Chapter three

I turned on my phone to see 40 missed calls and voicemails from James. My eyes watered as I stared at the traffic lights which reflected off the cab windows. I switched off my phone, deciding it was better for us to separate this way. His father probably told him about us leaving the Pack and it would be the next week hot gossip topic. Howldrige was just like that, a bunch of gossipy wolves.

We lodged at a hotel at midtown Manhattan. New York was beautiful but what puzzled me was just how many people could be at the sidewalk at once. After checking in to my room, I plopped on the bed with exhaustion, wondering how my life was going to be like here. I sincerely hoped it would be better than the life I left behind. I was gonna having a girl for a bestie this time, it would be way more convenient. Clio wanted to kill me.

'So you just want to forget James like that, huh? Hell bitch, he wanted to make us his Luna!!'

"And do you think the people would have accepted that? It is custom that in Howldrige, that the Alpha must rule the Pack with his true mate. That's how it been done for decades. Or did you forget the reason why the Alpha allowed James to go to Arizona? It was to expand his search for his mate. Clio, we would have just been in the way." I sighed.

'H-He would have f-found a way....'

My Dad entered the room interrupting whatever Clio had to say. Howldrige was one of the Packs which upheld primordial customs strictly like getting married to your mate, especially as the Alpha, the leader of the Pack. Other Packs had long digressed from that, choosing a marriage of political and economic benefit or based on the will of the wolves involved. Howldrige however, stuck to this, believing the Moon goddess 's gift of a true mate must not be rejected nor defied.

"Hey love, your admission just came in from NYU. Congratulations love. It just came in my mail!"

I gave him a sad smile. "When do I start?"

"Next week hon." He came closer to where I lay on the bed, holding me to himself. All that was an emotional blackmail, getting us to move here, I was quite aware but there were some truth behind his words. Being alone in that house always got me depressed cause there was no way I could stop thinking about Nana.

"I know this move was a lot and was way too sudden but I promise it's for the best. You'll get more opportunities and there are lots of lycans in the city, you interact more with our people and I might even bring you to the palace if I see how well you are faring here."

"Dad which Pack are we transferring to in NY?" I asked. "Cause I don't want to be labelled as rogue in case I have to step into any Pack's territory."

"I'll look into it. But get some rest for tonight." He said as he patted my hair. "You might not see me tomorrow morning cause I'm going to scout some apartments here in Manhattan. Good night." He pecked my forehead and he left.

The next morning, I tossed in my bed and cried a bit after listening to James's voicemails. I cried and watched a lot of sad tiktoks before Clio got sick of it all.

'Enough Sophi!" You can't stay here sobbing after leaving James! Go work out or something!'

"I don't want to!" I literally yelled back.

'Get up!'

With that, I forced my body off the bed. I took a shower and put on a sport bra with matching sweatpants. I put on a diamond pendant, deciding on go to the gym after reading some brochures of activities they ran in the hotel. The receptionist directed me to the gym. Stopping at the 6th floor, I stepped into the gym, a large room filled with equipment and lots of humans. I stopped, looking for the instructor until Clio became alarmed. There were other wolves around. I started taking some steps back before a human approached me."Hey you're new here?" A human asked. "Yeah just lodged in last night." I said feeling uneasy.

"I'm Asher, the instructor around here. My first day." The human continued, flashing a grin. I wasn't particularly into the conversation, I kept trying to find the wolves in the room. From what I could tell, they were high rankers.

"So you wanna sign up or something?"The human continued, probably noticing my lack of interest.

"Don't worry, I'll handle her." A huge presence appeared, jolting me from behind. Asher quickly walked away.He was clearly intimidated. The wolf behind us was the high ranker. This hotel must have been on a Pack's territory.

Crap!

Tall, huge, apparently 6'7 feet tall with messy black jet hair with brown eyes, highlighted with golden specks. He was a behemoth, nothing compared to the humans which surrounded him. I wonder how the humans thought he was someone ordinary.

