I watched as the tiny, shy girl walked into our apartment, a red rose in her hand. She was looking at the ground even though her mother was holding her hand as she walked in.

“Mary,” the woman exclaimed upon seeing my mother. My mother rushed out of the kitchen and went on to hug the woman before looking down at the pretty girl that was busy hiding behind her mother.

“What’s your name, pretty child?” My mother asked.

The girl slowly walked out from her mother’s behind and opened her mouth to tell my mother her name.

“That’s such a pretty name, darling. Come here and meet my son” My mother, oblivious that I had stopped playing the video game and was already enchanted with the beautiful princess who just walked in, came towards the sofa I was sitting on.

“This is my son, Damon. He’s a nice boy just like you. You can play with him while I talk to your mother, okay baby?” She smiled and nodded at my mother, revealing her pretty dimples.

“If you need anything, I’ll be right there,” her mother told us and followed my mother back to the kitchen.

“Would you like to play?” I asked and she shook her head, meaning she wasn’t interested in my game.

“Why?” I asked, blinking at her.

I might have been seven but I wouldn’t lie that I like this girl very much. She was pretty and the color of her eyes is the same as my favorite color; emerald green.

“I don’t know how to play” she replied with her melodious voice that sounded like a song to my ears.

“Can I teach you?” I asked and she looked at me strangely.

“You’re not a teacher” she replied, almost making me laugh.

“I’m a big boy. My mother told me I was old enough to take care of myself when I turned seven last month. So that means I can teach you how to play too. How old are you?”

“Five” She replied, showing me her five fingers.

“Okay, Princess. Can I teach you now? The game is called rocket league” I asked, already getting impatient.

“Princess,” she said and sat right beside me, a sign that she was ready to be taught.

“Yes, Princess. You look just like a Princess to me and I’ll call you that every day” I informed her, making her smile at me.

We began the gaming lessons and I taught her everything that I knew about the game including how to start it and how to play, not caring if she got everything I was saying or if the teaching was too much for her. I just wanted to keep staying beside her, and listen to her talk about her favorite movies, color, and friends.

By the time it was evening, she was ready to leave with her mother. She promised to come back again after that day while I tried to contain my sadness and look forward to seeing her again.

She kept her promise and kept on coming back with or without her mother.

The last day I saw her was on a Friday, a year after our first meeting, she came to our place after coming back from school in her father’s black car usually driven by their driver and we decided to go out to the park. My mother said I needed it, I needed to mingle with friends since I was homeschooled. She told one of her father’s bodyguards to go with us.

My father had forbidden me from going to school, he said it’ll corrupt my mind, and change me from following the family’s legacy. He said it’ll soften me and make me cry like a girl.

I didn’t know what school looked like and I haven’t been to one. I didn’t have any friends other than my beautiful princess and with her, I don’t care about anybody else.

By the time we got to the park, it was evening already. The first thing we saw was a swing. She sat in one and I stood behind her, pushing her the other way, making her giggle and laugh.

She was laughing so hard and I was glad she was happy. I was also glad I was the one that was making her laugh and not someone else.

It got into my head and I began pushing her more than usual. She told me to stop or slow down but I didn’t listen, I thought she liked it, so I continued.

Suddenly, she was thrown off the swing, landing with her face flat on the ground. She cried out in pain and I quickly ran to her side.

“You hurt me, Damon” she cried out.

“I’m sorry princess, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m sorry” I held her tiny hands and kept on apologizing.

I had hurt my princess and I’m a monster.

“Why are you crying, Damon? I’m the one who’s hurt not you”

“I’m hurt because you’re hurt, Princess. That’s why I’m crying too”

She cleaned my face with her dirty hands, told me to stop crying, and threw her hands around my neck, hugging me.

“I know you didn’t mean to hurt me, D. It’s okay” I smiled at her and she smiled in return, with tears on her cute face.

“I promise I’ll always protect you, Princess”

“Okay, D” she replied and hugged me back.

I made that promise thinking I’ll always be there right beside her, protecting her, keeping her close, I never knew she was going to leave that same night without a goodbye.

