Chapter 1: Greed

Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction.

- Eric Fromm

James’s POV

My breaths were uneven as I rushed around the room, trying to shove as many clothes as possible into my duffle bag. My heartbeat rapidly against my chest as I checked behind me to ensure they hadn't come in whilst I had my back turned.

"James, what is going on? You are scaring me." My mate Jessica asked with worry.

I ignored her question, not having the patience to answer her. "I need to go," I said to her simply as I lifted the bag onto my shoulder.

"Where are you going? What do you mean?" She asked in confusion.

I groaned in frustration at her words. Even without trying, she found ways to make my emotions rise. I knew I was cruel to her, but she wasn’t my destined mate, and I never cared for her. She had always been someone to distract me when I was bored. After a while, she became boring as well. She was too noisy and asked too many questions that I didn't want to answer.

She was merely a transaction between two parties. Her father, Sebastian, had promised me the silver night pack if I married her, and we were able to conceive and have children. She was her father's biggest shame. Her mate had died before they met, and she could not have children. Her father had promised the title of Beta if I agreed to marry her.

I was a warrior in the Moon Stone pack, and my Alpha had praised me highly. It was only fitting that he would pick me to take her as my mate. I had never met my destined mate, and even if I were to do so, I would have rejected her.

At first, I tried hard to play the role of the understanding husband, but it got tiring very fast. After tasting what it was like to be Beta, I began to crave something more. I wanted to be Alpha.

Sebastian wasn't planning on stepping down any time soon, and there were rumors that he was planning on giving his title to my brother-in-law Alexander instead of me. If I wanted the title, I would have to fight for it on my own. I allied with the river pack, who hated the Alpha almost as much as I did. They agreed to give me the Moon Stone pack if I cooperated with them. But I had underestimated the strength and power of this pack, and soon enough, they realized what I was up to.

Now they were here to bring me to justice.

I tensed as I heard a knock on their door and jumped back. "Stay back, wife." I hissed at Jessica.

"Beta James, we need you to step out of the room." The guards ordered.

I rushed over to my bedside table and pulled open the last drawer. I retrieved a small wooden box with unique designs and carvings on it. It was an ancient artifact that a renowned witch once owned. It mattered more to me than all my other belongings put together. On the side were symbols written in a forgotten dialect. I slowly pulled out the emerald necklace that was sitting within it. It was essential and was the key to everything I was trying to accomplish.

Jessica appeared perplexed as she asked, “What is that?”

“My ticket out of here,” I whispered with a grin. She widened her eyes at me, and I saw her eyes water as she whined. “But you can't leave me. You promised to stay with me.”

I patted her head as I said, “Darling, you should know better than to believe my promises.” I heard another knock on the door as I took the necklace and placed it in my pocket.

I wasn't going down without a fight. I had hoped to have enough time to run away before they came looking for me, but they had caught up to me thanks to her. She was the literal bane of my existence. She always found a convenient way to ruin my mood and make my life hell. She was one of the many things I wouldn't miss about this place: her and her annoying bastard of a father.

As a final escape attempt, I pulled her close to my chest and called out to the men, "Come any closer, and I will slit her throat.'' I roared, edging them on.

They pounded loudly on the door as they quickly tore it down.

I pressed the blade against her neck as they made their way closer. The guards stared at her helplessly, unsure of what to do. "You don't have to do this." They said to me warningly.

"You wouldn't want me to slit the throat of your precious Alpha's daughter, would you?" I asked tauntingly.

"The Alpha asked us to bring you to him whatever way it takes." They said to me menacingly.

I watched blankly as they raised their weapons and pointed them at me. "Don't make us do this."

I didn't budge as I pressed the blade further into her skin. She hissed as a small trail of blood seeped out of the wound.

The first guard, Simon, someone I considered a friend, raised the gun directly at my head. I felt their eyes on me as they searched for my weak spots. My body vibrated as my eyes glowed red.

Simon lowered his gun, and I sucked in a breath as the gun went off, and I felt fire spread through my leg. I growled in pain as I held her tightly, and without a second thought, I plunged the knife into her throat and slit it open. She gurgled as she gasped loudly, struggling to breathe, looking at me helplessly as I let go of her completely, and she slumped unconscious to the floor.

I let out a laugh maniacally at sight. "If I am going down, then she is going down with me." I seethed.

The warriors looked down at the body of their beta female with pained expressions on their faces. She didn't deserve to die like that. I smirked, taking in their sad expressions. They probably thought of me as a sick man that had to be stopped.

They moved into the room and grabbed me by both arms. I didn't even protest and smiled widely as they led me out of the room. I remained still as they dragged me towards the Alpha's office.

"Alpha, we have brought him." They announced after knocking on the door.

They heard a come-in sound before slowly making their way into the room. Michael looked at me with so much hate and rage filled in his eyes before turning to the guards and motioning for them to leave.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Sebastian spat.

I shrugged my shoulders at him in response before saying, "Nothing really."

"Are you going to admit what you did?" Sebastian demanded as his body vibrated in anger.

"I see nothing wrong," I said to him casually as I took a seat in front of him.

"So, you see nothing wrong with the fact that you allied with the neighboring packs to take us down. Or the fact that you just murdered my daughter." Sebastian roared out.

"No, actually. I don't see that as my fault. That was all on you." I said with a shrug off my shoulders. Sebastian charged forward, hurtling me over the desk as he grabbed me by the neck. He squeezed my neck tightly, causing me to struggle to breathe.

I coughed loudly but then felt him loosen his hold as Sebastian roared in pain and was forced to let go. "You should have known better. You already know my deal with the witches." I teased as I watched Sebastian continue to cough on the floor pathetically.

"You aren't getting away with this." He seethed.

I laughed at him. "We had a deal after. I marry your daughter, and you make me Alpha. No one finds out about your little... secret. Yet you go behind my back and choose that good for nothing, Alexander." I said as I began to pace the room.

"You know the amount of information and power I hold over you, and yet you still feel the need to cross me." I seethed.

"What made you think that you could do that?" I roared in his face.

"You are no good for this pack. You will only bring chaos. I had to do what was best for me." I said to Sebastian in promise.

"And yet you didn't care about what mattered to me. Why am I not surprised? How typical of you." I said to him bitterly.

"You know, I really hoped it wouldn't come to this that we could help each other. I help you lift the curse on your family, and you give me what I want. Sadly, only one of us will get what we want." I said with fake sympathy.

Sebastian raised his head to look at me, but I only grinned at him in response as I pushed his head back down. "I won't let you get away with this." He spat.

I bent down to his level and placed my hand on his chest before saying, "I can't kill you since our souls are linked. But I only need your heart to beat for me to survive. I will keep you some place safe so no one can find you and no one can come for me."

Sebastian struggled under my touch as I slowed down his heartbeat before he stopped moving, saying, "My offspring will come for you."

“Let them come. I will be waiting." I said with a grin. I carried his body off the ground, moving it towards the bookshelf. I moved the bookshelf aside and opened up the wall. There was a small hidden room, and I placed his body inside.

"Now, no one will find you," I said to Sebastian.

I panicked as I heard loud footsteps approaching. I turned towards the window, and as a last-minute decision, I jumped out of it. I could hear their shouts from a distance as I shifted into my wolf. Letting out one last howl, I disappeared into the woods. As I shifted back, I felt around my neck for the necklace; my heart dropped when I realized it was gone.

"I promise you that I will be back for what is mine." I seethed.