Haunted By Desire

Orelia Standing in front of a small tea shop, I looked around at the bustling crowd, immersed in the hustle and bustle of the kingdom. I was finally in the werewolf kingdom that I had only heard about - a place where wealth, power, and influence resided. But I was here for one reason: to find my soulmate, Alpha Leon. Leon was the son of an Alpha and the future Alpha of the Earth Moon Pack. The Earth Moon Pack was a small, humble pack with a very good reputation, known for its belief in peace. Situated in the countryside, it wasn't even on the radar of the rich and powerful packs, despite being part of the werewolf kingdom. The Alpha family took me into their pack out of mercy when I was five years old and had accidentally entered their territory. I worked in the pack house since I was young and served Alpha Leon closely. I grew up with Leon and eventually fell in love with him. However, when I turned eighteen, I did not undergo the transformation into a wolf like other she-wolves in the pack. Slowly, I realized I was wolfless. I did not experience the heat cycles that raised countless questions about my existence. I was neither fully human nor a wolf. I was just Orelia - a wolfless she-wolf, the only one of my kind. However, I never expected that I would turn out to be Leon's soulmate. I had no wolf, so I couldn't feel our mate bond, but he recognized me as his soulmate. Even though we were like earth and sky, an orphan wolfless she-wolf and an Alpha's son, he accepted me as his soulmate without hesitation. Rejecting me never crossed his mind, but we kept our mate bond secret until Leon decided to become stable and powerful without his father. He had to claim the Alpha position from his father, and only after that could we be together without anyone pointing fingers at us. For that, he put all his efforts into proving himself to his father and accepted all the tasks given to him. The Alpha gave Leon a final task to negotiate treaties with the powerful packs. Leon accepted it, and that's how he ended up coming to the werewolf kingdom. He left the pack with a promise to make our relationship public and to tell his parents about us soon. He was supposed to return to the pack in a month or two, but even after half a year, he did not return. I waited and waited for him, but he never came back. After a few months of his departure, the Alpha announced that Leon had become busy with his tasks and could not return anytime soon. I was overcome with sadness, my heart aching with our separation. I couldn't bear the thought of being apart from him. Not knowing his address and having never been out of the pack in my whole life, I could only wait for him in the Earth Moon Pack. Then one day, I found an anonymous letter in my room laying on my bed. The letter was beautifully crafted, of higher quality than what was typically used in normal packs. It was clearly from someone in the kingdom, as only an address was written on it. It seemed too much of a coincidence for such a thing to be left on my bed. I didn't know anyone in the kingdom, so no one else could have written me a letter. The only person who had gone to the werewolf kingdom was Leon! I realized that to avoid suspicion, Leon had secretly sent me only his address without any message. He wanted me to come to the kingdom. I was over the moon with excitement. I couldn't wait any longer in the pack, so I immediately ran to the kingdom with all the savings I had accumulated over the years. It took me a day on foot to arrive in the werewolf kingdom. However, I felt very uncomfortable with people's stares. It was obvious that I was different from them. Some passerby women, dressed in beautiful dresses with well-fed faces, gave me a second look. Some even gossiped about my clothes and speculated that I was from a countryside pack. I clenched my small luggage, which only contained two sets of clothes and a few necessary items, and started walking among the crowd. I found myself in the kingdom's market, surrounded by the scent of different wolves around me. They seemed to belong to various werewolf packs, as the market was open to all. Half of the crowd was in their wolf forms. Their fur looked so smooth and rich. A few large wolves passed by, appearing to be guarding or escorting trolls. The royal wolves, whether guards or otherwise, were truly formidable. Admiring the beauty of the city under the evening sky, I stopped in front of a street food stall. The market seemed never-ending so I decided to take help. A middle-aged wolf who was counting money behind the desk was too busy to notice me when I entered the shop. I cleared my throat to attract his attention. "Excuse me, can you tell me this address, please?" I had finally begun my search for Leon. I could no longer wait to meet him. The man looked at my face for a couple of seconds before scanning me from head to toe. His expression and judging eyes let me know that he was a warrior. He slowly took the letter from my hand and examined the address carefully. A frown creased his brow, and then his expression turned fearful before he slapped the address onto his desk. "I don't know this address," he said abruptly. “Go away,” Taken aback by his sudden change in attitude, I quickly took the letter back and exited his shop. Had I offended him somehow? I didn't give up and continued searching for the address. It was the only way to find Leon, or else I would be lost in this large kingdom. However, no matter which shop I went to