Chapter 8 Planning

• Three Years Later,
• Stephanie’s POV
• Life as an independent adult away from her family and friends was not easy. In fact, it was harder than I’d ever imagined and it was humbling.
• If only Jason had agreed to come with me, but he was right to send me away, he had to make sure I was not caught by the tyrant Alpha Maxwell. I only hope that he is safe wherever he might be.
• Back at the train station two years ago, I had tried to stall a little and wait for him but he never showed up and my wolf kept howling in my head, urging me to go back home, it felt like something bad had happened to him and I know it’s all my fault, I was not strong enough to defend my people. I ran off like a scared little cat, leaving them to their fate.
• I am the Alpha's first daughter, I should be capable of leading and defending the pack in my father's absence, but I’d failed them all, I ran away from my responsibilities and I had also put my boyfriend in danger, leaving him at the mercy of the tyrant. Since I left, my heart has done nothing but ache, my body seems heavy. Everything hurt so bad that I had to ask myself if all this pain I’m feeling is because of Jason or if it was because I lost my parents also.
• I can’t be feeling this way because of Jason, right?
• I know we spent so much time together and we had a deep love for each other, but at the end of the day, Jason is not my true mate. We only dated and agreed to settle down together because we couldn’t find our true mate. This pain I’m feeling, this hurt and misery, it only happens to anyone that separated from his true mate but I never found my true mate, so why do I feel so broken-hearted, so miserable?
• Well, it has to be because of my parents and my sister, I miss them so much and I’m so lonely and alone. It’s been three years and my life has been so sad and miserable. The only happy moments I have are when I let my wolf out to go for a run in the park. I have no contact with my people, I couldn’t get through to Jason with the phone he gave me before I left. When I arrived in Washington, I used part of the money he gave me to rent a little apartment in the suburbs. I had to lay low because I don’t know if Alpha Maxwell would be searching for me, it is said that no one has ever escaped from his watchful eyes. I had to hide out in my room for months because I was scared of getting caught, I only came out to get something to eat and to get acquainted with my new environment.
• The first week was a nightmare! I couldn’t sleep, I kept tossing and turning on my bed, thinking of the different ways I could kill that bastard that ruined my life. I keep hearing the screams of my family and friends in the pack as Alpha Maxwell and his warriors pillaged and raided our pack. I could hear his evil laughter as he pushed his sword through my father's heart, my mind kept conjuring different mental images, showing me different ways that he could have killed my family.
• I had felt something strange right before I boarded that train, it felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. I struggled to board that train and leave, my heart aches for Jason, I feel his pain and I know that his heart is calling for me but I couldn’t do anything to save him or my people. I’m a weak wolf who ran away from home, I don’t deserve Jason, I don’t even deserve to be called a leader. I am serving my punishment right here in the human territory, I deserve what I’m getting, I deserve it all because I’m a weak wolf. I’m not fit to be called a leader, I deserve everything that is happening to me.
• Some young women begin stripping with an unrealistic idealization of the job. It has the allure of fast cash and seems like a way to improve your situation, give yourself more options, or move up in the world. You seldom think about the negative aspects until you’re doing it. While there is the potential to earn a decent amount of money, the exact amount can vary drastically on any given day and depend on both the club and its typical clients.
• I know I need the money, fighting against King Maxwell requires funds, besides, I am a student living alone, with no family support. I need to take care of my bills, and at the same time, I need to plot my revenge against King Maxwell, I need to save my people from bondage.
• I got a piece of vital information about home one day. I was giving a strip tease to one of my usual clients, then I heard chatter from a group of friends in the next booths as they celebrated the dawn of a new era. With my heightened hearing, I listened intently to their conversation and it infuriated me to know that these jerks are actually celebrating because Alpha Maxwell had succeeded in defeating and conquering the last of the Alphas that stood against him. He is now known as King Maxwell, King of all wolves. It irked me to see them celebrating such tyranny,
• “How could they be so stupid and gullible? He is a murderer and a tyrant, how could they be celebrating his success” I thought within me as I concluded my time with my client and clocked out furiously. I couldn’t work anymore that night, so I signed off and headed home in despair, looking sullen and morose. With this much power, it would be pretty hard to bring justice upon him, I doubt that even the Lycan king would be willing to wage war against him because he has over one million warriors at his disposal and he is now stronger and unstoppable.
