THE NORTHERN WARRIORS

Dawn looked around her, she was familiar with this surrounding. She knew what would happen next and what she would witness.

She also knew this was not real and this was only her nightmare that kept haunting her, but knowing it didn't make her feel any better. Fear, anger and helplessness were still the same as that fateful night when her mother protected her from the rogue attack.

She prayed this time would be different.

However, she had prayed numerous times with no result and now, she was forced to see it again. Five year old Dawn was sitting there on the cold ground like a fool, watching three rogues drag her mother away.

The other three rogues shifted into their beasts and were ready to kill her too, saying something about how they were going to kill the alpha and destroy the pack.

Dawn watched how one of the beasts jumped onto her and was ready to kill her. Out of instinct, like she used to do it in the past, Dawn raised her hand as defense.

It was when she felt someone grab her hand and she clawed them.

"Wake up!"

A deep growl made Dawn open her eyes. She was sweating and her heart was beating so fast when she felt something drip onto her cheek. Her mind was still reeling with the moment she was being attacked. It took her some time to realize that she was safe. There were no rogues clambering to kill her.

And the thing that dripped onto her face was actually blood.

That was right. It was blood from the wound on Alpha Zenith's face. Dawn shrieked when she saw that.

"Wh- what happened?! How did you get hurt?! Who hurt you?!" There were three clear wounds on his face, someone must have clawed him.

But then, with a single glance at her own hands, it didn't take long for Dawn to realize she was the culprit. She slowly retracted her claws. Apparently, she accidentally attacked him when he came too close because of her stupid dream about the rogues, thinking Alpha Zenith was a threat.

God. I am dead.

Dawn gritted her teeth. Alpha Zenith held both of her hands, it must be to prevent herself from attacking him for no reason, again.

What should I say?

Dawn blinked her eyes innocently and smiled sheepishly at him. "Oh… I am sorry, I scratched you."

It was really blatant of her to brush off those wounds as a mere scratch when the blood dripped from it almost soaked her entire cheek. Dawn knew that and this alpha also knew that.

"Oh, the wounds are healed already! Your healing ability is simply amazing!" Dawn said excitedly. She wasn't exaggerating, because he started to heal now. "Come, I will help you clean the blood." She mustered the most beautiful smile she could, acting docile.

However, the atmosphere turned suffocating and awkward when Alpha Zenith didn't say anything. He simply stared at her with his cold eyes.

Only then Dawn remembered what he said earlier today when Blake attacked him.

'Handle your son, I am not used to letting my attackers live.'

That was what he said to Beta Jason.

Would he kill her now? Would he hurt her because she accidentally attacked him? Dawn didn't dare to imagine what he was going to do to her. She remembered those rumors of how people from the north were rather brutal. Since their place used to have frequent monster attacks, thus the warriors there were built differently. Their temper was also something that you should be worried about.

That was also the reason why her father was afraid of him, even though both of them were the alphas of their respective packs.

"I am sorry… I had a nightmare." Dawn bit her tongue, she found her voice getting smaller. This man was very intimidating.

Alpha Zenith finally let go of her hands. He brushed his thumb against her cheek to wipe the blood that stained her face.

"We will arrive in three days. Go out and have your dinner," he said curtly and then walked out of the carriage.

Dawn sighed in relief when she was finally alone in the carriage, without his strong presence suffocating her. That alpha was very scary. She wondered if he could chase off rogues with only a single glance.

Not wanting to upset the alpha anymore, Dawn went out of the carriage and found all the warriors gathered together near a bonfire. They chatted freely, but their voices were too rough, it was as if they were growling at each other instead.

More so, their presence was very intimidating. Dawn noticed their physics looked bigger and stronger than the warriors in her pack.

No wonder, the northern warriors were feared by the other packs.

Dawn didn't know where to go, so she stood near the carriage. Aside from their alpha, she didn't know any of them.

Sensing her presence, five warriors, who gathered around the nearby bonfire stood up, they emptied the area, as if offering it to her.

This only made things awkward for Dawn. They didn't need to go, right?

"You can sit there, you know. They have stood up and given the place for you." A man with black hair that reached his shoulders talked to Dawn. He nodded at the bonfire. "Don't worry, we don't bite, nor do we eat our own kind."

Dawn grimaced.

"I know the rumors out there."

"They were just exaggerated." Dawn laughed awkwardly. There were rumors about them more brutal and absurd than that.

"But, it was right about how our alpha skinned a few rogues alive and displayed their heads on our fortress." The way he said it was as if he was just talking about the weather.

"Don't scare her. The alpha did that as a warning for the other rogues not to even think about crossing our territory. We deal with monsters daily, we don't need the rogues to add to the trouble." Another warrior came. He hit the back of the first warrior's head. "Don't be afraid."

Dawn's eyes dimmed. "No. Actually, I like it."