It seems I never kept any of my promises, not to her, not to my mother, and not to myself.

Damon’s POV

I woke up startled, drenched with my own sweat even though the A.C. was on, confused at first but then got angry at myself for having that nightmare again.

Ever since she left, I’d always dreamt about our meeting but never about her leaving. Guess this night was a different night then.

After she left, I cried, whined, and begged just for me to see her again and when my father got tired, he threw me into the dark room for two days, without food or water. I was dying not knowing what I’d done to deserve such a punishment.

Even when he, later on, thought I’d forgotten about her, I didn’t.

A figure came into my sight and when I turned, I realized it was my mate that I’d saved earlier on that was curled up in a corner of the bed like a ball, sleeping soundly like a baby.

I moved closer to her, and removed the hair that was covering her face. She looked so beautiful with her long eyelashes and pouty lips. I thought of how those soft lips would feel against mine. The thought sent signals right to my dick, making me hard all of a sudden.

Calm down, big man! She’s out of limits! For now!

Unlike other werewolves who had the ability to communicate with their wolves, I couldn’t. That was the price I had to pay when I refused to say the oath of allegiance.

I can’t deny the fact that my mate was beautiful and how much her eyes reminded me of that of my princess but I know if she was the same person, her life would be in danger.

Gently I kissed her forehead and her shoulder before standing up to leave the bed, in fear of what would happen if I stayed.

I wanted her, I wanted to mark her and make her mine but I know I should be careful with her, she’s fragile and I know I shouldn’t touch her.

I need a run!

I took one last look at my mate, before walking out of the room, stripped my cloth off my body, walked into my closet, and shifted into the curse that I was.

Lyla’s POV

I opened my eyes slowly as light streamed into the room through the slightly opened window. I closed my eyes back, to try and get a clearer vision.

Who dared open my window during the night? I might end up skinning someone alive today if care is not taken.

“Should I close the window, madam?” The strange voice suddenly got me opening my eyes quickly.

Who is that?

It was when I looked up that the whole memory of what had happened the previous day came rushing back. My senses became alerted when I looked around and took in the surroundings. I was in his room, on his bed, in his shirt but…

Where is he?

Inwardly, I hoped he had died during the night in his sleep and his body had been abandoned on the mountain so that vultures and other wild animals could feed on it.

“Master said you should take your bath immediately you wake up” A young lady said. She looked a little bit older than me or probably she was my age.

“What if I don’t want to?” I asked her, while I was still lying on the bed.

“I’ll be punished for it, Madam. So, please stand up and take your bath” I grumbled out loud and cursed my fate for bringing me to a place like this.

“What’s your name?” I asked while standing up.

I picked up a towel that was already placed on the dressing table and started removing my clothes so as to wrap the warm towel around me.

“Grace, madam”

“Can you stop calling me madam? It’s a request, please” I begged

“That was what the master requested that we call you. If not….” I didn’t wait for her to complete it before I did.

“Your master would punish you, right?” She shakes her head while smiling lightly at me.

“No, he’ll get mad and you don’t want to see him get mad” She replied.

I ignored her plea to help me in the bath and locked the door before she could enter after me. I took the bath hurriedly not knowing when the dragon will walk in and breathe fire all over me again.

As I ran the sponge down my body, I suddenly remembered what happened last night in the shower. I moved my hand back to my nipple and pinched it, trying to see if my body would react the same way it did when Damon touched it, but it didn’t.

I quickly cautioned myself, came back to my right senses and took a bath. Once I was done, I walked out of the bathroom.

Grace was no longer in the room when I got out. A pale pink dress was already spread out on the bed with a pair of sandals at the edge of the bed.

After I finished dressing, I left my face void of any makeup, despite the number of makeup kits that were left on the dressing table.

Makeup is the least of my concern right now. I need to find Pearl and know that she’s fine. All I know is about myself but I need to know that Pearl is also safe or even more safe than I am.

“Good morning, my child” The old woman from the other night greeted and smiled at me as I walked down the stairs.

