did Trenton send you to my pack?" I'll make him believe he's not about to die. The man lets out a scratchy laugh, like nails on a chalkboard.

"Why would I tell you that?"

"Fine, I'll give you another chance. Why'd you kill that boy?" I cross my arms in front of my chest. The officers and Brayden are watching me on the other side of the glass, but he doesn't know that. Just like how he doesn't know he's about to die.

"I thought you weren't the one to give chances, Alpha Caine." I step forward and punch him square in the mouth without warning. He lifts his head back up, his lip bleeding and his nose crooked. He smirks again after spitting his other front tooth out of his mouth.

"Was that a warning or something?" Man this guy was pushing my buttons. I step forward again and speak quietly to him.

"You're right, I'm not the one to give second chances. I don't give warnings either," with that I reached up and placed my hands on either side of his head. The look of panic in his eyes knowing I am going to kill him gives me a sort of thrill. "You want to know a secret?" He gulps.

"I heard you're one for secrets, Alpha. One for evil games."

"Well you heard right, so let's play one shall we?" I remove my hands from his head and step back. The smell of him is putrid. "The game is this. I ask you a question. You answer correctly, you go to round two. You answer incorrectly, well," I give him a look and see him gulp again. "Question one, why'd you kill the boy?"

"How is there a correct answer to that?" he growls at me.

"I have a certain ability to tell if someone is lying." Yeah, one thing the Moon Goddess blessed me with at birth, dumbass. I opt against saying that part out loud.

"Oh yeah? How so?"

"Well, normally I don't tell my secrets, but I'm feeling generous," I smirk at him. "You see, a man's heart has a certain... flutter.. when he lies."

"You can't hear my heartbeat," he laughs again.

"I am an Alpha, aren't I?" He shuts up, "It's one of the perks. Now, why'd you kill the boy." I lie, but not everyone needs to know my secrets.

"You and I are similar in that way, Alpha. We both enjoy bloodshed." He isn't lying, he killed him for his own enjoyment.

"You made a mistake killing in my pack."

"I-"

"Question two," I interrupt him. Honestly, I'm getting kind of bored and I'm sick of his excuses. "Why'd Trenton send you over here?"

"I won't spill the secrets of my Alpha."

"Very well," I walk over and step on one of his legs, easily snapping it in half with a little bit of pressure. The crack and his scream fill my ears all at the same time as he crumples to the ground. "Now I'll ask you again, because I find necks more enjoyable to break. Why did Trenton send you over here?"

"He's going to attack," the man gasped for air before looking up at me, "you don't have a chance with the allies we've attained. Now I told you, let me go."

"Well, you see," I crouch down to his level and pinch his chin in my fingers, forcing him to look at me, "you played the game, and you already know one of my secrets, now I'll tell you another one." He glares up at me with hatred in his eyes. I place a hand on his shoulder and use another one of the skills the Moon Goddess blessed me with. His energy flowed from his shoulder through my arm and I felt it strengthen me as he began to crumple, his energy being stolen straight from his body. "I can't let anyone who knows a secret of mine live." Before he can speak again, I steal the last of his essence, building up my own, and stand up, wiping my hands on my jeans. I turn and walk out of the room to meet the shocked gaze of the two officers.

"Send him back to Trenton tomorrow night. I want his body on his doorstep when he wakes up." They don't know what to say, so they just obey and go into the room, shortly returning with the man's body. They are too used to my father's merciful rules, but they'll soon grow used to mine. They are about to leave out the back door when I stop them.

"Take it through the cells." I want the prisoners to see how I plan to reign. They again immediately obey.

"Still like to play with them first, I see," Brayden speaks up, "I'm surprised you didn't kill him sooner." I just shrug.

"Trenton is going to attack soon, that's all I got out of him."

"Well we already knew that," Brayden rolls his eyes and I glare at him.

"I know, that's why I killed him. I did get one thing out of him first; Trenton has allies."

"Who?" I sigh at his question.

"I don't know." We stand in silence for a few seconds before Brayden speaks again.

"5:50, let's head to training." I sigh before following him out of the room.