Kane Mate Series Book 1: Alpha Ethan
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Holly Prange
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Chapter 1
Book 1: Alpha Ethan
SCARLET
I hear the sound of screams in the distance.
Searching for the source of the noise, I gaze across the remnants of the city that was once St. Louis.
It’s only blackened remains of what used to be, the crumbling buildings interrupted by modern skyscrapers built after the war - Crescent City. The Arch still stands tall, but a giant chunk is missing from its top left side.
The most prominent building is centered among all the others and is several stories taller than the rest. It’s owned by the most feared alpha in the land, Ethan Kane, leader of the Crescent Moon Pack. His father before, Seth Kane, won the city during the Great War of Supernaturals. Now Alpha Ethan rules with an iron fist.
I leap from my spot on the rooftop to another roof, trying to be as quiet as possible.
There it is.
The sounds are coming from the direction of the Scourge - what used to be East St. Louis, where all the packless wolves live.
I make my way over the crumbling buildings, picking over the vines and trees that have invaded the abandoned structures.
Finally, I see something. A group of men in the street, talking and laughing as they clean fresh blood off sharp knives. The scent of blood mixes with the stench of sweat and garbage, churning my stomach.
I recognize one of them. A werewolf named Ray Jones. He and his gang are always picking fights.
It’s hard to find a pack once you have lost yours, which is why I’m still part of the packless. My pack, including my parents, died in a rogue attack shortly after arriving in the Scourge.
Now I live with other packless. We don’t have an alpha to lead us, but we’ve made a community of sorts. It’s my job to guard the camp, to try to keep them safe.
Ray is exactly the type we need to stay safe from.
I jump down from the roof, growling. “What the hell did you do? What are the screams about?” I yell.
“Hey, Scarlet baby. You finally decide you want a piece of this?” Ray asks with an evil smirk, walking up to me so his face is just inches away from mine. He slides an arm around my waist.
Some of his men chuckle.
Assholes.
“Definitely not,” I reply with disgust, pushing his arm away. I try to move closer to the sounds of the screams but Ray quickly sidesteps to block my path.
“I hate this guy,” my wolf growls in my head.
“Me too,” I answer as a shiver runs up my spine. Most of the people who live in the Scourge look out for each other, but Ray and his gang of thugs only look out for themselves.
“Come on, baby. Don’t be like that. I’ll have you screaming my name in no time.” Ray presses as he moves uncomfortably close to me yet again.
“Gross. Back off, Ray. I’m not interested,” I insist, I place my hands on his chest to shove him away.
Suddenly, he’s holding a bloody dagger to my throat, the hilt still wrapped in the cloth he was using to wipe it down.
“Why don’t you make me?” he growls lowly.
My face twists in disgust. How dare this asshole pull a knife on me!
Luckily, I’m a strong fighter with fast reflexes. In seconds, I’m holding the knife, and he’s left with a dirty rag.
I shove past him toward the screams, and he roughly grabs my ass. I immediately turn around, taking the guilty hand in mine and twisting it harshly, making him flinch before regaining his composure.
“I said BACK OFF, ASSHOLE,” I growl as I allow my wolf to let her power shine through.
He immediately steps away from me as he puts his hands up in surrender.
I turn to leave but stop as screams and growls erupt from the opposite end. Several packless run down the alley, chased by men in black.
“Shit!” I hear Ray say from behind me, and I quickly spin on him.
“Is this your fault?” I shout.
He doesn’t bother answering me and only gives me an evil smirk before he and his men scramble to get out of there.
I scowl before turning to see both wolf and human forms fighting at the end of the alley. The air is thick with fear and aggression.
I quickly run in their direction, Ray’s bloody dagger still in hand. I watch as a man in all black strikes down and kills one of the packless men before turning to another.
My heart clenches with rage and sorrow. I can’t help but believe the packless were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever happened tonight, I can’t imagine they deserved to die. My desire to protect kicks in.
I make a flying leap to attack and am suddenly hit with a strong, overwhelming scent of vanilla and citrus.
My conviction evaporates and confusion hits me, but I don’t have time to think about what this means. Before I realize what’s happening, the man who was my target spins around, towering over me.
Pain explodes through my stomach. I look down to find a black hilt sticking out of me, crimson spreading out around it. The man drops his hand from the dagger, and I look up to meet his gaze.
He’s gorgeous. Tall, with dark, curly hair and a chiseled jaw with just a bit of stubble. I sense so many emotions swirling through his gorgeous sapphire eyes: confusion, shock, sadness, fear, anger.
I stumble backward, my consciousness slipping away from me. As I fade to black, the last thing I remember is my mate’s voice yelling in my head.
“Mate!”
