Prologue
I leapt up onto the stone that overlooked the glowing town, the two other betas in my pack by my side. The scent filled my nostrils and my eyes glowed bright blue in the light of the full moon. Our powers were at their peak, and I was more than eager to get our mission completed tonight.
"This is it." I grinned triumphantly, turning back to Daniel. "I knew it." He rolled his eyes and snorted. At first glance, he appeared irritated, but he couldn't hide the affection in his eyes. He wasn't just my alpha, he was like an older brother to me. We became family the night he saved me from dying on the side of the road.
Colin pushed by me and grinned at me slyly. "Scoot over shrimp. Let the big dogs play." Michael laughed and joined him in leaping down the rocks towards the town. I growled and my claws flashed out in anger. I hated when they used my size against me. They treated me like an Omega just because I was small, even though I was in the pack first.
"Don't listen to them, Shay," Daniel said from next to me, his dark hair ruffling in the California breeze. I forgot he was there. "They're jealous of you."
I laughed coldly. "You're kidding, right? That's so cliche."
"I'm serious," He nudged me, smiling. "You've been with me longer, you fight better, and…" His face dropped and he looked down. I knew what he was about to say.
"I took an innocent life." I felt that numbness that seeps through whenever I think about it. I didn't mean to; I had no control over my powers at the time, and on the first full moon I killed the first person I saw. My boyfriend. Ever since then I left home and never went back. Killing was normal for me now. My pack is a sort of mafia that rids the world of threats to our species. They say it gets easier to kill after your first; I guess they were right.
"It's not a bad thing, you know." Daniel sighed, jumping off the rock to the ground below. I followed him. "It gives you a certain power."
"I don't want the power." I muttered angrily. He tries telling me this every time the subject comes up. It was only a few years ago. It was still a sore topic. He just changes the conversation.
"Are you ready for this, Shayla?" He asked me, turning around to look at me. I nodded confidently, glad to talk about something else. "What's the plan again?"
"Find the boy, bring him to me. Do whatever it takes. Once we get the boy, we have to destroy him as soon as possible."
"The Alpha?" I confirmed, pausing to look over at the huge number of houses that could contain him.
He nods. "The true Alpha."