Alpha Caellum.

NALEDI'S POV

One bullet, one gun, one dead body and I will be free.

I stood at the top of the tallest building in New York with my sniper gun as I targeted my last kill for the Russian Mafia - The Bravta pack.

The last job that would make me a free woman after five years of paying back the debt I owed from stealing from their organisation.

Dressed in a black assemble, I set my gun target down to a building, a hotel room with an open window, a hundred miles from where I was.

I could see the old fool that I was supposed to kill. He was one of the most despicable people to have crossed planet Earth; A human with the guts of an animal.

He was the latest shitbag I couldn't be more honoured to get the privilege to kill. His name was Clifford Right. A politician and one of the stupidest humans I have heard of - Because believe me, you've got to be the most foolish human on earth to think you could cross the Russian pack and go scott-free.

Other than the fact he was running for president, he owned a big underground sporting ring where he launders money made from the women and children he trafficked out of the country.

When Alpha Volkov gave me his portfolio, I was more than happy to do this as my last gig for him. I studied him for the longest time, and when he climbed on his flavour of the night, ready to satisfy his primal urges, I pulled the trigger.

I never missed a shot.

I watched as the bullet silently left my sniper gun and found its way to the hotel room, entering through his back and hitting his heart. I didn't need to confirm his death.

The Russian pack rented out a building to enable me to perform my job tonight. For a second, enjoyed the look of horror on the woman's face, who was now stained with the blood of that shitbag.

She'll have a long time explaining how that happened.

Without further ado, I packed up my gun and went downstairs. I had exactly three minutes to get out before the police arrived.

I got downstairs and like always, a car was ready to take me. After showing his card, I got to the backseat, and he handed me a phone before starting the engine.

"Hello." I breathed a sigh of relief when we passed the ambulance that rushed through the streets, alongside the police that followed right after.

"Attai." I heard the voice of my employer, or should I say, Ex-employer. "You've done a wonderful job once again." His tone was light, "It breaks my heart that you have refused to be a part of us."

"A deal is a deal," I stated, my voice taut.

"Don't get macho on me, baby." I hated when he called me that. "If you are not going to join us, you should at least honour my invitation to tonight's ball." He made a mock-distress tone. "I can't be seen walking around alone, you know."

"Alpha Volkov," I said in a wary tone but he cut me off.

"Until the next three hours, you are bound to me. No excuses. Meet me at the ball, darling. Don't keep me waiting." With that, he turned off the line and I angrily punched the air.

I didn't like the idea of going to a darned ball with clueless humans, wolves and terrorists crawling the area. I was still trying to maintain a low profile and the last thing I wanted was to mess up the life I created away from the Yakuza pack.

The car dropped me off in the middle of the night rush and I hailed a taxi to the hotel I boarded. I was going to the darned mating ball. Yay me.

**********

I hated crowds but I loved the anonymity that came with them.

I walked into the darned ball, dressed in a short gown that left little to the imagination. My eyes scanned the area as I looked for my ex-employer.

Tonight, I went by the name Linda Smirnov. A name prepared by the Russian mafia to protect my identity. Soon enough, I sighted Alpha Volkov. The head of the Russian Mafia and pack - My ex-employer.

He was surrounded by a few other criminals I couldn't be bothered to mention, so I decided to look around for some time. Occasions like these were where I gathered information.

While others were looking for their mates and making valuable connections, I dug for information about the Italian pack - My sworn enemy. I joined a couple of women drinking by the bar area when I heard them talk about the Italians.

"I heard he is coming to today's ball." One of the women said in excitement. "I've heard he looks heavenly and his wolf is the most powerful in the century."

My eyes perked at that. They were wolves. Interesting.

"I thought he was old." I cut in, surprising them. "The Alpha of the Italian pack. I have heard that he is old and gritty."

The second woman vehemently shook her head. "Of course not. Alpha Caellum is not old. He is young, handsome and powerful. If only I could get my hands on him."

"Caellum?" I asked in confusion.

"Yes! Haven't you heard? He took over the throne as the Alpha of the Italian pack a few years ago, throwing down his father's reign with a war in the headquarters."

I was glad I came here. "Overthrowing his father? He must be the worst son in the history of werewolves." I said with a smirk, but they were silent.

I met the gaze of the gossiping women and they were filled with fear. Borderline horrified. "What is wrong with you?" I said and that was when I felt it.

The presence of someone beside me. The sudden silence in the ball. And the excitedness of my wolf who urged me to turn around.

I turned around and I couldn't believe it. There he was, easily towering over me with his brown eyes, and ticking jaws. His smell was heavenly and it took a lot to withhold from devouring him.

He seemed angry. Like I have said something wrong. The entire people looked pitifully at me. I hated that. "Who are you?" I asked despite knowing exactly what he was to me.

"Alpha Caellum." His tone was taut and impatient. He placed his hand in his pockets. "The worst son in the history of werewolves."

NALEDI'S POV

Every part of my body longed to be with him but I stood firm.

