Chapter 9

ALPHA MAX

Two weeks have passed and Olive is still nowhere to be found. My patience is wearing thin.

~How can one tiny she-wolf keep eluding me?~

I let out a roar of frustration, the walls of the pack house trembling in response.

James, my beta, cautiously steps into my office. “Alpha, I have news,” he says, his voice tinged with fear.

“It better be good news,” I growl. My control over my wolf is slipping. All he can think about is that scent, that intoxicating scent, our Olive.

“Uh, well, no, it’s not good news, Alpha… I would’ve waited, but it’s something we need to brace ourselves for.”

~This doesn’t sound promising. What’s he getting at?~

I narrow my eyes at James, my hand gripping the edge of my desk, claws digging into the mahogany. With a wave of my other hand, I signal for him to continue.

“Well, the thing is, the…Alpha King has informed us he will be arriving…tomorrow.”

My heart drops.

My wolf surges forward, grabbing everything within reach, hurling it against the floor or wall, reducing everything to shreds.

~He can’t have our Olive. She’s ours!~

SASHA

Two weeks. It’s been a torturous two weeks since my baby disappeared.

My heart feels shattered. A piece of my soul, my essence, vanished just like that.

I don’t know if I’ll ever see her again, hold her, tell her how much she means to me, how loved she is.

These past two weeks have been hell. I can’t work, eat, sleep. Where could she be? How have the pack trackers not found her yet?

Livi has been keeping in touch, but it’s not the same. How can I know she’s safe and well through a mind-link?

I can’t see if she’s sleeping well. I can’t see if she’s eating enough. I can’t see if her eyes still sparkle.

Knowing Livi is alive but not being able to see her is tearing me apart.

As her mother, I want to rip the entire forest apart, tree by goddess-forsaken tree.

But another part of me worries that her return to the pack ~could~ put her in danger. What if she’s punished?

Most wolves or hybrids would be sentenced to death, or at least banishment, even with Amber’s relentless tormenting.

So why isn’t Alpha Max calling for Livi’s blood?

I’ve asked if she’s okay, if she’s safe. She assures me she is but won’t tell me, her own mother, where she is. She says she’s worried for my safety if I know too much.

~Ha…~ I chuckle to myself. She’s ~trying to protect me…~

~Who’s the mother here?~

I’m about to curl up on the sofa with a thick blanket when I hear her.

~“Mom? ...Hi.”~

~“Oh, Livi! Are you okay!? I miss you so much!”~ I reply, tears welling in my eyes.

“I’m fine, Mom… Can I ask a big favor?” she asks softly.

~“Of course, sweetheart! What is it?!”~ I respond eagerly.

~“Could you...get me some of my clothes and bring them to the forest line?”~

~“Yes, sweetheart, but what if you’re caught?”~

~“I won’t be, don’t worry,”~ she says with determination.

~“Okay, I’ll grab some clothes and make some home-cooked meals for you too.”~

~“Thank you, Mom… I don’t deserve you. In two hours, can you bring them to the northwest forest line and place the bag by the largest boulder and then turn around?”~

~“Turn around? I don’t underst—”~

~“Mom, it’s really important you listen! This is for your own safety!”~

~“Not even a peek?”~ I try to lighten the mood.

~“Promise me!”~ Livi pleads.

~“Okay, okay!! Fine, no peeking.”~ I relent.

I quickly get to work making as many meals as I can.

I opt for a few meals that I can put in the oven after prep, like quiches, or let simmer like a stew so I can pack Livi’s clothes.

I pack almost her entire wardrobe. In my defense, she doesn’t own much. I think she prefers to travel light since we’re always on the move.

After separating meals into individual Tupperware boxes, I check the time.

~Good. I still have plenty of time to pack some snacks and get there.~

I grab all the chips, cookies, and snack cakes I can carry from the cupboard. I carefully pack them into the food bag.

It’s like a game of Tetris, figuring out how to fit each item into the bag and fill the gaps.

Stepping back and placing my hands on my hips, I let out a satisfied puff, smiling at my small accomplishment. My wolf puffs her chest out, proud to be providing for her pup.

