Standing up, I cast a final gaze upon Elliot's lifeless form, etching his face into my memory.
Then, with resolute determination, I turned and stepped out of the cabin, my path set before me. I didn’t look back nor glance at Cassidy’s face one more time.
I wouldn't let my weakness take over me this time.
The Rogues would pay for their crimes and I would ensure that no more lives were lost in their wake. Except for them.
The journey ahead would be arduous, but I would face it head-on, guided by the memory of a man—a family—I failed to protect, vowing to become the guardian he deserved. ‘Cassidy, get back here to the cabin.’ I mind-linked Cassidy in my head. I don’t know where she is. One second, she was just beside me. Then another, However, I heard a low growl somewhere near us.
“Shit, no!” I whispered to myself and shifted into my wolf form. Cassidy popped in front of me. ‘I thought I’ve lost you…’ I mind-linked her. Fuck, she was fast.
“What happened?!” She screamed but I had already caught her and put her on my back. ‘Rogues. We’re outnumbered. We have to escape now or never.’ Even in my back, I presume the silence was her nodding. Thank the Goddess that she gets what I mean immediately.
***
I don’t know how long we have been running.
Upon our harrowing escape from the clutches of the enemy, Cassidy and I found ourselves in the heart of the Volatile Hounds Pack, seeking refuge from the relentless pursuit.
We had heard tales of this formidable pack and its enigmatic Alpha, Alpha Zarion, who ruled with an iron fist and an insatiable hunger for power. Little did I know just how true those stories would prove to be.
And now, I am at their doorstep, seeking for help—and refuge.
As we cautiously ventured deeper into their territory, a palpable sense of tension hung in the air. The very essence of the pack seemed to reverberate with an undercurrent of hostility. The once harmonious social order that governed most wolf packs was conspicuously absent here. Well, not to say that the Madfur Claws Pack is harmonious but…Alpha Enzo’s pack wins for the worse.
In the Volatile Hounds Pack, survival meant putting oneself first and allowing no other to challenge your dominance. Selfishness is rampant here, there’s no doubt about that.
Alpha Enzo, a towering figure with a coat as dark as the midnight sky, exuded an aura of pure authority. His piercing amber eyes bore into my soul, as if daring me to defy him. It was clear that he had cultivated a cult of personality, where fear and subservience reigned supreme.
He’s lucky that I’m helpless now. Hopeless, even.
When we arrived, the others bowed their heads in deference, their body language betraying a mix of fear and resignation. It was as if their very identities had been stripped away, leaving only hollow shells who existed solely to serve the whims of their Alpha.
In short, Enzo is more ruthless than Brandon. But at least he knows how to welcome guests.
“Oh no, where did we get into, Zarion?” I heard her whispering behind me. Cassidy could not tolerate such oppression. She yearned for a social order built on trust, cooperation, and equality. Mercy doesn’t work here. Thoughtfulness is wholly absent here. In the Volatile Hounds Pack, her ideals were a mere fantasy. a distant dream that would never be realized under the ironclad rule of this pack. As long as Enzo sits on the throne of stubborness.
“We have to hide here, Cass. Brandon has sent troops to find us every nook to where the Misty Forest extends.”
“Brandon? Your brother?” I shifted to my heel only to see her throat bobbed. “What does he want from me?!”
“I don’t know.”
“But I’ve already accepted his rejection. I am no longer human.”
I gave her a sarcastic chuckle. “Clearly you weren’t paying attention. Brandon wants more than that. ”
“Shit!” she cursed beneath her breath. “I thought that was the end of it. The rejection. What could he possibly want more from me?!”
“I think he likes you.” I clenched my jaw because of the idea. “Or maybe he only likes you because I like you. He loves snatching things—and people—from my hold.”
“What the hell? He already has a wife!”
“He likes you because I cherished you. Everything I cherished, he wants it.” Period. That’s the more logical way of putting it, explaining the childish attitude of my adult half-brother.
“But he already has Hestia!”
I pouted. Surely, Cassidy isn’t that naive, is she? “He wants another bitch. If he wanted to get ten bitches under his roof, he could get them.”
“He’s sick!”
“I know, love.” I hushed her and ran my fingers at the back of her neck, before kissing the top of her forehead.
“So, are we going to stay here?” In this shithole, she means. Looking around, I couldn’t agree more. Not an inch is clean nor is painted with a bit of happiness.
We skidded to a corner, trying to act like one of them. “Yeah,” I replied and scoured the surroundings for any peering eyes and ears.
Cassidy leaned into my ear, closing the distance between us. She wrapped her arms around me. “Zarion, I’m scared.”
The hell you should. “Don’t worry. I’m here.”
I could feel her nodding on my chest.
Enzo spotted us and greeted us with a smirk. Nothing more. “Welcome to the Volatile Hounds Pack.”
***
They are clearly fucking volatile.
As days turned into weeks, I observed Alpha Enzo’s relentless pursuit of power. He would dispatch envoys to neighboring packs, demanding tribute and allegiance. Those who refused or showed even the slightest hint of dissent would face swift and brutal retribution.
It seemed that Enzo’s hunger for control knew no bounds. And the fact that I am here made his ego more arrogant. And foul.
I tried to navigate this treacherous environment, keeping a low profile while ensuring Cassidy's safety and mine. But I couldn't help but feel the weight of Alpha Enzo pressing down on me, suffocating my every breath.
After days, he finally noticed us. It’s a miracle that we lasted for a couple of days and never shooed us. I’m pretty sure we’re not welcome here. However, Enzo must have relished the fact that it’s torture for us for staying in a place that will never offer us willingly a bowl of soup yet let us remained in their territory. Impressive as fuck.
“I think he noticed us, Zarion,” Cassidy whispered to me when we woke up one time near the ice-cold river. I saw Alpha Enzo’s men looking in our place.
“Just look away,” I murmured back.
But Cassidy squeezed my arm. “He’s still staring at us.”
I looked at Alpha Enzo and saw him standing up from his throne not far from the river.
He was, in fact, staring at Cassidy.
The tension in the air crackled with the intensity of a brewing storm as Alpha Enzo's words hung heavily between us. “I like her, Zarion.”
The realization that he harbored an interest in Cassidy, my woman, ignited a fury deep within me. How could he dare consider taking what was rightfully mine?
Alpha Enzo had always been constantly vying for power and dominance within the pack. But this was different; this was personal.
He’s just like Brandon after all…
Cassidy will always be special to me, and I would not let Enzo lay his claim on her without a fight.
“Then fight me, Enzo.” I stood with my fists at my side and chest out. “Fight me and she will be the prize.”