Chapter 2: 1 - Why Am I Not Surprised?
Chapter 2: 1 - Why Am I Not Surprised?
1 MONTH LATER.
"How we doing?" I glanced back at Destiny from the front seat. She's Rose's replacement while she's
out scavenging with another group. Destiny's still in training, but she does her job well.
"Not great, but not as bad as last month," she called.
"Well that's good news," I mumbled.
"Yeah, no, she's sugar coating it. It's pretty bad. Might actually be worse than last time," Harper
interjected bluntly.
I sighed. "Well that's less good news."
I made eye contact with Destiny in the rear view mirror, and she shrank back into herself. I frowned and
waited to catch her eye again. Once I did, I sent her a smile, and she sent me a timid one back.
I shook my head when she looked back down.
That girl. So shy.
"Stop here," Harper instructed while looking out the window.
"Last stop," Destiny breathed out, looking at the limited amount of blood bags around her. Her face fell
when she realized how little it really was.
Even though I don't want to show it — especially not to her — the feeling is mutual. Harper's right, this
is worse than last month.
I hopped out of the truck nonetheless, and Desi and Harps followed. At this point, everyone knew the
drill. Harper and I would go in and get the blood, while Destiny waited by the truck to make sure nothing
happened.
Not that most people would want anything to do with a truck full of blood, but we're not the only ones
scavenging tonight.
Scratch that.
We are one of the only ones scavenging tonight. Most else are hunting.
Even more reason for me and Harps to be quick.
I glanced up at the sign as we entered. 'Hearts Foundation Blood Drive' it read. We walked up the
steps and found the stock of blood that didn't match anyone and wasn't going to be used. We had to
use our super speed, great eye sight, and sense of smell and whatnot to find the ones that weren't safe
to drink, because of disease and things like that.
We only came up with a few good ones.
Again.
I blew out a frustrated sigh before I felt movement behind me that made me whip my head around.
"What's up?" Harps asked me, distracted with carefully putting the blood bags away for safe keeping.
"I think something might be going on outside," I stated just as distractedly, turning back around to help
her.
The disturbance stopped so I didn't think anything of it.
It could be nothing, like a raccoon knocking over trash cans or something.
Once we were done, we headed out, and there was no disturbance. No noise.
And no Destiny.
"What the?" I mumbled.
"Desi?!"
"Destiny!" We called out.
I heard a shuffle a few alleys down, and I could tell Harper heard it too.
I turned to her. "Here, put that up, and I'll go check out what that noise was. She might have seen
something and wondered off."
Not that it's like her to make decisions like that of her own. But you never know.
Great, this is exactly what the curious girl in horror movies does. Follow the weird sound down a dark
alleyway.
"On it," Harps responded.
I neared the alley and heard Harper fling open the doors to the truck.
Less than a second after, a startled gasp came from her direction. I spun to face her, and there was a
tall and muscular man jumping out at her from inside our own truck with inhuman speed.
Which only leads me to believe one thing.
He's not human.
I was in the middle of a gasp of my own when I was yanked back from behind with a hand over my
mouth.
Well, crap.
I was thrown into the very alley I was heading, and found Desi seated on the concrete with some other
random guy standing over her.
"Oh, there you are," I smiled at her.
She looked at me like I'm crazy.
I rolled my eyes at her reaction and helped her up as the third man came over with Harper in his grasp
and threw her onto the asphalt. She landed near my feet and I reached to help her up as well as she
glowered at the guy.
The third man walked into the space between the other two, blocking off our only exit completely.
Other than scaling the side of the building and jumping from roof to roof, of course. But that just takes
so much effort.
Harper sniffed the air and scrunched up her nose. "Werewolves," Se hissed while pulling herself off the
ground.
"Alphas," I tacked on with an inquisitive eyebrow quirked and arms crossed.
Desi's eyes turned into saucers as her eyebrows shot up. "Plural?"
"Plural," I confirmed with a nod.
She glanced at them warily and backed up a bit.
This made the dog boys' lips inch up into a small smirk, and one of them spoke. "Good evening ladies. Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
Who's in charge here?" The wind whipped his shaggy brown hair around his younger-ish looking face
as he scanned the area, studying us. He still has the grin plastered on his face as he speaks calmly.
Almost like he's not cornering us in an alleyway.
It's too bad that he is too. He's pretty cute. Hard features like a chiseled jaw and cheek bones so sharp
they could cut you, then a cute little button nose in the center of it all to make him less intimidating. Or,
at least when that smile resides a few inches under it he's not. The soft, crystal blue eyes don't help his
case either.
"What'd you want?" I questioned with a jerk of the head, giving him his answer.
They're all pretty good looking actually. The two on the end are a bit on the older side, but handsome
nonetheless.
#shamelessdrullingovertheenemy
The one to speak first — who can't be older than 23 — opened his mouth to say something else, when
the one in the middle — who's probably in his 30's — cut in first.
