Chapter 4. His Beloved

Ryan flexed his muscles as he threw his clothes aside.

He was right over the formation of the sand storm. His eyes calculated the perfect spot for landing. He snarled as the beast in him over took his human self. With a deep leap, his paws settled in a soft landing.

He stood as the angry sands danced around him. Raging and scrubbing against his long fur. A mixture of chestnut and blonde. It was sight of majesty. Full of elegance and grandeur.

“Awuuuuuu!” His howl resonated from the epicenter of the sand storm. There was no people, no animals, no vehicles, vegetation... whatsoever within miles of its radius.

It was a place out of nowhere. Uninhibited. Untamed.

His howls went wilder. Louder. It slowly grew into severe growls. Ripping and hitting at the air. But naturally his efforts were futile. Whoever ever heard of trapping the air in one’s paws.

Ryan kept hitting himself over and over again as he crashed on the ground, recuperating from his futile efforts.

“Boss! Boss!... Alpha! Alpha Ryan.” It was the voice of Beck and Josh, calling out in unison.

“AHHHH! These boys.” Ryan opened his eyes and kicked the door open of his sarcophagus. He reluctantly sat up.

“WHAT IS IT THIS TIME? Have I not told you to NEVER bother me when I am taking a tour inside my mind.” His eyes were turning orange, slowly.

The boys fell on their knees. “Sorry Alpha. We didn’t mean to intrude.” They apologized in unison.

“Now tell me what it is already. I don’t have all day for this.” Ryan jumped out of the chest as it disappeared from its place.

“They are here Alph... Boss.” Beck answered.

“The assignment?” Ryan asked.

“Yes. But...”

“But what?” Ryan arched his neck as he fixed his sleeves.

“But they sent the deal’s head inside the box.” Josh completed the information.

“Hhmmmm! Interesting.” Ryan smiled as if amused. “Looks like somebody’s bored. It’s been a while since we played some games. Did you find out who sent the assignment?” Ryan walked around towards his chair.

“No boss. We haven’t been able to track that. It seems like they do their business as an anonymous.” Beck filled in.

“Aha!” Ryan was as excited as a child who gets to put together his favorite piece of puzzle. “An anonymous business man. But it seems like he is craving for our attention. Go try finding him with other ways.” Ryan winked.

Beck and Josh nodded and they took their leave.

“Aha! Boys! My boys. How beautiful it used to be when we were a pack full.”

He crossed his hands back as he leaned against the chair and his head rested on them. He tried to close his eyes but at that very moment, he jumped up with a start.

“No. No. NO. NO.” He put both his hands against his ear. He was trying to block some inaudible noise. “No. Not again. You can’t. You can’t intrude my peace anytime you want. I won’t let you.”

He stood up and started looking for something. He ran up to a cabinet and pulled out several bottles. He sat down on the floor with a thud.

Broke a bottle open and gobbled it’s content down. The sharp edge of it made his lips bleed. He drank the blood as he started looking for something else.

He threw the contents of the table here and there. All over.

“Found it,” he picked his phone up and started going through the numbers.

He dialed. “Hello. Yes, it’s me. Send me another fresh one tonight. No. In the evening. Yes. I will make the payment double. Yes, at the farm.”

He hung up. Then sat down again. Opening another bottle. He lifted his finger in the air as if trying to trace someone.

“Why? Why do you still bother me after so many years? Why? Tell me why?” He gulped another bottle down and then looked at his imaginary friend again.

“Why did you do that? Why? Was it not enough? You took my life. My family. My everything away from me. Was it not enough? You even took yourself away from me.”

Ryan started beating the ground with his fist. His head hung down as he rested it on both his hands. Drawing heavy breaths.

“Why Sherizad? Why? Why can I not let you go after all these while? Why does your shadow linger wherever I go? Why do I see your face in all the women I sleep with? Damn! No. Those bitches don’t fight back like you did.”

A drop of tear fell on the floor. His body quivered as more drops gathered one after another.

“I swear I will forget you. I swear I will not let you torment me every day in my thoughts and every night in my dreams. I swear it on my dead brothers. I swear I will forget all your existence.”

He was now talking to his own distorted reflection, that appeared on the little puddle.

He stood up. Kicked the last bottle in air. Then grabbed it before it hit the floor and emptied it’s content instantly.

He jumped out of the window landing straight in front of the garage.

“I am going to the farm tonight. Tell the boys when they come. I will not take calls evening onwards. Alright?” He told the small boy, called Bellow. The kid nodded as Ryan’s car zoomed by.

He was also a werewolf like Ryan, Beck and Josh, but he was not born in their Pack. They had rescued him when he was being smuggled as a baby. The poor thing was tortured and chained. So much so that, it had lost its ability to hear or talk. However, that never hindered him from understanding any of Ryan’s orders. He was free to go anywhere after he was healed but he chose to stick around. These three were the only family that he knew. He has been following them ever since like a lost pup.