Chapter 1

Months earlier...

Year-end evaluation for all of the packs of Tazzen in the cold field of Vado But none of the wolves who were in the spirit of hunting felt an ounce of the weather.

"You stay behind the pack and not get in our way during the hunt." one she-wolf from Skull's pack said.

"I'm fast and I think your words are clearly unsolicited." Layla fought back.

"You dare talk back to a gamma? Know your rank!" the she-wolf, Tamara acted to attack Layla.

"Enough!" Gian, the Alpha of the pack, who was known to be a gentle leader, broke them off with a snarl. "Head on the hunt and none should fight within this pack or suffer to leave this instant."

Both Layla and Tamara retreated to their position, hearing their leader's stern warning.

"I told you, you should just ignore her." Maia then said to Layla.

"She gets on my nerves all the time."

"She's a gamma. And expectedly, she flaunted it to the pack."

"She's bullying me."

"You're an omega. What do you expect?"

"I'm an omega? Ha! I'll show her that this very wolf she's bullying all these years will surmount her in no time. In fact, If I put my mind to it, I can be a leader of my own pack. Except for Gian, No Alpha is ever good enough for me in the school."

"You're still conceited, huh?" Maia chuckled and turned her full attention to the school chief when he walked towards the large rock and climbed into it. "Come on, it's starting. Let's hope we'll get the good game this time."

"I'm serious. Maybe I can tell the chief if I can apply to have my own pack?"

"You're crazy."

"I'm serious. I'll make you the beta. I heard Black Lily is leaderless for the past months. Maybe I can lead them?"

"It doesn't work that way missy. We have unwritten law which binds wolves to the Alpha. Are you sure if you apply to be their leader, they'll accept you? Maybe you'll last for about ten seconds if you're lucky."

"Are you implying that they will hurt me?"

"No honey, I'm bluntly telling you that you might be killed by the black lilies. Haven't you heard about the rumors about their missing Alpha?"

"Missing? I thought he graduated?"

"It was said that lilies ended up hunting their own Alpha the moment he showed weakness. That's how vicious that pack is. You? You'll be mauled in pieces."

"So, how come they still exist if they don't have an alpha? By rules, they should be disbanded and join another pack." Layla whispered, not wanting to draw attention to them during the chief's briefing prior to the 5-day hunt.

"Who says they are leaderless? Someone replaced the hunted Alpha. I heard he's a sentinel of our nation's king."

Layla's eyes widened at that. "Are you sure? Why would a dangerous sentinel even bother to lead an ordinary pack of our school? Aren't the king's sentinels all elite force?"

Maia cringed her neck, looking in the direction where the black lilies were all standing. "There. The guy in the blue shirt. That's their new leader and he is a sigma Alpha. One who doesn't follow hierarchy and works alone."

"Well, he doesn't look weakling to me. I guess I'll pass on Black Lilies then." Layla said after checking out the guy.

"He exudes so much appeal. The she-wolves around dart their attention on him. Weren't you affected at all?"

"No. I don't conform with wolf nature. Like ew. Who mates base on instinct and pheromone?"

"Newsflash. We all are and still continue to be happening even in the near future. Aren't you forgetting that you're a wolf too?" Maia asked. "In the future, you'll be mated with whoever bonded on you."

"Not happening at all. I'll have my own love by my choice and not by dictate of forced marking. Come on, we aren't just a wolf. We already evolved. Isn't it time to change such ancient traditions of mating?"

"Oh Layla. You can only say that when you haven't experienced the 'heat'. It is literal torture if a she-wolf refuses to ease it with her mate."

"Still. I'll endure it until the heat is gone."

"Two weeks, Layla. Don't be such a stupid wolf. Even Alphas can't bear the pain even just a day if they experience the rut."

"I'm not an Alpha who is mostly driven with violence, anger, and intimidation. I don't want to be an abused mate of any wolf who only wants me for relief."

Maia only shook her head. "You might want to lower your voice."

"Let them hear."

"Oh, I think he heard you."

"Who?"

"Black Lily's Alpha. Oh no I think, I'm mistaken."

"Why did he smirk though?" Layla asked.

"Must be excited about the hunt?" Maia guessed.

"Any question?" The chief raised which startled both Layla and Maia.

"We're screwed," Layla remarked.

"Yup. Big time." Maia agreed. "Gian will kill us if we tell him that we didn't listen to the briefing."

"If there isn't, then all Alphas proceed to their packs and begin strategizing. We'll deploy the animals in twenty minutes from now." The chief said and stepped down from the rock.

"Let's go. " Maia said when they saw Gian proceeding to the pack's tent just under the shade of the tree.

"Okay listen up!" The Skull's Alpha began while his pack members paid him their full attention.

Layla felt a tingling sensation on her neck that she instinctively massaged it and her eyes magnetized to a certain direction. A pair of eyes greeted her. She had no idea why the surrounding suddenly fell into deafening silence as if none exist there but only her and that man with a wild look in his eyes.

And there was a whisper on her ears, telling her something in a language she had no familiarity with but it draw her into comfort she can't fathom. His lips moved along with the voice that lulled her into sleepiness.

"Layla? You alright?"

Then it was Maia's face and voice again and the collective murmurings of all the wolves around. She blinked and shook her head. Without meaning to, she seeks that man who owned that eyes. He was in a distance, seriously instructing his pack members. She frowned upon realizing that what happened to her appeared to be a hallucination.

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