FATED TO ALPHA HUNTER BY VENNEH LISAH

𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐀'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕:

When we arrived at the town square, Alpha Brian glanced over and noticed the children. He snarled and stomped over to them.

"What are you all doing here?" he snarled, and Junior growled at him, startling him as he hadn't seen him before. Alpha Brian backed up with his hands raised, while the minutes all stood frozen in fear. It angered me that they feared him.

"Is that how you've been treating these kids, Alpha?" I asked him, walking through the crowd of children.

He backed up further. "No. Um... no, I was just concerned that they were loitering on the streets," he muttered. "See, I love them. I care about them," he said, pointing to his friend, Alpha Dylan, who was looking at us nervously.

"That wasn't what I asked. I asked if that is how you treat them, with animosity," I snarled. His lips parted, and he glanced at his friend, then one of the guards stepped forward.

"My Queen, from the town dwellers, they are ever harsh and never friendly to the kids," he answered, and I nodded, turning to look at Alpha Brian.

"Hmm... On the stage, both of you!" I ordered, my voice coming out strong along with my aura, which I was finding more effortless and easier to use. They both rushed up the steps and stood at the top of them.

"My King, is this really necessary? We have been kind to them," Alpha Dylan said.

"But you are not kind to them. I just witnessed the animosity you showed towards them just now," Arman answered him as I wandered over to the fruit stall that was just closing its shutters.

"How much for all of it?" I asked the elderly woman. She jumped, not seeing me come up behind her.

"You!" she sneered, pointing her withered old finger at me.

"Excuse me?" I asked her.

"You! The rogue girl!" she sneered.

"My name is Ania Devonshire! You will address me as such unless you want to join your Alpha!" I snarled. She stuttered out an apology.

"Now I asked you a question. How much for the lot of it?" I repeated myself.

"You want the entire shop?" she asked. I shook my head.

"No, just the fruit and vegetables," I said.

"Just take what you want," she told me.

"I don't want to send you broke, ma'am. Despite your lack of manners," I chirped.

Arman came up behind me and touched my shoulder. "We have fruits at home," he whispered, and I nodded, picking up a tomato.

"I know," I told him, turning around, tossing it in the air, and catching it as I walked and stopped in front of the stage.

"Kids," I called out, and they all turned to face me.

"Grab some fruit," they rushed off, taking fruit from the shelves.

They all returned as the buses pulled up. "Now, to show you the same dignity, Alpha," I told them. Some of the children were eating their fruit while I chucked my tomato at the Alphas. My tomato hit Alpha Brian square in the face, splatting with an audible sound and covering him in tomato juices. Alpha Brian growled when Travis laughed before screaming.

"Food fight!" I yelled. Like a mini-army, the kids turned. Their eyes lit up with mischief as they tossed their fruit and vegetables at the Alphas, who tried to dodge their attacks but couldn't step off the small stage. When they were finished, I told the children to grab more fruit to eat as a snack on the way before helping load them onto the buses. Once that was done, I wandered back over to the Alphas covered in bits of fruit, vegetables, and juices.

"You will both step down as Alphas until a new one is appointed. And I…" I started. I looked at Arman, needing his help; I wasn't sure how to strip someone of their title.

Arman's aura rushed out, bringing them both to their knees. "I, Arman of the Arman Kingdom, hereby strip you, Alpha Dylan, and Alpha Brian, of your Alpha titles! I declare you both the very thing you despise so much. I declare you rogues until you are accepted into another pack or your new Alpha declares you pack!" Arman said, stripping both of them of their titles.

"Wait! Wait! I will do better!" Brian pleaded, desperately wanting to step off the stage, but he was bound by my command.

"You may approach," I told him, and he jumped down, falling to his knees in front of me.

"Please! Please! I will do as you ask! Anything!" he begged. I glanced at Arman, who shrugged and left the decision to me. I bit my lip, considering his plea. He did have a point—they needed an Alpha. Looking around, I noticed Scovia raising her hand from behind Junior. Technically, she had Beta blood and was studying accounting. A smirk formed on my lips, knowing that nothing would irk Brian more than having to answer to a woman.

