6

I had become a wolf without a pack—or more accurately, a shrouds wolf without a pack. On top of that, I was basically... homeless... and dead. Not physically dead, but dead to the world, in a sense.

It was frustrating. I used to think living in a pack where everyone saw me as a burden was hard, but this? This was like starting my life from scratch. Of course, I knew well enough that staying in the pack, even if Livia hadn’t declared me dead, would’ve been impossible. I wouldn’t have survived another day.

At least up here in the mountains, I had freedom, though I wasn’t quite sure what that freedom meant yet.

"Think of it as a chance," Elena said with a warm smile, handing me a cup of herbal tea. We sat in her cozy hut, the air filled with the calming scent of herbs. "You can start fresh. You can become whoever you want to be."

I forced a small, wry smile as I turned to look out the window, where the narrow path wound down the mountain toward the Black Blade Pack’s territory. Livia and Niccolo had left less than an hour ago, and I already missed them. There was no telling when we’d meet again. Knowing they had to go didn’t make the sting of their absence any less painful.

I took a shaky breath and faced Elena. "The truth is, I’ve never really thought about who I wanted to be. My worth was always tied to the strength of my wolf, and since my wolf is asleep..."

She shook her head. "That Alpha of yours is an sshl*."

I chuckled softly. "He definitely is. And to top it off, his son rejected me."

Her frown deepened. "There’s a special place in the underworld for guys like Enzo. Not only did he reject the mate bond, but he twisted it against you, knowing it might kill you. I doubt the Goddess or the Fates will have any mercy on his soul."

A grin tugged at the corner of my mouth, and Elena laughed.

"But I’m guessing," she said, eyeing me with a sly smile, "you’d rather take your revenge on him while he’s still breathing, wouldn’t you?"

My smile faded. "He’s an Alpha. I mean, he has alpha blood. I wouldn’t stand a chance against him."

Elena clicked her tongue. "That’s nonsense. I told you about Alessandro, remember? He could train you. Once you're stronger, you might—"

"Might what? Assassinate an Alpha?" I scoffed, shaking my head. "And let’s say I do manage to beat him senseless. What then?"

She shrugged. "I don’t know, but you have a new life now. You should do something with it."

I sighed, my hands falling to my sides. "This might sound pathetic, but the Black Blade Pack was all I knew. The boldest dream I ever had was finding a mate who loved me and building a home... a family."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Did they lock you in a cage your whole life or something?"

I gave her a look. "More like I was stuck at home with my father, who spent most of his life resenting me. He never thanked me for taking care of him, for cooking, cleaning, or hunting to keep us alive. Actually, I did all of that even before he was crippled. After I was branded a shrouds wolf, he forbade me from eating with him and Livia. I wasn’t even allowed to sit at the same table." My voice dropped, bitterness slipping into my words. "I was a servant in my own home. That’s pretty much the only life I’ve known." I cringed at how small that made me sound.

Elena chuckled as she rose from the table. "Well, I hope you’re a fast learner, because there’s a lot more to life than what you’ve seen."

She motioned to a fur coat hanging by the door and gestured for me to put it on. Grabbing her own coat, she threw it over her shoulders.

"Are we going somewhere?" I asked, frowning.

Elena nodded, a grin spreading across her face. "It’s time for your first real-life lesson."

I followed Elena along a narrow mountain path, with a steep drop on one side and jagged rock on the other. The path was barely wide enough for us, and I shuddered at the thought of walking it at night. Thankfully, the sun was high, casting light on every rock and root in our way.

Elena led the way, her long gray braid swaying with each confident step. How old was she again? She carried a walking stick, though it seemed more for show than for support. I figured she must’ve traveled this path countless times, but I couldn’t help but admire her anyway.

Suddenly, she glanced back at me, grinning as she pointed ahead.

"Alessandro’s estate is just over that hill."

My eyes widened. "Estate?"

She shrugged. "He might not have a pack anymore, but he’s still an Alpha. Did you think he lived in a shabby little hut like mine?"

I gave a nervous smile. "I thought maybe he was in hiding or something."

"Oh, it’s hidden all right." She chuckled without missing a step. "I had a hand in that."

As we continued along the path, I wanted to ask what Elena had meant, but when she quickened her pace, I had no choice but to follow her obediently. We walked for another minute or two before she abruptly stopped in the middle of the rocky, narrow trail. I frowned, glancing ahead to see nothing but the same winding path, leading seemingly nowhere.

I opened my mouth to ask why we had stopped, but before I could speak, Elena raised her hands and began chanting in a language I couldn’t recognize.