"A lost she-wolf? Do you know this is the Moonwoods territory?"He asked as he crossed his arms firmly, allowing his chest to bulge out under the weight of all that muscle, probably to intimidate me. Trust me, it was working. Clio however, did not waver. She was a lycan after all.

I laughed internally. If only that were true.

"I'm not lost.I'm just passing through."I answered back, raising my eyes to meet his. Clio intentionally released her aura, showing her status as a lycan. A look of surprise crossed his features for a while before he became stoic.

"And for how long?" He asked arrogantly, releasing his aura, given as I was a trespasser. He was the Gamma. I could feel other werewolves who were mixed in with the humans who were engrossed in the cardio workout session, staring at me.

"A week, actually. And I'm guessing you don't own this hotel? Cause I paid for my room."I asked, in order for him to back off.

"As a matter of fact, the Moonwoods pack owns this hotel. One of our few properties around the city." He said, his arms returning to his side. I rolled my eyes at his humble bragging.

"What pack?"

"Howldrigde."

"The countryside? You aren't even from the city."He continued in that snarky tone of his. Clio snarled but I calmed her down."Well if you want to stay here for about a week, you have to seek permission from the Alpha."

"I'm sorry but I'm not interested in seeing anyone's Alpha. I'm no rogue and I come in peace. I'll leave without a clue of me being here, okay?"I concluded, almost walking away before he grabbed my arm pulling me back.

"What was that for?"I snapped, almost forgetting the situation I was in.

"I wasn't done talking to you."The huge wolf continued."I'm Gamma Derek from the Moonwoods pack and...." He drawled out. "I like you."

"I'm sorry, what?"I asked, obviously confused by his abrupt change of mood.

The cardio class ended and they began to pack up. What the hell was wrong with this guy? Was he bipolar or something?

"I'm sorry, that impression is just meant for outsiders, trespassers and rogues. I apologise for my unending questions."He said,a little light-heartedly.

So I was no longer an intruder? Weird guy.

"I guess it's fine then" I said, letting down my guard a bit. He smiled a little, placing his hands in his pockets."What's your name?"

"I'm-"

A raven black-haired she-wolf walked up to us."Derek,who is this she-wolf - I mean lycan?I haven't seen her around here before." She looked kinda shocked at seeing me before she regained her composure.

"That's because I haven't been here before." I muttered the obvious under my breath."This is my sister, Diana."He introduced her to me."Hi, I'm Sophia."I said, stretching out my hand for a handshake even though she felt a bit off. The so-called Diana gave her brother a bewildered look of surprise, leaving my hand hanging in the air.

"This is how you trust a stranger? She could be a rogue, you know?"Diana continued while Derek rolled his eyes."This is so not how a Gamma acts!! Your pack's safety must come first before any random-"

Derek cut her off."I would prefer it if you kept your lectures to yourself."

"You are such a disappointment."She sighed, grabbing her bag from the desk behind us."And get your ass to the packhouse. The Beta wants us there!"She yelled, making her obvious exit out of the gym.

"Well your sister's something......anyway how do I sign up?I wanna start some workouts."I asked, in order to clear the air. He looked worried, obviously thinking about something.

"You could talk to one of the instructors,they could help you....... but I would like to ask you some questions.... just routine as you are within our territory."

Clio was livid, almost snarling. 'Wait, he just appeared, trying to intimidate us and now wants us coerced into some stupid routine of unending questions?! What the hell does he think of himself?!'

"Hush."I cautioned her, trying to hide any sign of my wolf showing.

"Alright."I agreed."Come with me to the hotel gardens." He introduced himself as Gamma Derek Longwalk, a child of the former Gamma who was late, along with two wolves and two she-wolves for siblings. Apparently he and Diana who were twins became warriors.However, being the eldest son, he was appointed Gamma as their Alpha sensed him worthy enough. His younger sister, Brenda was presently in college and his brother was presently coursing his career as a doctor in their pack hospital.

Walking down the garden gravelled paths adorned with beautiful hibiscus flowers which swayed as the late morning breeze whistled by, I was lost in his voice. He looked intimidating and coarse but just reminded me of a younger James when he just turned twenty but a more mature as he was in his late-twenties.

