Alpha Arkan
"Alpha."
I furrowed my brow.
"Alpha."
With a growl, I pulled Kayra a little closer to me. As I did, she snuggled a little closer to me. I purred involuntarily.
Wake up, Arkan, Bozok said in my mind. I think something is happening.
What could it be? Kayra is sleeping in my arms. So everything is fine.
Then I buried my face in her sweet-smelling hair.
"Alpha."
If you're not going to answer, I'm going to cut off the mind connection, Bozok said. This voice is getting on my nerves.
I clenched my teeth in irritation.
What happened? I asked through the mind connection.
"Two witches have arrived. They want to speak with you about Kongar."
It must be those siblings.
I guess.
I'm not available. Give them a room, I told the guard. Tell them we'll meet at breakfast.
"Yes, Alpha."
He finally went quiet, Bozok said.
He did.
I breathed in Kayra's scent again and closed my eyes.
---
"Alpha."
Hrr…
I'll tear them apart.
"Alpha, it's me. Soren."
Get out of my mind! I shouted.
My whole body was trembling with irritation. I wanted to sleep with my Luna. Because of that bastard freak, I had been away from her for long enough already.
I'm cutting off the connection now, Bozok growled.
"Vampire—"
Vampire?
Open the mind connection again, Bozok, I said.
What happened, Soren? I asked through the mind connection.
"The vampires have launched an attack."
Damn it!
We need to protect Kayra.
Yes, Kayra.
Soren.
"Yes, Alpha."
Be here in two minutes, I said. Take Kayra to the shelter.
"Understood, Alpha."
Kayra is staying with us, Bozok said.
No. She needs to be somewhere safe.
The safest place is with me, Bozok growled.
We can't fight while Kayra is with us.
Let's take her and go.
No. I can't leave the pack behind.
Hrrr… Kayra…
After waking Kayra, we got out of bed and got dressed.
"Alpha."
When I turned around, I saw Soren.
"We're ready," I said.
I went over to Kayra, who was looking at us worriedly. I took her soft hands in mine.
Mine.
"The vampires have launched an attack earlier than I expected," I said. "Soren will take you to the shelter—"
No! Kayra is staying with us! Bozok growled.
His anger was so strong that everyone in the room could hear his growl.
You're making things difficult, Bozok. We don't have much time, I said.
But he wasn't listening to me. I could feel my fangs beginning to grow longer. He was slowly taking over my body.
"Kayra is mine!"
Bozok had made his voice audible to everyone in the room as well. I was struggling to keep control of my body. That was why my whole body was trembling.
"Luna, let's go," Soren said. "We don't have much time. I need to get you somewhere safe."
Just then, I noticed a red glow at the window.
A vampire.
Bloodsucker.
I shifted into my Lycan form with a roar and rushed past Kayra.
Soren, take Kayra! I shouted through the mind connection.
No!
Then I leaped toward the vampire, broke through the window, and fell with him. As we fell, I bit down on the vampire's head and tore it off. Then I roared in triumph.
They will all die.
When I looked around, I saw wolves and vampires fighting ruthlessly. When I looked up, I couldn't see the moon. There were only a few hours left until sunrise. We would kill as many of them as we could before then. The sun would take care of the rest.
They'll burn.
Exactly.
---
We had been fighting for a while, and I noticed something strange. They had launched their attack very late. It was almost sunrise. What they were doing was practically suicide.
Why would they do something like this?
Suspicious.
Besides, the vampires we were fighting seemed very weak. They looked as if they had only just been turned.
A trap.
My eyes widened in fear.
"Kayra," I whispered.
Run!
As I ran toward the pack house, several shadows rushed past me. Then I heard Alara's voice.
"Arkan!" she shouted. She was running out through the door. She pointed at the shadow that had just rushed past me. "They caught Kayra."
It was as if time had stopped. As my breathing grew faster, I felt anger spreading through my entire body.
"Alpha Arkan, we're here."
My whole body tensed at the male voice coming from behind me. I knew this voice and that disgusting scent. As I turned toward the voice, another scent reached me. This one was sweet.
Kayra.