“Good morning ma’am” I replied, trying to be polite.

“Call me Ruth, dear and put the courtesy aside” I nodded. “Come into the kitchen” she instructed and I followed her.

As I stepped into the kitchen, I realized other girls were in there as well and yes, the kitchen is almost three times the size of a regular kitchen. This is almost every Chef’s dream.

When I went to culinary school years ago to become a chef, I dreamed of having to cook in a kitchen like this, but after spending one out of the supposed three years, I got bored and went back to college to study Astronomy.

“Don’t drop your jaws on the floor” The woman joked and I smiled.

“The kitchen is massive. I mean, this is amazing” I told her.

“That's what I said when I first saw it too” Grace added. “If I had been a chef, I would’ve paid everything to work in a place like this”

“Let me introduce you to everyone here,” Ruth said, stopping me from looking around and focusing on everyone. That was when I noticed someone had already joined in.

“This is Fiona, that’s Selene, you already know Grace and of course, that’s our chef, Adam. He has been on a trip and he got back last night” She finished introducing them all.

Fiona and Selene are blondes, the pretty ones you’ll see on the runway in America and not as Maid in kitchens here where I find myself living in a mansion with absolute strangers. These people are tall and beautiful

Grace has long shining black hair and her strength of beauty lies in the black scar that’s on her cheek.

Adam looked like a sexy, hot man on the cover of a playboy magazine. His black eyes were what fascinates me about him. He’s tall, almost 6ft and has a broad shoulder. When he smiled, it was as if the whole world stopped for a minute.

I stopped ogling him when I saw his attention fixated on me. He raised an eyebrow and smirked. That made me come back to my senses and shook hands with them and we continued our conversation about the kitchen.

Adam wasn’t saying anything, so I decided to engage him in the conversation.

“So, from a chef’s perspective, what do you think about this kitchen?”

Ruth was about to say something but I watched the three girls suddenly walking away with fear evident on their faces. Ruth’s eyes widened, as she froze in a spot looking right behind me. I noticed the four of them bowing their heads, almost revealing their neck.

When I turned to look in their direction, I froze myself. I wanted to move but my legs weren't working.

“Did I pay each of you to talk to any stranger I bring into my house?” Damon thundered, shaking me right to my bones.

He suddenly turned to face me, I swallowed hard and started walking away from him, in fear of what he was about to do.

Damon’s POV

The meeting with Alpha Xander to discuss the Uranium that he said he had with me started quite earlier than I’d predicted. When I walked into the room with my friend, Tunde, the Alpha was already waiting with his Beta.

Tunde is supposed to be my Beta if only I'd taken up the Alpha position and even though I thought my action would’ve pissed him off, he felt I was really cool by rejecting the oath of allegiance.

“Alpha Damon,” His Beta, stood up, bowed his head in submission as I walked into the room.

“I’m not an Alpha, my father is the Alpha” I replied, before walking over to sit opposite his Alpha.

“Please proceed, Alpha Xander, What is the occasion?” I asked as if I didn’t have an idea of why we were all seated in the meeting.

“I already informed you yesterday that I have access to a reasonable quantity of Uranium” Alpha Xander said, a smirk on his face, obviously proud of himself.

“And?”

“This can make both you and I into some really powerful men and billionaires” he proclaimed, an aura of power exuding out of him, making his Beta and Tunde bow their heads in submission.

“How?” I relaxed more into my chair, calculating how I was going to pounce on Alpha Xander if he actually opened his filthy mouth and said what I was expecting him to say.

“By selling these Uranium to every pack out there. Imagine selling eighty kilograms of Uranium to the three hundred and seventy five werewolves packs that exist in the world. Try to imagine just how much we’ll make with that”

Tunde snickered from right behind me and I knew he was probably wondering how a man could be as selfish and complicated as this Alpha.

“I never knew you were this greedy, Alpha Xander”

“This has nothing to do with greediness, Damon. Trust me, you’ll become a billionaire by the time we’re done” he added.

