CHAPTER 07 - PROVOKED BY THE ALPHA

I abruptly woke up with the sun's rays invading the room through the window. My first sight was of the bed I had been in before. However, I realized that something was different. I got up, disoriented, and began to frantically search for Conan, my heart racing as my search proved to be in vain. He was no longer in his crib.

A wave of fear washed over me, flooding my mind with distressing thoughts. Would I never see him again? Would I never feel his sweet baby scent again? My anxious footsteps took me back and forth across the room, and my hands trembled as I tried to open the locked door. A chair near the window caught my attention, and in a fit of anger and despair, I threw it with force. I felt exhausted and completely nervous.

Screaming, I ran my hands through my hair and took a deep breath, trying to regain my composure. “Agatha, what mess have you gotten us into?” I exclaimed, directing my frustration at myself.

Finally, the door unlocked, and Victoria entered the room with a gentle smile. Her now-human eyes reflected an understanding I had never imagined finding.

She approached me, holding a breakfast tray, and asked gently, “Are you feeling okay, dear? You need to eat to endure what's to come.”

My only concern at that moment was Conan, and I ignored her instructions. “Where is Conan?” I shouted.

“Right now, it's very dangerous for him to stay in this cabin,” she calmly explained, placing the tray on a table near the chair that I had thrown.

“Do you believe your all-powerful king can't protect his own son?” I taunted with a tone of irony.

Victoria laughed at my comment and shrugged mockingly. “You really don't like him, do you?”

“I don't tend to sympathize with wolves or guys who try to hunt me down,” I replied with a sarcastic smile, sitting on the bed. “Is he okay?”

She nodded, understanding that my concern was for my nephew. “Please, eat. You're visibly weak,” Vick said, picking up the tray and carefully bringing it closer to the bed, every gesture showing kindness so as not to frighten me further.

“I'm not hungry...” I sighed, reluctantly: “But I'll make an effort to eat. I need to protect my brave nephew.” I firmly decided that I would protect him for the rest of my life. Focusing on that thought, I sat at the table and started eating, determined to face what was to come.

“Your transformation will happen today,” she warned, as if reading my mind. “I want you to eat and get through the process!” I jumped out of the chair, taken aback.

“Shouldn't I have three days?” I inquired, visibly anxious.

“Darling, you've been asleep for two long days.” Her voice sounded reassuring. “You're right; the baby isn't safe with my brother right now. He...” She looked around, making sure her voice couldn't be heard by anyone. “He didn't use to be like this. Since he was cursed, his behavior has been strange. I always believed his sister would help him overcome evil. Maybe I was wrong.”

Before she could finish, the Alpha abruptly entered the room, looking at us sternly.

“May the Moon bless and light your path with us,” Victoria declared as she stood up and left, avoiding eye contact with her brother.

“Everyone fears him, don't they?” I challenged him with a steady gaze.

“Do you fear me?” he asked sarcastically.

“No,” I replied without hesitation.

“No?” He approached me, predatory, trying to corner me. For the first time, fear was absent.

“No. I know you don't want to kill me. I still don't understand why you want to keep me alive,” I asserted.

“You're already almost a corpse. It would be cowardice to take your life now. It's necessary for you to go through the transformation, and only our Moon Goddess will determine your fate,” he explained.

“What will happen if I survive the transformation?” I asked, observing his courteous demeanor. It was strange to see how a bloodthirsty wolf could transform into such a handsome man. It must have been an irony of fate.

“If you get to the point of becoming a she-wolf, then I can hunt you for real.” He cornered me against the wall, his human mouth delicately approaching my neck. I knew he was willing to tease me in every possible way. “This time, human, I will relish your flesh and blood.”

A strange sensation coursed through my body. Despite the fear that dominated me, a burning desire ignited within me, eager to play with danger. I swallowed hard and tried to push him away, but he didn't budge.

I slid under his arms, seeking a safe space to breathe. Furthermore, I noticed a playful smile escape his lips, but I chose to ignore it.

“Will the transformation hurt?” I lowered my gaze, asking in a gentle whisper.

“More than you can imagine, human...” The frankness in his words made me raise my chin towards him.

“What is the transformation like?” He approached again, speaking slowly.

“First, your bones will start to break, sending you to the ground.” His eyes were closed. “Then dense fur will grow all over your body. Limb elongation is what I consider the most exciting part of the pain.” He teased with a flick of his tongue before continuing. “Then comes the shortening of the snout and the development of sharp claws and fangs.”

I took a deep breath, trying to process what was to come.

“Anything else I should know?” I asked with a trembling voice.

“The loss of control is inevitable.” His eyes sparkled, as if he had unearthed a hidden memory in his mind. “The thirst for blood is insatiable, the beast will dominate it, acting primarily on primitive instincts. Resulting in violent attacks on anyone or anything in its path.”

“Will I become irrational?” I covered my mouth, trying to control the knot in my throat. “How do you guys control it?”

Laughing, he had already caught up with me, pulling me closer and digging his claws not too deep into my hip, eliciting a groan of pain.

“It takes strength, training, and having the Goddess by your side, human.” He retracted his claws, leaving only one long one, and returned to my chin, scratching it and collecting a drop of blood. He licked it and smiled. “Don't worry, I'll be here throughout your process.”

“To ensure that I'll die?” With tears in my eyes, I took a few more steps forward, entering his dangerous game and noticing his breathing becoming slightly heavier.

“You remind me a lot of her,” he murmured, resting his forehead against mine. “To ensure that her transformation didn't spiral out of control and to witness the deity's choice,” he continued. With increased pressure on our foreheads, he compelled me to take a few steps back, causing some discomfort.