Alpha Lucien

CHAPTER 1: Leaving

"Pack all your clothes now, Zoriana!" My father's rushing and panicking voice from my back startled me that I even hit my forehead on our wooden door.

I quickly turned to my father, my forehead were now in deep crease while watching him frantically looking around for something that I don't know what exactly it is. He is holding a black backpack in his hand. It was opened so I quickly spotted the things that he stuffed there, and it wasn't arranged well, so I know that he was really rushing his moves awhile ago.

"What happened, father? Why am I going to pack my clothes? What's wrong-?"

"Just pack everything, Zoriana!" I flinched when he shouted at me. My eyes widened in shock as my lips trembled at the same time. My father has never ever raised his voice to me, and to hear him shouting at me right now is something that breaks my heart.

"W-what about Randall and Mother? Are we going to leave them here? They're still in the market to buy something. We should wait for them." I held onto the door's knob from behind like my life depends on it. Because it really is. I don't want to leave here. Not without a proper explanation as to why we should leave and all, no!

I don't know what's happening. Why my father is panicking right now, but one thing is for sure, I am not leaving. I have so many things and people that would be left here, and I don't want that to happen. I just celebrated my third monthsary with my boyfriend, Preston awhile ago and I couldn't just leave like this!

I shook my head repeatedly at my father, tears shone in the corner of my eyes as I looked at him.

"Tell me what's happening, Papa. Just give me a word-"

"No! Hurry up, Zoriana or you'll never be able to see your mother, your little brother or everyone here ever again. Anymore! You choose!" He shouted again, more desperate this time. My father's words were like a bomb thrown straight at me, and at the same time, the only keyword that would make me move.

Without saying anything, I scurried to my room and pulled a backback from nowhere. I quickly stuffed my clothes inside, including the picture frames that I have with my mother and my younger brother.

I sniffed and zipped my bag right after I stuffed things that were very important to me.

I hurriedly go out from my room. My father was already waiting for me at the doorstep. His face was showing nothing but forlorn as he watch me approach him.

"Papa... " I whispered painfully.

He shook his head before messing my hair. The tear that fell from his right eyes didn't go unnoticed by me.

"We will be fine, Zoriana. Your mother and brother will be fine too. We just have to leave the Pack, and live somewhere else. Somewhere far from here. Somewhere that I know you'll be safe." My father whispered back in the most painful voice. His voice even broke as he tried to wipe the tears on my cheeks.

My father's words completely made me more confused than ever. I have a lot of questions in my head that I still don't know when will it be answered.

Why do we have to leave our Pack? Why do we have to leave without my mother and my younger brother? Why should they be left behind? I don't understand a thing, really, and it makes me so frustrated that I have to go with this.

What does it have something to do with me, being safe? Am I not safe here in our Pack? And why am I the only one who should be kept safe? What secret is my father hiding?

Everything exhausted me that I slept the entire ride. I was only awakened when the car started to shake. I heard my father apologized, but I didn't answer. I rubbed my eyes and noticed that it's already so dark outside.

"How long have you been driving, father?" I asked softly before opening my mouth for a yawn.

I was crying and I know that my eyes are swelling right now. It feels heavy too, and despite of being asleep for hours, my body still feels so heavy and sore. I badly want to lay down on my bed right now and snuggle closer to my thick blanket, but I know that I couldn't.

"Almost 10 hours, sweetheart. Are you hungry?" He glanced at me before looking back in front. "There's some food that I packed inside the bag. It's on the backseat. Eat it."

"How about you?" I asked.

"I ate when I did a stop over not too long ago, don't worry. Eat now. I know you're already hungry. We're going to arrive at our destination before dawn."

"I think...you should rest first, father. You've been driving for hours now."

"I'm okay, Zoriana. We have to get to our destination, and that's when I'll rest. Just eat there." His strict voice resonated inside the car, clearly no room for any discussion.

I sighed. Instead of asking my father another question, I decided to just eat my dinner and after eating, I didn't noticed that I already fell asleep again. I woke up when I felt someone shaking my shoulders gently.

"We're here, sweety. Wake up." It was my father's gruff voice talking.

