CALIFF
Those motherfuckers. They made fun of me, laughing their asses off as one of the humans dumped fuel into the wood piles. The strong, pungent smell hit my nostrils, putting my wolf on edge.
I could easily break the collar and chains, but not until the reinforcements arrived. I didn’t want to get shot with silver bullets or burn that would satisfy these bunch of assholes. But when I got the chance, I would be the first to rip their hearts out of their chests.
“What are you looking at, dog?” The arrogant son of a bitch glared. He didn’t know what danger he was in, and they were about to get slaughtered.
I didn’t realize I was glaring at him. My knuckles turned white, and my jaw locked tight until he nudged me with the muzzle of his hunting gun.
“You should go home, kid.” These humans were young in their twenties. They should be working for their future, trying their luck in investments, getting laid, and enjoying parties, not hunting us with guns without thinking of getting killed. “You don’t know what you get yourself into. I won’t hold grudges-”
“How are you gonna hold grudges when you’re charred and turned into ashes, mutt?” The same arrogant guy laughed while the other one with him did not. He was younger, paler than the asshole, and he looked like this was the last place he wanted to be.
“How do you do it?” the pale boy asked.
“Shift? It’s in our DNA. Legend has said we are cursed, so during the full moon, we involuntarily shifted into a wolf and became stronger and feral, but as time passed, we evolved. We can shift however and whenever we want. We live among you without you even realizing it.”
“So how do you fuck?” the stupid asshole smirked and spat onto the woods.
“Why are you even asking about that?” the paler boy glared at him.
“I’m just curious. What’s got your panties in a twist, August? I’m sure they fuck when they are wolves, like the animal they are.”
“We don’t.”
“Why? Because your babies will be born as puppies?”
“We may have animals inside us, but we are intelligent and educated and human too. The only difference between us is I am stronger and faster. I have better sight and hearing, and all my senses are heightened, especially when threatened. Like right now, I can hear your heartbeat and see the pulse on your neck. Considering I’m an Alpha of the pack of one hundred and seventy members, I’m way stronger than most werewolves.”
“So, is that supposed to scare me?” He scoffed.
“Yes, you should.”
“Yet, Kain singlehandedly caught you.”
“Maybe I let myself get caught,” I smirked at him.
The paler boy, August’s brown eyes widened, stepping back.
“Well, your pack won’t be able to save your ugly ass, Alpha,” he said disgustingly.
“You are human. How did you get yourself entangled in this crime? And you, too, August.”
“You can’t talk us out,” said the arrogant, stupid human.
“Oh, I’m not talking you out. I marked you already, boy. In August’s case, I’m giving him a chance.” I smiled evilly. His heartbeat just went off a few notches.
August swallowed hard while this boy was still keeping his hardass, arrogant, tough charade.
“Leave now before this ground turns into a blood bath,” I mostly warned August. I didn’t give a shit about this piece of shit because I’d love to sink my claws into his chest and let him bleed to death.
“You can’t say anything that we haven’t already anticipated.”
“Is that so?”
“Alpha Aciano knows what’s in your head, and he said you would say something like this, asshole.” I admired his loyalty. But it was unfortunate he gave it to the wrong guy. “Your pack will be blown up and died. We have traps surrounding this compound.”
“So he copied my plan. Of course.” I smiled at him, making him angry. “Thank you.”
He swallowed after realizing he just handed me the vital information of this compound.
I connected with Lyon. “Lyon, inform everyone. They planted traps and bombs surrounding the compound.”
“How original. Noted, Alpha. The cavalry just arrived, and we’re on the move. Luna brings her toys.”
“Be careful, and I’m waiting for the big bang. And I’m sure Alpha King knows how to make an entrance.”
I inwardly smiled as I watched the guard on the post just drop and then another one, but nobody noticed it yet.
My hopes rose. My heart pumped faster. A smile formed on my lips just right after the other guard dropped. “That’s my girl.”
“Do you think you win?” He just lit up the match and threw it to the fueled wood. The fire cackled and roared up.
He just burned me alive while hanging up in the cage. The smoke reached me, burning my eyes. I instantly sweated. My body heated up. My wolf became restless. I had to push it back and blink my eyes before they glowed.
“What did you do, Nathan?” Aciano rushed in.
“We should be killing their kind, Alpha. Why is he still alive? This is not what I signed up for. I joined your cause because I wanted to eradicate the threats of their species, ruling out the world.” Oh, boy. What a great vision, but his luck? Not so much. “But all you want is revenge.”
