The Alpha's Bodyguard

The she-wolf

The Library of the Palace of King Lycan

4 years before the present events

Ivania's POV

Entering the palace was easier than I had thought. The cold had kept the night guards in their posts, as I had trusted it would, but once inside, I would have to exert more effort to go unnoticed.

According to the map that Lord Darkwood had made me study, who knew the interior of the palace from the visits he had made to the king for several months, I had to reach the second floor and cross a long corridor where I could encounter some Gammas guarding the king's privacy.

Moving like a cat, I reached the wide stairs, surprised by the splendor of that residence. I had never been to Versailles, but I had seen movies of the former residence of the French monarchy, and this place replicated it perfectly.

I climbed the stairs without stumbling and reached the corridor that would lead me to the library. Then I could hear the Gammas, who were talking among themselves with some muted laughter. They trusted that no one would be foolish enough to enter to steal from the residence of the most powerful man in the kingdom. They were about to be surprised.

If I had had my wolf with me, I would have surely sufficed with a power of mental control to leave the five Gammas unconscious and walk straight down the hallway as if it were my own house. But it wasn't like that. Since I didn't have my wolf, I had to rely on my physical skills, which barely matched those of a young Alpha. Five Gammas were too much for me at that moment.

Fortunately, science had already developed alternatives for the weaker ones, and taking advantage of the moment when one of the Gammas cracked a bad joke, I threw the smoke grenade with chloroform that was supposed to put them to sleep. The smoke spread through the hallway and not only formed a thick cloud that hid me but also knocked down the five guardians. Still, I had to hurry before the sensitive nose of some guard detected the chemical that had put their companions to sleep, and with my airways blocked, I crossed the corridor, straight toward the library door.

"There your uncle keeps not only the reliquary containing your wolf but also other family treasures and relics," Darkwood had said as we reviewed the plan. "But you must not be distracted by any of that, Ivania. Just look for the reliquary, nothing more."

At the time, I thought it would be easy to heed the words of my mentor and protector, but when I entered the library of King Lycan, I was amazed by the display of valuable objects decorating the place.

I felt as if I were facing a collection of very valuable artifacts, items that attested to the passage of countless generations of the Ventrue House, their power and fame represented in the accumulation of powerful and mysterious articles, weapons, jewels, and books.

How would I find the reliquary I needed now, I thought at that moment, while my eyes continued to marvel at everything around me.

Then, as I approached a huge wardrobe that reached the ceiling, I felt a powerful surge of energy that almost engulfed me. It was as if an invisible force had taken me by the arm and was now pulling me towards that counter.

‘Is it you?’ a voice asked in my head. ‘Are you my human?’

I brought my hands to my mouth to stifle a scream.

I had never experienced anything like it.

I wasn't scared, but fascinated.

I knew very well who was talking to me.

Gold Moon Pack Hospital

Room 247

Present

Ivania´s POV

The wound hurt like hell.

The damn bullet fragment had found no better place to lodge than right in my groin, and unable to resort to Belona, my wolf, to cauterize the wound or even alleviate the pain, I had to endure it in all its magnitude.

The doctor who received me applied some painkillers, as well as a cocktail of antibiotics and coagulants, but barely enough to treat a pup, and his behavior was not surprising. I was supposed to be a Gamma, and through my wolf, those small portions should have been enough for me to relieve myself, which I would have done with sufficiency if it weren't for the fact that the very tender and untimely Alessandro was concerned about me and had not left my side for a single moment.

How I hated him. Him and his damn hypocrisy.

"I don't understand, doctor, why she still has a fever," Alessandro asked the doctor who was about to operate on me to remove the bullet fragment from my body. "Was it special ammunition, with silver?"

The doctor shook his head.

"I don't understand it either, Alpha. I checked the other casings they gave me, and they're all normal ammunition. By now, her wolf should have acted, and at least lowered her fever."

And it would have, i***t, if it weren't because my boss now thinks he's a compassionate being, I thought as I listened to them with my lycan ears. Although Alessandro and the doctor were on the other side of the spacious room and whispered, for me, it was as if they were speaking to me by my side and loudly.

"Well, we'll find out what's going on, for now, proceed with the operation."

"Right away, Alpha. Are you listed as her guardian?"

"Yes. The girl has no family we can call, so I will take responsibility for her. Please proceed."

Miserable, you should have taken responsibility for me five years ago, you damn i***t. That's what you should have said to me five years ago, in that same restaurant we left, i***t.

Playing my part of being unconscious, I felt the stretcher move toward the operating room. At least there I would be away from Alessandro; I could wake up Belona and let her relieve me of that damn pain that had been driving me crazy for an hour.

"Is there any problem if I come in, doctor? She's my escort; she saved my life, and I want to be by her side at all times," I heard the untimely i***t Alessandro say.

Damn it!

Now if he decided to be attentive and special, just when I needed him away.

"Of course, Alpha. You just need to cover yourself with the surgery suit and wash your hands very well."

Now the i***t was going to be in the operating room!

I was screwed!

I would have to endure the operation without anesthesia because, being a Gamma, my wolf was supposed to numb me to the imminent pain I was about to suffer.

What would I do?

I had no alternative but to endure the torment to which I was about to be subjected or reveal myself, wake up Belona, let her act, and, in passing, let her mate, Alessandro, feel the same and send my revenge to hell.

No, I wasn't going to do that.

I had to be strong.

I had to get revenge on Alessandro!

I would endure the pain.

I had to do it.

I would be brave.

Palace Library of King Lycan

4 years before the present events

Ivania´s POV

She was my she-wolf!

It was her who spoke to me, it couldn't be anyone else.

Her voice was beautiful, but also terrifying.

It was the voice of a lycan she-wolf!

I immediately connected with her and spoke.

‘Yes, it's me. My name is Ivania and I'm your human. You are…’

‘Belona. My name is Belona and I'm pleased to meet you, Ivania, although also filled with doubts.’

‘We'll have time for that, Belona. I like your name. It's that of the Roman goddess of war.’

‘Um, really? I didn't know that, in fact, I don't know many things. I've been locked up by... Goddess! I don't even have the count!’

‘I've come to get you out, Belona. Help me find you.’

With the strength I felt pulling me like a magnet, I knew which drawer of the immense showcase to head towards, which of the numerous chests to take in my hands, and which of all the jewels stored there was the one I needed.

It was a golden locket, shaped like a nut.

I had succeeded.

Finally, after twenty-three years, I had my she-wolf, but before I could unclasp the chain to hang the jewel around my neck, the door of the library burst open violently, and I saw, for the first time in my life, but not the last, the king lycan.

He was a massive man, as broad as a sofa, and he exuded such a powerful aura that it seemed to shrink everything, including the huge wardrobe in front of me. My heart shrank and wanted to hide behind my stomach.

I was paralyzed.

"Have you come to rummage through my palace, little thief?" he growled with a voice that seemed to come from a tall and distant mountain, so strong that it seemed capable of sweeping away the clouds around him. It was the sound of a furious god. "I will make you suffer for this!"

However, the chilling effect of the king lycan's voice had the opposite effect to what he perhaps expected to provoke in me. He had managed to unfreeze me. I leaped towards the nearest window and, without thinking about the consequences, just threw myself at the glass. I had calculated it would be two stories, but in the fall, it didn't seem so low.