The Wolves World

From the shadows of his tall building, James Carter stood on his balcony looking out over the city he commanded. The air was cool and the night was serene, but there was an unending storm raging in his mind. Once more, the prophecy tormented him. The words of his father reverberated in his mind: "Love and trust no one, for love will bring you ruin."

James had devoted his life to upholding authority and defending his pack as the Alpha of the Silver Crescent Pack. But he felt in his heart that the prophecy was real. He was cautious in every action and choice he made. There were a lot of adversaries in the world, both supernatural and human, just waiting for an opportunity to overthrow him.

One of his subordinates, Liam, interrupted him in mid-thought. Liam's voice crackled over the communicator, "Amanda is here." As he got ready to meet the young scientist he had heard so much about, James fixed his tie. She was intelligent, driven, and could completely change how they thought about werewolf genetics. However, he was wise enough to avoid blind faith.

Amanda entered his office with calculating, yet icy eyes. James was drawn to something in her glance, an intellect that concealed more than it exposed.

She said, "Mr. Carter," in a voice as silky as silk. "I appreciate you coming to see me."

"Amanda, I don't waste my time on insignificant things. Why do you think my pack will benefit from your research? With a low, demanding voice, he questioned. With a small smile, Amanda said, "Because I know what your greatest fear is."

With the tension in the air crackling, the room went silent. James narrowed his gaze. He had misjudged her. This was no typical scientist.

"Well, I'm sorry.." James said, readjusting his moon shaped glasses.

"Ah, but you shouldn't be," Amanda interrupted, her smile growing wider. "There's literally no point for you to be, I need to show you something real quick."

"What could that be?" James said, his eyes beaming with enthusiasm.

"You see, I've discovered the secret to your pack's survival and I am happy and willing to share it with you" Amada paused, thinking for a second "..for a price."

James's eyes glistened, who was this woman? What could this woman possibly know that he didn't? And what did she want in return? Why does her price feel like it'll sound ridiculous?

"I'm listening," he mumbled, as his voice firm but tried to maintain a calm tone.

Amanda readjusted her glasses, she beamed with a smile.. "The thing is, I and a couple of inventors have cracked the code to werewolf genetics, Mr. James and I can help your pack, make them invincible and the price I need from you is just your help, nothing else at least."

James cleared his throat unsure of what else could be it . "What do you need?" He asked

"I need an access to your pack's DNA," Amanda said, her voice firm. "And I need you to trust me else it'll not be done and cannot be done."

James snorted, a harsh sound. "Trust you? You're a stranger, Amanda. Why should I trust you?"

Amanda looked keenly at James and gave a deep reassuring smile. "You should allow me because, James, I know your greatest fear. And I can help you overcome it."

There was a certain tension on his face, James searched her face, trying to read her intentions. What did she know? And what did she want? Why isn't she coming clean?

"Well, you'll have to explain," he said, after a deafening silence that made Amanda a bit uncomfortable.

"Hmmmmmm..." Amanda hissed as she leaned back in her chair, clasping her hands together. "You know your greatest fear, Mr. James is losing control. You've always wanted to be in control of the park for the rest of your life and losing the park, your authority, your identity, is not something you want and I can help you prevent that and help you become the alpha you've always wanted to be, trust me."

How did she know? And what did she plan to do with this knowledge? What has she been up to? James looked at Amanda and words refused to come out from his mouth.

"I'm listening," he repeated, his voice low and deadly.

Amanda gave him a mischievous smile and continued "you'll help me with my research and unlock the secrets of werewolf genetics and I'll help protect your park and the den, deal?"

"What makes you think I need your help?" James asked, his voice firm yet enthusiastic as he looked keenly at her.

Amanda smiled, and a loud laughter followed afterwards "Oh, James." She said as she tapped him seductively and moved close to him "..I know all about your struggles. I know about the prophecy and all the responsibility that comes with being the Alpha and I only just want to help you and you know, you and iI know you're not as confident as you seem."

How did she know so much about him? How did she know all this?

"But I can help you," Amanda continued. "I can help you unlock your true potential and become the leader you were meant to be. And in return, you'll help me unlock the secrets of werewolf genetics."

James searched her face, trying to read her intentions. What did she want from him?

"I'm listening," he said finally..