“Their kind?” Growling, Aciano tipped his chin at the boy- Nathan. “I’m one of his kind, moron.” He grabbed the gun from August and shot the boy without remorse.
The gunfire echoed. August froze with wide eyes as he watched his friend fall on the ground lifeless, blood spread around the chest.
I almost growled in anger, and my claws itched to come out. I was supposed to kill that boy, not him.
“What are you staring at? Go bring water and put this fire off!” While August was still rooted in his place, he left and returned to the house.
“Do the right thing, August. Look what he just did. Because Nathan made a mistake, your Alpha just killed him before you. Go to the truck and move the cage out of the fire before my ass gets charred.”
August’s body shook.
“August!” I yelled at him. “Move!”
His eyes met mine.
“I will spare you. I promise. I never break my word, but you have to put the cage down and stay beside me all the time.”
August left and went to the truck.
Then, my cage moved slowly. I gestured for August to move faster. The cage dropped just close to the fire. My back burned as I fell, but I healed faster. I quickly slipped my hand into the pocket to grab the key. With shaky and uncomfortable cuffed hands, I didn’t have other options.
“Let me help,” August said.
“How do I know-?”
“You don’t, but these guys will kill me if you don’t move faster.”
I gave him the key warily, but if he made a wrong move and called these assholes, I would not hesitate to slash his jugular. Thankfully, he did help me unlock the uncomfortable state-of-the-art cuffs around my wrists.
“Do the rest, but I don’t have a key for the cage.” He gave me back the key.
I unlocked the collar around my neck. “Go hide somewhere. Tell them I sent you to find Shadow if you see a human you haven’t seen before.”
He nodded. The assholes just found out their guards were dead. August’s eyes’ widened, and he looked like he was about to pass out.
“Thank you, August.”
At the corner of my eye, I saw a werewolf, but it wasn’t from my pack. Aciano’s men went panicking, running everywhere.
Growling, I shifted, my clothes shredded. The cage was small, but that was the only way to tear it off, or someone made me their target practice.
Grunting, I walked out, aiming at the werewolf, one of Aciano’s men who hadn’t shifted. I marked him as my target until a white wolf ripped him apart.
I snarled, baring off my teeth at the white wolf, Alpha King. That piece of shit was mine.
Guns fired. Chaos erupted. The reinforcements began wreaking havoc. Growls and screams were everywhere. It was that exact moment all over again when we fought for our survival. This time, we attacked. We had the advantages- the traps and bombs didn’t go off.
I trotted towards the house. My paws thumped against the ground. I launched into the door, tearing it down, only to be halted as my father was on his knees, held hostage by Aciano. Kain had his gun pointed at my father’s head. I tried not to react or flinch as his finger constantly gripped around the trigger.
Then, the man in his thirties next to him was probably Aciano’s second-in-command, and he stunk-he was a werewolf. Then, two other humans guarding him.
How did Dad get here that I didn’t see it, I had no fucking idea. Probably from the back entrance.
I had no choice but to shift back, standing naked before his three men, pointing a gun at me.
“You’ve been dreaming for this moment, Aciano. What are you waiting for? To let my father watch me as your men tear me apart, or let me watch as you kill him before me. Well.” I shrugged. “This is the day. Today, it ends here, and I don’t want any more bloodshed.”
“I will say it’s over if I say it’s over!” He went feral, as I just insulted his intelligence.
“You win. You had us all fooled. You and your mate went this great length to show you have the guts. Take this as a win, Aciano. Well, if I were to say something, that kidnapping part is a little bit dramatic for your age, and I didn’t know you have this messiah complex in you, dragging all these people to fight for your cause.”
“You haven’t seen my entire plan, boy. This is just the beginning,” Aciano said proudly. Now I saw the truth in his eyes. He wanted this attention, the respect he craved, the authority he wished he had, but he would never accomplish any of it.
What I saw before me was nothing but a pathetic man lost in his own ego and greed. I swore to the Moon Goddess I would end this insanity he called a dream.
“If you want to take over my rank, why didn’t you just ask nicely? I would love nothing but to tear your throat out as you challenged me for the Alpha position.”
“Look who I found?” A man yelled behind me.
My pulse skyrocketed. Blood rushed all over my face. I had a feeling if I turned around, it would break me down, and then the most enticing addicting scent hit me and stopped me from breathing.
When I turned around, it confirmed my worst fear. My heart nearly stopped.