Silent Wolf Book 1: Alpha
Автор
Elise Ann
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1,5M
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When Poppy is attacked by a vampire on the streets, her life changes forever. As the violence spreads, Alpha Gray of the Lost Wolves Pack knows that only the Vampire Castle can help him stop the rising threats. Poppy’s path crosses with Alpha Gray’s, and while she seeks protection, the tension between her and the pack’s members is palpable. As she navigates the perilous world of vampires, werewolves, and pack politics, Poppy realizes she may have to take matters into her own hands. What happens when a fierce woman refuses to bow to authority, even from a powerful alpha?
Chapter 1
Book 1: Silent Wolf
POPPY
Living among werewolves was a challenge, to say the least.
They were quicker, more powerful, and far more lethal than any human could ever hope to be.
They could sniff out fear—or desire—from a distance, exploiting every situation with the cunning of their wolfish nature.
But boy, did they tip well. Trust me, when you’re scraping by, counting every cent, you gravitate toward the most generous tippers.
A big smile, faked undivided attention, and a flick of my hair did the trick; if they resisted, an innocent hand on their shoulder usually persuaded them.
My shift at Lenny’s had just wrapped up, my feet were throbbing, and my back was screaming.
But I’d made nearly double my wage in tips, so I wasn’t about to complain. Plus, I’d have enough to eat and maybe even a little left over this week.
Werewolves eat like there’s no tomorrow. The trays were so heavy that my arms felt like they’d fall off by the end of the day. I indeed almost dropped one while greeting customers just before my shift ended.
That would’ve cost me half my tips. Lenny insisted we pay for anything we broke, even if it was the customer’s fault.
Lenny was a jerk, but I needed this job, so I bit my tongue. Luckily, I managed to keep the tray steady and ended my shift with another generous tip.
It was like an early Christmas! I’d have enough to enjoy a few drinks at the club Eva invited me to that night.
I hadn’t gone out this week to counterbalance the rent I just paid. But spending money on food and saving spare coins every now and then was not the life I yearned for.
On the contrary, if I could afford it, I’d take every occasion to party! Acting wild, dancing, and having fun—who wouldn’t want that?
So, leaving the diner without a look back, I hurried home, took a quick shower, and got ready in under twenty minutes.
I was just adding a final touch of eyeliner when I heard a knock at the door. It had to be Eva, my closest friend in this place.
I never stayed in one city for more than a few months. I wasn’t sure why, but I’d always been a bit of a loner, if you will.
I suppose that’s why I’d settled next to the Lost Wolves Pack for as long as I had.
“Lost” or “vagrant” could’ve been my middle name. Living among them was the closest I’d ever come to feeling at home somewhere.
Still, “closest friend” just meant that Eva knew my name and my like for pizza and nightclubs. In a few months, I’d be gone, and she’d forget me as quickly as all the others who came before her.
Eva and I met at Lenny’s about three weeks ago. She’d worked the shift before mine when I started but stuck around to show me the ropes.
We clicked right away. She wasn’t a local, either, but had stopped here on her way to the southern border and never left. Apparently, the men here were too irresistible for her to move on.
I had to agree with her; there were some fine specimens in this town, even though I wasn’t as bold as her when it came to one-night stands and sexual partners.
Eva was a she-wolf; she therefore was more confident with strangers than I was.
Nonetheless, a werewolf friend came with advantages as well. Eva could scare off any drunk guy and didn’t back down from an angry wolf. Nobody messed with us, be it at the restaurant or on the dance floor.
“Hurryyyy!” Eva called out impatiently from behind my door. “My friend only works there until midnight. We need to get there ASAP to get in.”
How she’d managed to befriend a bouncer at one of the town’s hottest nightclubs was beyond me. But I wasn’t about to complain if it meant I didn’t have to pay the cover charge.
Eva seemed to know everyone, and everyone loved her, meaning I’d spent the last three weeks getting into almost every nightclub for free.
Add in a few nice guys at the gigs buying us drinks, and we got our nights out for free.
“I’m ready!” I called back, grabbing my keys and rushing out of my apartment. “Let’s get this party started!”
We happily walked to the city center, chatting about Eva’s latest sex buddy and laughing at her attempts to set me up on a blind date.
The cold air of the night stroked my face, and I pushed my friend’s pursuit to find me someone to the back of my mind.
As I said, I was good on my own. Some men at the diner had caught my eye, but never so I’d agree to see them in a more private setting.
We arrived right on time at the nightclub. The building stood on the main avenue, in the heart of the city. No one could miss it and its flashy spotlights.