With the bag of clothes slung over my back and the bag full of food in front of me, I head out the door.

I glance both ways before heading behind the house and toward the forest line. The sky is dark and gray, the smell of rain in the air.

The spot Livi chose is close to home.

I won’t have to go through town, avoiding any curious eyes and suspicious glances at the woman whose daughter is on the run, carrying suspiciously large bags.

Did I consider telling the alpha I was going to drop things off for Livi? Yes. Does that make me a bad mother, even thinking about it? Maybe…

I just want my daughter back. If I wasn’t worried about her getting into trouble, I might have dragged her back home, even if she was kicking and screaming.

But I can’t. What if something happens to her when—~if~ she ever comes back to the pack? How could I live with myself then?

I’ve just reached the boulder. I feel a rush of excitement just thinking about being so close to Livi. Would a quick look really hurt? I put the bags down, step away, and turn around.

I hear the crunching of leaves behind me. The temptation is too strong, the crunching getting closer, closer. I can’t stand it anymore. I spin around to see…

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

The bags are gone, and there’s no one there.

~How?~

~How!? She was right there! I heard her coming. She was within my reach, and I blew it!~ I think, feeling desperate.

I let my emotions take over, tears streaming down my face. I scream out in pain, looking up at the sky as the heavens open and rain falls on my face.

I stand up, determined; I’m going to find Livi. Now. Nothing will stop me.

I walk into the forest, sniffing the air.

I can smell a faint scent. If I couldn’t smell Livi’s scent mixed with this one, I wouldn’t think twice about it, but this scent, whatever it is, has been with Livi…

Maybe it’ll lead me to her.

For hours I follow this scent, going in circles, rain still pouring down on me, soaking my clothes.

Eventually, the scent just disappears.

~How!?~

I drop to my knees and pound my fists into the wet earth.

“LIVIIIIIII!!! LIVI!!” I yell, my voice filled with pain.

“Please, Livi,” I sob, feeling defeated.

I lie on my back, letting the rain fall on me for what feels like hours as I cry in the dirt.

Suddenly, I sit up, a mind-link coming through. The alpha.

~“You need to warn Olive,”~ he orders.

~“About what?”~ I ask.

~“The Alpha King. He’s coming tomorrow. He won’t stop until she’s found.”~

A chill runs through me.

He’s going to kill her.

OLIVE

When I ran away weeks ago, did I have a plan? Hell no.

Raven ran through the woods as fast as she could. We didn’t know if trackers had already been sent after us, hunting us for killing one of our own.

Of course, it wasn’t long before I found out from my mom that Amber hadn’t died.

I was relieved, to say the least. My mom was hopeful that I would come back with this news, but I couldn’t take that risk. I know the pack rules. I’m facing death or banishment.

Mom tells me the alpha has promised to keep me safe, but why would he do that? I barely know him and I almost killed his sister.

That doesn’t sound like someone who deserves protection. It sounds like a death sentence.

I’m a dead wolf walking.

When I was deep enough into the forest, I called for the only person I could think of.

“Daisy! Daisy, if you can hear me, ~please~ come! I need you!” I repeated these words over and over…until finally, she came to me.

“Olive? Are you okay?” Her light, airy voice was filled with worry. “What happened?”

She practically floated to me before hugging me.

“P-please, Daisy,” I sobbed. “Can you help me? I have nowhere to go,” I said, tears streaming down my face.

She nodded. “Of course, Olive. You’ll need to tell me everything on the way.”

“On the way? On the way to where?” I asked, confused.

“Where I live, silly!” she said, patting my arm as if I should’ve known. “The Garden. It’s where the nymphs live.”

I nodded numbly and followed.

We had only been walking for twenty minutes when we heard it. The howls of the trackers. They were coming.

“How much further?” I asked nervously.

“Not far now,” was all Daisy replied.

My nerves were getting the best of me. Every five minutes there would be a new howl, closer than the last.

They were going to find us. I would be dragged back to the pack and put to death for my crimes.

Daisy would be an accessory to murder. She would be tortured for information about her kind.

“Stop thinking about that,” Daisy told me.

