Chapter 2: The Choice Begins
588words
By sunset the next day, I was standing at the address Griffin had given me, staring at what looked like an upscale mountain retreat. The kind with a seven-figure price tag and probably a helipad somewhere.
“You came.” Griffin materialized beside me, making me jump.
“Jesus! Don’t werewolves learn to make noise when they walk?”
His lips twitched. Almost a smile. “It’s instinct. You’ll develop it too.”
“Great. Looking forward to creeping people out.” I crossed my arms. “So this is werewolf headquarters? I expected more… I don’t know, skulls on pikes? Moon symbols?”
“This is just the entrance to North Territory.” He gestured toward the forest behind the house. “My domain extends twenty miles in that direction.”
“Your domain? What are you, some kind of werewolf king?”
This time he did smile, barely. “Alpha. Leader. Not king.”
He led me inside, where the décor screamed “wealthy mountain man with taste.” Lots of wood and leather, but also modern art and technology seamlessly integrated.
“The others will be here soon,” Griffin said, pouring me a drink that smelled like whiskey but wasn’t.
“Wolf-friendly alcohol,” he explained, noticing my sniff. “Regular stuff doesn’t affect us much anymore.”
I took a sip and nearly choked. “Holy shit, that’s strong.”
“You’ll build tolerance.”
“So what exactly happens during this… guardian thing? Do I move in with whoever I pick? Is there a contract? A werewolf prenup?”
"The guardian bond is a special connection," he said, his gaze deepening. "It links two souls in the most instinctual way."
I raised an eyebrow. "Instinctual?"
"Werewolves don't suppress their nature like humans do," he explained, his voice low. "The bond makes these instincts even stronger."
"Sounds... primal."
He smiled slightly. "Primal but beautiful. You'll understand."
The door opened, interrupting our conversation. A man walked in.
He was lean and elegant, with silver-blond hair that almost glowed in the light, eyes so pale blue they were like winter skies. He moved with quiet grace, each step seeming calculated. He wore simple but obviously expensive clothes—a beige cashmere sweater and dark slacks, without any unnecessary adornment.
“Sorry I’m late,” his voice was soft but clear, with an accent I couldn’t quite place. “There was an emergency in the Eastern Territory that needed attention.”
Griffin nodded. “It’s fine. We were just getting started.”
The silver-haired man turned to me, smiling. The smile was gentle, reaching those icy eyes and warming them. “You must be Lyra. I represent the Eastern Territory.”
“Hi,” I said, unsure how to respond. He looked younger than Griffin, but there was an ancient wisdom in his eyes.
“We were discussing guardian duties,” Griffin said.
“Ah,” the silver-haired man nodded. “I assume you’ve told her it’s a serious decision?”
“He mentioned ‘Instinctual’,” I said. “Sounds like supernatural marriage.”
The silver-haired man smiled. "In a way. But it's more like an irresistible attraction, both spiritual and physical."
"So all three of you want this connection with me?" I asked. "Why? I'm just an ordinary person."
The two men exchanged glances.
“Female Alphas are extremely rare,” the silver-haired man explained. “Your abilities may exceed imagination.”
“What abilities? My only superpower is remembering customers’ coffee orders without looking at the menu.”
Griffin checked his watch. “The Western Territory representative is late. Not surprising.”
“He always likes to make a dramatic entrance,” the silver-haired man smiled. “Perhaps we should start the tour?”
Griffin nodded. “North Territory first.”
