Chapter 2

"Why have you come to the city?" Amoux asked 

"You should have asked at first before agreeing to come with me." Ashina replied without looking at him.

He felt embarrassed. He felt his nerves rising and the will to punch her. This wasn't the first time he felt so, but he had to resist himself. No wolf is to hit a female wolf that he isn't married to or who isn't his daughter. 

"Tread softly princess. Well, all these emotions can wait till the day I get to marry you." He thought, letting out a grin.

"Now patience, Felan." He called to her, "Being with you erases all reason from me" he smiled. 

When Amoux started hitting on her, she had rejected him and looked down on him. She pitied him. She had wanted to avoid what happened to her former lover with him, but Amoux wouldn't stop. She had once warned him never to approach her again, she had shifted into her werewolf form to drive home her point, but he didn't listen. He was a persistent one.

She had started growing interest for his determination even after countless warnings from the daughter of Lord Olcan. Even if her father isn't the Ultimate Alpha, he is one of the well known Alpha in Noguchi. Or was it his fierceness that was feared. 

She began hating Amoux on the day he decided to flex his influence over her and her lack of choice. 

"My father won't be available for tomorrow's meeting. He asked me to be here on his behalf." She heard his voice say to her father, right before she was about to knock on her father's door. 

She came in and saw him kneeling before her father. 

"Oh! And my little beloved princess is here. I must say Lord Olcan, my interest in your daughter is one of the best things to happen to me," he said bowing before Ashina. 

She ignored him and moved to her father. 

"Father, mother said…" 

"Ashina!" Her father growled deeply.

"Yes father!" She shivered.

"Right before you is the future alpha of the Huduns, and how dare you ignore him like he is nothing. How dare you!" He growled deeper. He stood up from where he was sitting. He moved closer to her.

She knew what was coming for her, and she continued shivering. He pulled her by the hair. He pulled her back and slapped her. And Amoux who claimed to love her stood just as her father helped him redeem his pride she had shattered. And right then, she knew she would never love him and she should never keep him wanting replies. 

But here in the city, her father isn't around to hit her. She can reply as she wants but punishment that would await her at home would be immeasurable. She was thinking of a way to apologize. Even was about to go on her knees when a group of wolves in their human form came to Amoux.

"Lord Amoux. It's such an honor to meet you here. We really appreciate your presence. What shall we get you?" The oldest man said.

"Your Lordship! Come to my store and take whatever it is you want," another man said. Even though Ashina could swear the man didn't mean it. 

Right before her were about a dozen werewolves, with some bowing by putting their forehead on the ground before him. Others bow by just bending before him.

She knew those bending were the Betas, and those with their foreheads were the Omegas. 

"They are people of my pack!" He looked at Ashina and bragged. She knew who they were. No other pack would bow or even recognize most sons of the Alpha. The only person from a pack every member of the other pack knows is the Alpha. 

"Very humble and loyal people," she replied. She looked at his eyes, as he searched around for the higher Betas. It seems they were none around. Those ones who will hurt his pride. They won't bow to anyone except the Alpha. 

"Why don't you go anywhere and pick whatever you want," he ordered her. 

"No! I am fine. What I want is from the store over there" she pointed to a store who doesn't have what she needs.

"Are you sure, because they owe me loyalty and soon enough, it will be to both of us." He said.

She returned his smile with hers. She saw people from her pack, but they didn't come to greet her. They all remained at their stores. Something she knew wouldn't be the case if it had been her brother. 

"Yes! I don't…" 

She got interrupted by the hurrying and screaming of people. She saw everyone gathering towards the middle of the plaza, with a sense of urgency. People of other packs who weren't bowing were muttering to themselves and they all went to the middle. 

At first, she thought a robbery was about to take place, but she saw smiles within the faces of most of the people around. 

"What's happening?" Amoux asked no one in particular. He left where he was standing and walked out towards the open, but keeping distance from the middle where they were gathering.

"I guess it's the son of the Ultimate Alpha," a member of Amoux pack said. 

"Son of the ultimate Alpha?" He asked.

"Yes! He comes here once every two months and…" 

"Enough! Do all those people belong to their clan?" 

" No sir!" The same man replied

"Then why do they all gather for him? Why will they bow for him?" Amoux asked.

Ashina could see the anger and restlessness on his face. He felt cornered. He was beginning to have sweat beads pile up on his forehead. 

"It's the tradition of this market, Sir," the same man replied.

"Tradition of this market? Who started it?" Amoux barked in what might be his lowest voice. He stood right before the Beta that had been replying to him.

"I made it so, Sir."

"Eh? You made it so. And what about them bowing to the future alpha of your pack"

"He comes here often. You rarely do. When he comes, he makes sure those who need help get it." The Beta replied.

Ashina comes to the city once in a while and even when she does, she might never come into this particular market. She would just walk around. The city is like a fairground for every Werewolf in Noguchi. Even though some people never come either due to proximity or title, the city always booms. Though, no one sleeps in it. Everyone returns to their pack's territory at the end of the day. 

She had never met the son of the Ultimate Alpha. She heard rumors about him, things she didn't want to believe. Bad rumors. She had always wanted to meet him. Even if it's for the clarification of her doubts.

Everyone in her family has been taught to hate the Ultimate pack. But here she is with her heart racing, wanting to meet the man. She could feel every strand of hair on her rise. Every part of her, eager to meet him.

Right at that spot, she promised if the man could nullify all the rumors about him that she had been taught, she would give him every part of her. Her heart, body and soul.

In fact, without having met him, she already loves his presence. Not many wolves are loved by people of other packs. But here is a man that she believes is in a fairytale. A wolf widely loved by all. Even though she feared it would be a one sided love, she promised to hold him dear till the end of her days.