The danger lurking in the shadows

London:

The soft click-clack of the keyboard seemed to echo in the room, a constant reminder of the hours I'd spent typing away.

I cracked my aching fingers as they felt heavy, blinking at the bright screen in front of me. The blinking cursor glared at me, awaiting my next line of commands. I sighed, wincing a little as my head throbbed.

I had been working on this compilation for hours, and I was nowhere near done. I dropped the file in my hand on the bed with a dry click of my tongue.

I took my glasses off, rubbing my eyes to ease the pressure growing in them from staring at the laptop's screen for so long. I massaged the bridge of my nose, finally accepting the hint to take a break.

I yawned, running my hand through my tousled hair. My back was aching from sitting upright for too long; it craved a lie-me-down.

I closed the laptop with a satisfying thud; the screen was now dark, and the sudden absence of the screen's light was a relief to my tired eyes.

I spent last night awake researching Orkan and, at the same time, looking into locations where they can be found. Believe me when I say that I was shocked to discover that my men were among the recent bodies sprouting all over the south and west.

Apparently, my men were the first killings to happen in the North. The southern lands had the most damage. The west had a kill count of four, which I reasoned to be minor. The east was yet to be attacked, and I figured that was probably because whoever was playing this game with me was still trying to maintain a fair distance since I had decided to base in the east, establishing my pack there.

Whoever this asshole was, he wasn't ready to bite off more than he could chew. Coming into my land would mean encountering my rage head-on because I would hunt down the nooks and crannies just to get him, and that would be very easy.

I stared at the map glaring at me, zooming into the location that Reece had reported through an email that he had perceived Orkan, following the bloody trail to discover decaying body parts that I perceived belonged to my men.

He had yet to send word on the location of the rest of the men. As it stood, their status was uncertain, but I had a gnawing feeling that they were dead, their bodies waiting to be found.

I found this to be another twisted game plan of that fucker; he had purposefully withheld their bodies, and a part of me guessed that it was because he had anticipated I'd send someone out to scour the lands.

Too bad the person I sent was a lethal weapon. Reece was capable of sniffing out that bastard and killing him, but in this case, I was sure whoever this was would not risk coming out. Even if he were, it wouldn't be in person. So I scratched the thought of Reece killing him out of my head, keeping only the certainty that he'd be safe and probably discover something that would help the plan Fuyu and I were brewing.

I was impressed with Dr. Miller's keeping to time despite everything I had requested, and it impressed me to see the imitations that I had asked for looking very much like the original dead bodies that inspired the design.

The autopsy result, as I had suspected, was even more disturbing because it told about more than one poison in their system and some other brutalities that went beyond what my eyes could see. I made a mental note to reward his efficiency with an increased salary.

I grabbed the case of my glasses and carefully placed my glass in it, stretching to drop it on my nightstand. I heard a crack at my waist and sighed. I was in dire need of a massage, and my body was in desperate need of a way to ease the growing tension. Not only that, but my sore eyes yearned for some long and deserved sleep.

Thinking about it now, it's been a month and a few weeks since I last had sex, and it bothered me. I haven't been able to bring myself to think of sex; it's been sorting from one problem to another.

My life had been occupied by an endless loop of work, and as the Alpha king, I had to see to it that my pack, all who had pledged their loyalty, thereby submitting to my reign, were safe. I had vast lands to protect and my reputation as well, so I couldn't afford to be incompetent.

Hence, my drive to catch this motherfucking asshole and have him wish he had never been born was over the top. I wanted so badly to hear his shrieks of pain and feed my eyes on his face as it twisted in deep agony, and I engraved fear of my name into every cell of his.

In his next life and many more, he would shiver at the mention of London, and believe me, that was a bloody promise, and I couldn't wait to keep it.

I tucked my laptop away on the little stand that I kept close to my bed for such purposes, twisting my arms in an attempt to ease the tension building in them.

My hair brushed my shoulders, sending ticklish sensations down my spine. It was funny how my body still hasn't developed immunity to that, despite how frequently it's been occurring. I never ran out of rubber bands because of that. I always had my hair tucked away in such a way that it didn't come into contact with my shoulders. I hated being so darn ticklish.

I sniffled, picking up my phone to go through it. Surprisingly, Freya had reached out to me a few weeks ago, seeing as I hadn't summoned her in weeks and had deliberately ignored her for reasons I didn't understand. It went way beyond my job description as Alpha King; I knew it deep down in me.

"It's the dumb bond, isn't it?" Fuyu said it wryly, and I chuckled.

He's also been looking for a way to ease the stress and tension we were falling under, even if it required me to fuck the shit out of Freya. So long as he wasn't doing the fucking, he was okay with it.

"I had to admit that even since I had sex with her, it's been hard to get the sweet feeling of being inside her tight cunt out of my head." I drawled in exasperation.

Fuyu nodded his head in understanding, all the while with his body still in that relaxed position. I really envied him because he gets to rest and I do not.

Why wasn't I the dog between us?

"We really should swap, no?" I wiggled my brow at him suggestively.

He scoffed at me, "not a chance. You humans require way too much paperwork and brain activity. It's exhausting to even think about it." He began licking his paw.

He was right. Very right.

My body had bent to the bond, depriving me of a way to release my sexual tension if it wasn't going to be with her. I detested having to relive that night with her in my dreams and having to wake up with a fucking boner the next day. I couldn't count just how many cold showers I've found myself taking.