"And what about you? What social class of lycans do you categorise in?"He asked, jolting me from his voice which had been going on non-stop for the past 30 minutes. Lycans were in three major classes as far as I knew - the socialites: The ones always organising a ball, having a party,a picnic and had themselves entangled in this superiority complex that they were better than others, ostensible perfectionists but had their hands engulfed in all sorts of shady deals and were the filth of the earth.

The Crimson Talon: The lycan warriors, possessing pyrogenic powers and engaging in several ceremonies to get closer to the Spirit of the Phoneix. Dad once told me that the closer you get to the Spirit of the Phoneix, the more intense your flames. They were mostly involved in matters confronting safety of the entire werewolf kind and allied with packs in rogue wars and keeping the secret from humans. Also from what I learnt from my Dad, they were assholes who were in awe of anything under a skirt.

The royals:I didn't really know much about them that they wore crowns, cynical and manipulative in anything they embarked on.

"Well, I guess the Crimson Talon."I said, tucking away a stray hair behind my ear. He looked at me with keenly."Oh really, well you do not look like a warrior and women aren't allowed into the Crimson Talon."He said with a glint spark in his eyes, probably thought I was lying.

"I never said I was a warrior. My Dad is though and I think he holds a sort of high rank, something like that........Oh yeah he's the commander."His light brown eyes suddenly held a look of surprise.

"Your father's Dave Vengua?"

"Yeah....is there a problem?"I asked.

"No, you mean Dave Vengua checked into this hotel? Where is he?"Derek asked, suddenly filled with excitement.

"He went out and I don't know when he's returning." I said, rolling my eyes.

"You're so lucky to have such a father. He's a hero to many young wolves and everyone including myself idolize him as he was the only lycan who ended THE TRIPLE FORCE. Stories have it that he single-handed destroyed three packs who wanted to take the mantle of leadership from the lycans. They say his flames is so strong,a pint of it can burn down an entire house down....."

I shook my head in amusement, picking a hibiscus flower from its stem. It was so beautiful as its style stood in utmost charisma. Derek had a curious glint in his hand eyes. I knew what question he was gonna ask........

"Can I see your flames?"

I smiled with a nod. I covered my hands as I closed my eyes. I don't really practice with them so my flames weren't that strong, it felt like a feature in my life that I didn't need but always attracted people to me. My eyes tingled as a warm sensation tingled the in the pit of my palm. I opened my palm to find a bright yellow flame, dancing on my hand. Derek's eyes shone with astonishment.

"Wow, it's beautiful."He said, gazing at it , probably at every angle he could get, since he twirled around me slowly, his eyes fixed on the flames."You're so lucky, having such a beautiful gift handed over to you without having to struggle for it. It has been my life long dream to join the Crimson Talon.I always wait for my name to come out every year on the Ordination ceremony of the newly picked tryouts. But my name never comes out on that damned list." He concluded with a pained look on his face.

"I don't feel its all worth it. Dad said that wolves which are picked to be recruits for the Crimson Talon are at risk. If their wolves can't stand the spirit of the Phoneix, it dies. That's the part of the dream which is not talked about most of the time. Most wolves die, that's why the Talon is very few."

"You are so lucky to have Dave Vengua as your father. He is a hero to many." Derek commented as we stopped at a small fountain in the heart of the garden. The garden was lovely, adorned with some fruit trees planted in the edges of the garden. It looked like one of surreal beauties of nature but it was artificial and well taken care of.

The fountain was at quite a height. Gazing at it, I remembered my Dad."Well, he failed in his duties as a father. But I guess he's trying to make up for it."

"How?"Derek asked, his silent gaze entirely fixed on me.

"He doesn't just have time for me, apparently because of his 'hero' duties. "I said with air quotes on the word."And is a damned asshole."Clio mumbled.

Diana suddenly appeared, running towards us. "Do I have to seriously get your ass to the packhouse?!"

Crumbling the hibiscus flower in my right hand as it clenched into a tight fist, Clio wondered,

'Why was this bitch so bitter?'