“But if they catch us, you’ll b—”

“Shhhhhhhh,” Daisy interrupted. “We’re here.”

I looked around expecting to see some kind of nymph kingdom. I was a little disappointed when I realized I was just looking at more forest.

Granted, it was a beautiful spot. The tallest and thickest trees I’ve ever seen stood before me. I think they’re called giant sequoias.

Wild lavender grew from the ground, covering the forest floor. A large waterfall was in the distance, flowing into a freshwater stream. The water was stunning and clear, sparkling in the sunlight.

I looked at Daisy, raising an eyebrow as if to say, “This was the big plan?”

She giggled. “Just because ~you~ can’t see something, Olive, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.”

She took a few steps forward. The empty space around her seemed to shimmer, and she began to disappear the farther she walked.

I paused, feeling nervous and anxious. This was not how I expected my first week in a new pack to go.

Holding out her hand, Daisy said, “Come, Olive. It’s time.”

I heard another howl. This time it sounded like it was only a five-minute run away. I looked back as if to say goodbye.

Before turning back to Daisy, I gave her a small smile of gratitude and took her hand as she pulled me through the entrance of The Garden.

Inside was even more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. Houses were built into the large trees and their branches.

I saw a mini-market selling herbs, flowers, fresh fruit, and vegetables, run by an elderly nymph. The market was in a central square, surrounded by treehouses.

The largest tree, perched atop the waterfall, overlooks the entire small town. If trees were a pack, this one would be the alpha.

I gazed around, awestruck.

“So, how does this work?”

Daisy paused and turned to me.

“Is it a portal? Another dimension? Did I die and go to heaven?” I attempted to lighten the mood.

“No, silly! It’s a powerful nymph cloaking spell. It’s especially potent because we’ve chosen a natural space to hide in.

“Nymph powers are amplified by nature, particularly the nature we were born into.”

She smiled, taking a deep breath of her surroundings. It was clear she loved it here.

“But what if those trackers follow us through? Your whole town will be at risk!” I fretted.

“Don’t worry! Only nymphs can enter unless invited. When I held your hand, it wasn’t just for comfort, it was to let you past the cloaking spell.”

I nodded, understanding, then stopped short.

“Hold on. You mean you were born from one of these trees or flowers?”

“I was. See that large tree near the waterfall?”

I nodded.

“I came from a small piece of bark that it shed.”

“No way. That’s wild!”

She laughed. “I can tell you more later. But first, we need to talk to Mother,” she said, her tone turning serious.

“You mean we’re going to talk to your birth tree?” I asked, puzzled.

Daisy burst into laughter, her serious demeanor evaporating.

“No, Olive. My mother is an older nymph born from the same tree. Nature determines our family by the tree or plant we’re born from.”

I was fascinated. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Daisy practically skipped, pulling me along to the tree—her home. She opened the large, round, teal wooden door.

“Mother! I have a friend I want you to meet!” she called out.

I stepped inside, taking in her home. The ground floor seemed to be a large hallway.

Slate tiles covered the floor and plants adorned every corner. I guessed each floor had a different room.

A woman descended a wooden staircase that curved with the tree’s shape.

Upon seeing me, she gasped, covering her mouth.

“Daisy, how could you! After centuries of hiding, you bring a wolf into our sanctuary! What were you thinking!?”

I stood awkwardly by the door, shuffling my feet as Daisy approached her mother.

“Mother, please listen. Olive is different. She’s a hybrid. Her own pack’s she-wolves have shunned her. We’ve become friends. She means us no harm.

“The werewolf race has evolved since we last encountered them. They have a better hierarchy now. Most no longer seek to kill.

“They’re content now, Mother, or as content as they can be. I’ve been watching from a distance. They’re far less primitive now—”

Her mother nodded. “Alright, alright! I believe you, Daisy. Stop your rambling, child.

“I still don’t like this. But I trust you, my child. She’s your responsibility. I’ll inform the others.”

Daisy’s mother approached me, looking deep into my eyes as if she were peering into my soul.

She reached out and stroked my head. Her eyes glazed over and she stared blankly at me for a moment before refocusing on my face. Then she gave me a gentle smile.

