Chapter 10

OLIVE

The Alpha King has claimed me. He yanked me from the comforting arms of my mother, slung me over his icy, unyielding shoulder, and made it clear that escape wasn’t an option.

I can still see the anguish in her eyes as she was held back and I was wrenched from her grasp.

The profound sorrow I felt, the tears that streamed down my face, the screams that erupted from my throat as I pounded on the back of the man who took me.

He took me to a place where no one could ever find me. Where that was, I had no clue.

Gradually, he shaped me into his ideal weapon, integrating me into his formidable army of misfits. His cherished little toy.

I gaze into the grimy, worn-out mirror in my tiny room. I’m dressed in black combat gear, my face hidden behind a black balaclava.

The only way I recognize myself is by the fiery green flames that engulf my eyes.

My anger has finally swallowed me whole. My dark side is all that remains. The eyes staring back at me are devoid of life, soul, emotion, and regret.

I’m given orders to wipe out an entire village that defies the Alpha King and resists his rule, refusing to bow to his brutality.

They have no idea that their lives will end tonight.

I hover above the village, pausing in silence for a few moments before I unleash havoc on my victims, demolishing the houses one by one with my fire abilities.

I rip them apart, brick by brick, relishing the escalating fear and panic of the villagers.

People flee from the ruins of buildings, trying to escape. I chuckle darkly, knowing there’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. They’ll all pay for their defiance.

I spot a mother and her child running, the child no more than eight years old. A twisted smile spreads across my face as I swoop closer to them.

I shape my flames into a spear, launching it with force and precision. It impales them both through their hearts. Dead. The Alpha King triumphs, and I’m at his command.

Suddenly, I bolt upright in bed, panting and drenched in cold sweat. I’m disoriented, struggling to remember where I am, why I’m here. Gradually, my memory catches up with me, as does the nightmare.

But I’m safe. I haven’t been kidnapped. I haven’t killed innocents. I’m safe…for now.

Slowly, I swing my legs out of bed. Looking out the window, I see the sun about to rise.

Knowing sleep won’t come again, I pull on some loose clothes and quietly step outside the treehouse.

I sit at the edge of the waterfall, letting my feet dangle in the water. It laps at my feet, cooling my heated skin.

Perched atop the waterfall, I have a perfect view of the sun as it wakes and stretches into the sky. A familiar scent catches my attention.

“Good morning, Daisy. You can’t sneak up on me anymore, you know?” I tease.

Daisy giggles. “Darn it! The look on your face in that alleyway was just too enjoyable to be just a one-off!”

“How are you?” she asks sincerely.

“I’ve been better.” I attempt a smile, but it’s only half-hearted.

“Talk to me, Olive. I might not be able to help, but talking to someone might,” she suggests gently.

“I just, I don’t know how today will play out. I don’t know what to expect,” I admit.

“My advice is to stop trying to anticipate possibilities. Fate has a way of surprising us either way,” Daisy counsels.

I stay silent for a moment, letting her advice sink in.

~What will be will be.~

“Thank you, Daisy, for everything you’ve done for me. You really have been the best friend I could’ve ever wished for,” I say, resting my head on her shoulder.

We stay like that for a while, watching as the sun climbs higher and higher into the sky—its red, orange, and yellow hues gradually turning crisp and blue.

After Daisy and I part ways, I start on my chores. I begin the day by collecting pails of water from the well.

I distribute them to the houses in the community, chatting with the residents as I go. In the short time I’ve been here, they’ve truly accepted me as one of their own.

No one looks down on me or taunts me. I’m just another member of their community. They don’t need to be bribed or forced to talk to me.

They do it because they want to, because they’re kind-hearted and genuine. I’ve been truly blessed to find them, my second family.

Later, I go foraging for berries and mushrooms. I take my wicker basket lined with a red checkered cloth.

I’ve been foraging for a couple of hours when Daisy appears before me. She looks worried, an expression that seems out of place on her usually cheerful face.

“Daisy, are you okay?” I ask.

“Yes, yes, I’m fine. You must come with me. There’s something you need to see.”

I nearly trip several times trying to keep up as Daisy pulls me toward the cloaking border. I look out.

~He’s here.~

Raven sits alert, howling at the godlike figure before us. She paces back and forth, back and forth, like a trapped animal, urging me to go to him.

~Go to him? Are you crazy! I won’t be another hybrid toy for him to play with!!~

Knowing she won’t win this argument, as she hasn’t countless times before, she lies down whining. But she’s still at the forefront of my mind, gazing longingly at him.

I roll my eyes. I have to admit, though, he is the most stunning creature I’ve ever seen.

I can’t help but let my eyes wander over every inch of him, captivated, taking in each detail of his body and features.

I realize I’ve been staring at the bulge in his pants longer than I intended and quickly look away, my cheeks flushing.

He towers over all the other wolves. He’s dressed in a high-end blue suit with a rusty-orange tie. His golden-brown hair is shorter on the back and sides.

The hair on top is longer and wavy, with a few loose strands that only add to his allure.

His face is like a work of art, as if a goddess herself had taken the time to carve out his strong jawline and dimpled chin. His eyes, a cold, calculating silver, scan the area around him as he gives orders to his troops. Even from a distance, I can feel the power he exudes, the way he carries himself demanding respect and loyalty.

