Chapter 1, The Souls of the Predestined

Chapter 1
Falen

Daggers zing past my head.

I sidestep to dodge the blades aimed to dig into my throat. I sprint toward my assailant with a wicked grin on my lips and the glowing eyes of my wolf. A line of throwing knives slice toward me, but I dive over the five blades and roll forward when I hit the ground.

My foot kicks out after I recover, swiping the assailant’s legs out from under him. He tumbles with a groan as I jump on top of him, swinging my fist into his stone-hard face.

The sound of flesh hitting flesh makes my bloodlust worse.

He grabs my fist as I sling another blow and twists. I flip with it, not wanting to deal with broken bones. Especially not the tiny ones in my wrist.
He’s anticipated this, though.

Hard knuckles slam into my side, painfully shooting precious air from my lungs. I cough and stand with a rasping gasp.

He stands too, not wanting to be left vulnerable on the ground. Before he can go on the offensive, I turn, delivering a spinning back kick smacking right into his jaw. A grunt is my reward for my amazing technique, if I do say so myself.

I make a mistake.

I get cocky.

His boot plants itself right in the middle of my stomach and sends me flying backward. My back skids across the freshly waxed hardwood floor, raking against the individual bones of my spine. I grit my teeth, feeling every single new burning blister along my vertebrae, as I stop sliding on the dusty wood. I roll onto my hands and knees, heaving and gagging.

That hurt.

Bastard.

He walks over with a smug smile lighting up his dark amber eyes. Looming over me, his big ass head blocks the low light from above.

“Now, that’s what I call breathtaking.” He cackles, celebrating a little too early.

Cockiness is a weakness for everyone.

I twist and jam my fist into the back of his knee. His legs buckle when my fist connects and I have to suppress my vicious and victorious smile. He yelps, falling on his side as his knees give out. I jump on him again and punch his cheek once to let him know I’m in control now.

My dagger sings as I yank it from its sheath at my side. The metal gleams in the low light as I bring it to his neck. The blade stops its pursuit just before making more than a slight cut over his pulsing vein.

“Cute.” I breathe heavily as sweat slides down the side of my face. I clench my teeth at the monster clawing its way to the surface, promising all loss of control. “But you need to wait to give the one liner until you know your opponent is down for the count.”

“Goddess, Fal. Okay. Get off.” Ash coughs, tapping the side of my arm.

I stare down at him, my darker side kicking in the door of my resolve to stay sane; my eyes follow a dark red line sliding down his neck like his own morbid form of condensation.

Ash notices my glazed over stare and grabs the wrist of my knifed hand, shoving me off. I stumble back a few feet before shaking myself of the monster.

Why does she keep coming back to haunt me?

Light applause echoes from across the training gym and a smirk lifts my lips, if only to pretend I’m somewhat fine.

Ash kicks, landing on his feet gracefully despite his tall form. He gives me a side-eye before wiping at his lip, cringing at the blood coating his fingers from my punches.

The glare from his shining amber eyes say all I need to know about how I better get my ass in control of the sociopath pacing inside me. I gulp and slightly nod, letting him know I got the message loud and clear.

If only it were so goddamn simple.

Ash combs his bloody fingers through his short, undercut-styled raven hair, seemingly using the blood as hair gel.

“Gross.” I sneer, even though I’ve definitely done worse with other people’s blood.

You know, like smear it across my eyes, using it as assassin paint.

Ash smirks and holds out his wrist to me. I tap it gently with my own as Nina walks up with wild, frosty eyes. My heart does a little flip at the admiration peering up at me from her freckled face.

“Holy moly, that was intense,” she exclaims, smiling so wide it pulls an actual grin from my lips. She bounces on her toes like she wants in on the fighting, clasping her hands in front of her like a praying nun.

“Holy moly? What are you, twelve?” Ash chuckles and I punch his hip, scolding him. “Ow.”

“I am a grown-ass woman, thank you very much.”
Nina totally emphasizes her point by sticking out her tongue at Ash.

“Guys guys guys,” I interfere, dramatically putting myself between them with my hands held out in defense of them both. “Can’t we all just get along?”

As if planned, they turn on me and stick their tongues out in my direction. I groan and roll my eyes while Nina gives me her lovely little laugh. Her eyes widen suddenly and her face falls before she bites her lip, eyeing me sheepishly.

Oh, goddess.

“What is it?” I cross my arms over my chest and arch a brow.

“Do you think you guys could...I don’t know...spar with me sometime?”

My wolf and the monster rage with possession, wanting me to tell her hell no I won’t put you in danger like that, but I swallow it down as easily as a peach pit.

It’s confusing though, because my wolf also wants to give Nina everything she could ever want whenever she wants it. I want to give her the world.

I wish the different parts of me could all agree for once.

“It’s been a while since I’ve gone to any of my kickboxing classes,” she adds when I say nothing.

Ash nods eagerly, popping the joints in his knuckles in preparation. I cringe at the sound and glare from the corner of my eye. The popping aggravates me so much.

Ash stops with the stupid popping with one glance at my beyond annoyed sneer and I open my mouth to answer Nina’s question with a why the hell not? But I am rudely interrupted by the thorn bush in my side.

Yes, an entire fucking thorn bush.

“Alpha, you’re needed,” Bellona informs me with annoyance in her tone.

Bellona, the dark-faced woman with an attitude was Cosma’s Beta; her second in command. A Vice President of sorts. But now, she is unfortunately mine since Cosma so graciously bestowed the title of Pack Alpha onto me.

Normally, my Beta would, you know, be my Beta. Jericho was the second in my graduating class. I didn’t mind him all that much. He definitely didn’t give me such growling attitude, but he met his death by a Poacher’s knife to the throat two years ago. In a normal Pack situation, my Third would step up and take his place, but Cosma thought giving me her Beta would make up for her almost shooting our fucking heads off.

I bet it kills Bellona to be my Beta. Sometimes knowing she hates working for me is the only reason I haven’t killed her. Spite is such a petty thing. It’s hard to keep myself in full check though, because she’s never shown me anything other than absolute distaste.

She was so happy to throw those incriminating pictures of me and Nina in my face a few months ago.

The thought makes me turn on her with a growl and curl of my lip, daring her to disrespect me further. My Alpha power—the dominance that manifested once I became an Alpha assassin—rolls over her like a poison, turning the air thick with demand. I hear Ash swallow uncomfortably behind me.

Bellona submits faster than I can blink with a flash of her soft and vulnerable neck. Her eyes avert and I smugly place my hands on my hips.

“What the hell is it now?” I’m growing more annoyed by every second of her presence.

Her caramel colored face breaks in sweat as I continue to let my Alpha power pulse over her shaking form. The sharp tinge of fear slips into her earthy scent and the monster in me feeds on it. I only release Bellona and snap back to myself when Nina grabs my hand and gives it a calming squeeze. Her healing energy absorbs into my skin and my muscles release a bit of their tension.

Bellona sighs at the absence of my wrath and collects herself with a deep breath.

“There has been...or, I guess there continues to be a brawl in the square.”

I snarl.

“Of course. I can’t have one goddamn hour of peace in this fucking place.” I groan at the gym ceiling and sheath my dagger at my side. I squeeze Nina’s hand once and let go with a heartfelt parting glance, wishing I could just stay with her forever.

But alas, I am the Head Bitch in charge now.

I give Ash a nod before I stalk after Bellona.

They are all about to meet the monster.