"I have a plan, James. A plan to unlock the secrets of werewolf genetics and use that knowledge to help your pack and I need your help to do it."Amanda said excitedly, hoping it'll yield whatever it'll bring.

"What kind of plan?" he asked, his voice firm. He was finding it hard to trust Amanda because she seemed like she had a lot to offer.

"You see," Amanda said as she cleared her throat "I've been studying the genetics of werewolves for years, James. I know more about your kind than you think, you're just a werewolf and you'll not understand. And I believe I can help you unlock the secrets of your DNA, and that could make you more powerful ."

James raised an eyebrow, "is that all?"

Amanda leaned back in her chair, unsure if she could just say it or let him figure it out."The thing is, I just want access to your pack's DNA, it's not a big deal, it's simply just for study and I want your help to implement my plan."

"Tell me more." James said, listening to every detailed statement that came out from her mouth. He wasn't sure how much he could trust her.

"Okay, the truth is.." Amanda reluctantly said "I've developed a portion, James. A portion that can enhance your strength, your speed, your agility and testing it on your pack wouldn't be a bad idea.."

James's eyes dampened with fear. He could feel his heartbeat, his mind raced like it was on a marathon competition. What did she mean? What kind of portion? What is it really used for?

Amanda looked at him, and being unsure of what to say, she resumed her duties.

There was a knock on the door..

"The park is resting." James reluctantly said, "would have asked you to come and check their DNA for whatsoever you want it for.

"Hmmmm". Amanda said, her eyes looking a bit icy, "remember what power means to you, you know what all those mean to you too."

"I know.." James snapped "..and you won't threaten me with that!!"

"My bad, my bad" Amanda chuckled. "You shouldn't raise your voice at me, I am not one of your park members."

James smirked as he was torned between letting Amanda go and forgetting about whatever authority he is glamouring for.

"Where's Liam?" James sternly asked, his mood fluctuated, he looked visibly angry. "I must take my leave at once!"

"I didn't say anything that would make you flare up, I really didn't.' Amanda said, looking at him, confused.

Liam walked in, the atmosphere felt tensed and he looked at James, and looked at Amanda and back to James.

"Hey, is everything alright over here?" Liam asked, looking around the room, sensing the tension.

"Nothing, Liam," James said, "Amanda here has no choice to but to leave, apparently she has over stayed her welcome."

"Yes, I think I've overstayed my welcome!!!." Amanda snapped, folding her arms and looking away.

Liam's eyes narrowed, scratching his hair frantically and with his arms akimbo, he asked. "What happened?"

"Nothing really happen, nothing." James repeated, "Just a mere disagreement."

Amanda smiled, "Yes, a disagreement and I warned you not to snap at me, I think we've established that, James."

"I'll walk you out," he said, his voice firm. "It's a bit more tense here and I don't think it's something I want to do, which is watching you all fight."

Amanda nodded, her eyes never leaving James's face. "Thank you, Liam. I think that would be best." She said, as she rolled her eyes at him and hissed, saying inaudible things.

As Liam accompanied Amanda out, James watched them go, his mind was extremely filled with thoughts.

What had just happened? James couldn't believe he had let Amanda get under his skin like that, even though she was a scientist, she was supposed to have a certain limit to things, after all he was the Alpha and nobody should act in a way that wouldn't please him.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, howling at no one, nothing in particular. He knew he needed to focus on what was important. His pack. His authority. He couldn't let anyone threaten that, not even Amanda with her sciences.

"I wouldn't have asked for her help, if I knew she wouldn't submit to me". James muttered, "I am a werewolf, an Alpha." He tapped his left foot frantically, But as he turned back to his desk, he couldn't shake off the feeling that Amanda had left a mark on him. A mark that would linger long after she was gone.

The tension in the air felt stuffy as James watched Amanda leave with Liam. He couldn't believe how quickly the situation had escalated, but all he knew was he needed to be treated with respect.

One minute they were discussing DNA samples, the next he was threatening her and she was snapping back at him.

James looked at his table, it was getting late and he couldn't just shake off the feeling of guilt even though he felt he didn't do anything, Amanda had left a mark on him, that which he doesn't understand but he wasn't ever going v to allow anybody threaten his authority, not even Amanda.

He knew he needed to focus on what was important and that was his pack.

There was a piece of paper Liam had in his hand, he noticed there was some sort of paper on his desk and a note was folded neatly in it.