"We want you to come with us," he crossed his arms with a stern face, getting straight to the point.
I raised an amused eyebrow, "And. . . Why would we do that, exactly?"
"Because, we figured you'd want to meet the new leadership of your house," he stated bluntly. He
looked a little more smug this time though.
My lips fell into a straight line. What? Is this some sort of joke?
I stood and waited, and when there was no punchline, I spoke. "You're just going to leave it at that? No
explanation?"
"Oh," the young one looked surprised. "We were expecting you to say something like, 'excuse me' or
'WHAT?!' or 'but, what do you mean," he stated in a distressed and overdramatic high pitch voice.
Was that supposed to be me and my friends?
"Sorry, hate to disappoint, but would you like to elaborate?" I pressed sarcastically.
"Hey, you better watch it. We have your pack," the one that hasn't spoken threatened.
"House," Harper corrected.
The dogs turned to her.
"What?" The same guy questioned.
"House, not pack," she corrected. "A group of vampires is a house," she specified.
He let out a growl, and stalked a few steps towards her.
"Hey," I interjected. "It doesn't matter what's happening twenty miles away. Here, now, it's three on
three, so I suggest we be civil about this," I eye them darkly, suddenly on the defensive.
"Yeah, but I'm sure all three of them are capable fighters," Harper mumbled, shooting Desi a snotty
glance.
I raised a brow at her, "Aw, Harps, don't underestimate yourself," I smiled bitterly at her.
She glared at me in response.
"W-Well they are alphas," Destiny stuttered out worriedly.
"Not all of them. Not by blood at least. At least one of them mated into it," I contradicted.
The dog boys looked surprised. "How'd you know that?" The quiet one on the end questioned
suspiciously.
I tapped my nose. "That stuff radiates off people like no tomorrow," I referred to the smell of their blood
and feeling of the energy that radiates off them. I'm assuming from his reaction, the quiet one is the one
that doesn't have alpha blood.
They nodded, still confused judging by their thoughtful faces. But, all of them being too prideful to show
their confusion, they kept it to themselves.
"How is there more than one alpha?" Harps wanted to know, changing the subject.
"It's complicated."
"Allied packs," I guessed with a shrug.
". . . Guess it's not that complicated," the cute one humored.
I rolled my eyes, but then felt intrigued. "So if I've assumed correctly from all your indirect and cryptic
answers to my questions, you have invaded my house?".
"And conquered it," the old one confirmed gruffly.
"Ah," I nodded as well. "So, witch one of you is the unfortunate soul who has to deal with us for the
time being?" I smirked. This whole 'we have you conquered' thing isn't going to last long.
"Oh, your permanent new alpha is back at your house, getting everything under control," the grumpy
one stated, putting emphasis on the words permanent and alpha.
Yeah, okay. We'll see how that goes.
"But," the cute one chimed. "You do get second in command," he did a little play bow and gestured to
himself.
"You're a beta? You have alphas' blood," I tilted my head, making conversation with the adorable, but
unlucky pup.
"Yeah, It does run in the family. My brother is the alpha of another pack," he explained, conversing
casually right back.
This one actually perplexed me. "How did that work?" Families are usually part of the same pack.
He sent me a smirk. "Now that one's actually complicated."
I nodded, pondering on it a bit.
"Okay, back to the whole 'taking over' thing," I got myself back on track. "How'd you manage? And what
about the House Master and Mistress?" I questioned with narrowed eyes.
"They just. . . Handed it over," the beta shrugged.
"Wait, what?" This time I couldn't help it. I went the predictable route. I just can't believe what I'm
hearing.
Wait. . . Yes I can.
Cowards.
"Master Blake would never do that," Destiny jumped to their defense, not believing the dogs.
"Well, maybe not on his own, but we all know how my aunt can be," I pushed out through gritted teeth
and rolled my eyes.
Always looking out for no one but herself.
Silence.
Apparently, no one had anything to say to that.
Suddenly, "So, now they're rouges, or as you vampires like to call them, wanderers," Mr. grumps
explained. "House-less."
"Yeah, unless they come back and decide to serve the alpha," the cute beta chimed in again.
"Oh, I hope for their sake they don't do that," I hissed, suddenly feeling beyond aggravated.
"IF they're even telling the truth," Harps interjected.
"What reason do we have to lie?" Grumpy replied with a raised eyebrow.
"None," I nodded, talking more to Harps and Desi than the one who asked the question.
Sadly, my aunt and uncle deserting everyone sounds more likely than a group of high ranking wolves
coming all this way for a practical joke that's not funny.
I don't want to be plunged into a war as much as the next person, but —
"Did they even try to fight back?" I asked, breaking the silence in the air.
I'm really wondering.
"Well. . . The guy seemed like he was pondering on it. . ." The beta shrugged.
Pondering on it? Seriously?
Even he's trying to sugar coat it.
"But, not really. . ." He finished.
"Oh, okay. . .
Why am I not surprised?"