Black Blood: Between Two Alphas

Chapter 0

I hate him.

Those three words were etched inside my mind as I kept drawing cross marks over Zero's face. I even used a bright red, permanent marker to make sure it would stand out. That was how much I hated him for being the most irritating person in my life.

"What are you doing, babe?" Noah kissed the top of my head before sitting beside me and taking a look at the picture.

"Killing Zero," I replied and drew a cross one last time on his face.

Noah chuckled. "Hear that?" he asked like he was speaking to someone else and not me. "She said she's killing you."

"Good luck to her then," Zero tauntingly said, and I could almost see his annoying smile. "May she kill me successfully."

I shut my eyes tightly while mentally cursing.

Damn it. Damn him. Damn Zero Fort Lewis.

Still feeling a bit embarrassed and irritated, I slowly turned my head to Noah. "Why didn't you tell me he's here?" I asked, as I nodded at Zero who was calmly reading a book on the sofa.

"He said he wanted to hang out with us, so he came. You know he's my best bud," Noah simply answered, then kissed the top of my head again, as that already became his habit. "Will check the kitchen if we can cook something for dinner or just order takeaway."

Pouting my lips, I nodded and turned away. When he left, I tried erasing the ink on Zero's face even though I knew it would be completely useless.

"You should know no matter how much you erase that, it will never work," Zero spoke and I felt him standing right behind me. "And I already saw it. What's the point?"

Gritting my teeth, I let out all my irritation before I spun my chair around to face him. Even when he was very close to me, I didn't back down. I raised my chin and smiled at him.

"The point is I'm still trying to be kind to you," I shamelessly told him.

"You don't need to be kind to me." He stood up straight and crossed his arms. "It doesn't suit you."

My forehead creased as I frowned. He was obviously making fun of me.

"Je-rk," I spat in annoyance.

He just smirked after winning the battle against me. Before I could even counter and take back the crown from him, he had already turned his back on me and put on his airpods. He sat on the sofa and casually scrolled through his phone while looking so mighty and imposing.

If he would just stay still all the time, instead of opening his mouth to say unfiltered words, I might like him. I mean, I already did like him when I first saw him on campus.

It was my freshman year in college. He was just busy with his phone while sitting alone on the bench but he had such a striking aura. His visuals were also attractive. He's handsome and stylish. Every head would turn to look at him; I was one of them.

I was captivated by him. I was attracted. I had a crush on him.

"You should stop blocking the hallway."

I remembered those were the first words he ever said to me. I slipped while walking and fell on the floor. It was embarrassing that he was the one walking behind me. But instead of helping me stand, that was what he said and made a maneuver to walk out of the scene.

From that moment on, my fantasies about him were completely shattered. I was angry and irritated. I avoided him on campus out of embarrassment. However, I was unfortunate that the man I started dating was his cousin and best friend.

I had to stick with him since he mostly spent his time with Noah. Good thing I still had luck left inside me as he already forgot the hallway incident. But even when I was his cousin's girlfriend, he was still indifferent to me until we made an enemy out of each other after losing my temper once.

In the midst of walking down my memories, Zero suddenly stood up with his brows furrowed and forehead creased. My full attention went back to him in an instant.

"I think we should just order for—"

"Noah."

Noah was cut off once he got back from the kitchen. Zero's gaze was serious and alert.

"What's wrong?" Noah asked him.

"The alpha just sent out a notice. We have an urgent meeting at the cabin," Zero answered, talking about his father, Uncle Aziel, who was their alpha. "We need to go now."

I pursed my lips at that.

Emergency meetings were usually a common thing for a pack. That also happened to me so frequently that I had to travel back to Anchorage. I understood that such a thing was inevitable, but I couldn't help feeling a slight disappointment.

Noah and I rarely hung out for the past few days. He was always busy with group projects and stuff. And because I had more free time than him, I felt a little neglected at some point.

"Babe..." Noah called my name endearingly.

I slowly looked up at him. "Hmm?"

“I'm sorry," he apologized. "I don't think we can eat dinner and hang out tonight."

Noah was certainly guilty and regretful. I could see that just by staring straight into his eyes.

With a sigh, I smiled and nodded. "It's fine," I said. "I understand. It's not like you expected this to happen. Just go now or you'll be late for the meeting."

Getting the assurance he needed from me, his face lit up before leaning forward to kiss my cheek. "You’re the best," he said. "I'll make it up to you. I promise."

"Okay, okay..." I said and motioned my hand to shoo them away.

He just laughed at that, then turned his head to his cousin who was watching me with an indifferent gaze. It didn't bother me anymore, as it was something I was already used to.

"Let's go, Zo!" Noah clapped his shoulder and went out ahead of his cousin.

