Chapter 17


    Alpha Maximus


    In the city I buy a backpack for Hope while we wait for Sally.


    ‘Hey guys. Here you go,’ she says, handing over the money, I put into the backpack.


    ‘We’re going to have breakfast. You should join us,’ I say.


    ‘Sure. There’s a cafe around the corner that makes really good food.’


    ‘Lead the way,’ I say, cheerfully.


    We order breakfast and pay for Sally, and get to know her better. Hope keeps staring out the


    window, watching something or someone. There is a man on his phone a few metres from the window,


    staring at us.


    A few men enter the cafe and sit at different tables. Hope and I look at each other. We can smell


    their scents. Sally notices we’ve stopped listening to her and our bodynguage tells her we’re clearly


    ufortable.


    ‘Is something wrong?’ She whispers.


    ‘I''m sorry, but we need to leave. I don''t want you to be involved in this,’ I say.


    With Hope''s hand in mine, we leave the cafe, and Sally follows us. We walk past the man still on


    the phone. Being in public in a city full of people, they won''t do anything just yet.


    I sling the backpack over my shoulder, relieving Hope of its weight. We speed-walk to a crossing


    with hundreds of people to try and lose our followers.


    We go around a few street corners, trying to lose them. Sally is still following us. We stop in an


    alley.


    ‘Sally, you need to go home. You will put yourself in danger if you stay with us,’ I exin.


    ‘Why are you being followed? What do they want with you? Your car wasn’t stolen, was it?’ She


    asks, realising we’re involved in something bad.


    ‘I appreciate your concern, but you have to go now!’ I snap. A sharp pain hits my arm.


    ‘Shit!’ I say, and my eyes roll back and I fall to the ground.


    ‘Maximus!’ Hope screams, after a van has stopped, and someone has tranquilised me. The men


    jump out of the van, grab Hope and Sally, and speed away.


    When Ie to, I have no idea how long I’ve been out. A little groggy, I stand, and look around.


    ‘Hope!’ I yell.


    There’s no sign of the van or Hope. I run around the block looking for them. I don''t know which


    pack has taken them, but I’ll find out, and make them pay with their life!


    Hailing a taxi, I jump in.


    ‘To Drycrest please, and hurry.’ It’s the closest werewolf territory to Blissville.


    An hourter we arrive in Drycrest.


    ‘Here will be fine,’ I say.


    I run to the field and shift when the taxi is out of sight.


    It has just gone dark. I creep through the pack vige unseen, seeing the pack house in the


    distance.


    Sneaking around to the back, I quietly enter through the back door, and hear chatter,


    conversations, and the smell of a roast. They’re having dinner.


    I creep upstairs and look around until I find the alpha''s bedroom, before entering the walk-in


    wardrobe and shifting into human form.


    An hourter, the door opens and the overweight alpha and his Luna enter the room. Shit! I didn''t


    think about the Luna being here. The alpha sits on the bed, and the Luna closes the door and locks it


    behind them.


    Shees into the wardrobe and before she can scream, I put my hand over her mouth, pressing


    my chest into her back. I walk into the room, with her held tightly, so she can''t move.


    ‘What is this? Let my Luna go!’ Alpha Greg yells, dripping with sweat.


    ‘Let go of my Luna first, and I’ll give yours back!’ I snap.


    ‘Alpha Maximus?’ He says.


    ‘Yes. Where is she?’ I ask.


    ‘I don''t have her,’ he says.


    ‘You’re lying!’ I say.


    ‘No, I''m not lying. Look for her yourself! She isn''t here.’ He exins.


    ‘Then where is she?’ I demand.


    ‘She is probably being returned to her rightful mate, Alpha Tate!’ He snaps. I shove his Luna


    towards the bed, and grab him by the throat.


    ‘She is mine!’ I snarl, partly Chaos.


    ‘Are you going to murder me like you did all the other werewolves?’ He snaps.


    ‘Alpha Tate tried to kill me! He rejected his Luna! And hurt her! I did what was necessary to free


    Hope and I!’ I snarl. We re into each other''s eyes until Alpha Greg realises I’m telling the truth.


    ‘I didn''t know that. Alpha Tate and Alpha Liam were very convincing, but I sensed something


    wasn''t right with Alpha Tate,’ he exins. Releasing his throat, I step back.


    ‘Alpha Tate is in Dawnbury. If Hope has been kidnapped, and hasn''t already been killed, that''s


    where she’ll be,’ Alpha Greg admits.


    ‘Dawnbury is close to my territory,’ I say.


    ‘Yes. Four packs attacked yours.’


    My loyal pack members are with Alpha Dan. I don’t entrust Alpha Greg with this information just


    yet.


    ‘I need your help getting Hope and my territory back,’ I confess.


    ‘How can we take out so many packs? It''s suicide!’ He says.


    ‘I have a n, but I need your word you wille to my aid when I need you to.’


    Alpha Greg steps forward and shakes my hand in agreement.


    ‘I want what is best for the wolfmunity. You can count on me,’ he smiles.


    ‘Good. You’ll hear from me in a few days, so make sure you’re ready to fight,’ I order.


    ‘Stay tonight in the guest room. Just make sure no one sees you. Sneak out in the morning. I''ll


    address the pack when it''s time,’ he says. Nodding, I go to the guest room.


    Struggling to sleep, I spend half the night fighting Chaos who wants to hunt and kill Alpha Tate. I


    get up just before sunrise and shift, arriving at Farglen pack house a few hourster.


    Alpha Trent shoves one of his field workers over, knocking her basket of vegetables to the ground.


    ‘Alpha Trent,’ I say, and he turns around sharply, nervous to see me, without his warriors by his


    side; Chaos rips his head off. Farglen is now mine, and the field workers bow as a sign of respect.


    In Pinefort, Alpha Nate is pissed to see me and foolishly attacks me before I even offer to let him


    live. I kill him too.


    The alpha of the third pack, is also against me, and cowardly gets his pack to fight me, knowing he


    doesn''t stand a chance. I kill him, and sleep in his room, so I’m well-rested, and ready to conquer more


    packs in the morning.


    After eating arge breakfast, I leave straight away. It takes me most of the day to reach the next


    two packs, where I kill the alphas, and let their Lunas stay on and rule on my behalf.


    RêAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    They’re too scared to argue and ept my offer. I call Alpha Greg and tell him which territories are


    now mine and which alphas I have killed.


    He is angry and upset, but knows I didn''t have a choice, because they were all against me, and it


    was either fight or die. This all started because of Alpha Tate.


    He has prepped his men to fight for my territory and has already sent them to reim it.


    I call Alex and ask him and Alpha Dan to have the Drycrest pack help reim my territory, while I


    continue confronting and killing alphas, and finding Hope.


    I pray to the Moon Goddess Hope is okay and unharmed. The thought of Alpha Tate being near


    her awakens Chaos.


    Yearning for Hope, I just want her back safely, in my arms, to take her home, to rule my pack, by


    my side.