C2 2

Eliana POV

The wet cloth glides on my skin, wiping up the dried blood from the cuts along my jaw. I stare into the metallic surfaced furnace, as a make-shift mirror.

"Eliana!" My ears hurt as the sound overwhelms them.

I don't know why she yells, when even a whisper would do. Our wolves make sure of that.

Putting the rag down on my pillow, I skip up the stairs. They hate it when I'm late for their summons.

"Eliana!" She calls again.

Her voice is so annoying.

I reach the dining room, the source of the screeching animal. Vanessa sits at the table, legs crossed, as her eyes find me.

"You're so slow." She spits at me. Her strawberry blonde hair bounces with her words, as she narrows her green eyes at me.

"Sorry." I say, turning my eyes to look at the floor. My wolf growls.

"Go get my laundry. I need you to do it over again."

I just did the pack's laundry yesterday.

"Ok."

"I want mine hand-washed. All of it." She gets up from the table and approaches me, her heels clicking with each step.

I just hand-washed all the pack's laundry yesterday.

I nod. She stops, close to my side.

"Stay away from my mate, slut. I smelt your blood on him this morning, and I know I told you to keep your damn distance." She snarls.

Her mate is the one she should be talking to. I've never once approached him in my life. My wolf can sense the sick lust he has towards me. I shiver.

"I'm sorry."

She slaps me across my face and the healing cuts on the right side of my jaw open, bleeding. She vaguely understood my thoughts, of course, we are in the same pack. It's not like she'll do anything about him.

I stand still, digging my nails into my palm. She smirks and walks off.

Her and Liam are a match made in heaven. The Moon Goddess knew what she was doing sticking them together.

I sigh, wiping the blood off with the back of my hand.

It's ok, I'm fine. I calm my wolf.

Since wiping the walls earlier, she's been even more antsy and jittery than before. It's putting me on edge.

Today's been weird, my wolf feels like she's excited for something. It's never felt like this before. I haven't had something to look forward to.

I shake my head, flexing my fingers and taking a deep breath in.

There's laundry to do. I don't have time for unfounded emotions.

Noah POV

I close the driver's side door and start the car.

"Are we really trying to get along with other packs? Seriously?" My beta, Kai, whines again.

"Yes. Stop asking." I pull out the property, heading to the main road. This is the first of many more to come.

"Your parents didn't do things like this."

"You know why they isolated us. I'm Alpha now, so I'm doing things my way." I turn onto the road.

"This is dumb, we rose to the top on our own. We don't need allies." He inputs.

He'll actually piss me off if he keeps talking about things he's naïve of.

"Shut up." I say, letting a bit of my authority, leak out. He stays quiet.

I have to go. My parents went into hiding but I can't. I need to find those rogues. It's my right to end their lives. It's been a week since the Alpha ceremony and I've barely been able to contain myself.

Years of guilt and regret, and I have control of my own purpose. I'll make sure to correct all my past wrongs, as Alpha.

Times flies by and I turn another corner, speeding into a forest consumed area, a single street leading up into what I assume is their home. Kai sits besides me, pouting stubbornly as I ignored him the entire car ride. He's annoying, but loyal. That's why I keep him around.

Something tickles in my gut as we pull into the Moonstribe pack's compound. My wolf seems to tremble within me. Is this them? Are these the rogues?

I clench my jaw and try to control myself. The smell. If the scent fits, I'll kill everyone here.

I hop out of the car and Kai follows, as an old man, with a woman and young man walk towards us.

"Welcome to the Moonstribe pack. We have long known of your presence south of us here. We are honored to host the Alpha of the Fang pack." He reaches a hand out towards me.

"Of course." I take his hand, sniffing discreetly among them.

A very faint sweet smell captures my nose, but it's not the rogues. I can let my guard down a bit.

"I am Alpha Silas, my Luna, Mary, and then my son, Liam." He gestures to the both of them.

Liam steps up forward to grab my hand and the sweet smell drifts around me, stronger.

It's coming from his...fingers?

I snatch his hand up near my nose and deeply inhale the scent coming off it.

Honey blossom...and blood.

"Alpha?" Kai questions, but I pay him no mind. I can't.

My wolf dances within me, acting crazy. I know what this is. I shouldn't need this, I can't need this right now.

"Who's smell is this?" I ask, thrusting Liam's hand in front of him. He sniffs it and looks down to the side.

"My scent." He says, unable to meet my eyes.

"Don't bullshit me. Whose is it?" I growl, unable to resist the pull.

"My scent..." He says, lowering his voice. His father and mother, behind him, tense.

I narrow my eyes at him as my eyes flash from gray to black. If my wolf takes over, I won't be able to stop him from tearing this pack from the root, up.

Stop, we didn't come here for this. Control yourself. I remind my wolf.

Liam struggles, resisting an Alpha's command, as his body begins to shake and his knees buckle under the pressure.

Why's it so hard to tell me? Why's he putting up such a fight? He knows exactly why I'm asking.

I shouldn't ask, I need to fight this.

"Liam!" His mother cries out.

He collapses onto the ground, kneeling before me, with his head down in submission.

"Eliana." He chokes out.

My wolf freaks out, while I try to regain my composure.

"T-Thank you." I take a deep breath and bite the inside of my lip to stop from storming into their house and kidnapping her.

We have to find her. Now.

No. We're here on business.

"Let's go in to talk." I suggest, ignoring my wolf's whining.

I just have to avoid this girl. Sure, her scent will be annoying but when we leave I can pretend I never even came close to her. I'll act like she never existed.

I owe my pack that much.

The Alpha nods and heads towards the house as his wife goes to help their son back up on his feet.

My beta follows us, looking at me with curious eyes. I ignore them. He'll probably bother me about this later.

The door opens and pushes into someone right behind it, knocking the bowl of what seems to be soap water, out of their grasp. The water spills across the floor and on her. We all stop.

I look to Liam, who growls softly and then the Alpha, who glares at her.

I'm guessing this person isn't well liked.

"I'm so sorry." My eyes shift up to connect with the woman's figure. Her long gray dress, sticks to her body, wet, as she dives to the ground trying to wipe up the water with the soaked cloth.

My heart pounds in my ears as my gaze shifts from her feet, slowly up to her face. Her brown eyes, panicked, look around trying to find something to clean up the spill. My breathing becomes quick and shallow as I stare at the woman.

No. No, no, no. It can't be her.

My wolf moves faster and crazier then ever before, threatening to take over.

The smell of honey blossoms intoxicate me, as I take a step towards her. Eliana.

My mate.