I slowly opened my eyes and yawned. When my eyes completely adjusted with the light from the moon, I started to look around.

It would be dark outside if not for the moon, so I assumed that it's still dawn since father told me that we're going to arrive exactly before the sun rises.

My forehead slightly creased in confusion when I noticed that there were a lot of trees around. And there, I saw a small two storey wooden house surrounded with trees. It looks old, and I want to judge it righ there and then, but I choose not to. Maybe I just couldn't see it clearly right now since the only light we have now is the moon, and the trees are also blocking the moon making it a bit darker on the part where the house is standing, so maybe that's just it.

My father got out from the car first so I quickly followed him before closing the door behind me.

"This is going to be our new home from now on, Zoriana." My father said seriously.

I lowered my head before biting my lower lip.

"Until when, father? Until when are we going to stay here?" I asked weakly. "I will miss Mama and Randall, Papa. I couldn't stay here for too long."

I heard him sighed. "We're staying here until you learn, Zoriana, and we're not going back unless you're ready."

Learn? What is it that I am going to learn? And do we really have to live away from Mom and Randall? Away from our Pack?

What are you really trying to hide, Papa? What's your secret that you're trying so hard to keep away from me?

CHAPTER 2: Stranger

"You have to hit harder, Zoriana! You can't stay a softy during a fight!"

"But I'm so tired, father! I couldn't hit properly anymore! Can we rest for a bit?!" I cried before collapsing on the ground. I breathed heavily as I covered my eyes with my right arms, blocking the sun from hitting it. I laid flat on my stomach, and I can already feel my father's irritated look at me.

"We already rested for half an hour, Zoriana. You're just excusing yourself."

"I am not. I am just tired, Papa. We've been training everyday. Aren't we done yet?" I asked weakly, dead exhausted with all the trainings that he made me do in the past months that we've been staying here in the forest.

Time flies so fast, and now it has been two years already. All that me and father did inside those years was to train and train. I learned physical combat from him. I learned how to use knives and swords to defend myself from the enemies. Father taught me a lot of things in those two years that we spent here. We train almost everyday, but it seems like it wasn't still enough for him.

Father still wants me to learn...a lot.

I heard him let out a deep sigh. "Stand up and follow me inside the house."

I cheered silently inside my head, smiling inwardly that I've finally won over my father. I excitedly got up and followed him inside the house.

My father was already inside the dirty kitchen, and he was drinking a glass of water. I watched him as he put the empty glass down the counter. He signalled me to sit, and so I did.

"I am going home-"

"We're finally going home, Papa?!" I asked in utter surprise, but excitement and nervousness are there as I clapped my hands with joy.

I couldn't help it. It's been two years since we left our Pack, and eversince then, I didn't have contact with my friends there, my boyfriend, and even with my own mother and my younger brother.

I was forced to cut my connection with everyone in the Pack just like what my father said. It devastated me, but I couldn't do anything but to follow him. He's still my father, so I have to respect him and his decisions if it will lead to nothing but goodness for me.

My father only frowned at me, there was a threatening scowl on his face as he looked at my overjoyed face.

Huh? What? Am I not allowed to get excited now?

"You must've not heard me correctly, Zoriana. I said, 'I'm going home', and not 'We are going home.'" He said sternly, emphasizing the word I'm as he spoke.

My mood withered, the excitement that I was feeling ago was replaced by sadness.

I frowned at my father. "Why am I not included, father? I want to go home too. I want to see my mother and my younger brother, and my friends too. I want to be back in the Pack again. I don't want to stay here anymore." I shook my head, tears started to creep out of my eyes as I sniff.

My father took a deep breath before shaking his head. He even massaged his forehead like I frustrate him so much, but same! It goes the same way with me too! I am more than frustrated with him. I don't even know why did we left the Pack because up until now, he refuse to tell me everything. The reason, and everything! All those months that we're staying here, he only gave me nothing but a safe answers. He never go deeper than what I expected him to be.

"You haven't learned everything yet that I wanted you to know, Zoriana. There are still some things that I have to teach you, and you're not going back there unless I made sure of that."

