《The Alpha Instinct》Preface: Stench of Betrayal
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I shouldn't have snuck out for a midnight run but It had been only a month after my first shifting and my wolfs hunger for freedom seemed hard to sate. My father had reassured me that it was natural for all of us to go through that stage but that it was particularly hard for those with Alpha blood because our instincts and urges were much more potent. My wolf and I had spent the last hour hunting down a rabbit. It was the first time I had actually caught my prey so I was quite pleased with myself as I made my way back to the house with my kill dangling from my mouth. I couldn't wait to show my father what I had done, though I am certain he will be upset with me for sneaking out.
A strange unsettling feeling began to creep over me the closer I got to home. My senses were screaming at me that there was danger but I as I kept my eyes scanning through the trees I could not detect anything. I slowed my speed and lowered my belly toward the ground trying to put most of my weight on my toes to keep from making to much noise or being seen. The scent of blood was carried on the evening breeze at first I assumed it was from my kill but the scent only became stronger the less distance there was between me and the house. My ears pulled back flat against my head and my tail tucked itself up under between my legs. Something was wrong, very wrong.
I dropped my kill and took off like a bullet towards my home, fear lighting a fire beneath my feet. The moment my feet touched front porch I shifted back into my human form faster than I thought was possible. The door was wide open and the smell of blood was so strong that I felt like I was going to be sick. I covered my mouth with the back of my hand as my legs carrying me forward into the stillness of the house. My emotions began to swell as I noted the destruction before me, there had clearly been some kind of struggle. I could see splashes of blood on the walls and small puddles on the hardwood floor. My legs trembled as I moved deeper into darkness following the path of destruction.
My wolf was whimpering and whining inside of me trying to comfort me but also stressed over my rising anxiety and desperation. My vision was becoming blurry as water began to fill my eyes. I blinked rapidly trying to will the urge to cry away. My body froze when came to the living room. Standing over the body of my mother was the large frame of a man, his eyes glowing bright red. A sob tore from my throat and my knees gave out from under me as I stared in disbelief at the sight. My wolf let out a low howl of distress before she seemed to start snarling in my head. My attention quickly snapped to the red eyed man who had yet to move. He stood like a statue his gaze fixated on me.
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My wolf rushed toward the surface as her desire for blood swelled. She wanted to tear this man apart, make sure he paid for what he had done. I let myself be pulled to the back of my mind as she took control. My bones snapped and cracked, silver fur quickly covering what used to be exposed skin. I pawed at the ground and lowered my head as my lips peeled back revealing my razor sharp teeth. The red-eyed enemy threw a sinister smile in my direction, "Oh what do we have here? A female Alpha? This will be fun..." A vicious snarl ripped from my chest as I charged forward readying to launch myself for his throat.
My legs were strong and sturdy, they provided me with a powerful spring as I pushed up off the ground. The man moved swiftly and smacked me down out of the air with hand like I was no more than a fly. I hit the ground with a loud crack before I could shake off the attack he had his hand gripping my throat. His finger were clawed and pierced through the tough flesh. I let out a pained growl as I thrashed underneath him trying to free myself. I had never met anything like this before he hadn't even shifted and he was stronger than me.
"You'll have to get stronger than that to beat me little alpha." He chirped at me in amusement at my attempts to get him to release me.
"Stop playing with the pup Kade." A deep voice snapped in annoyance causing the man above me to lose his amusement. I still at the sound of the approaching footsteps. The aura coming of the new stranger was strong and caused my wolf to whimper in fear. I peered out of the corner of my eye to see another red eyed man but he held the power of an alpha. He stared down at me with a look that was unreadable, "Shift!" he commanded. My body began to realign and return itself to its human shaped against my will.
I felt extremely exposed as I lay on the ground with Kades hand wrapped around my throat. The red eyed alpha squatted down keeping his gaze fixed on mine sending a chill rushing through me. The sound of struggling and grunts hit my ears. I pulled my eyes toward the sound to see two more men shuffling my father into the room. He was covered in blood but I couldn't tell if it was his own or not. When he spotted my mother laying still his legs gave out and he fell forward with a mournful sound. I couldn't stop my own sorrowful emotions from swallowing me, "Daddy—" I choked out.
