Chapter 1: The Touch.
It was the touch he missed the most…
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Night had fallen lick a blanket on the town, the darkness engulfing it with all its evil. This was the night another poor victim would be claimed, the night another person would fall prey to the leeches of the town. The cold-hearted beast cared for nothing but the yearning desire of blood. The worst part is the victim never saw it coming. The leeches took human form, camouflaged into society. Everything about them attracted you. They were like magnets and what was crueler was they left a mess where ever they went.
This attack was no different to the ones before it. Blood had stained the walls and it would remain even after washed away. A mangled carcass lay, its body long before turned cold, cold like the one who had taken its life, cold how it would soon become if it was not taken care of soon. A man no older than 25 sauntered his was down the alley that the felony had taken place. The shifters was constantly covering for the leeches, in fear that they would be exposed if they didn't.
A lone man strolled casually down the alley that had just held such brutality. Blood had started to dry leaving ruby stains spattering the lifeless walls. A slight echo could be heard if you were willing to listen, the last sound of a susceptible woman. This was his job. Protect. Defend his pack from the danger that the filthy leeches had directed at them. This is how he would spend his night, clearing up after a beast.
'Another leech attack?' It was his Beta. He had been left with the pack for the night, no questions asked.
'Yeah. They are getting worse, If this continues then they are going to suck the town dry.' He heard a chuckle from his Beta.
'Emperor Ambrose has to be informed' He was right. He didn't know how much longer this could go on for.
'Make sure nobody leave the pack house' His Alpha voice spoke before cutting off all connections with his Beta and starting to clear up the chaos that would expose his species.
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The day they had met had started off like another, he awoke at the pack house in his room, as usual he was the first up. He had fallen asleep late once again as he was covering up another 'animal attack'. The vampires seemed to be incapable of cleaning up after themselves which left it to him, he would have to talk to the Leech Emperor. He sat up and ran his hand through his midnight hair in attempt to tidy it up a little. His diamond eyes darted to the small figure curled up next to him. His brother must have had another nightmare. His pale skin contrast to the halo of back curls that lay upon his head. His brother always curled up with him whenever he got scare . He slightly stirred causing Kodiak to climb off the bed carefully trying to not to wake the child asleep in his bed. He was only this way with his family. To his pack he was ruthless, cruel even, but if they didn't realize that he was only like this to protect them then they could leave his pack at free will and go survive on their own. As it was only early and the sun had just began to rise from its slumber many of the wolfs were still deep in there slumber, especially the ones with pups.
This morning Kodiak was agitated, more than usual, his skin crawled and his wolf begged to come to the surface. His eyes blackened and claws elongated as he battled the monster inside of him. He felt someone rub his shoulder and he whipped round defensively, ready to attack if needed. He stopped upon seeing his mother and relaxed little but not enough to feel calm. His mother smiled at him and brushed a piece of hair from where it had fallen and he brushed her off.
"Why don't you go for a run." his mother suggested obviously feeling the agitation on him and he shook his head. He needed to be with his pack. What kind of Alpha would he be if he was to just leave them whenever he felt like he needed a break. Sure his Beta, Andrew, could watch over things for a while but what example would he be sending to his people "I am quite capable of watching the pack for a while, I was Luna once you know." she attempted to calm him
"I am aware of that Mother, but I cant." He shook his head again. "I cannot just escape every time the pressure gets too much." His mother sighed
"I have a feeling this much more than just stress" his mother replied. He groaned knowing that he had lost this battle and stood up now over towering his mother.
"I will only be gone for twenty minutes." Kodiak said firmly not sure whether he was trying to convince his mother or himself.
"Take all the time you need my Little Leader" his mother replied using the name she had gifted him with since birth. Kodiak hated the name, for one he was much bigger than his mother so it was an incorrect nickname, and two what if his pack heard that their Alpha was his mother's 'Little Leader'
Kodiak ran out of the pack house into the bitter November air. It nipped at his bare chest as he ran, once concealed by the mass amount of trees he shifted to a gigantic wolf, its fur was as black as the night most children were afraid of. His pools of blue contrast to the magnificent body of hair Kodiak had grown.
Kodiak was now running the border of his land, if he was going to run he might as well make something useful from it. He passed the lake, taking the longer route, letting the sound of rushing water distract him from his thoughts and attempted to let the sound was away his agitation, although he stayed focused as he patrolled. It confused him to why he was still feeling tense, his wolf was more agitated than ever, a sort of force pulled on him but he just kept pushing the feeling away, burying it, he was Alpha he couldn't show his emotion let alone his confusion. He kept on running, paws printing the floor as he did, he dug up the dirt with each step. He ran with pride, head held high and showed no fear. It was how he was taught.
"Be a Leader."
"Be a Chief."
