r e a s o n | chapter 01

"You called?"

Atticus averted his gaze from his training warriors towards his Beta, who took a seat on the chair in front of his office desk. He strode to where Onyx is and sat down on what he calls his throne as he spends most of his time in this very room.

"Yes. I needed to discuss some things with you for our little descent on another pack later. How are my men?"

The man with dark brown hair and dark green eyes shrugged nonchalantly, unlocking his phone to check for any recent messages. "They're prepared for whatever the heck you have planned for tonight, if that's what you're wondering."

A certain name on his messages list got his heart racing.

Atticus murmured something in approval, which was quite inaudible to Onyx. Still, the latter didn't press more into it but focused on the person he is currently exchanging messages with in his phone. Nevertheless, to avoid irking his Alpha, he questioned him.

"What pack are you planning to strike this time? Obviously you don't have the guts to attack the Primal Darkness pack." Atticus gave him a cold look; his brows almost meeting with eyes slightly narrowed, when his friend decided to add the little remark after his question.

Onyx held his hands up in mock surrender, dropping his phone onto his lap in the process. "But honestly, Atticus. Even with the extent of your power, it'll be a bloodbath when it comes to that pack. Like I told you before, you should make them as allies-"

"You think I haven't done that before, Nick?" He looked at Onyx with pure irritation. "Dimidius is an autonomous person. He doesn't really do well with company."

Onyx just sighed at the declaration of his Alpha. "You still haven't answered my question though."

"The Lycan Shadows pack."

In an instant, Onyx perked up, his phone long forgotten, and asked what Atticus said which earned him a weird look from the latter. "We are going to attack a neighboring pack, the Lycan Shadows. I was also planning to expand the Broken Blood territory as the pack's population have grown due to the majority of males that have found their mates. Since they have the largest territory in this continent and that they're just next door, they are the perfect candidate. And that is why I called you here for. I heard that you know a tad bit information about this pack."

Atticus watched his Beta closely as Nick's whole demeanor shifts into a completely different one. "I don't know what you're talking about. And I suggest that you should choose a different pack to cause trouble with."

"And why is that?" Atticus looked amused by the sudden change in Onyx. The Alpha's brows slightly raised as well as his interest with the subject.

"You don't know what you're up against, Atticus. The Alpha of the Lycan Shadows pack is not the type of person you would want to get tangled with." Onyx looked at him straight in the eyes, his tone and expression serious.

This seemed to spark an interest in Atticus for he has a dangerous glint in his eyes. Nick seemed to notice this and starts to internally panic. He knows what that sparkle means, and he knows damn well that it'll be trouble. It was never a good thing.

"Is that so? So much for not knowing, huh? What else do you know about this pack? Especially their Alpha that you so highly speak of."

"All I know is that Lycan Shadows is a powerful pack and could easily match us, despite being in second. The difference between Broken Blood and them is that they don't attack for fun." Onyx said matter-of-factly which caused Atticus to roll his eyes at him. "And as for their Alpha, she's definitely someone you don't want to piss off."

Atticus perked up instantly. "She?"

"Oh, I must have forgotten to tell you that they have a female Alpha."

"How interesting." Atticus said. He is playing with the black ring around his right middle finger, his gears turning as he processed things in his head. "How do you know all of this? Are you sure she's not a Luna?"

"Let's just say she's sort of a friend of mine." Onyx shook his head before speaking in a somewhat dreamy tone and Atticus noticed.

The Alpha narrowed his eyes at his best friend. "She's someone special, isn't she?" He moved his body forward a little so he is quite leaning on the dark oak table, using his elbows as support for his weight. "Is she your mate?"

His Beta was flabbergasted by his notion as Nick's eyes widened with little horror and embarrassment. "What? No! No no, Atticus. You've got the wrong idea. We're not mates. If we are, you would've known already and you've probably met her as well. Though being her mate doesn't sound too bad at all."

"But this female Alpha is someone dear to you?"

"Yes. No. Maybe." A pause. "Why are you asking me this again?" At this point, Onyx already had beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

"For information of course. Tell me about your story or something." Atticus continued to press, giving his best friend a look. "How did you two meet?"

Onyx sighed before speaking. "Alright. Remember that party Maxi's brother threw when you went home with your arm slung over a stunning she-wolf's shoulder, taking the only car that we took, and left me and Vic behind?"

He didn't give Atticus time to respond as he continued to talk. "I met her there. We talked. Flirted. Kissed. And one thing led to another. She was the one I told you about. Waking up was sort of awkward but I got her number, kept calling and texting her, then we dated for a while until we both decided it's pretty pointless as we haven't even met our mates yet and we would eventually. Overall she's pretty cool and can be intense sometimes."

As he finished, Atticus just nodded before looking through the window. He was silent for a while, having a little unnerving feeling as he thought why in the world he doesn't know this, until he looked back at Nick and asked. "What's her name, by the way?"

"Octavia."

〜 ※ 〜

In the end, Onyx hadn't managed to change Atticus' mind seeing that they're already in the forest surrounding Lycan Shadows territory; preparing themselves for the possible fight that would come in their way.

Apparently, Onyx had sparked his Alpha's interest more rather than dissipating it, resulting them to be in the position they are currently in.

"Are you really sure about this? I mean like- I can't say or do anything to change your mind?" Atticus only looked at him in a serious and deadly manner and that made the anxious Beta shut up.

Atticus nodded to his nearest Delta, which is a lead warrior named Demarcus, and an icy howl was heard, followed by the sound of bones breaking and bodies shifting that rang around the forest as they cross the pack's border. He gave his Beta and third-in-command, Ludovic, a pointed look, signaling them to join in on the fun.

"We are in so much trouble." Nick said while sighing, before shifting and running to where the chaos is. Atticus followed shortly along with Vic.

He looked at their wolves with envy; Nick's wolf has dark gray, almost black, fur that sometimes gleamed in the light while Ludovic has a brown wolf. Atticus glanced at his white fur-covered feet, getting annoyed by the minute as he is again reminded of the large unmanly white wolf that he has.

As they got closer to the clearing filled with houses, they can clearly hear the screams of the wolves from Lycan Shadows. Atticus felt a surge of delight throughout his body that made him run faster towards the noise.

When they arrived, the three high ranks were met with a sight that was sheer beauty and horror only to Atticus' eyes; wolves vigorously fighting to the death, women and children frantically running to safety, houses slowly burning to ashes. These are the moments that relive a dangerous, almost forgotten memory.

This sparked something wild inside Atticus that angered and made him attack werewolves from the other pack, may they be in wolf form or not.

Hitting. Biting. Clawing. But not killing.

He didn't intend to cause death to this pack, he just wanted to scare them away and maybe to prove an unknown point, even to him. Maybe it is somehow a favor to Onyx, but all he wanted to do is to feed and subdue his interests in a particular female Alpha. His mind is set on one reason and one reason only.

And as if on cue,

"What the fuck is going on here?"

〜 ※ 〜

n o t e

Uh oh. Who do you think it is?

Though it's pretty obvious, I just wanted to ask you guys that.

You know, to ease the tension a bit lol.

Anyways, how's chapter one?

Tell me your thoughts, I would highly love and deeply appreciate it.

Much love,

Tonie