My father pulled his face upward at the sound of my voice. His eyes looked almost dead but he gave me a gentle smile, "It's going to be okay baby girl." He tried to reassure me even as the men held us captive, "Be strong."
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The sound of clapping took me by surprise and my attention sought out the source of the sound. Out of the darkness my uncle appeared wearing an amused expression that shocked me. I looked from him to my father in confusion and it seemed he was just as confused as me, "You?" His voice caught a bit before his eyes narrowed into a hardened look and a low growl ripped from his throat. My fathers body surged forward and it took both of the men all their strength to hold him from breaking free, "You've killed your Luna brother!"
My uncle laughed darkly, "No brother..." he shook his head, "I killed your mate." A venomous roar of anguish and rage filled the room as my father pulled forward again, wanting to rip into his brothers flesh. My own wolf was seemingly silent at the betrayal unable to grasp what was happening.
"Why?" My father bellowed.
"For power, why else?" He answered simply before his eyes snapped over to me filling with so much hatred, "You think I could allow my niece to become alpha of this pack over me? A female alpha? I'd be a laughing stock..." My father looked toward me suddenly and I could see fear in his eyes for a moment.
My uncle nodded his head toward the red-eyed alpha before looking back to my father, "Now its time for you to join your mate dear brother." He approached him with strong confident steps. My heart thundered in my chest as I was grabbed up off the ground by Kade, his hand still wrapped firmly around my throat. I began to struggle more in his grasp, "NO!" I screamed as a pair of strong arms wrapped around my body from behind caging me in completely. I watched in horror as my father was held firmly in place staring up at my uncle, "Close your eyes Grace." He commanded me in his alpha voice.
My eyes snapped shut as a sob ripped from me and my body shook in my captors arms. There was a sudden silence around the room before my uncle let out a quick battle cry. I felt the snap of the tether when my father and alpha died. My wolf let out a mournful cry and so did I but my cry was silenced as the hand on my throat tightened cutting off the sound. My eyes opened, staring into those sinister red orbs.
"Thank you for your assistance tonight—" My uncle speaks, "As we agreed you may take the girl with you to do with as you please." My eyes widened in horror. I didn't want to go anywhere with these red eyed monsters, clearly they would do worse things to me than kill me. I began to thrash widely as I called on the power of my wolf. The arms around me tightened, "You will be strong—I can sense the power rising in you..." He whispered into my ear, "You'll make a great addition to my pack. Perhaps after a time you will rule beside me..." I shuddered as his nose brushed against the skin of my neck.
My uncle turned around quickly having heard the man, "No—she will die when you've finished playing with her. I don't need her coming back here stirring up trouble if she somehow gets away from you."
The red-eyed alpha chuckles, "Scared of a little girl alpha?" He questioned in a mocking tone. My uncle's eyes narrowed but he held his lips together in a tight line.The other red eyed men let out chuckles of amusement that continue to unsettle me.
"Don't worry yourself Albus—you will never see the beautiful Grace again. Alive at least..." His lips whisper against my ear sending a fierce coldness through my veins. I stare at my uncle feel pathetic when the desire to plead with him rushes through me. I had always loved my uncle and I though we had a special bond, he'd always gone out of his way for me as if I were his own child. Yet as I stared at him all that stared back at me was eyes full of hatred. My mother and father lay still and quiet on the hard floor of our home, a place that had always been warm and safe. It was all gone now—in an instant everything had been ripped away from me, by a man who I had loved like a second father.
A strange feeling I'd never known seemed to eat away at the inside of me, "You'll pay for this—" The words came tumbling out of my mouth without much thought. The feeling wrapped tighter around the core of my being feeding itself on the grief and betrayal I felt. My pleading gaze suddenly became something else as the monster inside me grew. I strained in the arms of my captor, "I will make you pay for this. I will come for you. I will take away everything you have ever loved—than once you've tasted from your own cup...I. Will. Kill. You." My voice is flat and calm.
I saw a flash of fear in my uncles eyes for a moment and the man behind me released a loud laugh, "She's perfect! Let's get out of her out of here--I can't wait to play with my new toy..." Kade still had his hand wrapped around my throat, and he tightens it cutting off my ability to breathe. My vision begins to flicker as I try to fight to keep my consciousness, but my struggle is futile. The darkness claims me I as I vow to myself that I will survive and keep my word—for myself and for my parents.
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