Chapter 8 8
Chapter 8 – Trapped
Odessa’s POV
My brother, Dimitri Theodorus, is the most feared Alpha of all time. To the outside world, he’s a beast. The Beast of Greece who murdered our father when he was just sixteen and destroyed several other packs. An animal to be feared and a man unhinged.
They whisper about him, claiming he has unnatural talents born from demons. That his wolf is so big because he snacks on pups. My brother is none of the above. Our ancestors descended from the first werewolf ever turned by Zeus himself. King Lycaon was much larger than the werewolves of today, and it shows in the Theodorus bloodline which produces much larger wolves.
Our mother descended from the Goddess of the Moon, Selene. Her bloodline produced elemental wolves. Those who can control one of the four elements, earth, wind, water, and fire. My brother can control the earth, manipulating the dirt, rocks, and greenery. He can cause earthquakes, open sinkholes, and pull up sea stacks. He can move trees, grow vines, and bring down buildings.
He reached maturity faster than any wolf we’ve ever heard of. When he did, he killed our crazed and abusive father. Then he hunted the Alphas who also abused and mistreated their packs. It earned him the title they fear today, The Beast of Greece. The fear of him helps keep our pack safe, which continues to flourish and thrive under his leadership. This was the pack secret.
Though we had the same parents, I didn’t get an elemental gift. Sometimes the gift skipped generations and siblings, but I knew I would be able to pass it on to my offspring someday. Of course, I had no plans to produce any offspring just yet, as a werewolf, I must first find my mate.
Having recently turned eighteen, I was not only disappointed when I didn’t get the elemental gift, but I also didn’t find my mate in our pack. Olympus Blood Moon was the largest and strongest pack on the European continent. If my mate wasn’t here, this meant I would have to leave my pack if I ever found him.
I wasn’t keen on finding my mate and leaving my pack. Not yet anyway. My brother recently found his mate, Raven LaRue, from a large pack in North America. She’s been studying at the university in Athens for a short time, and now she’d become my sister-in-law. We finally had a pack Luna at Olympus Blood Moon since my mother's death.
The Moon Goddess was as busy as an old Greek proxenitís, who was once in charge of matchmaking in the old days. When Raven’s older brother came for a quick visit with his cousin, they both found their mates in Greece. Love was in the air and while a part of me was relieved cupid's arrow had missed me, my wolf was longing for her mate.
I was currently seated in a vehicle with Raven’s brother Knox, and his new mate, Rocky. We were accompanying Leo’s body back to his pack to be laid to rest. I was going to stay at Zeus’ Howlers to attend the funeral in my brother’s absence. This was the first ambassador duty I would perform on behalf of my pack and family.
The moment we reached pack territory my wolf Olympia stirred. I suppose it may have something to do with us being in a different pack’s territory for the first time. Raven’s brother was mated to a Beta female, and would no doubt be a guest in the Beta household, but I was taken to the pack house. Alpha Georgios greeted us and gave me a tour before escorting me to a room. He was a few years older than my brother, charismatic, and attractive. Yet something about him had my wolf wary.
I spent some time in my room before I freshened up for dinner. The autumn evenings in Greece were chilly and this pack was located at a higher elevation in the mountains. I opted for a full-length cream colored dress with frills at the bottom.
“Fresh as a daisy,” I muttered looking in the mirror.
Just then I heard footsteps approaching my end of the corridor and stop outside my door. It was Alpha Georgios. Being an Alpha born wolf meant that I had stronger senses than most wolves. I could sense and scent him on the other side of the door before he even knocked. When I pulled the door open, Alpha Georgios reached for my hand and placed a kiss on top of it.
“You look stunning. Dinner will be ready shortly and I didn’t want you to get lost.”
“Thank you,” I stepped out of the room and closed the door.
His hand reached to my lower back to guide me. It felt awkwardly uncomfortable, but I didn’t want to be rude. We reached the dining room and others were gathering for dinner. I could feel their curious stares and hear their murmured whispers as my last name floated around. Alpha Georgios excused himself to take a quick phone call and I moved to the double glass doors leading out to a massive wooden patio.
