Marry to Alpha or Vampire?

Theo snorted, and Hazel didn’t interrupt his narration.

“Kane conspired with Beta Jarvis of The Iron Star Pack. He actually wants to take over The Iron Star Pack,” Theo roared, unable to quell his inner anger.

“Kane is such a fool,” Hazel’s wolf, Rita, howled in her mind, equally disapproving of Kane’s foolish behavior.

“Don’t interrupt, let me continue,” Hazel spoke up.

She knew about The Iron Star Pack. Rumor had it that their Alpha was unbeatable in battle, leading a formidable pack. Kane, in his arrogance, had no idea what he was getting into, trying to challenge such a powerful Alpha.

Hazel couldn’t help but wonder what had happened next. “What happened next?” she asked eagerly, wanting to know Kane’s fate.

“Kane sent people to assassinate The Iron Star Pack’s Alpha and tried to make Jarvis his inside man. But they were onto Kane’s scheme, and they outsmarted him,” Theo succinctly summarized the key points.

Hazel rolled her eyes, disgusted by the trouble Kane had caused. “He’s just like his father, so spineless and inept,” her grandmother chimed in, her eyes filled with disdain.

“How did our mother die?” Hazel inquired, curious about her mother’s cause of death, even if she felt resentful toward her.

“That night, Alpha Cyril of The Iron Star Pack invaded The Setting Moon Pack. Kane was so frightened that he demanded that all the wolves join the battle or face immediate execution,” Theo explained recent events, his face darkening. “He hid in a secret room in the forest while our pack members fought for their lives. Our mother was killed by another wolf who appeared suddenly while she was running.”

Upon learning the cause of her mother’s death, Hazel didn’t know how to feel. She had never fulfilled her responsibilities as a mother, but she still wanted to understand her mother’s fate.

Hazel grasped her grandmother’s hand, hoping she wouldn’t be too saddened by the news. Her grandmother simply waved it off, indicating that she could handle it.

“What’s the situation now?” Hazel asked, noticing that many new faces had appeared outside.

Hazel thought of the man she had encountered in the forest and wondered if these unfamiliar faces had any connection to him.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“We’ve lost too many wolves in the battle. Alpha Cyril offered clemency for anyone who surrenders. I chose to surrender, not wanting to see anyone else die,” Theo explained, embracing his decision as the Beta.

“Poor Theo,” Rita spoke up once more.

“He must be in a tough spot, but he had no other choice,” Hazel hugged Theo, believing that nobody would blame him.

“Kane hid in a secret room in the forest during the battle. That damn coward actually tried to escape!” Theo spat, his anger palpable.

Her grandmother’s expression turned grim. She too found Kane’s behavior reprehensible. No Alpha had ever abandoned their pack. Alphas pledged to live and die with their pack, and Kane had not only violated his oath but also shirked his duty as an Alpha.

“So, is he dead?” Hazel couldn’t help but wonder what she would do if she encountered Kane. Her anger would likely lead to his demise.

“Cyril has him under confinement. In three days, he will be publicly executed,” Theo revealed, showing a faint smile at the thought.

“That’s going to be quite a show,” Hazel declared. She was eager to see Kane meet his end, a way to honor the fallen wolves who had paid the price for Kane’s incompetence. “So, what’s the status of our pack now?”

“Hazel, we’re now part of The Iron Star Pack. The man you saw in the forest today, that was Alpha Cyril. He demands that all the deceased wolves be cremated within a week,” Theo’s tone turned somber, and Hazel realized that the situation had escalated beyond her imagination. She hadn’t expected so much to change in just a year.

Hazel sat silently on the couch, absorbing the unfolding events. Her mother had passed away, Kane had abandoned their pack, and now they had a new Alpha.

“What about your Beta position?” Hazel questioned.

“Jarvis betrayed us, and Cyril had him dealt with on the spot. Cyril invited me to remain as his Beta,” Theo explained, conveying that he had no choice in the matter. Staying alive and retaining his position as Beta were the silver linings of an unfortunate situation.

“At least Alpha Cyril will never abandon his pack,” Theo continued.

After a long and painful conversation, Theo had finally explained everything. Hazel and her grandmother were slowly coming to terms with the situation. Hazel and her grandmother settled in, and as Hazel walked into her room and saw a photo of her and her father, tears welled up in her eyes.