“Dinah, scout the area for any signs of magic. Trackers, see if you can pick up any scents,” he orders.

His voice sends a shiver down my spine. It’s smooth, almost velvety. There’s an attractive accent there, something foreign that I can’t quite identify.

He steps back and settles on a tree stump, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. His suit strains against his biceps, and his hybrid pet, Raven, yaps excitedly. He watches her, his gaze careful and assessing.

~He probably doesn’t trust her. Probably thinks she’ll bolt at the first opportunity.~

The woman moves her arms in fluid motions, her eyes closed.

~Part witch. That must be useful to him,~ I think.

Alpha Max stands to one side, silent and loyal, like the Alpha King’s personal bodyguard. Even as an alpha, he wouldn’t dare challenge his king. Not unless he had a death wish.

The trackers shift and begin to sniff the area. I imagine they’re the best of the best, some of them possibly hybrids themselves.

I wonder how many hybrids he’s hunted down, either to recruit by force or to kill.

~Is that really a choice, though?~

Join the king and live in captivity forever, or be killed and have no life at all. Not exactly great options.

I watch them for a while, maybe an hour or so. I find it hard to tear my gaze away from the king, his silver eyes full of mystery.

The woman breaks my trance when she calls out to her king.

“There’s some kind of cloaking spell at work here. I can’t identify the source of the magic. I’ve never encountered this kind of magic before.”

I can’t help but smile at the nymphs’ abilities.

“But from what I can tell, it’s like a one-way mirror. Whoever’s inside can see out, but we can’t see in,” she explains.

“The pack trackers have picked up other scents. They’re not werewolf, human, or vampire. We’re still not sure what species is helping her, or why.”

“Thank you, Dinah.” He smiles at her, almost as if he’s patting her on the head for being a good dog.

~What a well-trained little pet you are.~

He steps closer to the invisible barrier.

“Little Wolf! Little Wolf!” he calls out.

“Won’t you let me in?” He smirks, clearly enjoying his little game.

I see what he’s doing. I’m the little pig, and he’s the Big Bad Wolf, toying with his next meal.

He puts on a show of listening, pretending to wait for my response.

“No? Have it your way.” He shrugs.

“Olive Dubois! We know you’re hiding in there,” he announces.

“As your king, I demand your presence. I have no intention of harming you at the moment, but if you refuse to reveal yourself, I’ll have no choice but to use force to detain you.”

A mix of emotions swirls within me: fear and…arousal?

Fear of what he plans to do with me. Yet arousal at his dominant yet velvety voice. It’s like a beautiful song playing in my ears.

Why is my body reacting this way!?

“Anyone who’s helping you hide will be considered a traitor to the crown and will be punished accordingly. The punishment for this is death.

“As for your mother, I’ll torture her as I see fit. I’ll happily deliver pieces of her to you every day until I deliver her head on a platter.”

He smiles, a sinister grin.

“Of course, you can avoid all this by simply turning yourself in.

“You have two days, Olive. I look forward to seeing you.” He smiles coldly and leaves.

Part of me wants to run out there, to get my punishment and lifetime confinement over with. No point in delaying the inevitable.

But also because I already miss the sight of his god-like face. I want to run into his arms and see if he smells as good as he looks.

The man threatened to torture my own mother, and here I am, longing to see his beautiful face again.

His crooked half-smile plays in my mind over and over, along with his chilling words. Is my mother even safe?

I storm off, confused and frustrated. When I reach the spot where I left my basket, I let out an angry scream.

“ARGHHHHHHH!!” I scream, before punching the nearest tree.

“Woah, woah, woah! No need to hit my cousin. Please apologize,” Daisy interrupts.

“Oh shit! I’m so sorry, cousin. I didn’t think!” I say, stroking the bark where I had just punched.

Daisy’s face scrunches before she bursts into laughter.

“What?…~What?~” I ask, annoyed.

She stands there, cackling, wiping tears from her eyes.

I raise my hand in a fist, thumb pointed out over my shoulder. “That’s…that’s just a normal tree, isn’t it?” I say, deadpan.

She nods, still unable to contain her laughter.

I stand there, expressionless, for a few seconds before I too burst into laughter.

Daisy walks over to the tree and strokes the bark. “I’m so sorry,” she mimics.

We fall to the ground, laughing until our sides hurt.

Eventually, our laughter dies down, and we become serious, thinking about the day’s events.

“What are you going to do?” Daisy asks, rolling onto her side and propping herself up on her elbow.

I sigh.

“I have to turn myself in. There’s no other way around this. I guess my fate is to serve the king.”

A fleeting image of the mother and child from my nightmare flickers in my mind, stirring a sickening unease in my stomach.

~Can I really do this? Can I willingly surrender myself, knowing he’ll turn me into a monster?~

Raven’s voice growls in my mind, ~He’s not going to turn you into a killing machine.~

~How can you be so sure? This is his game. He rips hybrids from their families to draft them into his army. If they resist, he kills them.~

~And you’re certain of that, are you?~ Raven challenges.

Once again, she’s making sense. But I can’t shake off the nagging thought… What if my dream was a forewarning, a glimpse of the future if I surrender to him?