• Did I waste too much time, can I still succeed in getting my revenge against him?
• “Come on Lexi, wake up. A client is asking for you and he is in the champagne room. Why do you keep zoning out?
• Look girl, you need to hurry, this deal is cool and legit. I recommended you to him after getting the part payment myself. Just go over there and give him your best performance, you’ll love this deal, I promise.” Carol urged me on, sounding a little too excited. Carol is her stage name, her real name is Graciela Murray and we have been quite close for the past year’s years although I never told her anything about my past. We go on some private shows together if the client has a friend with him and we sort of understand each other as friends and we look out for each other.
• I widened my eyes in shock when I saw the wads of cash that she got as part payment. That was all the motivation I needed and I removed every thought from my head as I ran up to the Champagne room upstairs. Immediately I opened the door, I got hit with their scents and my wolf whispered in my head,
• “Wolves.”
• They were five guys in total and they all looked so gorgeous and handsome with their well-toned skin and well-chiseled chest that told you that they spent quality time at the gym. I’m pretty sure that they were not sent by Alpha Maxwell because he has more important businesses to cater to, he has no time to waste on a nobody like me. I eyed them suspiciously as they also watched me warily. I know they could not perceive my scent because I always mask my scent every damn day. I’ve run into a couple of werewolves in this club so I’ve learned to mask my scent with my special spray that could mask my scent for a whole day. They must be eying me warily because my heartbeat celebrated when their scent hit me and I was still standing at the door when I should have started working my magic on the cute guy who sat on a single seat by the tinted windows. His aura is stronger which means that he is of higher rank than the other four that are seated on the other side of the room.
• “You look shy or should I say scared, is this your first time on the job?” He asked me in a grumpy tone, keeping his eyes locked on mine.
• “No, it’s not my first time. I’m a professional and I’m good at my job.” I responded to him as I gathered the courage to walk up to the little stage in the middle of the room, rolling my hips to the slow best, dancing around the pole for some seconds. Then I catwalked to the high-ranked wolf, walking behind him, leaning over until my breadth fanned his ear, then I ran my hand down his chest, smiling in satisfaction when he took in a deep breath, looking me deep in the eyes as I came around to give him a lap dance,
• “That’s Enough!” he muttered in a groan as I wanted to tease him further.
• “As much as I would love fucking you hard and fast, I have to obey the king's orders. He won’t be happy if he learns that sampled the goods before delivering them to him.
• Here’s the deal, our king is hosting a party with his generals to celebrate his victory. He needs a lot of strippers for the event and he is willing to pay a million dollars for the week, You and your friends would be picked by 7:00 am tomorrow.” he said abruptly, leaving no room for argument. One of the other guys handed me huge wads of cash that he referred to as part of the payment for our services. This job looks good, too good if you ask me. And why is my Wolf howling so happily?” I thought to myself as I kept gazing at the men with mixed feelings.
• “If I may ask, who is this king you speak of and where would this party be held?” I asked him curiously and he turned to his companions as they exchanged a knowing look before turning back to me and saying,
• “You must be very inquisitive.” He remarked dryly. The party would be held at Castle Black and if you must know, the name of our king is, Maxwell Rayleigh, our one true king.” He said proudly and I nearly choked on my own saliva.
• How is this even possible?” I thought within me as I composed myself straightaway and I accepted his offer and ran off with my part payment. The universe must be trying to tell me that it is time to go back home and get revenge on that murderer. I need to come up with a perfect plan to kill Alpha Maxwell, I won’t run away this time, I’ll avenge the death of my family and my boyfriend.
• “You just wait, Maxwell Rayleigh. I will show you how ruthless and heartless I can be also. I’m coming for you, King Maxwell.”