Sunset was on the horizon and the wind carried different scents in my direction. I looked out towards the trees and admired the scenery. I took a few deep breaths, and a tantalizing fresh tonka scent teased my senses. My wolf, Olympia let out a low whine and tried to push to the surface.
A strong and imposing figure stood near a tree watching me. My eyes were drawn by an inescapable force to him. He was built as big as my brother, maybe even a bit bigger. His Alpha aura hit me and for a moment fear fluttered through me. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to run to him or run from him. My wolf on the other hand was practically panting with excitement. Somewhere deep inside I knew… I knew what he was to me. I wondered if he could feel it too.
“Of course he can. He’s our mate,” Olympia yipped in my head.
“Why isn’t he coming to us? He’s just looking at me with that daunting expression. Like he’s not sure if he wants to kiss me or kill me,” I told her and took another deep breath.
My heart was racing, and my palms started sweating. Being from Olympus Blood Moon, I’ve had very little contact with other shifters, they avoided us like a curse. Something about this Alpha seemed familiar as he stood there in all of his tailored suit glory. Goddess, he was gorgeous. His eyes moved to something behind me and flashed with anger.
“Ahh, there you are,” Georgios said, handing me a glass of ouzo lemon spritzer.
“Is that a visiting Alpha?” I asked, tipping my head towards the mystery Alpha walking away.
My heart filled with a stabbing pain. As if I had just been rejected. This couldn’t be possible, we didn’t even know each other. Or maybe he knew who I was and didn’t want to be mated to me because I was a Theodorus. I had never considered that since I was expecting to find my mate within my pack. Visiting this pack and being around other shifters today made me realize that I wasn’t an ordinary she-wolf. Fear and uncertainty filled the gazes and whispers of others around me.
I was a Theodorus and no one outside my pack would want me. “That’s Hades Kappas,” he told me.
“Alpha Eros’ son?” I asked. “The same one responsible for the death of Leonidas?”
“Yes. Hades’ mother was from this pack. Her parents are still with us, and her father is a pack doctor. Eros wasn’t the fatherly type and after his mother passed away, Hades spent a lot of time with his grandparents at our pack. I was a few years older, so I didn’t spend much time with him. He was close friends with my future Delta, Leonidas, so my father welcomed him. He hoped it would help build a stronger alliance between the packs when Hades took over his father’s pack.”
“Is he staying in the pack house during his visit?” I asked, eager to see him again.
“No. He stays with his grandparents when he’s here.” He regarded me thoughtfully before he placed his hand on my lower back and guided me back to the dining room.
My mind was racing, I’d heard of him. He was the bastard son of Eros Kappas and heir to the pack. I wondered if he would also step into the criminal world his father seemed to thrive in. Or if he knew it was my brother who put an end to his father. Would he seek retribution?
The dinner conversation seemed reserved as people watched me from the corners of their eyes. I made small talk, complemented the cooking, and tried to look interested but my mind kept returning to Hades. Olympia had retreated and was unusually quiet. She hadn’t even had the cha-nce to connect with our mate.
“He’s a complete savage,” I heard someone say and wondered if they were talking about my brother.
“I’ve heard about his cage fights, he’s a born predator,” another voice chimed in.
“Is he living in Russia now?”
“No one knows. He hasn’t been seen at his pack in years.”
“He was just at our pack last year, to visit with his grandparents but didn’t return to his pack to visit with his father?” Someone asked.
“I don’t think he’s sane,” a warrior seated with us said.
“I’m surprised he didn’t kill his father years ago,” an older she-wolf commented, and several others agreed.
I realized they were talking about Hades and yet no one mentioned him by his first name. He was an enigma to everyone.
“Are you ready for some dessert?” Alpha Georgios whispered to me.
“If you’ll excuse me. I think I’d like to return to my room and rest. It’s been a long day.”