"From now on, you answer to Scovia. Until she deems you fit, you will remain as rogues. Additionally, you will ensure she has the time to complete her course and assist her in any way she requests," I informed him.

"She is a woman!" Brian snapped at me.

"Yes, but she is so much more than that now. She is your Alpha," I replied. Scovia smirked and folded her arms, and I looked at Arman, knowing he was the only one who could facilitate this transition. He would have to teach me how to grant someone their titles because I had a feeling it was not the same as stripping them of their mate bond. And I was right.

Arman motioned for Scovia to come forward and had her kneel. He then used his claws to slice his palm, allowing his blood to drip into her mouth. Before he made a pledge, she repeated it, officially declaring Scovia as the new Alpha. She gasped, clutching her chest, and fell back onto her bottom, and I could sense her aura becoming stronger, indicating her newfound authority.

Alpha Brian roared, rising to his feet and charging at her. Scovia glared at him, remaining calm as she stood up.

"Sit!" she commanded, and he froze, falling on his backside. Dylan hung his head, appearing ashamed of his friend's behavior. I was astonished at how effortlessly Scovia commanded him. I hoped that it would become as natural for me, enabling me to have complete control of my aura and command others as she did. Brian fell to his knees in front of her, obeying her commands.

Once Arman was sure Scovia had both men under control, he escorted me back to the Limo and I climbed in the back and slid across the seat. My hands shook with adrenaline and I felt a little giddy. The feeling wore off as the car started. I glanced out the window as the bus and the cars followed, however the bus headed down a different street, as the pack house street was too narrow for the bus to fit, with its low-hanging trees . We slowed a little as the pack house came into view out my window.

That place will never hurt anymore children. I unclipped my seatbelt and tapped on the window. Travis wound the glass window down and I told them to stop. The car did and one of the other cars followed after the bus, while the other three stopped behind us.

I opened my door then Arman gripped the back of my pants. "You don't need to go back in there. There is nothing there for you anymore," he whispered, but I wanted no remnants of that place.

"I know," I told him and he let me go and sighed. I climbed out as did the guards, taking positions around the cars. Travis came over to me.

"What's wrong?" he asked. I shook my head, moving toward Junior as he stepped out of the car.

"Have you got a lighter?" I asked knowing he smoked. He lifted an eyebrow at me.

"Terrible habit. Shouldn't smoke when up the duff," he told me and I rolled my eyes and held my hand out for the lighter.

"I'm not smoking." I told him, and he pulled a packet out before lighting a smoke.

"Since we have stopped," he said, handing me the lighter. I stepped over the gate, and Arman gripped my arm.

"What are you doing?" he asked

"Making sure no more kids ever come back here." I told him, shaking his arm off. Guards rushed ahead of me as I walked around the outside of the building to the small garden shed out the back. Arman followed but just watched me as I reached above the low hanging tin roof for the padlock key. I felt around before pulling it down and unlocking the padlock.

Ducking my head, I stepped inside and saw a red Jerry can. I grabbed it off the small shelf and shook it to find it had a bit of fuel left in it for the mower. I cracked the lid and the fumes confirmed it was indeed petrol. I stepped out of the garden shed. Arman gasped, coming over and snatched it from me.

"You are not playing with petrol!" he growled.

"Give it to me." I told him, holding my hand out. But he refused.

"Give me the lighter. I will do it," he said, holding his hand out. I didn't care who did it, as long as the place was reduced to nothing but soot and ash. I handed him the lighter then junior bounced on the balls of his feet like an excited kid in a candy store.

"Can I help? Junior likes playing with fire." he said, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

I glanced inside the small shed when Junior cleared his throat behind me.

"No fuel needed. I always have lighter fluid," he said, and I looked at him over my shoulder to see him rummage inside his jacket.

"Here, hold this," he said, passing me a knife. "Ah, and this," he said, dropping a pistol into my hand. Arman growled, snatching it from me.

"Junior!" he scolded him.

"It's in here somewhere," Junior muttered, pulling out an apron covered in blood. He sniffed it and pulled a face. "I was wondering what that smell was!" Junior muttered, chucking the apron over his shoulder and rummaging around some more. "Ah, found it!" he announced, holding up a bottle of lighter fluid. He then turned to Travis, who was watching him as if Junior were a madman.