“Need I remind you that in the city of California, I have two shopping malls, a library and at least four apartments which I receive it’s proceeds each and every year. I might not be a billionaire, Xander but never will I stoop so low as selling things that can save my own people to them”

His eyes suddenly turned red at my words.

“You are the most selfish Alpha that this world has ever made and I don’t give a damn about what you think you’re going to do with those uranium but trust me that I’ll find it’s source and I’ll take it from right under your nose and give it to each and every packs free of fucking charge” I yelled at him.

“You act as if you’re righteous, Damon. You act as if you’re not aware that your father, Alpha Victor is running a gang right on this territory; a gang that’s involved in drugs and woman trafficking. I do not see how you and I are so different”

I fisted my hand as a wave of anger hits me.

“That is one of those reasons why I decided not to take over my pack as their Alpha”

“What have you done other than act like a weakling who can only but do as daddy says?”

I smirked as I realized that I shouldn’t let his words get to me. I stood up ready to leave when he suddenly stopped me with his words.

“The council of elders has summoned you for questioning about why you had to use an extreme force on an Alpha yesterday” I turned to look at him glaring at me. “I might have sent them some pictures of me from last night”

I removed my hand from my pocket, walked closer to him and signaled Tunde to stay alert of what my next move would be.

“Really? I don’t actually remember using any force on you yesterday, I mean I didn’t leave any mark on your face but since the elders have summoned me,” I scratched my forehead with my hand; that was a sign that my monster had taken over me and I was no longer my normal self. “Why don’t I make that real?”

Almost immediately, Tunde brought out his gun, shoved the Beta to the floor and placed the gun right into his head. “Don’t try and move Beta, a silver bullet might find its way into your head if you do”

“What are you trying to do, Damon?” Xander yelled, moving away from me slowly.

“You asked for it, Xander” I replied, striding towards him slowly.

“I will not give up without a fight”

“You shouldn’t, honestly. I’ve actually heard about how you’ve bullied other Alphas that their regions were supposed to be inspected by you into total submission with your greediness and stupidity but you know what, you came into the wrong pack and I’ll so make you regret ever taking up that letter of assignment from your desk and traveling all the way down here”

Before he could get to the door, I quickly opened my hand to reveal my sharp claws and pulled him back toward the desk. I looked over to see that Tunde still got his Beta in control.

“How about I claw out some part of you, Xander and make you into the animal that you are?”

I felt a strange movement underneath my arm and I knew what was going on.

“Don’t you dare shift, Alpha? If you try that shit, I’ll pluck out your eyes and remove your heart before you finish that transformation” I threatened, my voice changing already.

Xander’s eyes were almost bulging out of its socket as he looked in shock of the half shifting that I was going through. My inner beast was about to come out and for his sake, I was keeping it in control.

I held on tightly to his throat, to weaken him and stop him from shifting. I lifted my other hand, revealing my claws and smirked at him.

“When you get to the elders, show them that the beast they’ve always hated fucked you up”

I slashed his chest open with my claws as blood splattered all over the desk and on my face, making Xander scream out in pain, before digging the claws into the sides of his head, making a mark that’ll never leave until eternity.

I stood up, shifted back fully into my human nature and walked out of the room feeling glad about what I just did.

“I told him to treat it the human way as he can’t survive your attack thinking he’ll heal normally and fastly like a regular wolf” Tunde said, as he walked right beside me towards the car.

We made a quick stop at base 9 where I took a bath and changed into a new shirt and trouser that I’d kept at the base Incase cases like that happened.

“Your father wants to meet with you,” Tunde said.

“Why?”

“It’s about the girl you took yesterday. He wants you to return her to him”

“Over my dead body”

“It’ll endanger the pack, Damon. We need to get rid of her”

“I SAID NO AND YOU WILL NOT QUESTION MY AUTHORITY”

I barked out the orders, making Tunde bow his head quickly. My beast was still in charge.

I knew my anger was uncontrollable for me and I might end up doing something I’ll regret but I could control it if I try to.

Control was the key until I got to my mansion, saw my mate ogling my chef, did hell break loose.