"Let me see," James said, stretching out his hand to take the paper from Liam.

"It's from Amanda, she asked I give it to you." Liam nonchalantly said he was already fed up with James' recent attitude.

He carefully opened it and it read "You can't handle the truth."

He looked carefully; it was Amanda's handwriting. He squeezed and crumpled the paper in his hand angrily, how dare she speak to him like that?

But as he looked at the paper, he realized something. Amanda had been trying to tell him something. She had been trying to warn him. And he had snapped at her and he felt it wasn't right but he was just so confused.

He sighed and rubbed his hands against each other. What was really happening to him? He was the Alpha, the leader of the pack. He knew he needed to stay in control.

But as he looked around the room, he knew that something was off. The atmosphere was tense, and he could sense the unease in the air.

He needed to do something. He needed to take control of the situation.

And so, he made a decision. He would call a meeting with the pack and address the tension head-on.

But little did he know, Amanda's visit was only the beginning.

"I suggest you let Amanda do whatever she wants to do, it may benefit you and us later."

Liam eventually spoke.

"But don't you think the werewolves would be controlled later because she has the DNA?" James said, with worry in his voice.

"But you want power, don't you? You should know you have to give up a lot to gain power and authority. If she asks for A, you have to give it all to her." Liam said, with a note of finality.

"Hmmmmmmm" James muttered inaudibly, it looks like he's the only one standing all alone by himself now. "I'll have to think about it, give me time."

"The time is already up, anything can happen." Liam said, standing up to the kitchen. "If it happens, we'd have ourselves to blame and I do not want to be in that shoes.".

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, who could that be?

Liam looked at James, who looked puzzled. "Are you expecting someone?" Liam asked, expecting an answer from James.

"No, none that I can remember." James said, going through the memory lane of how someone who finds this place and just knocks once.

The knock came again, and this time harder. James took a sneaky look at the door, it was Alicia.

"Please, come in and have a seat," James said, pointing at the couch beside him, Alicia sat down, looking keenly at James, who looked away.

" I know you don't know me but Amanda sent me," Alicia said, her voice, loud and clear with a subtle note of finality. "She told me to come here and warn you but she doubts if you'll listen."

"Warn me about what?" James said as he arrogantly smirked.

"I don't know if I should say. Amanda made me promise to keep it a secret." Alicia reluctantly said, thinking of what to say, James took a long look at her and finally spoke,

"Tell me," he said, facing her squarely

"Well, the truth is Amanda discovered something about your pack, something she wanted to tell you, something big and she thinks you're in danger." She said as she took a deep breath and sat, avoiding his gaze

James's eyes narrowed. "What kind of danger?"

"You will find out later." Alicia said as she stood to take her leave, leaving James confused.

But who was suddenly against him? Why the plot?

"James, what is going on?" Liam said, as he walked closer to him "if it is what Alicia said, I think you should forget about it, you're a 44 year old billionaire, with so much amassed wealth. All those shouldn't deter you." Liam said nonchalantly, as he sat on the closest chair to him.

James turned, looking at him. His mind was filled with so many thoughts.

"Who could be working against me? And why?" He thought aloud, "could it be my pack? my friends? my family? Or even you, Liam?"

Liam grew visibly angry, "how can you even think me a betrayer? I am always with you, day and day out, yet you think I'm a betrayer? That's unfair and ungrateful."

"My bad, my bad." James said, "it was just a question out of curiosity that I asked."

He was the Alpha, the leader, the protector. Who would dare to betray him?

"You know what, let's put the puzzles together." James said, "Who do you think could betray me?"

"I actually do not know but let's think" Liam said, as his face looked like he was in a really deep thought.

Together, they started brainstorming and every list they brought seemed to be wrong and would look like an accusation.

But the more they talked, the more James realized that he didn't know his pack members as well as he thought and that was a very sad thing to do.

"Maybe it's time we plan for a pack meeting," James said, he already had a plan forming in his mind. "We need to get to the bottom of this."

Liam nodded in agreement. "But be careful, James. If someone is working against you, they won't wait to strike before the meeting."

"Don't worry, Liam. I can take care of myself." James said. "Hopefully, things will work as planned."

"Hopefully."

-------------------------------------------------------------

"I received the message you sent through Alicia." James entered Amanda's office, without pleasantries.