I was left alone in the house when my father left. Days becomes a week, and father isn't still back yet even after that long days that he spend with our family...probably. And as days goes by so slowly, I grew more and more impatient and frustrated that I was left alone here inside a house, with no connections with my family, with my friends, and everyone inside our Pack.

As much as I wanted to tell them about my situation here, I know that I couldn't because my father has forbid me of using anything to contact my mother.

I remember that there was one time when I sneaked into his room and stole his phone from his pocket while he was fast asleep. It was such a hard job to do, but I have to. He left me with no choice at all. I secretly called my mother that time, but father still caught me, and eversince then, I didn't saw his phone again. And I assumed that he hid it somewhere, and just secretly calls my mother whenever he has the chance to.

And now, father left me with no choice again but to escape.

With the new found determination and strength within me, I decided to stuff some of my clothes in my old backpack. I immediately got out from my room when I was done as I hurriedly descended on the stairs.

But I dropped my bag on the floor when I saw someone sitting comfortably on the couch of our small living room.

Fear crept inside my chest when he stood up. His hands were inside the pocket of his black pants. His deep set of mysterious emerald green eyes stared coldly at me like I am a piece of no one he wanted to get rid of this instance.

His muscular body is so obvious with his black button down shirt that completely hugged his body like it was made solely for him. The sleeves were curled up to his elbows, and I can see the veins almost popping out of from his arms.

My eyes narrowed particulary at his right arm. It was inked. It was tattoed with something that I couldn't understand yet. It was too dark colored, and the only thing that I could see is the rose. It was the only tattoo that was painted with red.

"W-Who are you?" I managed to ask the unfamiliar man despite how I got distracted with his presence. I don't know, but I feel like something is pulling me towards him.

Or am I just going crazy for being attracted with a stranger that completely looks dangerous?!

The man's lips slowly tugged up for a smirk. I blinked my eyes repeatedly as I tried to calm my fast heartbeating.

"No questions. Let's go back now, Ruthie."

CHAPTER 3: Onyx Tails

Ruthie.

That made sense. He called me by my first name. Ruth Zoriana. He made a pet name out of my first name for me.

But how did he find me, and why did he know me while I don't even have any single idea of who he is?

I don't know him. But I am now inside the stranger's car, riding with him back to the Pack where I belong. Someone is driving for us, and we're both stuck here in the backseat. I made sure that I will make no contact with him. It feels dangerous to be around him, more so being in contact with him physically.

And why did I even come with him eventhough he's a complete stranger to me?

That... is something that I don't know how to explain too. I don't know what happened to me, or was I put into a trance by this man just so he could bring me with him? I don't know. I don't even understand why I feel attached with him all of a sudden.

That can't be! I have a boyfriend!

"May I know who you are now?" I finally found my voice to ask after two hours of just staying silent with him inside the car.

I looked at the driver when I felt him glance on me through the rearview mirror. I caught him shaking his head like he's warning me not to ever ask the man beside me again.

I frowned.

I don't understand. Why am I not allowed to ask the man beside me when he was the one who found me in that secluded place where my father and I lived for two years?

"Have I not told you already about questions, Ruthie?"

"Don't call me Ruthie, then. We're not that close for you to give me such nickname. And no one calls me by my first name, so can you not?" I asked, irritated with the fact that the man beside me couldn't even answer my simple question.

I only asked him about who he is! I was sure that the question won't hurt his privacy, will it? I only want to make sure that I am with a trustworthy person. I am just making sure that they'll really bring me back to our Pack. That's it.

I looked at the rearview mirror again when I felt the driver's eyes to me, and I was right. He was glancing at me back and forth, still making sure that he won't crush the car today.

I noticed the driver's now sweaty forehead. He looked pale now as he kept on glancing at me like he's asking for help.

"Are you okay?" I asked worriedly, which is very stupid of me by the way. How could I even ask such question when I can see the answer on his face already?

I turned to the man beside me, but noticed that he's already looking coldly at his driver.

"Hey? Aren't you gonna help him? He look pale. Maybe you can take his place for now, and let him rest. He looked-"

"He looked constipated, but he's fine, Ruthie. Quit being worried." The rude guy immediately snapped at me, and I wasn't able to stop myself from slapping his arms anymore. He was just too rude!

