Chapter one

The wind whipped his hair and bit mercilessly into his cheeks. Ben didn't dare stop. He kept on running.

To other animals of the forest, he was a blur, but to those who were pursuing him, he knew that they could easily catch up to him.

It was midnight. The full moon was out, and he had switched to his night vision. He could see better than any other creature in the forest and he ran on.

He heard a loud howl from behind him and adrenaline surged through his body. He increased his pace and kept his mind intent on reaching his destination.

Ben looked at the bundle which was wrapped in a cloth and tucked safely in his strong arms. A mix of emotions overwhelmed him.

He looked at the small and reddened face of his only son peeking through the clothes that his mother had wrapped him in to ward off the cold and he felt hatred towards his pursuers for doing what they were doing.

He would protect his son at all cost even if it meant sacrificing himself as his father had done while protecting him from the harsh realities of the werewolf world.

"My son," he whispered. "I love you so much."

Another harsh and guttural howl came from his left and right and Ben knew that he was surrounded. The werewolves planned to encircle him and cut him off from reaching the cliff edge.

It was now or never. He could never stand the thought of his son being killed by those savages that were chasing him. The most painful part was that they weren't always savages; these people had been part of his pack.

He told his beta where to wait for him. He hoped that Luke had reached the rendezvous point safely.

Ben knew that there was nothing that could be done for him. His time was up at such a full moon as tonight when the pack craved blood. This time around, it was his blood that they sought.

All his life Ben had always walked in the footsteps of his father. He conditioned himself to be strong, smart and wise like his father, who had been the alpha of the Lotus pack before him.

He knew that he was the successor to the Lotus pack after his father died and so he had done everything to be the Alpha of his father's dreams. When his father had died, Ben automatically became the Alpha of the lotus pack.

He liked to consider himself as a good alpha. For the small amount of time that he was Alpha, the lotus pack hadn't had any clashes with other various packs. It was safe to say that his reign, although short, had been peaceful.

To even further protect his pack, he had married a woman from another pack rather than someone from the Lotus pack. His aim was to make a strong alliance between the two packs.

Her name was Selena and she was the most beautiful woman that Ben had ever seen. He had been so happy with her. During the course of being an alpha and his marriage to Selena, he had never felt so fulfilled in his whole life.

Nothing had ever prepared him for the truth that his father who he had so much respect and love for had another son.

It wasn't uncommon for Alpha kings to sometimes stray from the normal norms and seek a woman elsewhere. But Ben had never thought that such a behavior could come from his father.

His father had been something of an icon for him. It had hurt so much when Ben and his mother had found out the truth after his father's death.

His father had another son apart from Ben and from the moment that Ben found out about this, he knew that his position as the Alpha was shaky.

Ben had been preparing for this day from the moment he saw his father's illegitimate son. The spark of mischief behind the eyes of his bastard brother had reached deep into his soul.

A month after his father's other son had surfaced, Ben had tried to make peace with him but it was apparent that he was just as interested in the position of Alpha. It meant only one thing; he had to kill Ben to get his desired position.

Two months later, after Selena and Ben had tied the knot and birthed their first child, the bastard son decided to strike.

Ben didn't know how his step brother had managed to rally his own werewolf pack against him.

Now, there he was being hunted by his pack inside the woods together with his baby boy. They had killed his wife Selena before then.

He was being hunted in the woods like a sacrificial animal. The thought that it was his own brother and members of his own pack treating him this way filled him with so much pain. For a minute, Ben felt choked with emotions.

He bit back the tears that threatened to spill and pushed on. He could now see the cliff's edge; the rendezvous point with his loyal beta.

He heard another sharp howl but this time, in succession. Ben knew that they had sniffed him out.

He reached the cliff's edge and peeked below. It was a startling drop perhaps fifty feet below. Although he was sure of the capabilities of his beta, it scared him.

There was a roar from deep inside the woods. Ben knew that he had to act fast.

He looked at his son one more time. Tears filling his eyes, he kissed the warm blush of his son who was smiling at him and exposing a toothless mouth.

"I love you so much," he said and then he threw his son off the cliff.

He knew that his beta Luke would be there waiting to catch him.

Suddenly, there was a roar close to him and he turned to see a large powerful wolf lunge at him. Ben ducked and rolled away from the claws of the wolf.

The wolf, unable to control his lunge, sailed over the cliff with a heart-rending whimper. Even for the wolf's healing capabilities, a drop that far would kill him.

As Ben watched more wolves emerge from the shadows, each of their small red eyes locked on him.

Ben didn't need to assume his wolf form. He still had all the perks of being a wolf without it. That was a special privilege granted to people who became Alpha of the lotus pack.

Ben roared. He let out his frustration, anger and sorrow into that one roar. He knew that he was done for but he would never go down without a fight.

He watched as the werewolves circled him, big towering creatures. He felt no fear, only sorrow. His step brother emerged from the woods still a human and locked eyes with him like the rest.

Ben looked at him and felt nothing. He didn't say anything; there was nothing to be said. No use crying over spilt milk.

"Kill him." His brother growled with hate.

The wolves howled and they all lunged for him. Ben roared and charged.

He would die here knowing that his son was alive to avenge him.