The Wicked Alpha

"Luna, Luna, where are you?" Julie's voice echoed through the quiet corridors of the packhouse, breaking the stillness of Rebecca's office. The abrupt interruption jolted Rebecca from her deep concentration. She had worked tirelessly throughout the night, forging a delicate alliance with the South River Pack. With just two hours of sleep under her belt, she had woken up recently to pore over the intricate deal papers.

Rebecca winced at Julie's urgent call. She furrowed her brow as her fingers hovered over the keyboard, her eyes glued to the laptop screen. "I'm in my office, Julie," she snapped, her irritation showing. She sensed Julie's urgency but couldn't afford any more distractions.

Julie fell silent for a moment, seemingly realizing she had interrupted something important. But her impatience got the better of her. "Luna, can you please come downstairs?" she called out once more.

Rebecca, her annoyance growing, closed her laptop with a sigh and rested her head on the desk, cradling it with her hands. All she wished for was a soft pillow to cushion her head and offer her some much-needed sleep. Yet, duty beckoned from downstairs, and her heightened wolf senses left her with no choice but to address the disturbance in the packhouse.

With a muttered sigh, she braced herself. "Okay, here goes nothing," she mumbled. After taking a deep breath, she pushed herself out of her chair and quickly gathered her long, dark hair into a bun. Determination filled her as she headed for the office door.

As she exited her office, Rebecca's footsteps echoed with purpose against the cold, unyielding tiles of the corridor. The dark circles beneath her eyes testified to her sleep-deprived state, and her muscles ached from her relentless responsibilities.

Rebecca's gaze briefly flicked to the faint scratches and bruises on her arms, reminders of her gruelling training sessions. She brushed her hair away from her eyes as it cascaded over her sleek waist.

Barefoot, her feet padded silently on the chilly tiles, sending shivers through her body. She hugged herself, seeking warmth as she contemplated the absence of a sweater.

In the main hall, she sensed Julie's presence near the final flight of stairs. Julie's face broke into a warm, welcoming smile as she spotted Rebecca's descent.

Julie wasn't just Rebecca's closest friend; she was also the pack's trusted second-in-command wolf, serving as its beta. Despite Rebecca's irritation, she couldn't help but shoot Julie a sceptical look at her unexplained cheerfulness.

"What?" Rebecca inquired, her tension still evident in her voice.

"Stop being so serious, Luna. I've got good news," Julie chided gently.

Rebecca's wolf grumbled internally, but she held it in check. "Julie Silver, I'm warning you—if this isn't important, if you're just disturbing me for no reason, I'll make you regret it."

Julie met the steely determination in Rebecca's eyes and shivered, sensing the brewing tempest within her friend. "I'm not joking, Luna. It's serious and could benefit us, easing your worries," Julie reassured.

Rebecca's wolf grumbled, but she kept it in check. "Julie, if you don't stop with the suspense, I might just fall asleep standing here," Rebecca quipped, suppressing a yawn.

Julie continued, "Luna, how many days has it been since Simara left the pack?"

Rebecca's expression darkened with rage. "I thought you had something important to say. Can you please refrain from reminding me about her? I'm not in the mood."

But before she could turn away, Julie firmly gripped her wrist, halting her steps. Rebecca sighed in exasperation, her hands curling into fists, and then looked at this dumb girl standing in front of her, she stared at the woman chosen as her beta. A cloud of anger was covering her body. 

'Who the hell on earth chose her as the Beta?'

(It was you, Moron!) Moon said in her head. Moon never left any chance to humiliate her.

"Just shut up, Moon," Rebecca growled at her wolf.

Returning to the present, Rebecca found Julie pouting. She sighed and unclenched her fists, then looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Rebecca conceded, her gaze softening.

"Alright, now, listen to me," Julie urged. Rebecca took a seat on the stairs.

"Luna, we've tracked Simara, along with all the papers, bonds, money, and jewels," Julie revealed, her voice quivering with a mix of excitement and trepidation. Rebecca stared at her in disbelief, her features etched with shock as if the weight of Julie's revelation hadn't yet fully settled in. She felt like she was teetering on the precipice of a life-altering revelation.

The room seemed to close in on them, and Rebecca's heart pounded like a tribal drum. She stood up abruptly, her chair scraping loudly against the floor in her haste. Her grip on Julie's shoulders tightened, and her voice cracked with a potent mixture of disbelief and hope.

"What did you say? Are you serious?" Rebecca demanded, her words bursting forth like an eruption of emotions she couldn't contain any longer. It was as if the weight of the world had suddenly shifted, and her pack's stolen treasures and the elusive Simara had become tangible possibilities once more.

"Yes, Luna. I'm serious," Julie affirmed, her voice filled with a sense of triumphant accomplishment. She shifted slightly under Rebecca's grip, eager to share the news that held the power to change the course of their lives. "Abel and I have been working tirelessly for two gruelling weeks, combing through every lead, every trail, and every hidden corner, and finally, we've tracked Simara."

As Julie spoke, her eyes sparkled with the thrill of their achievement, and the weight of their relentless pursuit seemed to lift. Hope and happiness swelled in Rebecca's eyes like a sunrise breaking through a stormy night. It was a moment of respite, a beacon of optimism in the midst of countless challenges they'd faced.

Rebecca's grip on Julie's shoulders loosened, and a smile, rare and genuine, graced her lips. The magnitude of their success was slowly sinking in, and a renewed sense of purpose filled the room. Simara was within their reach, and the stolen treasures were not just a distant dream anymore, but a tangible goal waiting to be seized.

"Oh, Julie, thank you so much! I can't even express how thrilled I am," Rebecca exclaimed, pulling Julie into a tight hug. Julie reciprocated the embrace, a warm smile gracing her lips.

"I'm happy for all of us," Julie said, her eyes gleaming.

"Where is she?" Rebecca asked, a wicked grin tugging at the corners of Julie's mouth.