Chapter 2

• Adrian’s POV
• Six hours, that’s how long I’ve been sorting out papers and filing with the help of my Beta who also happens to be my best friend, Santiago Rodriguez.
• Scanning through the file on my desk, I chuckle, Alpha Jacob simply couldn’t have thought I would agree to the terms and conditions of this contract or is he this stupid?
• Narrowing his eyes he asks, ”So then, their third request has been refuted?”
• “I think that goes without saying.”
• He rolls his eyes, his fist colliding with the desk. “Adrian we need that entire land.” He protests. Ah, I don’t know why he always goes against me but stands beside me when we’re out there in the open, I guess it’s our brotherhood dynamic, him against me, the world against us.
• I take the file and close it, waving it in between my fingers, “And get it we shall, but allotting Jacob my three best warriors? That’s not happening. I could trade them but Jacob thinks he has some hold on me because of that land and I simply can’t turn down the chance to show him why I’m Alpha of the year.” I jeer, tossing the file to the burn pile.
• Santiago chuckles, throwing his head back. Surely he knows my plan will be to take more than just the land from Alpha Jacob.
• There is a gentle knock on my door and before I give them permission to come in, I already know who it is. She doesn’t give me a chance to respond as she enters before I can utter a word. My sister is at the door, a wide smile on her face when the door swings open, one I never want to see fade. “Alpha Adrian.” She sings like she does every time she wants something. I recently became Alpha and my sister loathes it and cherishes it at the same time.
• I’ve been running the pack with the guidance of my mother, the Fire Luna up until almost two years ago. I’ve attained quite the prestige around these parts and I’ve won Alpha of the year this year, last year I lost by a close vote to Alpha Ryan of Dark Moon pack.
• I click the tip of my pen as I watch her close the door, “My moon goddess.” I smile at her as she makes her way in. Mirabelle is my younger sister we’re very close in age.
• Throughout her life people have commended her beauty, saying she is a replica of the Moon goddess. When they see her, people see this stunning girl with immense benevolence but me? All I see is a goofy little brat when I look at her but others say she is the most beautiful girl in the world and she has quite the number of trophies from her beauty pageant’s.
• Belle halts behind Santiago, “So Alpha…” she begins, her fingers intertwine as she bites her tongue, Santiago waves her off and goes back to analysing his file. “Well the thing is…err you see, I-”
• Here we go, she’s beating around the bush like she always does, tip toeing around what is clear as day. Normally, I could entertain this, barely. But today, I have a lot on my mind and plate. Looking directly at her, I tap my pen on the desk, “Moon you know I will always have time for you but right now, you’re slowing me down I have some duties to tend to so be quick.” I sneer, cutting her off.
• “Did you know, Alpha Ryan has a Luna?”
• Really? Is this it, my sister has a talent for annoyance. “Santiago.” I sigh, irritated by how far my sister goes to piss me off. I’m in here working and she comes with her bullshit, not her adorable teenage girl bullshit that I’m used to but her ‘I wanna piss Alpha off’ bullshit.
• Santiago chuckles, too familiar with her antics. “Moon get to the point, Adrian and I are a bit busy today.”
• She strolls past Santiago, now standing beside him. “Never mind.” She pouts“ I was just angry no one told me I was thinking I was his mate.”
• I see, she’s here to ridicule me with the fact that one of the only three worthy opponents I have has a Luna and I don’t.
• However she doesn’t know I could care less about a mate, they slow you down and make you unstable. That's all they’re good for. I don’t give her a reaction, instead I grab another file in the hope that she’ll see how busy I am and leave but no, she doesn’t, she continues to babble. Her hand comes to her chest and she sighs dramatically, “Did you see the invite to his Beta’s birthday party,”
• No I didn't, but my Beta did and he didn’t find it necessary to tell me, so it’s non beneficial to us, plus Ryan's territory isn’t somewhere I’d be caught dead. We had a deal and we kept it that way. Santiago looks away from his file, his eyes resting on my sister, our sister. “We are not going.” He tells her.
• Mirabelle being who she is, won’t go down without a fight. Her eyes flicker between us before resting on me. “ Well I hope you know that it’s not only a birthday party but a celebration organised by the council to celebrate the induction of new members so attendance is mandatory.” I frown and she grins wider.
• Oh, she thinks I’m taking her with me, certainly not. I matched her grin, “You’re still not going.”
• Her face instantly falls, the smile fading like it never traced her lips but she collects herself faster, tossing her hair behind her back, she flashes her pearly white teeth at both Santiago and I. “Mmm, I know I’m a temptation to be a around I will stay in my room all night alone.”