“Of course,” he moved to stand up.
“No need, Alpha. I remember my way back,” I quickly interjected, wanting to put space between us. Instead of returning to my room, I stepped outside to sit in a big wooden swing that hung under an oak tree. I mulled over everything I heard at dinner. Looking up to the night sky, my eyes were drawn to the moon. I had no intention of being resentful towards the Moon Goddess, but I couldn’t understand why this had to be difficult for me. I swung for a while and lost track of time. I’d get my chance to see him tomorrow, even if it was at a funeral.
I followed the garden trail back up to the pack house. Just as I neared the stairs, I caught that tantalizing fresh tonka scent. He was somewhere here in the pack house and Olympia urged me to find him. My nose brought me to a stop just near the Alpha office and I could hear voices inside. I stood as silent as possible, trying not to breathe as I listened.
“As long as we have his sister, we’ll be able to lure Dimitri out. She’s vulnerable here and no one will help her,” I heard Georgios telling someone.
The sound of footsteps nearing the office door sent me sprinting up the stairs to my room. Was he talking to Hades? And why were they trying to lure my brother out? I needed to call Dimitri but couldn’t find my phone. Perhaps Georgios had taken it?
A knock on my door startled me. I was so focused on finding my phone, I hadn’t sensed Alpha Georgios coming down the hall. I told myself to act normal, plastered a casual smile on my face, and pulled the door open.
“Odessa, we need to talk,” he said as he entered the room. “I’m afraid I have some concerning news. Eros was working for someone you may have believed to be dead.”
“My father. He was working for my father who was the Mafia Boss,” I said matter of factly.
“You know?” “Yes.”
“Your father forged alliances with the other pack Alphas. We ignore him, he ignores us. It seems your father is set on taking his pack back. I expect he will challenge your brother soon.”
“I have to tell my brother.”
“You can’t. Stephanos knows you’re here and he also wants you. I told him you’re my mate. It was the only way to keep you safe. As the Luna, he won’t be able to touch you. You’ll need to play along. I expect your brother will kill him soon enough, but for your safety and my pack's safety, you need to play along and pretend to be my mate.”
“You told him I was your mate?” “Yes. I did it to protect you.”
For the first time in my life, I understood what a wolf in cheap clothing meant. “Thank you,” I forced what I hoped would be a convincing smile.
“Of course.” He took my hand and kissed it again. Something inside of me shuddered with repulsion.
There was no escaping, I was trapped here. I turned and tossed in bed, wondering if my mate was working with my father. Everything seemed wrong and I wished I hadn’t agreed to come here. The funeral was tomorrow, and I didn’t know how long I’d be stuck here. Maybe I could find a way to call Dimitri or let Raven’s brother know.
It was morning when Olympia finally spoke to me. “He’ll have to talk to us to reject us before he leaves.”
Maybe it’s a good thing Hades hadn’t claimed me as his mate yesterday. He was too unstable and violent to be my mate. Not to mention, he could be working with my father. Maybe the Moon Goddess would take pity on me and give me a second chance mate.
I ate breakfast in the same dining room and overheard others talking about Alpha Georgios. He was currently out checking on the patrols before the funeral. If he was gone, I’d be able to slip into his office and use the phone to call my brother.
I left the table and quietly made my way to the office. I stood frozen for a moment, making sure the office was vacant before I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The faint hint of my mate still lingered in the office. There was a big, picturesque window just behind the desk and I noticed the oak tree with the swing was in clear view of the window. I turned to find the phone when I found Alpha Georgios instead.
“It seems I’ve underestimated you,” he grinned.
“I was just looking for you when I noticed the beautiful window,” I lied. “Were you?” He hummed. “Are you sure you weren’t looking for
someone else?” His eyes focused on me intently. “Someone else?”
“Don’t play coy with me Odessa. I know when I’m being lied to.” “I don’t understand,” I tried again.
“Hades. He’s your mate.”