She is Alpha, not Luna

2 - The cat from Hell

Greyson

I’ve never been cheated before. Never, not even once in the eons that I’ve been doing this business. Who cheats Death, anyway?

“Sophia Stone, age 28, Alpha of the Sirius pack, that’so who.” Blaze, my most trusted demon, figured that this would be a good time to talk, mocking me no less. I haven’t even realised I’ve been saying everything out loud, that’s how much this pesky little werewolf threw me off.

"Hm, a werewolf." I said mostly to myself, mulling over the information I found myself needing to collect after our strange encounter. 

“Overall she is healthy, though I didn't miss how heavily inebriated she was tonight, therefore was easily taken down by two rogue wolves, scums really.” I say and Blaze approves instantly by nodding a few times.

"But if I didn't collect her soul, yours will have to make up for it." I inform the two assailants crouched in fear before Blaze and I, and then proceed to skillfully swipe my scythe and end their souls' connection to the mortal world. That wasn’t hard at all, was it? Then how come that woman talked herself out of it? Because she did talk, a lot might I add, and because of that I found myself in need to bend the rules a little, manipulate things, which is something I never do. It’s just too much trouble, and also I don’t give a s**t about who lives or dies. That’s not for me to decide, I merely collect their souls.

“Yet this time you did decide, Master.” Blaze gives his unsolicited opinion.

“Stop talking. This isn’t a conversation.” I growl at the demon.

“Then maybe you should stop saying s**t out loud, Master.” Blaze grumbles, annoying me even further if that’s possible.

Considering the savage attack on her life, it looks like Sophia Stone is notoriously pissing others off. A strange need to know who ordered that attack overwhelms me, almost as much as the need to know more about the one that successfully cheated Death.

“I think you are spending a little too much time in the human world, Master. You are narrating things aloud and honestly, it’s getting creepy.” 

Pointing my scythe at Blaze’s chest, I narrow my eyes into slits. “Nonsense. It looks like I’m not spending enough time here if they are getting bold and cheating me.” 

Suddenly, an idea pops into my mind and I smile, slightly piercing Blaze’s chest and changing the form he takes by whispering a chant.

“Keep close to her. Be her shadow. Learn how she got the courage and skill to defy me and slip away from my scythe’s blade.” I order the demon.

“A cat Master, really?” Blaze meows annoyed by the form I’ve made him take. “You do know that cats and dogs aren’t the best of friends, right?” Another meow comes from the black creature I’ve morphed Blaze into.

“I never said I’d make it easy for you, Blaze. Prove your worth and you get to stick by me, fail and you’ll be going back to your brothers in Hell, herding the souls I reap.” I disappear before the literal cat from Hell gets any bright ideas and tries to scratch me. It wouldn’t do much damage, but they don’t call the demon Blaze for nothing. The fire it breathes could burn even my cloak and I don't like going back to the part of Hell where I can get a new one.

Sophia

“Get that thing away from me!” Alana steps back, her hand waving towards the new friend I've made, and her face scrunched up in fear.

“Really Alana? A cat? You’re afraid of a cat?” I roll my eyes, stuffing clothes in my bag in a hurry.

“I’m not afraid of it, it just gives me the creeps.” She pouts and sidesteps the hissing little beast, making a dash for the bathroom and dropping her already made up bag in the process. I get the feeling the feline is not a big fan of Alana's either.

“Don't mind her, she didn’t get her beauty sleep.” I pet the little furball and it starts purring in content.

“I heard that!” Alana screams from the bathroom. “How did it get in here, anyway?”

“I have no idea. I found it on the bed when I came in.” I shrug. “It must live in the hotel. It did say it was pet friendly.” I remind my Beta.

With bags packed in a hurry, but at least giving slightly less walking dead vibes and more bachelorette weekend gone wrong, we hurry to the Reception.

“Did Deacon find anything?” I ask Alana as we check out of the hotel. Knowing that someone put a hit out on you messed with one's brain. I'm getting more and more paranoid, not feeling safe even in the crowded hotel, buzzing with guests.

“Nothing suspicious before and during our time away. Did you talk to the Lunas?” She asks me in return, her voice barely a whisper.

Successfully checked out, we make our way to my car.

“I didn’t say anything about us getting attacked after we left them, but neither of them seemed surprised to hear from me this morning. That or they are very good at hiding it. I’m not confronting anyone until we at least get a lead on who it may be.” I carry on the conversation as we load our bags in the car.

I tense and immediately jump upon hearing the loud shriek that Alana gave. Rushing to her side, I see my female Beta pointing at the open passenger door. Peeking inside, I immediately burst into laughter.

In the car, curled up comfortably on the passenger seat, lies the same cat that was in my hotel room earlier. With its sleek black fur and almost golden eyes, it sits unbothered by the commotion it caused.

“Maybe it needs a change of scenery. I kind of like the little guy, I admire its guts, also.” 

“I don’t. Why can't you grab a towel or a robe. Heck, even a plant would be better. But you are taking their cat!"

Not thinking twice, I remove the black furball and deposit it on the back seat, while Alana curses under her breath.

"Shut up. I'm fast approaching 30, I'm mateless and most guys that meet me think I'm a total b***h for the simple fact that I am the Alpha of our pack. Let's face it, I was going to die alone surrounded by cats anyway." I explain my logic for essentially stealing a pet from the hotel.

Somewhere on our half way home, I convinced Alana to contact someone in the pack and ask them to get supplies for my new furry friend.

I didn't want to risk calling my father in the fear that my phone would be compromised, but I am anxious to get home and tell him what happened. I need advice and he's the best person to ask, though I think he will rain thunder upon hearing someone tried to kill me. I'll leave out the part where they almost succeeded, only to protect his heart.

The more I think about the attack, the harder it sinks in just how lucky I was. I could have died. Actually, I was supposed to die, yet somehow I managed to elude Death.

Just like all the previous times I thought about the moment that I looked into those soulless red eyes, my skin prickles and I suddenly feel very cold, very vulnerable and... watched. Which is ridiculous considering we are in a moving car.

I slam my foot harder into the gas pedal and push to reach our pack's territory. I have nothing to fear, well except for someone wanting me dead that is, but my current paranoia has to be because I am away from my pack.

---

"I see you weren't kidding." Deacon blinks a few times upon seeing the passenger in the back.

"I wish I was. Alpha came back from Hell and bought a souvenir with her." I flinch at Alana's words even if I know she meant it as a joke. Yet my skin crawls at the mention of dying and the feeling of being watched closely intensifies.

Luckily my Beta doesn't notice since her and Deacon are kissing heavily because they were away from each other for nearly 48 hours. And nope, I'm not jealous one bit, I have a cat now!

"Ah, the joys of being mated!" I tease my two Betas while I take the pet carrier Deacon bought. "Right, in you go." I showed the tiny door to the cat and I could swear it rolled it's eyes before slowly walking in.