Her scent…

Her innocent aura...

Those unique pair of golden orbs were like jewels that existed to peer into your soul with great innocence. One of the major reasons I couldn't stand being in her proximity was because she was like a fucking magnet.

She did things to my body that I did not like, and it was because of that fucked-up bond. I could never understand why she didn't want to accept my rejection despite my negligence and harshness towards her.

I exhaled sharply. Perhaps I needed a change of tactics in order to get her to bend to my will, right? It appears that the silent treatment wasn't going to get me free anytime soon. I guess it was time for her to have a glance at the demons I had kept at bay.

I chuckled wickedly, pitying the poor woman. She never stood a chance in the first place, and now I was going to have fun breaking her apart piece by piece.

"It wouldn't hurt to have another taste of her, would it?" I asked Fuyu with a wolfish grin.

"Just don't fall in love with her. Do whatever you want. I'm killing her once I notice any funny business. I don't want to be tied down and bound to a freaking woman. They were bad news, and I dislike drama." Fuyu nonchalantly replied.

I rolled my eyes at his words. He was very serious, despite putting it out so casually.

"Kill joy."

I leaned into the headrest of the bed, batting my lashes at the gray ceiling. I loved the dark aesthetic my room had. It felt more like me and gave me a sense of peace of mind. This was the only place I could really think properly. My space.

"Did you hear anything strange during the night of the executions?" Fuyu asked out of the blue.

"Not really. Is something wrong?" My brows knitted together upon hearing his sudden question.

Fuyu hummed, resting his head back on his paw. I squinted my eyes at him because I could feel that something was bothering him.

"What is it, Fuyu? You asked me something similar yesterday while at the hospital."

Fuyu grunted, throwing his head away with a yawn. "I'm just tired. I'm thinking the stress from being overly alert around the clock is taking its toll on me."

I tipped a brow at the huge grump, "who knew you could get stressed?"

He tilted his head at me, "be lucky; I'm your wolf. With the way you annoy me, I'd have killed you long ago."

"I'm super touched right now." I said it with a hand on my chest.

Fuyu rolled his eyes at me, raising himself to his feet. Gently, he began threading a path that led deeper into my mind. "Mutt." He called out.

"I don't remember having a tail, you know." I teased.

It was amusing how he was the dog here.

He looked over his shoulder with a pointed look, "have you checked in between your legs?" He grinned at me before continuing his exit.

Damn that smug bastard. Touché.

I heard a soft knock on the door, and the overly familiar scent of vanilla and blooming flowers made me confirm that she was here just in time because I was about to starve to death. The only thing I had in my system was dark coffee. It was no wonder why my headache still persisted.

Do not get me wrong; I do not care about her, not one bit. The reason I needed her here was to keep an eye on her. Ever since she arrived here, strange things have been happening. It was like she was a magnet for chaos. A jinx, if you may.

Losing my men?

A pack member daring to plot against me?

A rogue uprising?

It was too much of a coincidence to not call her Jinx because this never happened before, so why now? Another reason she frustrates me a lot.

I threw my feet out of the bed, taking long strides towards the door. I gently turned the knob, and I nearly passed out at how prominent her scent had become. It wafted through my nose, assaulting my nostrils ferociously.

I could already see this new strategy of mine poking me in the gut. How do I put this lightly? Here stood the source of my irritation, the sexual frustration standing peak on the long list of things she was responsible for, staring at me with those innocent eyes.

I laughed cynically because there was a very beautiful solution to this. If she managed to push me past my self-control, her body would serve very well in easing my arousal. I definitely did not mind feeding my lust on her curvy body, which that faded black gown did an excellent job of hiding.

She lowered her eyes, drawing a deep breath as she tightened her grip on the trolley's handle. "Good morning, my Alpha." She said it in a soft voice.

I tilted my head at her, squinting my eyes as I scrutinized her appearance. Her rapidly beating heart was like music to my ears. I could smell her fear and taste her unease. She looked like a lamb about to be slaughtered, and it gave me great pleasure.

I batted my lashes slowly at her, ready for the fun and games to begin. "Hello, mate."

I heard her gasp and immediately raise her eyes to me, her grip on the trolley growing shaky. If she was pale before, well now she very much resembled a ghost. She was beyond surprised.

I moved aside with a hand to the door, gesturing with my right hand at her to come into my room. She swallowed, blinking at my bare chest, trailing her eyes down to stare at the white band of my brief peeking through the baggy cargo shorts I was putting on.

I noticed her hesitation to step into the room despite my open invitation. It amused me. Having taken a few steps away from the door, I stood with intimidating eyes, peering my mischievous eyes at her.

"I'm not going to eat you." I moved closer to her, grabbing a few strands from her raven locks and letting them slide out of my fingers.

I knew she was watching my every move and wanted to back away from me. I tucked her soft strands behind her ear, my harmless demeanor and gentleness being a major reason for the panic growing inside her.

"... Well, not yet at least," I peered into her golden eyes with a dark intent, "unless you ask for it, no?" I rasped, trailing my finger down her jaw.

"Sadist." Fuyu's voice came from nowhere.

I arched a brow, "like you're one to talk."

I saw red crawl up her neck, her anxiety spiraling out of control. The corner of my lips tugged up… I was definitely going to enjoy toying with her.