I bowed my head and gritted. "Alpha Caellum."

I couldn't speak a word. I felt the entire room enclose around me. They were all watching.

When I didn't hear him speak, I met his eyes and his brows were corked. I could also see the faint tattoo mark on his neck, ink tracing down his body.

"Your name." He demanded, and I didn't miss the whiff of his nose in the air.

He knew it. The fact that we were mates. But hell be damned before I acknowledged it.

"No one important." My posture was respectful but my tone betrayed the anger in my heart.

I'd feel better if I struck a silver knife to his chest and twisted painfully.

"I don't care." His tone was hard. Did I hit a spot? "Tell me who you are." He all but demanded.

"My date for the night." A voice I knew too well said and an arm was thrown over my shoulder. "Alpha Caellum, long time no see." It was Alec Volkov - The Alpha of the Bravta gang, and my ex-employer.

I couldn't be happier with his timely intervention. A smile graced my lips as I played along, placing an arm around his waist.

"I'm so sorry I came late, Alpha," I said in the most feminine voice I could muster.

I didn't miss the brief shock in the eyes of Alek, no doubt, surprised at my sudden closeness towards him.

Caellum's gaze flickered between us and I could sense his irritation. That made us even. "She belongs to me." He stated in a cold tone. "She is my mate."

I felt Alek's arm freeze around me but I held him tighter. "And I reject you as my mate, Alpha." I gritted with stormy eyes.

A smirk graced his lips. "You cannot reject me, Mia Cara. You should know that by now." His tone was flippant, but his eyes were amused.

In a second, his eyes turned deathly cold and his gaze burned in the spot where our hands connected. "Let her go." He said, this time, talking to Alek.

"You heard the lady, Caellum," Alek said with an equal smirk. "She doesn't want you. I don't want to believe that the Famous Alpha and head of the Cosa Nostra pack would go so low to force a woman-"

He didn't get to finish because Caellum suddenly went berserk and within a second, a gun barrel was placed on the head of Alek, who suddenly began laughing.

"One more word." he breathed. "One more wrong word and I would blow your brains out and present the little pieces to your deadbeat father."

"Caellum!" Alek roared, and I had never seen him that angry.

"Let her go." He said calmly, keeping his gun on Aleks' head.

"And if I refuse?" Alek Volkov said with an evil smile.

Suddenly, the room was charged with tension and men in suits flooded the area with guns targeted at each other. Humans rushed out of the event, scared out of their wits at the sudden violence while wolves, mafia leaders and members watched with their eyes peeled.

"Then that would be a declaration of war," Caellum tilted his head to the side. "Do you think the Bravta gang can defeat the Casa Nostra if another war breaks?" His tone was mocking, reproving, and I could tell Alek was humiliated.

The Cosa Nostra pack was known for its great power and ability to exterminate packs, gangs and businesses. Its power originated in Italy, where the pack mafia headquarters was located, and its influence ran through the world, establishing multi-billion dollar illegal businesses with enough manpower to create an army.

"Let her go." He said again, and I could tell things were about to take another turn with Alek's arm still placed around me.

I stepped away from Alek's hold, refusing to be the reason another war broke out. I was perfectly able to handle myself. Or so I thought.

"Take her away." One line, one order, and I was surrounded by some men in a blink. "You made a good choice."

"Leave me alone." I gritted, "I can never be yours."

"Take her to the car," Caellum ordered, dropping his gun from Alek, who remained quiet but I could see the storm in his eyes. "If she refuses to move, by all means, move her."

My body went into defence mode. I felt the M82AI gun strapped to my thigh and for one second, I contemplated the odds of killing every single one of them and making it out alive.

It was too big of a risk.

The men surrounded me, "Move." One of the guards said, his tone hard and croaky.

I maintained my stance, refusing to move. "Let me go, Alpha," I said to Caellum with unwavering eyes. "I reject you as my mate."

He didn't blink. "Then you will go as my slave." His eyes left mine and flickered to the guards around. "Get her out of here."

That did it. They dragged me out of the place while I trashed against the men that held me. This couldn't be happening. They dragged me out of the hall and I felt the cold midnight air brush my skin.

They were taking me to the car park. I thrashed against the men, using all my strength, and I broke free. I raised my hands when they wanted to hold me back.

"I will walk on my own." I gritted, while they eyed me warily, contemplating if I was trustworthy enough.

I began my stroll, adjusting my clothes while they followed closely behind. We got to the car, a Prado SUV. My eyes glanced through the black beauty. I got to give it to Caellum, he had good taste.

A guard stepped before me to open the doors but I was a step ahead. I pulled out the gun in my thigh, grabbed him and within a second, placed the gun barrel in his head, taking them all by surprise.

"Let me go." I gritted with my finger dangerously pressed on the trigger.

CAELLUM'S POV.

"Move." She said to my men who stood like a shield around her. "Don't underestimate me."

I finished my little match with Alek and proceeded to the Car where I met one of my men at gunpoint.