“Hazel, are you okay?” Rita inquired, sensing Hazel’s increasingly despondent mood.

“I’m not okay,” Hazel replied, her brows furrowed.

She thought that after a year, she’d be able to come to terms with the fact that her father was no longer alive, but that wasn’t the case.

When Hazel witnessed her father’s head being torn off by another rogue, it tore her heart apart. She rushed to her father’s side as quickly as she could, but all she found on the ground was his brutally mangled body, and her father’s head hanging from a tree branch.

Her mother, on the other hand, stood not far away with her mouth gaping open, unable to utter a word. Her mother’s fingers waved aimlessly, but she didn’t even go closer to see her husband’s body.

She just stood there, doing nothing! She was afraid for her own life, so she ran away, showing no concern for her companion relationship with her husband. It was utterly heartless.

“That’s not your fault; it’s Sadie’s fault,” Rita roared, not liking how Hazel was blaming herself.

Hazel understood this reasoning, so her mother’s passing didn’t bring her much grief, but she still harbored resentment towards her.

“What the hell?” Hazel wiped her tears and found that her mind link had activated again. A deep, raspy voice echoed in her mind, making her shudder.

“Report to the Pack House at 8 PM tonight,” a man’s raspy voice commanded in Hazel’s mind, authoritative and stern.

“Is that Alpha Cyril?” Hazel hurried downstairs to ask Theo.

“What?” Theo frowned, not understanding what was happening.

“Someone used a mind link on me, instructing me to register tomorrow,” Hazel explained, puzzled by the command.

“That’s Alpha Cyril,” Theo nodded, his lips pressed in a thin line. “The Iron Star Pack is very strict about their rules. You should check it out.”

Hazel looked at the two of them, disliking being compelled to do anything, even if this person was her new Alpha.

“Best of luck to him,” she mumbled. She would make sure this new Alpha got to know her.

Hazel rolled her eyes and went back upstairs to prepare for a nap. She had woken up too early today, and she needed to recharge her energy.

“Are you sure you don’t want to set an alarm?” Rita grumbled, feeling uneasy.

“I’ll wake up, Rita,” Hazel reassured her. It was just 8 PM, after all.

Hazel got her bed ready, and when she picked up her pillow, she found a note had fallen out.

“Hazel, welcome back.”

The handwriting looked familiar, but Hazel couldn’t remember whose it was. She knew she needed sleep.

As night fell, Hazel remained deeply asleep, tossing and turning, murmuring something in her sleep.

“You’re late, you’re late,” Hazel heard a voice angrily shout in her sleep. She recognized the voice from the mind link she’d received earlier: Alpha Cyril.

Oh no! She had overslept!

Hazel hurriedly reached for a set of black, form-fitting workout clothes from her suitcase and quickly fixed her hair in front of the bathroom mirror. Then, she rushed down the stairs, nearly knocking her grandmother over.

Hazel didn’t even hear what her grandmother was saying as she moved past her. She had to get going!

“Hazel, are you challenging the new Alpha’s authority?” Rita’s tone sounded like she was enjoying Hazel’s predicament.

“Shut up! Why didn’t you wake me?” Hazel shouted.

“Hey, be reasonable. You said you could wake up on your own!” Rita huffed, expressing her discontent.

Rita’s voice disappeared, and Hazel rolled her eyes. Damn!

When Hazel arrived at the Pack House, she could see many people lining up at the entrance. She stood behind them, her expression serious.

She noticed a few burly men suddenly appear, leading away those in front of her who had been waiting in line.

In an instant, Hazel was the only one left at the entrance.

She observed everything in front of her, with strangers loitering nearby, busy and unable to stop.

Hazel had been busy watching the bare-chested men, and she didn’t know what this whole registration thing was about.

Hazel crossed her arms, her brow furrowing, and entered the registration office. She was puzzled to find it empty. Where had those people gone?

“Very well, let’s go home!” Hazel smiled, assuming that she didn’t need to register since there was no one here to attend to her!

Hazel turned abruptly and almost collided with someone’s chest.

“Oh shit!” Hazel felt like she forgot how to breathe. It was him?