“I am Astris, the leader of the nymphs. You’re welcome to stay here until it’s time for you to leave. Don’t worry. You’ll figure out ~what~ you are in time, my dear.

“I trust that when the time comes, you’ll also help my Daisy with her own change.”

Astris didn’t wait for a response. She simply offered a small smile, nodded, and left.

~Well, that was odd. That felt more like a statement than reassurance,~ I thought, bewildered.

“Sorry about her. She likes to speak in riddles! But yay! You can stay!!” Daisy said, jumping up and down, clapping.

Two weeks in, the nymph community has accepted me. I’ve never felt more at ease, more accepted. They don’t judge me for smelling different.

I help with daily chores. Collecting water from the well for the village, picking local berries.

I’ve even tried my hand at some of their crafts, making baskets from their natural resources.

Since the incident with Amber, I’ve been having nightmares. I see eyes—possibly mine—green and flickering with a fiery hunger. They watch me.

Something deep within me tells me I shouldn’t find comfort in these eyes. They’re cold, sinister, and deadly. Almost every night, these eyes visit me.

I’m not sure what to make of these dreams, but I chalk it up to my subconscious punishing me for what I’ve done.

I stretch my arms before getting out of bed. I glance at my clothes on the wooden chair in the corner and groan inwardly.

Two weeks in the same clothes hasn’t been great, to say the least. I keep washing my clothes in the stream, but I never feel truly clean.

I reach out to my mom to ask for some clothes. Talking to my mom brings back the terrible crime I committed. The guilt starts to consume me again.

It’s easy to forget about the outside world in this idyllic village.

My plan was to send Daisy to collect the basket. She can blip in and out without anyone noticing.

I know my mom wants to see me, but I need to protect her. She can’t know who I’m staying with. It would put her in danger, and it would put the nymphs in danger too.

Daisy blips out and back in five seconds, holding the basket of goods my mom sent for me.

Almost immediately, I can feel her pain and confusion through the link. She’s searching for me.

I hide out in Daisy’s house, tossing and turning in bed, hoping and praying for the pain to end.

The urge to go to her, to ease her pain, is almost too much to bear. But I know I have to keep my distance. It’s for her own good.

~I’m doing this for her,~ I remind myself.

Time ticks by slowly until my mom reaches out to me. ~“Livi… The alpha has some bad news.”~

~“Oh no… Is it Amber?”~ I ask, my heart pounding.

~“No, sweetheart, it’s not Amber.”~ She goes silent, probably trying to figure out how to break the news to me.

I interrupt her thoughts. ~“Just tell me, Mom. I can handle it.”~ I brace myself for the worst. I’m sure the Wolf Council wants to put me on trial.

~“Well… The, um, the alpha…the Alpha King. He’s coming tomorrow,”~ she says, her voice filled with apprehension.

~Shit, shit, shit!!!~

This is even ~worse~ than the Wolf Council!

~“Thanks for letting me know, Mom. I’ll talk to you soon. I love you,”~ I say, trying to keep my voice steady. I cut off the link. I need time to process this.

“Damn it!” I groan.

The Alpha King is the youngest king in history. He took the throne at twenty. That was four years ago.

He’s known for his ruthlessness, even killing his own father to claim the title of king. All he cares about is power, wealth, and the fame that comes with it.

I think back to all the rumors I’ve heard about him.

They say he only gets involved when there’s a death sentence on the line. Considering he killed his own father, he probably enjoys a good execution.

So, he’s probably coming here to have me killed. Or…

Another rumor is that he has a hybrid army. Sounds cool, right? Wrong. He forces them to join his army or die.

I’ve heard he even tortures their loved ones to get them to comply. No one in his army is there willingly.

He uses them to strengthen his position, manipulating them to do his bidding.

He collects hybrids like trophies, like he needs one of every kind.

He’s the Ash Ketchum of the hybrid world—gotta catch ’em all!

If he thinks he can just add me to his collection, he’s got another thing coming. I won’t make it easy for him.

I lay on my bed, wide awake, trying to figure out a way out of this mess. But I come up with nothing. I’m in deep trouble.