I bared my teeth at Valen with a roar. I watched with satisfaction as Valen tensed and took a step back. When I saw Kayra being held in front of him, I started walking toward them.
"Don't come any closer," Valen said. "Or else…" He raised his hand into the air. As his black nails suddenly lengthened, he brought his hand to Kayra's throat.
"Arkan," Kayra whimpered.
I'll tear him apart!
The moment he touched Kayra's throat with his nails, I stopped where I was.
"Let her go!" I growled.
As Alara and Soren came over to me, the battle outside had also stopped. As the vampires gathered behind Valen, my werewolves surrounded them as well.
"You can't get out of here," I said.
He laughed.
Bastard.
What are we waiting for? Let's tear that face of his to pieces, Bozok growled.
We will, I said. But first, we need to save Kayra.
Kayra was looking at me with fear in her eyes. I had to do something. But how?
Where is Kongar? Bozok asked.
Yes, where was he? He wouldn't let anything happen to Kayra, would he?
I asked Soren through the mind connection where Kongar was.
"Alpha."
I immediately focused when I heard Soren's voice in my mind.
"They found Kongar lying on the ground in the bushes," he said.
What, was the bastard sleeping?
Wake him up, I said.
"His body isn't moving."
I'd be surprised if he were any use anyway.
He's nothing but trouble, I said.
"Don't talk among yourselves."
When I heard Valen's voice, I fixed my eyes on his.
"You don't have secret conversations in front of everyone," he said in a teacher-like manner. "Didn't your mother teach you these things?"
"Hrr…"
"Apparently not," he said.
Angrily, I took a few steps toward him.
"A… a," he said, as he drove his black nails into Kayra's neck, right where my mark was.
I stopped immediately when Kayra hissed in pain.
He won't get an easy death! Bozok growled. His growl could be heard outside too.
Although the vampires tensed, they held their positions.
When I looked at Kayra's neck, I noticed blood trickling down from where Valen's nails had pierced her skin.
He must die.
He should suffer first, I said.
Valen must have noticed the blood as well, because he leaned toward Kayra's neck.
He must have caught the scent of her blood, bastard.
Then he licked the blood trickling down from her neck.
I was struggling to control the anger inside me. Unable to hold back any longer, I started running toward them.
"No, Alpha!"
Ignoring Soren's warning, I kept running. But Valen stopped licking Kayra's neck and sank his teeth into it this time.
My legs suddenly gave out, and I collapsed to the ground.
Get up!
No, I said. He'll kill her.
I watched Valen drink Kayra's blood and then lick the place where he had bitten her.
You're a coward.
Maybe I was…
Yes, I was a coward.
I was very afraid of losing Kayra.
"I'm sorry."
I looked at Kayra when I heard her whisper.
"Ah, why are you apologizing?" Valen asked Kayra. "The Alpha is the one who should be apologizing."
He was right.
"He's responsible for all of this," he continued.
"What do you want?" I asked. I was still sitting on the ground. I couldn't get up.
"Revenge," he said. He was silent for a while. "And… your death."
The feeling is mutual.
"Let her go. Take me instead," I said.
"No," he said. "I have a surprise for you."
Then he raised his free hand and bit into his wrist.
Psycho.
No, I said.
After pulling his teeth from his wrist, Valen brought his bleeding arm to Kayra's mouth.
"No!" I shouted helplessly.
Valen forced Kayra to drink his blood. Although Kayra struggled to get free, she was no match for him.
He's going to turn her into a vampire! Bozok shouted in my mind.
Yes… and we'll die too.
Devil.
Although Kayra tried to vomit up the blood she had swallowed, Valen covered her mouth with his hand. Then he broke her neck.
No—
"No—"
When my heart clenched in pain, I couldn't breathe. As I brought my hand to my constricted heart, I slowly shifted from my Lycan form back into my human form. Then I fell to the ground on my side. As my head touched the ground, I looked at Kayra, who was hanging motionless in Valen's arms.
"Alpha!"
"Alpha!"
I heard Soren and Alara screaming, but I couldn't answer. My eyelids were growing heavy. I couldn't keep them open any longer.
And finally, everything went dark.
— Volume 1 Finale —