The Alpha's Bodyguard

The revenge has just begun

Alpha's Office of the Gold Moon Pack

Present

"She is Cindy Smith, Alpha," Valery said when she introduced me to the man I hadn't seen, at least personally, in the last five years.

Yes, he was still handsome, even more so than when I first met him.

There was nothing left of the boy who was my mate for a few weeks. Now he was all man, a pack leader, a tall, broad, and beautiful male specimen that made me swallow hard just by looking at him.

I concealed my wolf, Belona, whom I had recovered a few months after the interesting conversation with Sergeant Stewart when I began to inquire about my past, as he had suggested.

Surroundings of the Gold Moon Pack orphanage

4 years before the present events

I arrived determined to investigate what Sergeant Stewart had suggested because it was true that, in the last year, since I came of age, my strength, skill, and visual acuity, among other characteristics, had improved considerably.

At first, I attributed it to the tough military training, but in a few months, I was well above the average of humans, even more so than expected for an omega, so much so that I had to simulate some weakness to avoid arousing suspicion, but no matter how hard I tried, for one of us, as the sergeant had said I was, those kinds of abilities don't go unnoticed.

I got off the motorcycle, and as I was about to reach the door of what had been my home for two years, a hand landed on my shoulder. When I turned, I saw the face of a man I hadn't seen before.

"Ivania, you won't find the answers you've come to seek there," he said.

I was surprised that this stranger not only knew my name but also what had brought me there.

Could he be a friend or acquaintance of the sergeant?

No, he didn't seem to be. I had to be careful.

"Who are you?" was the first thing I asked, considering that he could also be a spy from the Falinni who had been following me.

"I also have a motorcycle," the stranger pointed to the other end of the parking lot, and I recognized a Ducati. "How about we go for a ride?"

The man didn't wait for me to respond, and I stood still for a few seconds in front of the orphanage entrance, evaluating the situation.

I didn't think I had anything to lose by listening to this man who, otherwise, intrigued me. He seemed to be someone accustomed to giving orders.

I returned to my motorcycle and followed him for at least an hour until we were at the border of the Gold Moon Pack territory.

The stranger's motorcycle stopped in front of a roadside diner, which suited me because I was starting to get hungry. We entered as if we were old acquaintances.

"My name is Darkwood, Mr. Darkwood, as most know me," the man said after we had sat down and ordered a sandwich with soda each. "I know you are Ivania, that the surname they put in the protection system is Rodriguez, but that your family's true name is Ventrue."

Ventrue.

It was a familiar surname, but from where?

I was startled to recognize it.

"Ventrue? From the Ventrue House, of the lycan king?" I asked with a smile that implied that all of this had to be nothing more than a joke, or madness.

"That's right, Ivania. You are the king's niece, but only you, my wife, and I know that. Do you want to hear the story?"

Alpha's Office of the Gold Moon Pack

Present

"Her scores in the tests are impressive, sir," Valery said after handing Alessandro the documents with my scores. "None of the previous candidates had such high results."

I smiled when Valery gave me a glance.

"They are, indeed. They truly impress me..."

"Cindy, Alpha," I said when I noticed he couldn't recall my name.

It had been a small test prank of my mental abilities on the leader of the Gold Moon Pack. They were working perfectly.

"Cindy Smith, yes. You say you come from the Goddesses Valley Pack?"

"That's right, Alpha."

"You're far from home." Alessandro smiled, and then something inside me shifted, even though Belona was silent and should remain so for the mate effect not to manifest. "Have you been an escort before? Do you have any experience in security?"

I didn't need to lie. With my mental ability, I could make Alessandro believe I was a rooster and start crowing. That position as his escort was already mine.

"I was in the Marine Corps, sir, for four years. There, I was assigned to security missions for diplomats and important businessmen in foreign territory. I know all about security and its protocols."

"Impressive, Cindy," Alessandro replied. "What can you tell me about your family? Do you have a partner, children, any family member you need to take care of or dedicate time to especially?"

I smiled cordially as I considered the idea of what I had discovered about who my family was, what had happened to my parents, and why I entered the child protection system when I was only a few months old.

Border of the Gold Moon pack territory

4 years before the present events

"Mordecai, the lycan king, ordered the assassination of your father, his older brother, when you were still in your mother's womb," said Mr. Darkwood after taking a bite of his sandwich. "He made it look like a hunting accident, and while your father was being poisoned with a silver solution in the hospital, your uncle began plotting the death of your mother before she gave birth to you."

I held my sandwich in my hand, not daring to eat. Whether that story was true or not, it had killed my appetite. That was never mentioned in History class. The official story in the kingdom was that the older brother of the current king had died from an infection, and his wife died of moral grief before giving birth to the cub she carried in her belly.

"Although he managed to kill your father and your mother, she gave birth to you before the poison killed her, but the doctor who delivered you lied to the king and said that you had died. He showed the corpse of an unfortunate newborn and contacted me to make sure you disappeared."

"To you? Why?" I asked, still unable to take the first bite of my sandwich.

"Because at that time I was your uncle's natural enemy," Mr. Darkwood replied without blinking.

I furrowed my brow.

If Darkwood was the enemy of the lycan king at that time, that meant…

"Are you Darkwood, the one who calls himself the king of the rogues?"

Only then did I connect the names. That guy was testing my knowledge of kingdom history.

"That's right, Ivania, but don't tell anyone," Darkwood, whether he truly was or not, looked at me mischievously. "I was the one who introduced you into the orphan protection system, where your uncle would never look for you because he believed you were dead. However, not long ago, he realized the truth, but that's another story, which I'll share with you later. For now, what you should be interested in about your life story is that you are, Ivania Ventrue, a lycan, not an omega as you've believed until now, and that I know where your wolf is hidden."

"Hidden my wolf? How's that?"

Darkwood smiled mischievously again and, after finishing his sandwich, continued with mine.

Office of the Alpha of the Gold Moon pack

Present

"So your parents moved abroad, you have no siblings, no partner, and certainly no children?" Alessandro asked as he summarized the answers I had given him about my supposed family relationship.

"That's correct, sir."

"Very well, Ivania, I think that's all I need to know," Alessandro concluded as his eyes scanned once again the sheets containing my test results. I sensed that, despite everything, he was hesitating. "We'll be in touch with you as soon as I make a decision."

He wasn't going to call me. There was something bothering him. Maybe it was the fact that a woman was in charge of his security. He already had his Beta; he didn't want another girl following him to all his meetings.

I had to resort to my lycan mental skills.

"Are you sure you don't want to make a decision right now, sir?" I asked, feigning innocence. I noticed the way Valery looked at me, surprised by my audacity.

"You know, Cindy? I think you're right, and it's time for me to decide." Alessandro's response surprised even more his Beta, who seemed unable to explain what was happening. "You are the right one. You have the best results in the tests, no family commitments of any kind, and you can be at my service full-time. Say no more. Valery, please, take care of the paperwork. Cindy Smith is, from the moment I sign the contract, my new escort. The Alpha's escort."

"Of course... sir," responded a still bewildered Valery.

I had managed to infiltrate the Falinni pack's house.

The revenge had only just begun.