Although Zero was the one who seemed in a hurry when they received the notice, I frowned to see him not moving while Noah was already outside.

I arched my brow and crossed my arms. "Aren't you going?"

"I am," he simply said, then quickly glanced at the door open before fixing his eyes back on me. "Are you going home already?"

I exhaled heavily. "What else?"

I still had classes the next day at eight in the morning. I couldn't wait until their council was finished.

Zero nodded stiffly, then suddenly handed me over fifty bucks.

Frowning a bit, I raised the dollar bill in his face. "What's this?"

"You haven't eaten yet," he told me. "Buy yourself dinner before you go home."

"I have money."

"I know. Just use it."

"But—"

"See you tomorrow," he bid. "Take care on your way home."

Without another word, Zero turned his back and quickly went outside Noah's apartment. I dropped my eyes on the bill and ended up keeping it in my jeans pocket.

Silence filled the apartment once they were both gone. I looked around the room and found myself alone again. It made me feel empty inside even when my heart was getting heavier and heavier by the second.

Trying to get away from being suffocated by loneliness, I quickly gathered my things and left his apartment. Unlike what I told Zero, I went out of my way home and drove to Cold Stone near Walmart.

It had been only a year since I moved to Fairbanks to try and live an independent life away from my family and pack in Anchorage. Although it was just a city away, so far, I was really living the life I wanted to experience before I turned twenty-one and met my mate.

It wasn’t easy for my parents to agree with my decision to study at college in an unfamiliar place. As their only daughter and the youngest of three siblings, they didn’t want to let me go. More than anything, I was about to enter the territory of the Black Blood pack, which was the most influential and powerful werewolf pack in Alaska—or probably the whole US of A.

As the daughter of our pack’s beta, we didn’t want them to think that we were trying to sneak into their land or start a fight over their territory. We knew better than to go head to head against them. Even though Crescent River was also a strong pack, they were way ahead of us in terms of power, influence, and force. Their bonds with each other also had deep connections as they were composed of one big family, unlike us who had different descendants.

Fortunately, although my parents still had inhibitions, they eventually became lenient and let me explore the world on my own. Moreover, I even became close to the beta and delta of the Black Blood pack. Not to mention one of them was even my boyfriend. They weren’t as cruel as my parents thought they would be.

After arriving at Cold Stone, I cut my thoughts short, parked my sedan, and went out with only Zero’s fifty bucks in my pocket and the car keys in my hand. The chime above the door rang once I entered the store and the employee at the counter lifted her head up to me right away. I saw how she scanned me from head to toe before her eyes widened.

My forehead slightly creased as her reaction was looking a bit suspicious. Nonetheless, I still headed over to the counter to buy myself some ice cream and lift my mood.

“Excuse me?” I smiled at that employee. “I would like to create my own, please.”

She awkwardly smiled back. “Ma’am Paislee?”

“Uhm, yes?” How did you know my name?

I wanted to ask that but I let her speak first.

“Your order is ready,” she said with a sigh of relief, then got a ready-made ice cream from the freezer. “Gotta Have It French vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips, brownies, Oreo cookies, and cookie dough mix-ins.”

My lips went apart as I stared at the big cup of ice cream filled with everything I wanted in my dessert.

“Who…” I couldn’t continue my question, still speechless.

“Uhm…” She took a glance at the monitor before looking back at me. “Mr. Zero Lewis placed the order just a few minutes ago online. He said to give it to a pretty woman with long brown hair, wearing a white pullover and black jeans, who would come to our store.”

Pretty woman?

“Did he really say I’m pretty?” I asked the employee, sounding a little excited.

“Yes…” she hesitatingly answered as she was a bit taken aback by the question.

A smile unconsciously crept onto my lips.

Zero always told me I was just an average looking girl that could be seen everywhere on the streets. Honestly, that hurt my pride big time. I used to be praised when it came to my natural beauty back in Anchorage. Aside from being represented by my father, I was pretty famous for being beautiful. I was used to that, so I was caught off guard when Zero thought otherwise, which made me hate him more.

“Uhm, Ma’am…” the employee carefully called for my attention. “Your ice cream…”

I snapped myself out of my thoughts and smiled. “Oh, right! Sorry!” I received the cup from her. “Is this paid already?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, okay.” I was about to get the fifty dollar bill from my pocket but immediately stopped myself. “Thanks.”

Why would he give me fifty bucks, then?

She smiled at me. “You’re welcome! Enjoy your ice cream!”

I bid her a smile one last time before turning around and going back to my sedan. As soon as I got inside, I adjusted the driver’s seat to have more space to eat my ice cream comfortably. Once I was settled, I carefully placed the cup on my lap, reached out my phone from the dashboard, and texted Zero.

