Chapter 3

Three years ago

"Hey, what're you doing over here? I thought you normally went for a run in the morning?" Allison asked.

Realizing I didn't want to give away the real reason I came stalking over here, I said the first excuse that came to mind.

"Yeah, I'm on my way to doing that, but Luna Rachel wants to see you in her office." Before she could say anything, I quickly took off for my run. That was probably the worst excuse I could have come up with. If her mom wanted to see her she would just have mind-linked her. I could have said literally anything else, now she will figure out I lied.

After a few hours of running the pack borders, I decided to start heading towards the pack house for some lunch before I started training our newest warrior recruits.

Halfway to the pack house, I suddenly had multiple pack members trying to contact me through mind-link.

"Beta, where have you been?! Everyone has been trying to reach you", I heard one of our warriors shout down the link.

"Hey, I just went for a run, sorry I must've been blocking the link, I had a lot on my mind. What's going on?" I asked.

"Sir, you need to come to the packhouse, ASAP!"

Hearing the fear in his voice, I shifted into my wolf Apollo to get there faster. Apollo towered over most wolves and was bulky, thanks to my training at a young age. He was pitch black and had the same black eyes to match.

Sniffing the air, I suddenly realized why the warrior sounded fearful. Smoke. How did I not notice it sooner? I'm a wolf for goddess sake, I should've smelt it from miles away. Barrelling through the trees into the clearing, I saw my worst nightmare. The pack house was on fire.

A:N/ Hello lovely readers, apologies for the short chapter. The next one is longer :) are you enjoying the book so far? I hope so, lots of love <3

Party

Grace POV

Present

Reaching our house, I went up to my room and turned the bath on. Dumping in some lavender and eucalyptus essential oils, along with my favorite vanilla bubble bath, I started to undress as the tub filled with the steamy water. All of the smells filling the air deliciously. Once full, I shut the water off and got in.

I wanted to wash the weirdness of today off along with the sensations Dean left on me, everywhere he touched.

Just then, my bathroom door flung open and in came Summer.

"What the hell, where did you go today? You took off this morning and I looked for you after school but Dean said you were in a rush to leave" she said placing her hand on her hip.

"Hello to you too, I thought I locked the bathroom door? I wanted to go home and I didn't want to be around Dean anymore," I stated.

"It was locked, I picked it. Why don't you give Dean a shot. You barely even know him and you're already shutting him out"

I rolled my eyes, " Clearly there's no privacy in this house, and exactly, I don't know him, so me distancing myself won't hurt anybody"

She scoffs and gestures at my body, " It's nothing I haven't seen before. Please give him a chance. He's a nice guy and I think you would make the cutest couple. Come to the party tonight! It's the perfect environment to let loose and get to know somebody, without the pressure of being one on one."

I sighed, " I'm sorry Summer, I'm not going to the party, it's just not my thing."

Summer then got down on her knees in front of the tub, her hands clasped together like she was praying,"Please Grace, please come tonight, give him this one chance and if it doesn't go anywhere I'll leave you alone about dating. Pretty please" she begged as she stuck her lip out and attempted her best puppy dog face.

"Alright, get up. I'll go, but please stop making that face, you look constipated", I laughed.

She punched my arm playfully as she got up, "Shut up, at least I don't look like you, get out of that tub, the party starts in 2 hours and you need a makeover" she said as she did a happy dance out the bathroom door. She's something else, I chuckled to myself.

I quickly washed my hair and then got out.

Looking in the mirror, I realized Summer was right, I do need a makeover.

I wrapped myself in a towel and walked into my room, trying to mentally prepare myself for Summers' "makeover".

On my bed were 3 outfits to choose from that she must have placed there for me.

As I grimaced at the skimpy clothes, Summer walked in with a giant makeup kit.

"Did you pick one? I personally think the red would look hot on you." She said cheerfully.

I picked up the red one, "Summer. This could barely pass as dental floss, let alone a dress. I'll wear sweats and a hoodie, something comfortable. I don't need everyone at the party seeing my coochie on full display."

Scrunching her face in distaste, "Alright fine, I'll get something else, but over my dead body will you go to your first college party in sweats and a hoodie." She said as she rushed out of my room into hers across the hall.

She came back with a hot pink dress, " Here, try this one on." she said, handing it to me.

Taking it, I took off my towel and slid it on, looking at myself in my floor-length mirror.

It was a cute dress with hot pink sequins and a plunging neckline. More revealing than what I normally wear, stopping half way down my thighs. But overall it was cute.

"Damn girl, you look hot as f*ck. Let's get your hair and makeup done. Dean won't be able to resist you" She cheered.

"I wasn't trying to get his attention, but alright, let's get on with it" I gestured to the makeup kit as I went to sit on my chair by my desk.

An hour and a half later, Summer was finally done with me. "Ta-da!! Quick go look!" She screeched.

Walking to my mirror, I was shocked to say the least. She really out did herself. My face actually looked alive for a change. My undereye bags were not even noticeable, with a full face of foundation, topped with blush and highlight. To complete the look, soft pink eyeshadow and lipstick along with false lashes looked almost...beautiful. She left my hair down and curled it into beach waves.

"Wow, Summer. This is great. Really, thank you" I said genuinely.

"You're welcome girl, but now I need to get ready and we have to go. Come grab my pink flats to wear to the party" She gestured at me to follow her.

Summer grabbed a green spaghetti-strap mini dress and some black pumps and got dressed in a flash. She quickly applied some mascara and threw her long blonde trusses into a high-pony.

"Alright, let's go" she smiles at me as she heads down the stairs.

"Must be nice to be so effortlessly gorgeous" I said, with sarcasm drenching my tone.

