THERON
Rogues had been prowling the borders of my pack. Ever since I took on the responsibilities at sixteen, I've maintained strict control over our territory. My grandfather, Ronmon Valken, founded this pack because our powers were superior to other Alphas'. The King at the time decided it was best for us to occupy a larger territory and guard the U.S.-Canada border—British Columbia, to be exact.
But of course, it wasn't just about our strength. My grandfather was cursed. He protected the King. To many, the King was benevolent for letting my grandfather live and keep his vast lands, but the truth was, the sovereign of the Lunar Throne didn't want to risk a more powerful being rising up and seizing the power he loved so much.
The curse passes from father to son, and it's simple: Our superior strength was both a blessing and a curse. We could sense darkness—and absorb it. It gave us more power, but it also poisoned us. The more energy we took in, the shorter our lifespans became. We never lived past thirty-five. Which meant I didn't have much time left. I needed an heir, and fast.
You might think: Better to have none at all, so the curse ends with me! But here's the problem. Our pack members aren't weak. They aren't cursed like us, but they're strong—and the King wouldn't want them rebelling. And that's exactly what would happen, because the Shadowfang Pack only exists while the Valkens rule. If I don't produce an heir, I'll be condemning my pack to annihilation by the royal guard. They're Lycans. Strong wolves are no match for them.
My father married, was happy with my mother—but she died, and then so did he. A good Alpha, kind yet firm. I was proud of the father he'd been, and I hoped to be at least half the man he was when I took a mate and had heirs.
We were patrolling when my wolf, Fenrir, who'd been restless since we woke up, grew even more agitated.
["What the hell is wrong with you?"] I demanded, and he was practically vibrating.
["Something… something important is coming. Could it be our fated mate?"]
Fated mate. Bullshit. My grandfather had married his, and so had my father. And as much as I believed it was the strongest bond for a wolf, I also knew it didn't apply to me. Another fun detail about our curse: Mating, marking our fated, would drain her. Every time the darkness poisoned us, only she could sustain us—but it would weaken her. And I refused to be responsible for that.
I was looking for a mate, but a chosen one, not a fated one. At least then, no one would suffer because of me. If I ever found the one the Moon Goddess destined for me, I'd reject her. Absolutely. Fenrir snarled at that thought.
["Sorry, buddy. Like it or not, that's how it's gonna be."]
["You're an asshole, you know that?"]
["I've been called worse."]
I wasn't exactly a nice guy. A monster? Maybe not. But I wasn't kind, either.
When I sensed intruders in our territory, I didn't hesitate. I found what looked like Hunters—wolves trained to kill—chasing down a lone young woman.
Fenrir let out a furious snarl, and before I could stop him, I was shifting, tearing into the fight. My wolf showed no mercy, eliminating the threats in seconds. Only one remained: the so-called victim.
I forced control back, shifting into my human form as I approached her. The scent of her blood was… different. Not just blood—something else, something I couldn't place.
She was weak, but when I got a good look at her face, something inside me shifted. Fenrir was ecstatic, desperate to touch her. Her electric blue eyes were angelic, but her silver hair with a blue sheen was unreal. There she was—bloodied, dirty, and yet perfectly stunning.
"You brought trouble to my territory, rogue. Give me one reason not to kill you."
And then—she passed out.
["Stop being a dick and get her to the hospital!"]
I hated when Fenrir talked to me like that, but… fine. He was right.
After dropping her off, I returned to the packhouse and demanded answers about those damn Hunters. But when my soldiers reached the scene, the bodies were gone. Damn it.
Days passed before I was notified our "guest" was waking up. I went to the hospital. Dixie was already tending to her, and hell—she was even more beautiful than I remembered. Tempting. Dangerous.
I reined myself—and my wolf—in, dismissing Dixie so I could question the female alone. She was sharp-tongued, and though I hated being challenged, I couldn't deny the fire in her was… intoxicating. I kept playing her game without meaning to. This couldn't continue—she was hiding something, and I knew it.
When I gripped her throat, the sensation was new. When I'd rescued her, I'd felt sparks—faint ones. Now, they were stronger. Maybe I'd just gone too long without sex, because when I leaned in to intimidate her, my entire body reacted. Her scent was siren-like, Deceptive. Like velvet over a blade, and I inhaled deeply, craving more.
["Think she wants us?"] Fenrir asked, already fantasizing about sinking his teeth into that soft skin—
I released her and stepped back. She was perilous!
That smart mouth of hers was pushing me to the edge, but she finally stopped arguing after I made it clear she'd be on the streets if she didn't prove useful.
I could've sworn she called me a jerk under her breath as I left. I opened the door and asked, too innocently, if she'd said something. The look on her face? Priceless. Yeah, she'd said it.
That night was filled with strange, erotic dreams. Sienna—I learned her name the next day—was unlike any female I'd ever met. But I wouldn't be fooled by her beauty. No fucking way.
I avoided her for days, only receiving updates on her recovery. Nearly two months passed before I was told she was being discharged. I sent Corbin to retrieve her.
Around 10 AM, a knock sounded at my door. Her scent—and Corbin's—drifted in before they did.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Corbin stepped inside, stern as always.
"Miss Sienna is here, Alpha."
"Thank you, Corbin. Send her in. Close the door on your way out."
He frowned. I knew he didn't like me keeping her here, but it was necessary. Until I figured out what she was hiding, she wasn't going anywhere.
["Liar. That's not the only reason!"]
["Keep dreaming, Fenrir,"] I muttered, shoving my insolent wolf to the back of my mind.
Then Sienna stepped out from behind Corbin.
And hell. I was in trouble.