I blinked, unable to wrap my head around how they got into such a position, and that in the hands of a woman. My woman. "What the fuck is going on?" I asked no one in particular, and my eyes rested on my mate, who was brimming with anger and fire in her eyes.

I had got off the phone with Matteo, who gave me a run-through of her background. I couldn't lie, seeing her holding a gun so perfectly stirred something within me.

The idea of her thinking she could cross me and go free made my face turn soar. "Drop the gun, Naledi," I ordered and didn't miss the brief widening of her eyes.

"I see you've done your homework." She said, pressing her gun in my guard's head. "Let me go or I will blow his head off."

Her tone was firm and I could tell she meant every word. "You must be stupid to think you can threaten me," I slid my hand into my pockets. "Don't be silly. Drop the gun and get inside the car."

Naledi tutted and held him tighter. I could see the faint mark of a bruise on his neck and I wondered just how stupid and unreliable he was to get caught by a girl.

"This gun is loaded." She began, "Do not for one-second think I would hesitate to blow off his head. You'll be in for a rude awakening."

My eyes went through this woman with a gun, and a confident smirk plastered on her lips. Her body was slim, but curvy and full in all the right places. Her thigh-high slit revealed so much skin than I would love for my woman to be showing, and her audacity made me want to bend her over a table and fuck manners into her system.

All I hoped to do in due time. But first, she needed to submit to me. My eyes found hers and I spoke slowly. "There are four bullets in that gun. If you kill him, you would have three more to spare." She tilted her head in confusion while I continued. "Let's say you kill three other useless guards of mine, it changes nothing."

I stepped closer to her, but she didn't back down. "I'll say this one more time, drop the gun."

"I thought you had regard for the people that worked around you," She pushed her captive forward, and in one second, placed the gun on her head, taking me by surprise. "Since you are so obsessed with taking me, perhaps you wouldn't care about taking my dead body." Her eyes boiled with fury but she spoke lightly, "Because the only way I will leave with you is over my dead body."

With an amused glint, I gauged my mate, standing in a threatening stance as she placed a gun on her head and threatened suicide. I wondered if she was going to do it if she had the guts to take her own life.

"Is that supposed to move me?" I asked with a smirk. "You said it yourself. I don't give a fuck about my guards. Life is insignificant to me. What makes you think I value yours?"

"Then let me go. Let us go our separate ways and forget this ever happened."

"No such luck, sunshine. You belong to me. I own you. The earlier you realise that you have no say in the matter, the better for you." I stretched my hand with a grotesque look on my face. "Don't be stupid now, give the gun to me."

She smiles, and the next thing I see, she shoots the ground very close to me and before I can speak, she pulls the trigger on her own head.

For the first time ever, I felt my spirit nearly leave my body.

"NO!" I yelled, only to be rewarded with a deranged smirk when I saw that there was no bullet in the shot. "You must be out of your goddamned mind." I gritted, trying and failing to compose myself.

"I have one more bullet, Alpha." She suddenly said. "Do not think I would miss it this time. Let me go."

I gauged her and I could tell she meant every word. She was willing to risk her life in order not to be with me. The thought of her blatant rejection of me despite being my mate bruised my ego.

I was the Alpha of the largest pack and mafia family. Women crawled at my feet, begging to have a taste of me. And here was the lucky bitch the mood Goddess thought to pair me up with and she was rejecting me at the detriment of her life.

"Tick-Tock, Alpha." She said again, applying pressure on the trigger, and for the first time, I felt stuck. I didn't know how true it was that there was a bullet inside, and I couldn't risk her life.

To thoroughly sever our mate bond, it had to be done under the full moon, which I presumed to be in the next hundred days. If she kills herself, I would most likely be affected due to the bond.

I didn't need a weakness. The last thing I needed was something my enemies could use as leverage on me. I let out a huff, a ghost of a plan forming in my mind.

"Fine. You win." I said with a smirk. "You can leave."

She shook her head. "You should leave first." She gestured at my lineup of luxury cars. "You and your people, get in and get going. I'll find my way after."

I hated being ordered by anyone, to talk less of a woman, but I swallowed it. "Start the cars," I ordered my guards and they did exactly that.

Soon enough, we were set and ready to move. They opened the door, and I spoke before I entered the car. "This is not goodbye. I promise."

She didn't utter a word, she remained aloof, unbending. I shook my head and entered the car, taking out a smoke from my car. The fleet of vehicles suddenly started moving, and soon, it was my turn to move.

I wind down the glass with the smoke in my mouth, and with a press of a button by the side of the cigar, a pin shot out and hit her in the neck.

Her eyes were frantic when she realised what I had done, Naledi let down her gun, and with her other hand, sought for the pin I'd fired her way.

It was already too late. The poison had gone into her body, and I knew she would be shutting down in a matter of seconds.

I stepped out of the car just in time to catch her as she fell unconscious. "I told you, mia cara, this is not goodbye."