Chapter 1 : The Wicked Alpha

Bethany's POV

It was a cold winter night, and we were all sitting in the sitting room, watching one of our favorite family dramas on Netflix. The heat from the fireplace brought us little warmth in the cold, and we reveled in it.

Dad wasn't here with us tonight. He hasn't spent time with us since he got that threat from Alpha Dominic. He kept working with his warriors, working on our security systems, planning various defensive tactics to keep Alpha Dominic from breaching our pack's boundaries.

"Mom, has Dad been able to settle his dispute with the bad Alpha?" my kid sister asked our mom in her cute little voice that always brings smiles to our faces.

"No, princess, the bad Alpha doesn't want to settle the dispute with daddy; he only wants war. But don't worry your pretty head about that, your strong father would find a way to get him to change his mind, " mom responded with a smile as she dropped a warm kiss on her forehead, causing her to smile widely.

"If you ask me, Mom, I'd say that Dad should just report him to the Lycan king. That way, we would not have to deal with him ourselves." I suggested again, but as always, Mom frowned at me, giving me that look that says, "Shut your mouth, Bethany, you are young and naïve, and you know nothing about Alpha Dominic."

I simply shrugged my shoulders and went back to watching my movie. They never listen to me anyway. They are just too scared to take action against that asshole who thinks he can get away with anything. - He woke up one morning and decided to expand his territories. In doing so, he took a large part of our lands and forced us to move further into the Woods. To avoid war and bloodshed, my father kept silent and let him do as he pleased.

"Just give us a piece of peaceful land, and don't continue to invade". Dad doesn't want a lot of territory; he just wants us to live a peaceful life.

Father sends daily updates about Pack's repairs, and how Alpha Dominic has gone to a meeting at another Pack. Father said he'll be back tomorrow! Perhaps Alpha Dominic has forgiven us, or perhaps they have reached a consensus. I really can't say, but in this cold winter, the aroma of food wafts through the air every night, and children on the street share roasted apples eaten on a snowy night. A peaceful atmosphere fills me with joy. I am glad that thing is still going well and everything is fine.

The vibration of my phone distracted me from my movie. My face brightened with a smile when I saw that it was a message from Carl, my boyfriend. I've been dating Carl for some months now, and we plan to get married after college.

With the reduction in our population, no one really waits for their true mate anymore; we simply get mated to a suitable choice, and if you're lucky, you could actually fall in love with a guy and get mated to him.

You could say that I am one of the lucky ones. I found the love of my life, Carl, and we plan to play it cool and wait until after college before we can get mated. Our parents know about our relationship, and they approve of our union. What they don't know is that I always sneak out every night to meet Carl deep in the woods.

He just sent a text, telling me that he has arrived in the woods. I stretched my hand and yawned loudly, feigning tiredness,

"I'm off to bed, Mom, I'm feeling so tired." I lay with a grumpy face that makes everyone think that I am truly tired.

"Don't forget to shut the blinds!" my mom yelled after me as I headed up to my room. I ran up the stairs, shutting my door firmly before going over to stuff my bed with pillows that would make anyone who comes in here believe that I am lying under my duvet, then I climbed down my window, carefully maneuvering my way down, trying not to make a sound that could alert anyone to my schemes.

As soon as I got closer to our secret meeting place in the woods, I got pulled into a sturdy, hard chest as Carl backed me up against a tree, kissing me passionately. I responded to his kiss, kissing him back with so much passion and desire.

It was at that very moment that we heard a screaming sound coming from far away. By my guess, it should be around the pack house, and I know my parents would go into my room to check up on me, so I stopped my actions immediately and ran off in a panic, heading back home before we both got in trouble with the Alpha, my father.

"Hold on, Beth, you'll get yourself injured, be careful," Carl warned as he ran along with me. I refused to listen to him, and I did not pay attention to my surroundings.

Until I felt his hands around me, forcing me to halt as he forced me to duck behind a tree.

"What's wrong with you, Carl? Let me go before my parents discover that I am not in my room." I scolded him, trying to break free. But he tightened his grip around me, bringing one hand to shut my mouth firmly. Sweat was streaming down his handsome face. I had never seen him look so nervous. He wrinkled his forehead and shook his head desperately to signal me not to make a sound.

That was when I noticed what was really happening around us.

*

It was a nightmare. It was in Hell.

I could see a man clad in a black outfit, giving him a deadly and dangerous personality. He was dragging someone on the leg, dragging the person towards our house.

"Wait...is that my father?"

I bit my lip tightly, thought within me as I thrashed and struggled to break out of Carl's grip, but he refused to let me go, holding me tightly to his chest.

"You can't save him, Beth..... " It's too late, " Carl whispered in my ear. I heard him choke," You have to save yourself before Dominic finds you." he wanted to calm me down as he kept holding me tightly.

I could hear the piercing scream of my mom. My sister is crying. He murders them all in cold blood. The screams soon died down.

I knew that my family was no more.

Carl lifted me onto his shoulder. I kicked and hit his back hysterically in an attempt to get him to drop me so I could go check on my family, but he wouldn't budge. He kept going through the woods until he got to his house. He knew that everyone would be wearing for me, so he hid me in his basement, warning me to try not to make a sound.

The darkest night, he kept coming to check on me every often, trying to make sure I don't hurt myself. I huddled by the corner as I shivered in fear and anger. I can't believe it, I simply can't believe it, my whole family has been murdered, and I am all alone in this world.

That monster!

That Animal!

" I'll make him pay," I swore within me as I stayed huddled in Carl's basement,

I'll take my revenge; he will never get away with this.