"Hey, ferret face f**k, hold my shit!" Junior said, dumping his apron and taking the knife from me and his pistol from Arman. He loaded up Travis's arms before removing his jacket.

"Genuine leather. Can't ruin that," Junior said, dumping it in Travis's arms. Arman growled as Junior skipped like a kid to the back door. He let out a ninja cry before kicking in the back door, and Arman shook his head.

"Can't take this idiot anywhere," he cursed, stalking after Junior with the jerrican in hand. Travis nodded for me to follow him.

"Think that man needs a psych evaluation," Travis muttered to me and nudged me with his elbow. I laughed, following Travis back out to the front with the guards surrounding us.

"Call the fire brigade. Don't want it getting out of control," Travis told one of the guards, who pulled out his phone. I leaned against the hood of the limo, listening to Junior singing at the top of his lungs inside the house. I also heard glass shattering before he came to the front window on the top floor. He waved, and I laughed before waving back.

"That man is unhinged," I told Travis as Arman came out, shaking his head. He reeked of petrol fumes. Arman stopped beside me.

"The fool is going to kill himself one day," Arman said when Junior suddenly set the curtains of the room on fire with the lighter he stole from Arman. He started catcalling out the window and dancing.

"Junior, get out of there! The room is on fire, you twat!" Arman shouted, causing Junior to abruptly stop his bizarre fire dance. The entire room was engulfed in flames, and Junior quickly yanked the curtain rod from the window.

"Do you smell smoke?" he asked, grinning widely and displaying all his teeth. Arman shook his head in disbelief as Junior climbed out of the window, dancing on the roof and chanting about fire gods or some nonsense. The neighboring room caught fire, and Junior rubbed his hands together, preparing to jump off the small porch roof when he suddenly vanished. I blinked, only to hear a crash as he crashed through the porch roof. Groaning, he sat up while Travis erupted in laughter beside me.

Junior raised his hand. "I'm okay!" he announced before rolling onto his side. A tile fell off and struck his shoulder before shattering on the ground.

"Ouch! That hurt my fanny!" he exclaimed, rubbing his buttocks and skipping down the steps. Just as he stepped off the last one, the entire porch collapsed.

"Wow! Talk about perfect timing!" Junior remarked.

We watched as the place burned, the roof collapsing and the air filling with black smoke. Once we heard the sirens approaching, we climbed into the limo, knowing that they would contain whatever was left of the burning wreckage.

As the wind carried the smoke away, I felt myself relax, as if it were also carrying my past with it. Lucy was no more, and Richie was no more. I knew that my past and the hardships we endured would always remain, but the sense of relief that came with watching that place burn gave me hope. Perhaps the memories would one day fade, maybe they wouldn't hurt as much. Arman reached over and squeezed my hand, and I looked at him.

"Are you ready to go home?" he asked, and I nodded.

I was ready to go home, and for once, the castle felt like home. As much as I was petrified of being a queen and the responsibilities it entailed, there was someone there always hoping I could be found in a mistake. Still, it didn't bring the fear this place did. And for once, I felt free—free of everything and this place, free to try to move on. Because one thing I knew: if I could survive five harrowing years here, I could survive anything.

Nothing breaks a soul more than being suppressed; nothing breaks someone more than being shackled and trapped in a repetitive loop of torture. Arman and I had our differences, different beliefs that came with different upbringings, and different views of how we should be. Arman was raised with a silver spoon while I was raised with close to nothing. Both of us had our struggles to contend with, and I knew that most of what Arman struggled with were insecurities, while I struggled with what was beat into me, engraved, making me meek and fearful of everything—a part of myself I was trying to work on. Yet, you can't beat a dog every day and expect it not to flinch when you pat it. Everything takes time, but I knew Arman could be patient. I just had to remember that I had to be patient with him, too.

I was now aware that I knew very little about who I was, but I trusted Arman would eventually teach me. As much as he angered me, I did trust him. And after today, when he let me have control, I trusted he would also one day let me find my voice—the one that was squashed living here. So with those thoughts in mind, yes, I was ready to go home. Home was something I never thought I would have, but now, I realized home was anywhere Arman was.

THE END