• Turning my attention to the new file, I nod “Good then.” I don’t want to look at her and see her sad and let her have her way so I keep to my file, a second later I hear her grunt, her foot stomping the floor like she did when she was a toddler, The door slams shut behind her. I look up from my file, tossing it to Santiago, who scowls at me, “Hey loosen up on Moon.”
• I shoot him a look, he knows that look. Loosen up on moon? The girl needs supervision always, she is recklessly graceful. I clench my teeth, “I've already lost three of my sisters because I didn’t take care of them as I should have and that should never be the case with her, besides she’s an entertainer. Imagine your day without her.”
• He pauses as if searching for an answer, then his lips stretch into a smile. “Crap, just like this contract!” He snorts.
• We spend another solid two hours working on the peace treaties and so much more bullshit written inside the hundred files we’ve analysed today. Stretching in his seat, Santiago kicks my foot, “Okay so blue is the burn pile and yellow is the ones we’ve approved and signed. I will have someone send them.” He says rising.
• “Where are you going?’ I yawn.
• He cracks his knuckles, his gaze shifting from the door to me. “The party moon was raving about. Are you coming?”
• I take a second to think it over before I kick off my seat. “Sure why not I need to blow off some steam.”
• He grins wider, his green eyes looking greener, Santiago is too fucking pretty if you ask me, he has those facial features only a surgeon can make and he loathes it. Stretching out his feet he snickers, “Great! There will be more than enough girls desperate for a fuck to brag about.”
• I can't help but laugh, yes women are desperate for power cock. I suck in a breath and smile, “As usual.”
• We both leave my office at the same time, I take a moment to shower once more before heading out, it’s a long drive to the event. My phone buzzes with a text from santiago.
• Beta: All done, but take your time princess.
• *smiley emoji*
• Alpha: You think you’re funny, but you’re not.
• I slide my phone in my pocket before heading out to Mirabelle’s room. I need to check in on her on a daily more hourly basis. My mother is travelling her life away with her girlfriends and I’m in charge of Mirabelle, considering my elder brother Martin is away she’s my headache 24/7 and something about my sister, she finds pleasure in rebelling against me. I knock twice before she opens it.
• My eyes darted all over her body, checking for injuries and searching for lies in her eyes. “I was about to break this goddamn door down. How many times have I told you to open when I call, or at least answer me!”
• Stepping aside she crosses her arms on her chest, “You know Alpha Adrian, you need a chill pill you’re too grumpy and I didn’t know it was you.”
• She’s lying, her instincts are way too good, she can smell me from a mile away. I don’t know what lie she has up her sleeve, but I’m not buying it or checking it, I have had a long day. “Tiago and I are about to leave, Michelle will be checking in on you and Racheal so don’t try anything funny, behave yourself and tell Racheal to behave as well.”
• “Unbelievable!” She exclaims dropping her arms, “You want an eighteen year old to babysit? And me? I’m seventeen Adrian, I don’t need your puppets babysitting me!”
• “Well my pack my rules.” I tell her walking away.
• When I leave her unsupervised she either gets high and wasted or gets herself kidnapped, it was a one time thing but that shit triggered something in me that I didn’t like. I know she likes to go out but her room has everything girls her age like, if she wanted I’d put a fridge up there too. I will never understand why she complains about my character. I have the character it takes to run a successful and powerful pack.
• Exhibit A: Midnight Saints Pack, this pack is worshipped by other packs.
• Walking into the parking lot I meet two of my pack doctor’s, Michelle and Bianca.
• They bow their heads as a sign of respect and greeting, I nod my head and offer a compliment in acknowledgment.
• They carry on to where they are going. I found Santiago waiting by the BMW X7 I bought online over a month ago. It arrived while we were working today.
• “Oh my aren’t you a sight for Alpha’s sore eyes.” I grin, referring to the car.
• “I know.” He claps, giving a cheshire grin.
• I flip him off and look at the car, “I was talking about this baby.” I tap the hood of the car.
• His hand comes to his chest, in a very dramatic movie scene type of way, “I admit I’m a little hurt.”
• “Keys?”
• He nods to the car, “They’re inside.”
• I begin to circle the car, taking her in. The beautiful paint, the way it shines, I can’t not smile, “Wow.” I swipe my hands over the number plate ‘Moon 4373’.
• “Are you going to make out with this car or lose to me in your new car.” He teases.
• Closing the book of car names I have in my head, I turn to him, “Oh, you’re on Beta. I’m going to mop the floor with you and Lexi.” I smirk. Lexi is his car now I know you’re wondering who names their cars? Well we do. And I’m thinking this one is Bella, because she is fucking gorgeous.