The long line of hopeful club-goers indicated a special event, and I breathed a sigh of relief when the bouncer waved us to the front.
“Hi there, gorgeous! I booked you a table at the back,” Eva’s friend said, unclipping the rope to let us in. “Don’t forget to say my name when you order at the bar.”
The way the woman’s eyes trailed over Eva’s body made me wonder what Eva had done to score us this favor. It was definitely more than just a platonic friendship, if you know what I mean.
But I quickly put the thought out of my head when we entered the main space. Oh. My. God, I thought. The club is massive!
Eva wore a huge grin as she turned to me, squealing with excitement. I couldn’t have agreed more! The night was shaping up to be epic!
The music was loud, the place was packed, and people were partying everywhere, right up in the corridors and the staircases.
After securing our table and getting our free drinks, we made our way to the main floor, dancing with one stranger after another, ditching them whenever they got too clingy.
Eva disappeared at the end of every song to down another drink almost faster than the bartender could make it. One of the perks of being a werewolf, I supposed.
Getting drunk was a challenge, but not impossible, due to their high metabolism. I heard they mostly just drank for the taste, if they could find one behind the burning sensation of alcohol.
The drinks were good, I agreed, but my budget was tight, and I was still skeptical about having to pay for them eventually, so I was content with my buzz from the first drink and kept on dancing.
Around two in the morning, though, my tiredness caught up with me, and my feet started to ache.
I looked for Eva, whom I found locked in a passionate kiss with a blond, tattooed guy. Honestly, I didn’t know how she could just kiss a stranger and take him home. She didn’t even know him!
Call me old-fashioned, but even though I didn’t get attached, a bit of conversation and some flirting were needed if a man wanted to seduce me.
I smiled at my friend and motioned toward the exit, signaling that I was calling it a night. She nodded and waved at me, never breaking away from her guy’s lips for more than a quick breath.
You go, girl, I thought, chuckling to myself as I made my way out onto the streets.
The night was cool, especially compared to the hot, constricted atmosphere inside the club. I instantly wrapped my arms around myself, rubbing my skin to keep it warm.
I couldn’t see any cabs, but I didn’t mind anyway and decided to walk. Sure, my feet ached, but with the refreshing night air on my skin, they already felt better.
And besides, my home wasn’t too far away. Moreover, I could use this stroll to sober up a little and get my thoughts together. Morning would soon come up, and I wasn’t going to waste my two days off on a hangover.
I hummed as I walked, thinking about how fantastic the night had been, and even better, how tomorrow was going to be a blast.
What a treat! No Lenny yelling at me, no heavy trays to lug around. Just me, my quilt, and maybe a good book.
A sudden chill made me stop in my tracks. I turned my head around as the hair on my nape tickled.
I was at an intersection, just two blocks from home. But something felt off. I couldn’t tell how I knew it, but I knew. There was no sound. No cars. No people. Nothing.
I wasn’t that far from the city center. I had walked maybe seven or eight blocks, so there should’ve been people around still, right? Maybe they’d felt the same thing I was feeling and walked away.
So, when a shadow emerged from the building to my right, I instinctively stepped back. I turned to face the movement I’d seen, but there was nothing there.
Another shadow moved out of the corner of my eye, and I turned again. My body tensed, my senses on high alert.
I thought I sensed only one person sulking around. But this creature wasn’t human. And it wasn’t a werewolf either.
And that scared me. I had been around werewolves enough to know how to handle them, or what to expect from them at least.
On the other hand, humans were so readable that I wasn’t going to be scared by a random vagrant.
The shadow moved again, and this time, my eyes landed on a guy, barely a few paces away from me. I gulped.
Something was…off about him. His eyes were yellow, not bright but subdued—as if there was no life behind them.
He took a step closer, and the creepy smile that slowly spread over his face appeared to be as lifeless as his eyes.
A shiver ran down my spine as I stepped back. But he kept coming closer, his lanky legs surprisingly closing the distance between us.
“Good evening, wolf,” he said, his cold voice instantly sending more shivers down my spine.
“I—I’m not a wolf,” I stammered as I held my hands in front of me. If this was just a misunderstanding, maybe he’d let me go.
“I think you’ve got the wrong person,” I gently suggested, even attempting a reassuring smile.
Just let me make it home.
The stranger advanced another step in my direction. His laughter echoed—chilling as metal—as his lips curled back over his teeth.
Hold on… Fangs? Holy shit!
And then he lunged at me.
