Chapter 2 DEAD OR ALIVE

(ALANA'S POV)

"If...if I didn't help her out, if I just let that monster kill Keera, I would have....no, noooooh!"

My heart felt as if it were torn to shreds. I couldn't think anymore; I didn't even want to think.

The cheers and smiles of Keera felt like daggers going in and out of my heart.

"What right does she have to smile?" The rage in me was shimmering like pork in a pan.

"Alana, nice game, I told you, Very soon, I will wipe that smug look off your face. See" Keera pats me on the back showing off her victory.

GAME!

My entire eyesight blurred, and my hate for Keera went out of proportion. Mason was my life's goal and to her, he was just a game.

What right does someone like her have to even deserve him?

In the heat of my fury, I made a decision that dragged everyone into a whirlpool of suffering and pain.

"Keera, congratulations," I said, propping myself up with my feet as I gave her a friendly hug.

"You may have won this but don't forget, your main obstacle...your Wolf!" I whispered as I held her head closer.

After my words, I retreated immediately from her, heading back deep into the fog.

(KEERA'S POV)

"That damn storm wolf, how does she manage to ruin the mood all the time?"

My excited heart calmed down as the last words of Alana kept haunting me like a tiger stalking its prey.

"Stupid girl, why did she leave without finishing her sentence? What exactly is she thinking? Does she have a way of helping me call out my wolf? Is she bluffing? What.....Ahhh, I can't do it anymore"

I gave up on thinking and ran towards Alana's tent to extract the truth from her mouth. I must get to the root of this once and for all. Everyone seems to know the reason for my predicament except me.

(After 1 hour)

"What ...in the world, is Alana a recluse? Why is she living in such isolation?"

I flopped to the floor immediately to scoop a handful of water. I have been running and searching for Alana's house for the past hour and yet...no sight!

After more than twenty minutes, I finally got sight of a tent nestled between two rocks; the tent was abnormally plain and simple. From a distance, it appeared to be just a white cloth on a stick.

"This... This is it?" My entire frustration almost came out as a roar. "Ohhh, Alana, I have to get the truth from you or else...What!"

My ranting got interrupted by Alana who opened up her tent and brought a chair outside with a cup of tea she was sipping.

"Never mind, whatsup?" I immediately played the mute game.

"What's up? I don't understand?" Alana gave me a bewildered look.

"Eh, what's up, you know you were about to tell me something a few hours ago?" I nervously smiled, drinking the cup of tea in front of Alana.

"I am honestly confused, I have nothing to tell you?" Alan shrugged. "Wait, did you come all the way here to ask me this? You are funny, I tell you." Alana gave a weird laugh.

Originally, I would have teased her laughter, but her eyes were red in anger. What the heck? Is she pretending?

"Stop playing the fool, Alana, I know you know why I can't summon my wolf and you know how I can, so spit it out!"

"Spit it out?" Alana repeated my sentence and toyed with disbelief, she spat on the floor. "Did you see what you were looking for?"

"Alana, that's enough from you," I overturned the table in anger, glaring at Alana with hateful spite.

The spite came from anger...anger that I cannot even beat her if I wanted to, anger that the only hope I have to get my wolf was about to get snuffed out...again!

"BRACELET"

Alana finally said something as I was about to leave in distress.

"This is just my theory but don't you think only upor mother's last keepsake can help you out now? I mean, you are a lovebird, she's a lovebird, she must have a way for you to call out your wolf?" Alana finally dropped the bomb.

"You are kidding?" I looked at Alana in disbelief. "That restricted property, I have no right to even go near that room, not to mention touching it? How do you expect me to use this knowledge?"

"I don't know," Alana shrugged and stood up. "How much do you actually crave to get stronger, how much do you want to be the best? The ball is in your court now."

Her words left a ringing in my ears, my eyes clouded with determination, a fierce determination that burned from the depths of my soul.

I could almost imagine the scenes, everyone looking at me with the same referential fear as they do my mom's statue.

When I call out my wolf and inherit the lovebird's name fully, I will become my only Challenger. No one will be my equal, not Alana, not even Mason.

"It's just a bracelet for honouring my mother, whether I take it or not, my mom is still being honoured," I convinced myself of my own lies and headed to the sacred altar.

"I will just borrow it, once I am done awakening my wolf, I will keep it back in a jiffy."

(MASON'S POV)

"Father" I stormed into my father's chambers, my face still in disbelief from the news I just received. I am being engaged to Keera? I and Keera are just friends. I haven't even thought of getting close to her in such a way.

"Father, what am I hearing? When did I get engaged to Keera, no less?"

"Mason, it is exactly as you heard," my father weakly said, his hands still holding his ancient pipe strongly. You're the most powerful wolf in the Pack, and you are to engage whoever wins the foggy hunt which she did. So get used to that fact

"Father, I don't understand, this is not possible at..."

"Why is it not?" Hus' word prompted my silence.

"I....Yes, why?" That was a question I didn't even ask myself. Something about the entire engagement just felt off, like...like it's wrong.

"Do you hate Keera?" Father asked me and I replied NO faster than I have ever replied before.

"Then what's the problem? I don't see an issue? You don't hate her, she does not hate you, why make it so complicated?"

"Father,..." I still wanted to argue, to tell him she's just a friend, but the clan's distress signal went off.

"What was that?" I looked back in fear, and before I knew it, a thunderbolt went off beside my ear, and my father was long gone.

"Everyone, prepare, hunt down the thief! Hunt down the thief!"

My father's emotionless voice came from the void;

DEAD OR ALIVE!