Chapter 2

chapter 2

. . .

Tyler

T he wind whipped through the dark forest as we searched for the dead alpha. I shivered as I trudged alongside Axel and Jaxon, my packmates, and also guards, as we scanned the ground for any signs of Marrok, Henry's son.

We had been tasked with finding him, and the pressure was mounting.

“Do you think Marrok got lost chasing squirrels or something?” said Axel.

“Or maybe he’s off stalking some unsuspecting human,” Jaxon added, chuckling.

I gritted my teeth, anxious about the possibility of not finding Marrok and having to tell Henry the bad news. “This isn’t the time for jokes. We have a job to do.”

As we neared Marrok’s cabin, I spotted claw marks in the dirt.

“Look here,” I said, pointing them out. “Two wolves, by the look of it. It’s no surprise Marrok had enemies, and kidnapping an omega didn’t exactly endear him to others. Let’s follow these tracks and see where they lead. ”

“Right,” Axel agreed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we found him dead.”

“Wish he was,” Jaxon replied.

We tracked the wolf footprints a short distance from the cabin. Marrok didn’t get too far before he was taken down because I suddenly saw a shallow grave hidden among the trees.

My heart thundered in my chest as Axel dug up the muddy earth with a shovel, revealing a gruesome sight—a wolf's head buried beneath leaves and twigs. The killers hadn't even bothered to bury it properly.

“Marrok,” I whispered, picking up the severed head by its matted hair. The features were shrunken and twisted in death, but I recognized him all too well. A wave of relief washed over me; as much as I hated to admit it, the world was better off without someone as corrupt and dangerous as Marrok.

Still, this would only serve to push Henry into a frenzy. I pulled out my phone and dialed his number.

“Yes, Tyler. How’s the search going?” Henry answered.

“Henry, I’ve found your son. He’s dead,” I said simply. There was no sugarcoating it; there was no proper way to say it.

“Dead?” Henry asked softly, his anger palpable. “The packs are getting out of control, and I will find them.”

“How would you find out which pack is responsible?”

“I know exactly which pack is responsible and the omega who’s in cahoots with them. What was her name? Ah, Carmen,” he said, and my blood ran cold at the familiar name of the omega I rejected years ago and never talked to after.

“I’m sure she has no idea what happened here,” I said coolly, trying to distract him before he could focus on her.

“Yes, that may be the case, but I’m not a stupid wolf.”

“Are you going to have a funeral for Marrok?”

“Funeral? No, we’ll have a celebration instead. They would never attend Marrok’s funeral, but the wolves love to party. We need all the packs to attend so I can lay down some new rules,” he snarled. “Now bring Marrok’s head to someone who can examine it and find out who did this.”

As I hung up the phone, my stomach churned with conflicting emotions. My loyalty to Henry warred with my growing hatred for him—a man who cared more about power than the well-being of his own son. But my job was to ensure the safety of the packs, nothing more. With disgust, I placed Marrok’s head into a black bag and prepared to return to the Alpha Compound.

The sun started to set, casting an eerie glow over the road as we drove back to the Alpha Compound. My phone buzzed relentlessly in the cupholder, my mother’s name flashing on the screen each time.

“What is it this time?” asked Axel as he eyed my phone.

“She really wants us to find an omega and produce grandkids for her,” I said, ignoring the phone as I drove.

“Well, we’re eagerly waiting, too,” Jaxon said with a smirk.

I sighed and glanced at the screen, feeling a mixture of guilt and annoyance. I knew that if I went too long without visiting her, she'd think I hated her. But I was tired, and after today, I just wanted some peace.

“Besides,” Axel added, “we’re constantly busy working for Henry. She should understand that. Wasn’t it her idea for you to become a guard in the first place?”

“Actually, it was my fathers who pushed me," I corrected him, knowing that all that mattered to my family was being close to Henry and gaining the prestige that came with it.

I didn’t want to let them down after they insisted I apply for the job as Henry’s security. My fathers were all successful in the community of wolves, and my mother made sure to only associate herself with other high-ranking omegas in our society.

As I drove, I worried about Henry’s focus on Carmen lately. Now that Marrok was dead and Henry was unstable, she was in jeopardy, and I needed to check on her over the next few days.

We pulled into the driveway of our spacious home. The house had enough room for our entire pack, and all the alphas had their own space which was good, or else we’d drive each other nuts.

I groaned when I saw my mother's car parked out front.

“Looks like she’s here since you won’t visit her,” Jaxon laughed as we climbed out of the car.

“Great,” I muttered, plastering a smile on my face before entering the house. My mother stood in the kitchen, meticulously applying icing to a cake.

“Hello, son,” she said in a high-pitched tone, which meant she was excited about something. She was a short omega who wore fur coats and designer shoes to prove that she was better than the other omegas.

“What’s the occasion?” I asked, trying to sound casual, but I instantly knew she had ulterior motives.

“Tyler,” she beamed. “I’ve found the perfect omega for you! High status, from a reputable family, and absolutely beautiful.”

My smile faltered, and my face hardened. “I’m not interested right now, Mom.”

“Oh, really? And why is that?” she asked, already getting upset as she crossed her arms over her coat.

“We’re not ready, and my pack also has to have a say in who they’re going to mate with for the rest of their lives.”

The truth was that any omega I brought home would be within reach of Henry. Working so closely with him meant that starting a life with an omega would be a disaster.

Henry could easily decide to steal an omega or reassign her to another pack.

My mother sighed dramatically, adjusting her luxurious fur coat—a symbol of wealth that she wore with pride. She always demanded that I marry a high-ranking omega, someone who could elevate our family's already prestigious position. But she wasn’t giving up just yet.

“Tyler, this omega is perfect for you. When are you going to be ready?"

“Who knows?” Jaxon interjected. “Maybe when we accidentally get one pregnant.”

“He doesn’t mean that, ma’am,” Axel said respectfully.

Her gaze narrowed, and she left the house in a huff. Looking at the white cake, I shook my head. I didn’t like disappointing my family in the slightest, but I needed to set boundaries.

Once she was gone, Jaxon flopped onto the couch. “So, when are we really going to find ourselves an omega? I’m tired of temporary flings.”

“One day, it’ll happen,” I assured him. “We just need to be patient. Maybe after we leave Henry’s task force.”

“That’s impossible,” Axel said. “We signed up for life.”

My heart sank at his words, and I suddenly remembered the night I rejected Carmen. As much as it hurt at the time, I knew it had been the best thing I could do for her.