Chapter 1 1

The Assignment

Alexander walks out of the shower in his brown bathrobe. His hair is damp and needs drying but his throat is parched and he needs a drink. He walks to his wine bar and takes out a bottle of wine. Pouring little for himself, he decides to listen to some late night news.

It was Ender Murray on Channel 5 news with her tattletale about the assassin again. He rolls his eyes, sipping red wine but still paying attention to what she was saying.

In her British accent, Ender reads to the Tv. "Mulberry city has its own superhero but it's not a hero of justice, it's a bloodthirsty assassin. He rounds up crooked politicians and women traffickers faster than the police force combined and he does it alone. How does he do it? No one knows. Some say he's an alien, others say he's a werewolf but only this hero knows who he is. His name is Xavier."

"Nice intro." He raises his glass to the TV and swallows the entire alcohol.

A shrill voice calls from the kitchen. "Sir! Dinner is ready!"

"Alright!" He calls back.

Alex got dressed and went to the kitchen. The scent of samosa pie wafts in the air and he runs his tongue over his bottom lip.

"Smells delicious. You must tell me the recipe sometime." He tells his 50 year chef, Guanita.

"Not yet. I said I'll tell your wife when you get married but you don't want to marry." Gunaita has a mexican burr in her voice.

"Oh shucks but thanks." He kissed her hair.

"You're welcome, miha. I'm clocking out." Guanita takes off her apron and hangs it on the wall.

"Stay safe out there." He walks her to the door.

"You too. No drinking out late with friends." She points at him.

"Yes, ma'am." He gives her a salute.

"I mean it, Xavier is a dangerous criminal. He might be lurking out there." Guanita slips her feet into her shoes.

Alex crossed his arm over his chest. "Ender from the news says otherwise. They call him a hero."

"That crook is no hero to me. He is an assassin who kills people. Stay safe." Gunaita claps his cheek gently before grabbing her bag.

"Stay safe, Guanita." He waves at her before shutting the door.

Just as he takes a seat on the chair to savor his pie, he hears his phone ring.

He fists his hand because he knows the caller.

Swiping right, he puts the call on the speaker. "I think it's about time we get married because why do you have to call me almost every time?"

"I don't call you every time!" Came a slurred reply.

Alex palmed his face. "You're drunk, Edward. What did you do?"

Edward began to cry. "She broke up with me. My Maddy broke up with me."

"Sorry about that." Alex disconnects the call and resumes eating his pie.

His phone rings again and he answers. "If not for the fact that you are the Alpha and I'm your beta, Heaven knows I will not respond "

"I'm at Sun city club. Come ,get me." Edward said and the line went dead.

Alex fisted his phone, breaking it in his hand. "That little -

He grabs his coat and car keys. Then he looked at the car keys. "Do I really need this? Nah."

He stepped out onto the balcony. Suncity bar was not far from where he lived. It was just a few stone throws away. Stretching backwards, Alex prepares himself for a jump.

"Go!" He leapt off the balcony and landed on his feet, running at superhuman speed towards the bar.

He arrived in a dark alley and dusted himself. What would people think when a young, handsome man suddenly appeared in front of them? They would think him an alien and knock him up. And he couldn't explain to them that he was a werewolf. That would be worse.

He walks out of the alley. The bar was just ahead.

"Alex!" Edward wailed as he got off his chair and draped his hand around him.

"Ew. You reek, man." Alex pinched his nose.

"Yeah. I reek of heartbreak." Edward sobbed.

"Come on, buddy." Alex put his arm around him and took out his phone and dialed Edward's bodyguard.

After waiting a few minutes, Caspar, Edward's bodyguard.

"Take him home and make sure he doesn't leave the house." He said.

"Yes, beta." Caspar gave a salute before climbing the driver's seat and speeding off.

Alex heaves a sigh and peers at his watch. The time was 8 : 10pm. The playoffs had already begun.

"Dang it." He cursed under his breath.

He rushed to leave when suddenly he bumped into someone.

"Oh my God, Eva, are you okay?" Her friends say.

"Watch where you're going, dude!" Another yells at him.

"Sorry." He helps the lady up.

"Nah. It's fine." She flashed him a smile that took his breath away.

Her strawberry blonde hair danced in the wind behind her and her brown doe eyes stared at him in confusion. She still held the cute smile on her reddened cheeks and he too found himself returning it.

"Umn..." She said.

"Oh. Sorry." He realized he had been holding onto her hand and let go of it.

"Let's go, Eva." Her friends grabbed her. "Weirdo!"

Alex turns around to leave but his wolf wouldn't let him. The scent of lavender and wild berries lingered in the air. It kept screaming "mate" in his ears and he almost howled at it to stop. His prayer was answered when he got a call from Mario.

"Sup, Mario." He flagged a cab and got in.

Mario's husky voice replied. "Yo, Xavier. Boss wants to see ya."

Xavier scrunched his eyebrow. "The game is on tonight."

"I know you never miss it but the boss said it's urgent." Mario persists.

"I'm on my way."

Alex arrives at the Al Capone building, a high class skyscraper in the middle of the city. The building, a hotel cum lounge, is one of the most expensive places in Mulberry city and allows entrance strictly to members of her club. A club, rumored to be a mafia gang.

The door to the limousine is opened and Alex steps out.

"This way, sir." Mario says.

Alex rolls his eyes and walks past him. "I've walked in here a thousand times. I know where he is."

He took the elevator to the top floor.

"Xavier!" The guards at the door saluted him.

"Enough with the greeting and open the goddamn door." He rolled his eyes again.

"Apologies, sir." The guards say and push open the door.

Alex walked in with his hands stuffed in both his pockets. "I thought I told you I was done."

"That's not how you greet your boss, Xavier." The speaker, a man sitting with the back of his chair facing Alex, said.

"I might as well look at who I'm greeting first." Alex scoffed.

The chair turned around and the man laughed. He stood to his feet and approached Alex.

"What a funny man you are, Xavier." The man laughed.

"The playoffs just began." Alex said.

"I know and I'm sorry. I need you to do one last job for me."

"I've told you, Alpha Drake, that I'm done. What more do you want to hear from me? Fuck off?"

"Hey, don't get hosike. This will be the last. It'll be the easiest job you've ever done. No blood need to be spilled this time." Drake smiled.

"Price?" Alex asked.

"Now, we're talking. This is why I like you, Xavier. Always quick-witted." Drake sauntered to his desk and took up an envelope.

He passed it to Alex who took out its contents. A frown made its way to his face. "You want me to kidnap some kid?"

"Look at her picture. She's a beauty." Drake chuckled.

Alex took the picture out of the envelope. His eyebrows furrowed. He had seen this face before.

"Her name is Evangeline Prescott. Her dad is some hotshot who thinks he's the real deal. I want you to kidnap her. No torture of anykind. Just drag her here." Drake explained.

"Evangeline." Alex looked at the photo of the girl.

"Mate!" His wolf cried out.

Of course. This was the girl he had bumped into at the bar.

"Any reasons why she's to be kidnapped and not killed?" Alex looked at Drake who was dancing to no music.

Drake chuckled. "I thought you're not one to ask questions."

"Well, I'm curious this time. This is the first job that I have to do with the victims being alive." He said.

"Well, I can't give you the answers. Eva is in senior year of highschool, a rich brat that goes to some high ranking school. Her schedule is tight there. Make sure you bring her to me. Safe. You can put her to submission with a little hit if she is stubborn."

Alex clenched the envelope in his hand. "When do you want her?"

"As soon as possible." Drake winked at him.