The driver seems too shock with what I did that he stepped into the brake without a warning. And before I knew it, I fell on the car's floor straight flat on my face before everything went dark.

I fainted, huh?

That was the first thing that comes inside my head when I woke up with a sore face. My nose was slightly hurting. I looked around the place where I'm currently in.

White ceiling and it smells like a mixture of hospital and herb inside. Am I in the Pack hospital?

The surroundings quickly registered inside my head, and I knew tight there and then that I'm finally back in our Pack.

I cheered inside my head as I started to get up, and just when I was about to come down from the bed, the door opened revealing the familiar face of the man.

"Father!" I called excitedly. He smiled at me softly. He quickly made his way to me and embraced me.

"You're safe..." My father whispered sweetly before kissing the top of my head. "I heard from the Alpha's driver that you injured yourself while you're on your way back here."

I bit my lower lip before scratching my nape in embarassment. I wonder what woukd be my father's reaction if he finds out that I fainted when I fell from my seat and hit my face when the driver hit the brake so suddenly? I didn't even fainted when he trained me straight 24 hours with only 20 minutes break, and yet, I fainted just because I...

I shook my head and sighed.

Nevermind.

"Yes, father. But I'm okay now. Where's mother and Randall?" I smiled. Just the thought of seeing my mother and younger brother again after two years is making me happy.

My eyebrowd furrowed when I saw my father's face turned gloomy. And there, I saw the dark bags under his eyes when I scrutinized his face. He looks like he haven't had a good sleep eversince he came back here, and that makes me worried.

"Papa? What happened? Where's Mama and Randall? Are you okay? You look like you haven't had a good rest for awhile, father. I'm worried."

I watch as my father sat beside me on the edge of the bed.

"Your mother and brother is in coma." That feels like a bombed was being thrown straiht at me. I couldn't move, and I feel like I just lost the ability to do so.

"I came back to fetch your mother and brother, Zoriana. We just decided to live in the forest. It was peaceful there. Away from the danger that awaits us. It doesn't matter if we stay as rogues for breaking out from our Pack, the most important thing is we're safe." His voice cracked and I started to tear up too. My heart throbbed with so much pain as I hear my father's tired voice. "That day, when I was travelling back to the Pack, they were attacked. Preston made a huge mistake by fighting with the Sunset Bane's Pack Alpha. Preston was too arrogant thinking that he can win the war that he started. He ended up losing. He was too angry that he hurted the Sunset Bane's Luna, Alpha Alekso's mate. Alpha Alekso was too angry that he showed up here with his warriors. Alpha Alekso only wants the apology from Preston, but the fucker was too arrogant. He dared Alpha Alekso, taunted him more into a war, and that's when everything turned bloody...and messy. Preston made everyone fought with Alpha Alekso's warriors because his were not enough. Preston included the women and the younger ones. Unfortunately, your mother and brother were one of the victims. While Preston got away with his mate, Kiley."

My mouth dropped as anger filled my chest after I heard everything.

Preston. He was my boyfriend. He was the Alpha's son, and I can't believe that he turned out to be the most cruel person that I will ever met.

I regret having him as a boyfriend before for causing such huge havoc into our Pack.

And he ran away with his mate... so he had found her, huh?

It almost felt like a poison in my mouth, but I do understand the fact that he had found his mate. That automatically broke our relationship too. We don't have any connections at all anymore.

But then, I still won't forgive him for endangering the whole pack, especially my family.

"Days after, Preston got replaced as the Blue Moon Pack Alpha by Lucien Magnus Herondale. The pack name was now changed into Onyx Tails, Zoriana. Everything is changed now. From the rules to the roles. And only those who are willing to follow the new Alpha is allowed to stay here."

I wiped my tears and sighed. I looked at my father before holding his hands for a comfort. "If that's the case, we have to leave-"

"Ruthie..."

I blinked my eyes repeatedly before looking at the familiar rude man who was now leaning on the doorframe, still wearing his infamous cold stare.

My lips parted when my father whispered to me.

"He's the new Alpha, Zoriana, and I heard that he's powerful and manipulative. The reason why he got easily appointed by the council to replace Preston as the Alpha."