To: Zero

Thanks

That was all I sent him. I didn’t have to elaborate on my message anymore. I knew he would understand right away. I wanted to tease him about calling me pretty, but it’d be best done in person. And since he was probably in the middle of their pack’s meeting, I didn’t wait for his reply and started eating the ice cream before it melted.

I really couldn’t believe he predicted I’d be wanting ice cream for that night. But I guessed he sensed I was not in the mood, so I craved for one.

Other than painting abstract images and boho art, eating something cold and sweet was one of my ways to cheer myself up. I believed I told them that once when we came to Cold Stone because my painting wasn’t selected to be a part of the school’s art exhibition. I also had the same flavor of ice cream with these exact mix-ins.

He remembered all that.

Although we were like cats and dogs most of the time, I still appreciated Zero’s presence in my life. He was like an almost best friend of mine who was only lacking 1 percent to be an official one. I just wished he could be more soft-spoken instead of annoying the hell out of me by being stern and taunting.

Once I finished the ice cream, my mood got better and I felt refreshed. I properly disposed of the cup in the bin placed in front of the establishment, then headed home to my apartment on University Avenue.

It took me only fifteen minutes to arrive home since I took the expressway. I greeted the guard of our complex before heading up to my unit.

My apartment was a one-bedroom unit. It was pretty spacious and the rent was expensive for a college student to live in. However, my parents took care of all the fees I needed to pay in order to live a comfortable life away from them.

To be honest, I wasn’t completely living independently but I would like to think I was. I just moved out of my parents’ house temporarily. I would say I was only semi-independent, since I still had to survive and live off their money. That was why I planned to apply for a part-time job. I had a lot of free time on my hands. It would also be a good diversion for me while Noah was busy doing his own thing. That way, I wouldn’t have to cling onto him all the time and ask for attention.

Just after I entered the apartment, I turned on the lights and went to the bathroom to wash my face before slipping into my pajamas and throwing my body on the bed.

Thinking that their meeting would last until later that night, I was about to send a good night message to Noah and tell him I had gotten home already, when I suddenly received a reply from Zero.

They ended earlier than expected…

From: Zero

Ok. Are you home now?

While reading his reply, which seemed to be a little affectionate, the moment I heard his voice inside my head, the barely warm feeling in my chest was immediately eliminated by his usual cold tone.

To: Zero

Yes, I’m home. The meeting’s done already?

He replied right away.

From: Zero

Yup

I pursed my lips tightly because of his curt reply, killing the conversation. Just then, I remembered what the employee from Cold Stone told me. I couldn’t wait until the next day to tease him.

To: Zero

I heard you call me pretty

There was a huge evil grin on my face when I hit send. I was already laughing because I could already imagine his reaction. For sure he would try to deny that.

As expected, it wasn’t long after when Zero called me. Thinking about his defensive lines, I laughed even harder. I had to calm myself down and stopped laughing before answering his call.

“Hello?” I purposely tried to sound teasing.

I could hear the sound of his car’s engine from the other side. He must already be on his way home from their urgent meeting.

“I didn’t say that.” He didn’t beat around the bush and quickly denied his own words to save his face.

“Ha-ha!” I sarcastically laughed to mock him. “Yes, yes, let’s just say you didn’t…”

He sighed heavily, which almost made me burst out laughing again.

“Who told you that?” he asked.

“The employee.”

“She must have heard it wrong.”

I rolled my eyes as he was still trying to deny it. “Oh, come one, Zero!” I exclaimed. “It wouldn’t hurt you to admit I’m pretty. I know I am. Everyone knows I am. You are the only one who says otherwise.”

I didn’t care if I was being a narcissist at that point. I just wanted him to admit that and win the fight. I would always lose arguments against him. It was my most-awaited opportunity to gain a point so I wouldn’t give up easily.

“Uhuh, whatever you say,” he languidly said.

As it sounded like he was admitting defeat, I smiled widely. “Are you finally admitting it?”

“No.”

I frowned. “Zero!”

It was his turn to laugh when he successfully irritated me.

“God, you are so annoying,” I hissed at him.

He was still chuckling hoarsely until the doorbell suddenly rang and he stopped right away.

Without any thoughts, I stood up and walked to the door with the phone still pressed against my ear.

“Who’s there?” he asked, sounding a little worried.

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t just open the door,” he said. “It’s late.”

I trusted the apartment’s security, so I opened the door without hesitation despite Zero’s warning, and I didn’t regret it.

My eyes widened and a huge smile flashed across my face. Noah was standing in front of my door while holding a box of pizza. My pulse started to race after my heart skipped one beat.

“Our meeting ended early so…” He tilted his head to one side, wearing a gentle smile. “Do you mind eating pizza with me tonight while watching a movie on Netflix?”

And with just that, all the worries in my heart had subsided as I shook my head and threw myself to him for a hug.