Slipping on the flats Summer let me borrow, I too head down the stairs and together out the front door.

The short walk to the party was quiet and uneventful.

Walking up the pathway to a house identical to ours, I reached for the doorknob to open it, but before I could, it was flung open and we came face to face with none other than Dean.

A:N/ Hello lovely readers, how are we feeling about the story? Much love <3

New Alpha

Unknown POV

Three years ago

I ran as fast as I could right into the already collapsing house. Where were my mom and dad? Where were the Alpha and Luna?

Oh Goddess.

I sent Allison in here to find her mom.

Where the f*ck is Allison?!

Panic stricken, I tried to run up the stairs, but as soon as the weight of my wolf hit them, they crumbled to the ground.

I quickly shifted back into my human form and tried to climb up what was left of the railing.

All of a sudden, I felt two sets of arms trying to grab me and pull me out of the house.

As I was trying to throw them off of me, the warrior whose voice I recognized from earlier, entered my mind again.

Beta, stop! The fire is out of control, this place is going to collapse at any moment. We are trying to save you! We managed to get Luna Rachel and a few others out. They are in critical condition in the hospital. You have to get out now!

Realizing that Allison might be among the people saved, I gave in and rushed out of the house with the warriors.

As soon as we were out, the house went crumbling down into nothing.

Running to the pack hospital, I burst through the doors and started my search. I see pack members that are covered in soot, some with burn marks and some already bandaged. Thankfully, werewolves heal fast, so most of them should be out by the end of the day.

Sniffing the air, trying to find my precious mate, but all I could smell was smoke.

Racing down each hallway ripping open every curtain, trying to find her.

Finally, I found Luna Rachel.

She was hooked up to a ventilator machine and I saw a huge silver sword sticking out of her, dangerously close to her heart. Silver and wolfsbane are werewolves' weaknesses.

Luna Rachel has always been like a second mom to me. Seeing her in this condition brought pain to my heart.

The lead pack doctor walked in at that moment.

"Dr.Winston, is she going to make it? Have you seen Allison? What about my parents? What about Alpha Chase?" I fired multiple questions at him, anxiety fueling my veins.

"Luna Rachel will not make son. I'm sorry. The sword is coated with wolfsbane and touching her heart. If we try to remove it, it will kill her instantly. The warriors mind linked me that you were coming. We wanted to let you have a moment with her before we removed it. She's not in pain right now, we have put her on a drip to ease the pain, but I'm afraid she can't stay like this much longer as she is suffering. I haven't seen Allison, Alpha or your parents. I'm truly sorry. I will give you some time alone with her. Let me know when you are done."

With that, he left the room, leaving me alone with Luna Rachel.

As I approached her bed, she opened her eyes. They were filled with sadness.

She tried reaching for me with a shaky hand. I immediately took it into my own.

Oh my dear...

She said into my mind, her voice sounding weak even through the link.

Yes, Luna, what is it? I replied back

Your parents, Alpha Chase...

She flinched when she said Alpha Chase, her mate.

What is it? What happened Luna?

They are gone my sweet boy, I am so ... so sorry.

Before I could add anything else, she continued.

You will become Alpha. Take care of our pack.

She said, her voice growing weaker by the second.

Wait Luna, Allison? What about Allison? I sent her up to see you. I'm so sorry, I didn't know this would happen.

I asked, tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

Allison, she's not...

All of a sudden, I heard the sound of her faint heartbeat turn into a flatline on her monitor.

Luna? Luna? No no no, you can't be gone.

I could feel her hand go limp in mine. I knew she was gone. I didn't want to believe it.

Where was Allison? What was Luna trying to tell me? Is she gone too?

My parents, Alpha Chase. The people I have loved my entire life are gone in the blink of an eye.

Dr. Winston came in at that moment, "I'm sorry to put this on you so soon son, we need to make arrangements for our lost ones. This was a planned assassination." He said, sadness in his tone.

"She said my parents are gone, Alpha Chase is gone. Who will lead? I'm not ready for this." I asked, the tears that had threatened to fall, finally streaming down my face as reality set in.

"You have trained for this position your entire life, you are the most prepared out of everyone. You can do this, your pack believes in you, I believe in you." He says as he grasps my shoulder in his hand in a show of affection.

The responsibility of being Alpha falls to me. I need to get it together and be the leader the pack deserves. I straightened my back and tried to hide the sorrow fighting to escape me.

"We need to find out who did this. I need warriors searching every centimeter of the pack house for evidence once that fire is out. I want doubled border patrol. I need funeral arrangements made for my family and our late Alpha and Luna. Put out of pack-wide link, I need this started now." I said in a cold closed-off tone, even though on the inside I wanted to scream and let my pain be free.

My wolf is hiding in the back of my head, even this pain is too much for him to bear.

"Yes Alpha, right away." Dr.Winston stated as he put out the mind-link to everyone in our pack, informing them of my orders.

Exiting the hospital, I started to run, no direction in mind.

After running for what felt like hours, I approached the small waterfall close to the pack borders. I finally let myself feel the sadness, far away from the members that I'm supposed to lead now.

How could I have sent Allison into the house?

I sent her to her death. It's my fault. All my fault. I fell to my knees, head in hands and started sobbing.

I sent our mate, our beautiful mate, in there. She died because of me.

I should just have told her the truth and she would still be here. How could I be so stupid?

Just as I was about to let out a heartbreaking howl to release the pain built up inside of me.

A smell hit me.

Lavender and freshly picked roses.

Allison.

A:N/ Hello lovely readers, what do you think of the book so far? Lots of love <3

Drunk

Grace POV