• I get into my car and wait for Santiago to get into his. When he does he hoots to let me know he’s good to go. Santiago lets me win, like he often does and trust me it’s not a good look on my Alpha status. “You know letting me win is degrading me.”
• He gasps,“No, I didn’t let you win.You’re getting good at driving.”
• “Yea right.” I snort.
• *******
• We make our way inside the birthday or inauguration ceremony. Is it? I don’t know what they’re calling this joint celebration. Santiago looks around “Hmm masquerade theme…why wasn’t I told?”
• I turned to face him, he obviously didn’t go through with the invitation. “Did you read the entire invite?”
• “Oops.” He grits his teeth as we walk further into the room.
• All eyes are on us, wait did I say us? Let me rephrase that, All eyes are on me. I keep a straight face as we proceed to walk to the table reserved for us and we take our seats. People continue to gape and talk in grumbles. Santiago reaches for a glass of whiskey and chunks it down, dismissing the stares we are getting.
• “Once again you've managed to take word out of everyone's mouths, classic.” He murmurs, making me laugh.
• I grab a mask from a waiter, quickly placing it on my face. People are afraid of me and with reasonable justification. I am Alpha Adrian after all no one comes close to me except for maybe one person, Alpha Ryan. That might be the reason why we don't see eye to eye.
• The night starts out smoothly. Girls throw themselves at us but I'm somehow not able to flirt back. My Wolf is angry. He has never been fascinated by the thought of getting laid, he contemplates it as infidelity to his mate.
• I haven’t met her though it was to happen before I turned 18 and I pray it doesn't transpire because Mates are absurd they just make you weak and bring you down. Who needs a mate? not me, that's who and if I do ever meet her I will reject her because I would rather die than waste my costly time on a Mate.
• Sandy, a girl from my pack who occasionally warms my bed approaches us and sits next to me. She's a good lay nothing more, I couldn't possibly fall in love with any woman I'm more of a lone wolf.
• “Alpha Adrian, I was thinking.... ” My hand brushes the side of her cheek, “You're not good at thinking baby.”
• “True.” she giggles. “But this is an idea that you'll like very much.”
• “Tell me.”
• She smiled, leaning into my ear, “I was thinking we could do that thing you like, I have two friends who would like to join.”
• “The more the merrier baby.” I playfully nibbled on her ear.
• Cutting through Sandy's giggling, is the voice of my Wolf, Hunter. You know that voice inside your head? Not your conscience, the other one, the one well that's hunter for me, only I can hear him. He lives in the back of my head just like every person's Wolf. We communicate mentally so no one ever really hears mine and Hunter's conversations. I've been tunning him out since we got here but he won't cease to unnerve me.
• “What is it Hunter?” I sneer.
• “She's here.”
• “Don't start again with that crap you're alone she's never coming forget it, it's been over six years and you still tell me the same story.. not good Hunter.”
• “It's different. I can feel that she's here. She's in this building. I can sense her.” He growls.
• I know this will end with mental torture or physical torture so to avoid this squabble, I kick my feet to the ground. Sandy’s eyes fly to mine “Umm Alpha, where are you going?” Placing a hand in my pocket, I grin at her. “Just taking a walk, why don't you and your little friends keep Beta company?” I wink. She giggles, staring at Santiago who hates me and is probably screaming for help in his head. He is not a fan of Sandy but unlike me, won’t push a girl off his lap.
• I decide to look upstairs but before that I take a quick trip to the bathroom in the east wing. The lights go out and I make my way with the help of my flashlight, dashing through the crowd without bumping into anyone only to bump into some girl.
• I reach out my hand to help her up but instead of grabbing it, I feel her soft, gentle, trembling hand on my cheek. When the lights come on I snap out of it. I push her hand away and look for the nearest exit, my heart is racing, my Wolf is screaming and worst of all I can still feel her hand on my cheek.
• My mind seems to have lost the map to this building I've been in a million times.
• Alas I find myself outside. Air, so much air. I need this air!
• “Why did you do that?” My Wolf inquire’s.
• “Shut up! ”
• “That was her!”
• “I know.”
• “She needs us.”
• “Who is us Hunter?” I growl aggravated by the fact that he dragged me to her. I can’t get over the fear in her eyes, the way she quivered.
• “She is our mate, our Luna.”
• “Weak. Weak, weak.” I chant, “Don't tell me you couldn't smell the fear in that girl and those hands that have never held a weapon nor held a training yard gate.” I snap.
• “What pack is she from?”
• “I don't give a shit Hunter and forget we saw her.”
• I reach for my phone and text Santiago to meet me outside. My Wolf and I have nothing in common. He is sensitive when it comes to the mate issue but I on the other hand, well you already know my views on the matter.