"Be an Alpha"
His father's words hung in the back of his mind, even when dead his father still had control over him and even some of his people. Kodiak had sworn to never become the ruthless, heartless and cruel leader his father was and tried to make him into. Except that is just the person he had become. Just as vicious. Just as cruel. Just as ruthless. His father had raised a monster to lead in his absents.
The snap of a branch beneath human feet called him from his thoughts. His head looked in the direction of the noise. No human strayed out this far into the woods and he knew the scent of his pack. He slowly walked over to the noise to find a girl struggling to walk through the dense forest. He shirt was ripped exposing her stomach where a gash lay. Deciding he would be okay he stepped forward blocking the path of the path of the wandering Girl and almost instantly he was taken aback by the strangers sent, a mix of lilies and pine. A vicious growl unwillingly left his lips. Their eyes met and he instantly knew who she was. This lost human girl was his mate, she was the reason for his agitation. This venerable girl was the reason for his on edge feeling.
The girl stood routed to the spot she stood, she studied the wolf that stood in front of her. The humans eyes held an emotion mostly detectable as fear as well as confusion, Kodiak took this time to examine her, the way her auburn hair fell down her face the color mixing with the leaves that had fallen from the tree that had grown them. The way confusion hung in her eyes. She was small, so small she almost looked sick. She had dirt covering her body darkening her pale skin. If sleeping anyone would have thought she was dead. This caused another growl to escape his lips. He would kill whoever dared to try to hurt his mate. He wanted to hold her, to pick her up and never let her go, to wrap his arms around her and protect her but that wasn't him. He was an evil, heartless monster. Kodiak's eyes commanded her to stay where she was and he ran behind a tree and shifted back to his human form and with a few cracks of bone he was human again and pulling on a pair of cargo shorts. Once he deemed himself decent enough he came back out from the tree. His mate, was still standing in the same space he had left her, a wave of relief rushed over him causing him to release a breath he was unaware he was holding. He walked over to his mate carefully, afraid if he was to move to fast he would run off. Kodiak resisted the urge to pull her into his arms, there was a force pulling them together, Kodiak gently pulled one of her hands up and instantly felt relief.
Surely she felt the bond to.
This is all his wolf was trying to tell him. His mate had finally arrived and he would never let her go after this moment.
"My mate" He whispered. The words felt so natural coming from his lips and yet they felt so wrong. An Alpha should never let anyone control him and yet without even speaking a word she had him wrapped around his figure. She was too weak to try to pull away from the Alphas tight grip. Tears pooled on her eyes slowly falling down her cheeks and Kodiak wiped them away with his thumb wile caressing her face with is hand. She was obviously scared and it was him that scared her. He tried to calm her by whispering words of encouragement to His quivering mate with no success. The girl had wasted her energy trying to get away from her mate, so much to the point she almost collapsed and if it wasn't for Kodiak's quick reaction she would have crumbled to the floor. Kodiak lifted her up with little effort. He wasn't far from the pack house but the thought of everyone seeing him carrying their unconscious Luna made him re-think the idea. The thought of sharing what was made him growl.
Kodiak looked up to see grey clouds storming his land, elements preparing for battle. Rain would come soon and his mate was in no condition to suffer the brutal behavior of a storm. His pack house was the closest, but them he would have to come up with a cover story of bringing a human back to the pack house. His cabin was further but it was a small price to pay to be alone. He decided to take her to his cabin. He ran slower than he usually would have careful not to hurt his mate.
His mate.
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The sky had grown darker even though it was still only morning. He had linking to his Beta telling him to keep everyone inside today as the storm could hurt and that he wasn't able to come back today. Andrew questioned at first but after some scolding from his Alpha the Beta re-took his place. He had now came to the clearing just outside his cabin, the old building stood grand in the center of the clearing. Kodiak ran to the balcony getting out the rain that had started to fall about twenty minutes ago. He had no struggle when opening the door. Inside was a Chesnutt colored sofa that held a plated blanket which still needed to be folded. Kodiak placed his mate on the sofa covering her with the blanket making sure she would be okay before turning to the fire opposite him, he paid his attention to trying to warm the cold interior of the cabin forgetting that he himself was wearing wet clothes. Once he had successfully started the fire and heat started to warm the cabin he finally turned his attention to his self. He still wasn't wearing a shirt making it quite easy to see his defined as body his black hair fell in front of his eyes enough to make it hard for him to see, he took one last look at his mate before going to the bedroom down the hall to change his clothes.
He had left his sleeping mate on the sofa where she was safe from harm's way, she was with him now and he would never let anything hurt her again. This is how the vicious , Malicious, Hateful wolf began to love again. This is where his cold heart began to warm. This was all because of a girl he found. Who knew one girl could impact such a malicious leader without even knowing him.
She was his hope and he was her savior.
They just didn't know it yet.