“What the…” I gasped as the view before me shifted. The rocky trail dissolved, revealing a broad clearing and a wide, sandy road that led to massive iron gates. Whatever magic she had just used was incredibly powerful.

Elena noticed my stunned expression and chuckled. “Come on. The passage will stay open for less than a minute. Security reasons.” She gave me a wink and headed toward the gates.

I hurried to catch up, walking beside her through the clearing. A tall, muscular man with deep brown skin stood on the other side of the gate, his sharp eyes scrutinizing us as we approached.

“Hello, Elena,” he greeted, bowing slightly before his gaze settled on me. “Who’s this?”

A sly smile tugged at Elena’s lips. “Tell Alessandro I’ve brought him a new warrior.”

The man blinked in surprise. “Her?” He gave me a once-over, clearly unsure.

Honestly, I was just as taken aback by Elena’s words, but I kept quiet, deciding to trust her judgment for now.

After a long moment, the man sighed and opened the gates for us. “Alessandro is in his quarters,” he said as we passed.

“Thank you, Vito,” Elena responded with a nod, continuing forward.

As we walked deeper into the estate, I was amazed by what I saw. It wasn’t just a house or a camp—it was an entire village, full of well-built homes and even a few shops. Elena had mentioned Alessandro lost his pack, but this place was far from abandoned.

“Alessandro calls this place Alitos—a place where you can breathe,” Elena explained, patting my shoulder. “Maybe it’ll teach you how to breathe, too.”

I wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but like before, I held my tongue and followed her lead. Moments later, we stood before the grandest building in the estate.

This was clearly Alessandro’s home. When Elena knocked on the door, we were quickly ushered inside and led to his office.

“Come in,” a deep voice invited as Elena knocked once more.

She entered confidently, settling onto a sofa near the large, polished desk. I hesitated for a second before stepping in and closing the door behind me.

Sitting behind the desk was a man with a build so imposing that he seemed to dwarf the room. His light brown hair was tied back neatly, and a beard of the same shade framed his sharp features. His intense brown eyes squinted slightly as I approached, trying to mask my nervousness.

“This is Gianna,” Elena announced, gesturing to me. “I believe she’s the one you’ve been looking for.”

My heart pounded, but I forced myself to meet Alessandro’s gaze. His brow arched, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “Is that so?” He didn’t seem to comment on my nervous stance, focusing instead on something else. “Omega?”

“A shrouds wolf,” Elena answered on my behalf. “The strongest I’ve ever seen.”

I blinked in shock. “I am?”

“Yes, you are,” Elena replied firmly, her eyes meeting mine before turning back to Alessandro. “She survived a rejection while poisoned with wolfsbane.”

Alessandro’s smirk deepened into a grin, and though it made him more intimidating, there was something else in his expression—interest. “Some would call that a miracle,” he said, his gaze never leaving mine.

Elena continued, “She’s from the Black Blade Pack. She’s untrained, unaware of her powers, and even with her wolf still dormant, she has access to immense strength. Unfortunately, no one has ever taught her how to use it.”

A thrill of excitement shot through me. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t being told how worthless I was. Instead, this man was looking at me like I was worth something. Like I was needed. And that fluttering feeling in my stomach? It was the first taste of hope I’d felt in a long time.

Alessandro leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “Have you heard of Alpha Matteo?” he asked.

I shook my head.

He chuckled, the sound dry. “I’m not surprised. Your Alpha chose to remain neutral during the war that Alpha Matteo ignited. Alpha Fabio foolishly believed a treaty would protect the Black Blade Pack, but Matteo’s ambition was too great. He’s already conquered the entire west and most of the north, leaving nothing but destruction in his wake. The southern packs have aligned with him, declaring him Alpha King, as though he already rules the continent.”

He paused, his eyes hardening. “It’s only a matter of time before Matteo sends his most ruthless general, Alpha Stefano, to these lands. When that happens, the world as we know it will be over. Stefano and his warriors will obliterate the remaining packs, and true tyranny will reign.”

A shiver ran down my spine. I didn’t care about Alpha Fabio or even Enzo, but Livia still lived in the Black Blade Pack, and so did many innocent people in the surrounding villages. “Are you sure he’ll attack the east?” I asked quietly.

Alessandro nodded grimly. “It’s inevitable—unless we stop him.”

A surge of determination flared in my chest, and I straightened my posture, feeling a new strength rise within me. “What do you need me to do?”

His smirk returned, darker this time. “Join the resistance and let me turn you into my secret weapon.”