"I'm glad you did, you could sit." Amanda nonchalantly said, "you should have brought Liam along."

"Nope," James said, "He is busy taking care of the park in my absence. I'll be back to business soon, my workers said it's been booming lately.

"Okay, good for you." Amanda reluctantly said. "You shouldn't walk in on me, next time. I don't owe you."

"Well, for whatever transpired on the day we had a misunderstanding, you should have forgotten about it, it's a new day." James said, boastfully.

"Really?" Amanda opened her eyes, her mouth in surprise "James, really?"

"Yeah.." James said, adjusting himself on his chair, "I am an alpha, people should obey me including you, Amanda."

"You should get going, I have a little DNA of animals to work on." Amanda said, adjusting her glasses, visibly angry.

"No please, I can't just come in a few minutes and go." James said, rubbing his head frantically, searching for something to say, "I..I need your help" He stammered.

"My help?!" Amanda snapped "You don't, you should look for those who you don't boast to and ask them for help."

She collected the already prepared sample for study, cleaning her microscope and waiting for Alicia, her lab assistant to be here.

"You have anger issues, Amanda" James calmly said as he tried to help but was rebuffed by the already angered Amanda.

"Let me be!" Amanda snapped as she narrowly escaped being touched by James playfully.

"You have to help me, please.." James said, all playfulness gone, " it's only you that can help me and that's why I keep coming back to you, no matter what."

"Hmmm" Amanda sighed in disbelief, going through her literal records of fossils. "I don't even believe you, that's the thing. The last thing you did was being uncouthful and I really wanted to help you."

"Well, that's what you get from an Alpha." James smirked. He always knew he shouldn't be disrespectful to people he feels are lesser than him.

"You need to earn back my trust, James. And that's not easy." Amanda said, looking up at James, as she dropped the book she held.

"I know. I guess I was wrong to boast and to look down on you, I realize that you and only you can help me, Amanda." James said.

Amanda let out a laugh as she.stared at the confused James sitting close to her and said nothing. She focused on arranging the slides and putting things together.

"And what makes you think I can help you this time?" Amanda said, in between laughs

"Because I know you're the only one who can. You have skills, knowledge and you know me a bit. Look Amanda, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make it right between us, in order to find out what could happen to me and my park. The park means a lot to me." James said, almost tearfully and Amanda laughed a bit as she thought it was fake.

"Fine. I'll listen. But don't think this means I'm going to start trusting you again easily." Amanda smiled, revealing her beautiful dentition.

"I understand. Thank you, Amanda." James said wistfully. He knew he just needed this temporal humility before he left.

"Sit down and tell me what's going on. But make it quick. I have work to do." Amanda said, looking elsewhere.

Where did he even start? What does he even say?

"Alicia came to me with a warning from you" he began. "She said someone in my pack is working against me and in all honesty, I don't know who to trust."

Amanda's expression feigned serious. "That's a serious accusation. Do you have any idea who it could be and is that why you have come back.?"

James shook his head."No, that's why I need your help. I need you to help me figure out who's behind this, Amanda. I don't even think Liam is, but he could be a suspect and when I told him, he flared up, which was very much okay."

Amanda nodded thoughtfully. "Okay, let's start by looking at the evidence. There's no evidence at all. Maybe you should just stop worrying and let it be."

James hesitated, he looked at Amanda and she turned her face away.

"I suspect Liam," James finally said..

"I was expecting you to say that but why?"

Amanda said.

"He's the closest to me, he knows about my businesses, the fundings, the park, my family, my friends, everything. Isn't that something to point at?" James said, as worry wrote all over his face.

"I am very void of my suspicion, I can't lay fingers at Liam or any one, you caused whatever you're getting." Amanda said, opening her both arms to emphasize how deep what she meant by all those.

James bowed his head in shame, he knew she was right.

"I'll have to figure out how to help you, but for now, our fingers are crossed." Amanda said, looking keenly at James "...and for the DNA I asked?"

"I don't know about that yet, I'll think about it."

James said, "that's too much of a deal for me, but I'll try to see what can be done about it."

"Well, if you don't want to, let it be. Your park and authority will be taken from you, speedily and I'll be here, staring at you in the face." Amanda said, as she raised her eyebrow to drive a point.

"They are here." A masculine voice said. Who could that be?