Chapter 2

• Alex’s POV
• I'm standing outside our house, waiting for my bride to arrive with her father and sister. Today marks the start of our life together, and I can hardly contain my excitement.
• Four months ago, I met her by chance. I never believed in love at first sight until I saw her. She was visiting her father when her car broke down. I was driving back from Fairbanks when I saw her panicking by her smoking car.
• "Hello, what's the problem?" I asked, trying to hide my awe at her beauty.
• She looked at me, terrified. "I think my car is going to explode. We should run."
• Suppressing a smile, I said, "It's just overheating. The engine's smoking, but it won't explode."
• She calmed down and introduced herself as Melanie. I offered her a ride and assured her we'd have her car towed and fixed.
• "You have an auto repair shop?" she asked, surprised.
• "Yes, among other things. Where are you headed?"
• "Alcan, to visit my father. Where are you from?"
• "Snow," I answered, knowing our town's reputation.
• Her smile faded. "And your last name?"
• "Snow," I said reluctantly.
• She looked fearful. "Please, just leave."
• My heart sank. Despite her fear, I backed away and drove off, calling our shop to tow her car. Then, I went to Alcan and told her father about her situation, giving him her location.
• Later that day, I got a text: "Hi, it's Melanie. I'm in Snow park. I'd like to talk."
• I rushed to the park, finding her on a bench. She looked nervous but determined.
• "Hi, I'm glad you came despite my behavior earlier," she began. "I want to apologize. I judged you based on your last name. But after you helped me, I realized I was wrong. My father told me about your family's good deeds. Can you forgive me?"
• I smiled. "On one condition: have dinner with me...if you're still single."
• She hesitated but then agreed, "I'm single... and starving."
• Over the next four months, we fell in love. She just graduated from nursing school and was starting work at our hospital. Our families gave their blessings, and she eagerly accepted my proposal.
• Today, as I waited to marry her, I felt nothing could go wrong. My family welcomed her, and the entire town was invited to our wedding.
• But then, my world shattered. My father was murdered, right before my wedding, right in front of my eyes.
• As I waited for Melanie, my father stood next to me, dressed impeccably in a tuxedo, his hair styled back and beard trimmed. This was a rare sight, as he usually dressed casually, even for business meetings. Seeing him like this filled me with pride.
• Despite our dangerous lifestyle, we had a loving home. My father wasn't the strict leader people imagined. At home, he was caring and devoted, both to his children and his wife. He was everything I aspired to be, both as a leader and a family man.
• I teased him, "You look dashing, Dad! You might steal my spotlight."
• He laughed and smacked my shoulder. "If you wear your tux and trim that beard, we could pass you off as the groom."
• I touched my beard. "Melanie likes it this way, so it stays."
• He laughed, then turned serious. "Are you really ready for this? Marriage is a huge responsibility, especially in our position. You'll have to make tough decisions, sometimes choosing between your own happiness and the town's safety. Promise me you'll put the town first."
• His words weighed heavily on me. We were under pressure to accept a drug deal with a powerful Canadian drug lord, which my father had refused. Our town was on high alert, preparing for an attack.
• I assured him, "I won't disappoint you, Dad. Melanie and I are ready for this."
• He hugged me. "I love you, Alex. I'm so proud of you. Seeing you get married will bring me so much joy."
• Melanie's car arrived. I greeted her with a kiss. "You kept me waiting, Mrs. Snow."
• She smiled. "You'll have to wait a bit longer, Mr. Snow."
• Her sister Mia, whom I was meeting for the first time, joined us. I shook her hand. "It's nice to finally meet you, Mia. Melanie talked so much about you."
• Despite her initial reservations about our marriage, Mia respected Melanie's decision and came to support her.
• As guests arrived, my uncle Stefan and cousin David, who lived in Canada, joined us. David was shy, a stark contrast to my more outgoing brother, Lucas.
• I nervously checked my watch, counting down the minutes until the ceremony. Just as time seemed to drag, a flash of red light caught my eye. A laser pointer, aimed at my father.
• Before I could react, a bullet struck him. He collapsed, and I caught him in my arms. The chaos that ensued was a blur. My mother sobbed beside us, and I ran to the guards, demanding a gun.
• "Follow me to the hill," I commanded, sprinting towards the source of the shot.
• Just as I started gaining speed over him and inching closer, I aimed my gun and pulled the trigger.
• I was extremely talented with my aiming. I was the best at this and my gunshot always hit its target.
• My bullet lodged into the back of his thigh, causing him to scream and tumble down, rolling over a couple of times before coming to a complete stop.
• I didn’t give him time to recover, as I crouched over him, gripped him tightly by the collars of his shirt and hissed furiously “Who are you? And why did you shoot him?”
• He wasn’t from this town for sure. I knew every man in this town, knew their names and even their houses.
• He struggled to speak as he kept screaming about his damn leg. My patience was wearing thin at that point, I held my gun to his other thigh and threatened him in a deadly voice “Unless you want another bullet in your other leg, I suggest you start talking… now!”
• “Lord Z. It was lord Z’s order to take down Isaac Snow”
• It didn’t surprise me really, with his determination to make a deal with us to smuggle his drugs into the border, his refusal to take no for an answer, and his influence over many people that we heard about.
• But we were expecting a take over, not a fucking assassination!
• “What’s his name? I want a fucking name!” I shout at him while still grabbing him by the collars of his shirt viciously.
• He pales as he answers shakily “No one knows his real name. Only his trusted people know it, and they never share it with us. We are nobody to them”
• I could hear the sound of the sirens approaching, but it was too late. He was already dead before his body hit the ground.
• I looked down at the man who killed my father, deep in thought. Something wasn’t right, there was something missing.
• “How did you sneak into the town? All the roads are being watched thoroughly”
• He hesitated before answering “It was Patrick Walker. He helped me sneak in across the border from the road his men were supposed to be guarding”
• And that’s the missing piece falling into place.
• Someone helped that motherfucker from inside our town. Someone had dared to betray our beliefs, our trust, and our loyalty.
• Patrick Walker, you’re a dead man walking.