88

"Then tell me what I want to know and I'll let you go." I said taking a deep breath.

Brenton stopped attempting to get away and looked up at me with suspicious eyes. His eyes darted between me and the hoard of wolves around.

"Promise?" He asked and I frowned at him, suddenly thinking I saw Amelia in those dark eyes of his.

"You have my word." I growled.

"She's at our camp with Mother. The camp is north from here hidden in the dark part of the forest, deep in the trees and ferns." The boy said and I frowned.

"And if I let you go, will you lead us there?" I asked and the boy shook his head softly.

"I can't, that's my family. I'd never do that to them." Brenton said and I wrinkled my nose at his naïve sense of loyalty.

"Then you're not leaving here." I deadpanned and stood over him.

"But you promised!" He yelled and I gripped his throat and hoisted him up.

"I lied." I spat and as his face drained of color I held him off of the ground.

He gulped in air his eyes wide with what I knew was terror. I squeezed harder and he struggled for air. His hands attempted to pull mine away but he could do nothing. I smirked as the small amount of light began to fade from his eyes.

His dark eyes stared into mine and I felt my brows begin to twitch before my scowl faded. The smirk dropped from my mouth.

Dammit.

I growled and dropped the boy and he gasped from breath. I paced in front of him and ran a hand through my hair.

I glanced at the boy on the ground and sighed.

What would killing him solve?

My heart ached and I glanced up at the dark gray sky. The wind blowed softly and I blinked as the moon was suddenly uncovered.

"I killed him." The boy said and I looked down at him. His dark eyes met mine as he whispered, "The man that raped her... I killed him. I do care about her, but I won't betray my mother." I felt my heart clench at his words.

My poor Amelia. I glanced back to the moon.

"Take him to the cellars. Chain him... but don't kill him." I growled.

With a bow of my head I turned to the crowd and said, "Get your rest everyone. It's been a long day."

With a growl I walked toward the house and inside to my room. The door shut behind me and I felt a whimper escape me.

"Amelia." I broke down by the bed and gripped the sheets tightly in my hands.

"I'm sorry." I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut. She'd been raped and I could do nothing about it. She was out there and I had no idea where or how to find her. My Amelia.

Amelia's POV

Suddenly I felt a sharp pain and I gasped awake.

Something happened to Knight. Something's terribly wrong. Rain whined and I gulped and forced myself to look unaffected.

My stomach growled in hunger.

I groaned and clutched my abdomen; I was starving. I sat up groggily.

My wolf whined and drug herself around in hunger and I closed my eyes and ran a hand through my unkempt hair.

I glanced down at the fading scar on my abdomen and for a moment I was lost in the dark memory. I shook my head and dismissed the thought.

They'd called him the Hybrid. The Hunter Wolf... called my mate a New Terror. Told me words of rumors that had rippled through the wolf world.

I whined as everything faded back to black.

"Wake up." A voice said and my eyes peeled open and I was met with blurry images.

My eyes focused and I scowled.

I groaned as my mother walked into the cell.

"Hey darling." She said smiling at me and my groan quickly turned into a growl. She frowned and crossed her arms.

"Are you still upset about the other day?" She asked and I looked away from her, angered that I couldn't sink my fangs into her neck.

"I hate you." I snarled weakly.

My stomach howled in a violent hunger. I hadn't eaten in so long...

I growled as she walked into the cell and closed the door.

She was saying something but her voice drowned out to me.

So hungry...

Everything felt loose and scattered...

"Are you even listening?" My mother said and I blinked as she got in my face; in my reach.

My body shifted and I launched myself on top of the woman. I and Rain alike were surprised by our action before the hunger took over. I suddenly realized what would happen as Rain gave into her more horrific side and the bitch that was my mother shifted into an almost identical wolf. She growled and snapped her teeth at me.

"Where is he?! Where's my Julius?!" I snarled.

"Why you named that child after your father is beyond me." My mother growled. I bared my fangs.

"Where is he?" I growled.

"Taken care of." She huffed. Taken care of?!

My paws twitched in anticipation and my stomach growled loudly. I snarled as she bit into my shoulder. I slashed a paw over her face and blood tainted my nostrils.

We tumbled around the cell. Her wolf made several attempts to overpower my weaker side, but the thought of close death made me savager; keener.

I'd not lose this battle.

"This is for my baby!" I howled.

With a snarl of rage and sorrow, I pinned her down and sunk my teeth in her neck. She yelped and I shook her, letting blood pool in my mouth.

The thick intoxicating liquid soothingly oozed down my throat and I felt my stomach perking at the hint of a meal. I bit harder until I heard a defiant crunching and cracking. Her tendons sliced under my sharp fangs and she shuddered in my hold.

I dropped her and she let out wheezing breaths before I snarled and pushed her over onto her side and looked at her soft underbelly. My mouth salivated at the scent of blood and the sounds of her pitiful whimpers.

"What's happening?" I heard someone saying but I ignored it.

My mother looked at me with wide eyes, unable to move affectively because of the blood loss. Eyes roaming over my victim, I took a step forward. My stomach roared and without hesitation I dug into her flesh and ripped into her.

Her howls abruptly cut off as I gorged myself without care. For a moment I paused to choke down an especially large hunk of meat before feasting again. My growls of possession over my prey rang around me as I stripped the corpse of its nutrients, leaving nothing but some tuffs of fur and bones. Blood stained the ground. The cell was dank with the irony odor.

I stared at the scraps that was my mother and huffed. At least in the end she'd done what a mother should... she'd fed her child.

I licked my chops and howled in dominance. Fore I'd killed my mother, their leader, thus the title had been shifted to me.

"Oh..." Someone gasped and I looked at a guy standing outside of the cell, staring wide eyed and I shifted back into my human form. I wiped the blood from my mouth and let out a growl that rumbled in my chest and reverberated off of the walls.

"As your new leader I order you to let me out." I snarled and the man nodded and opened the cell.

"Clothes?" He asked keeping his eyes on mine as he unchained me and I gave a nod and he disappeared from my sight. Moments later he returned with a new pair of clothes for me which I took and got dressed. Others had joined him and they watched me with curious eyes.

"You ate her?" Someone said and I nodded to the boney carcass.

"My mother fed me well." I said and multiple people shuddered. I scowled at their actions and let out a growl.

Rain, now full bellied and satisfied, held up her head in superiorness and looked out at the wolves in front of her. Already strength was returning to the both of us.

I walked passed the wolves and they parted for me, ducking their heads at the power radiating off of me. I walked through the camp and people came from their dens and looked at me with wide eyes, their wolves sensing the change in authority.

My hands clenched into fists as my eyes raked over them, bile rising in my throat at their pathetic ways.

"I'm your leader now. Anyone who wants to challenge me step forth now!" I snarled and looked over the masses; Rain prowled before them her head swaying back and forth searching for challengers... none made a move.

"Amelia... ma'am." A voice said and a young woman walked forward. She ducked her head before turning around and grabbing something before presenting it to me and my heart started.

A small baby boy looked up at me and I whimpered in happiness. "Julius!" I cried and hugged him to me and tears welled in my eyes as he gurgled. I looked into his dark brown eyes and dark hair and couldn't help seeing his father in his features.

Then uncertainty pierced my heart.

What was I going to tell Kaden?

"Line up!" I barked at the rogues and they did. I went down the rows and sank my teeth into each of their necks; marking them as my property. They took the mark without arguing except for one, whom I killed instantly.

After I was done I looked at them all and flung some hair over my shoulder and stood tall.

"You're all mine now. To go against me will be death." I snarled and they bowed their heads, the connection strong.

I was Alpha.