inquire about the address or whoever I asked, everyone seemed scared and shooed me away. What was going on? It seemed like people knew the address, but no one was willing to admit it. It seemed like they were lying. People in this kingdom were strange. At the same time, I felt as if I was being watched, but whenever I looked around, everything seemed normal. Was it only my imagination? I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, but there was nothing out of the ordinary when I looked around. Perhaps it was just my nerves playing tricks on me in this unfamiliar environment. I tried to push the feeling aside and focus on my search for Leon's address. I asked around for the address for another hour until my legs gave out. Tired and hungry, I leaned against a wall of a random street. It was already evening, and I needed shelter for the night, but I couldn't afford to sleep on the street. I looked for a place to stay, but even small lodging houses were expensive. In reality, I didn't have enough money to rent a room for the night. After a while, I bought some bread from a small stall, sat on the side of the road, and started eating while watching the passersby. I felt like a lost lamb in the kingdom. Why was it so difficult to find an address? The night grew colder, and I started attracting some strange looks from passersby. An uncomfortable feeling began to rise in my heart. I couldn't stay sitting in that place any longer. Wandering on the street, lost in my thoughts, I heard a voice, "Hey, girl. Are you looking for a place to stay?" A woman appeared beside me. I glanced at her and found her very beautiful. She appeared to be in her thirties, and judging by her aura, I could tell she was of Beta blood. However, she had a bit too much makeup on her face and was wearing an exposing dress. Why is Beta blood like her doing in the market? Mostly, low ranking wolves and warriors came to the market not high ranking wolves or betas. "Yes, but I don't have much money," I explained my situation upfront. She laughed. "No worries. There's a place where you can stay for free." "Free?" I gasped in surprise. How was this possible? "Yes. Follow me," she smiled, walking ahead. Rooted in my spot, I debated whether to follow her or not. She was a stranger and could be dangerous. Besides, there was no such thing as free in the world. But as the night grew darker and the shops in the market began to close, the streets could soon be empty. I might end up alone on the street. She stopped in her tracks and turned to look at me. "Are you not coming?" "No," I shook my head. "I'll find a place myself." She rolled her eyes. "Alright. Suit yourself. I just wanted to help you," she said before turning to leave. "If you're so eager to waste your money, then go straight ahead. There you'll find an alley of stay houses." With that, she disappeared into the street. After a few minutes of contemplation, I made the decision to check out the stay houses in the alley that the woman had mentioned. If any of them were affordable, I could spend the night there. I lifted my legs and began walking towards the alley. Upon entering, I was greeted by a crowd of people. I couldn't help but wonder why this place was bustling with activity when the streets in the market had already become deserted. As I walked inside slowly, I scanned my surroundings and noticed that the entire area was illuminated with red lights. Drunken wolves stumbled about, entering and exiting random houses, while young she-wolves in revealing attire loitered around. They beckoned to passing wolves, inviting them into their homes and rooms. The scene before me painted a picture of debauchery and desperation, leaving me feeling unsettled and out of place. A surge of panic gripped my heart as I felt increasingly uncomfortable in my surroundings. What kind of stay house was this? I had never seen anything like it before. That's when my eyes fell upon a middle-aged wolf, pinning a she-wolf against the wall and forcefully stripping her naked. However, as I observed closely, it didn't appear to be entirely non-consensual. The interaction between the two seemed willing, despite the unsettling atmosphere of the place. The next thing I witnessed was the she-wolf falling to her knees and performing oral sex on the man. My eyes widened, and my entire body turned as cold as ice. The she-wolf's exposed body was on full display for all to see as the man engaged in public sexual activity. The woman's moans and the passersby's indifference to their public display of intimacy sent shivers down my spine as I slowly took a step back. It wasn't a good place. I had stumbled into the wrong place entirely. My mind screamed at me to leave as soon as possible. With trembling legs, I turned to exit the alley, only to find a tall, menacing-looking man standing right in front of me, blocking my path. "Going somewhere?" His voice was heavy, and his yellow eyes bore into me, revealing him to be a rogue. Instinctively, I recoiled, feeling a surge of panic as I took in his scarred face. "I... I've come here by mistake," I stammered. He chuckled in amusement. "How many times have I heard that excuse? Every she-wolf who walks into this brothel gives the same line." My eyes widened in horror. "Bro... brothel?" I choked out, feeling a cold sweat break out across my skin as I struggled to find my voice. Suddenly, everything clicked into place—the red lights, the appearance of the women, the lustful and disgusting atmosphere. It all made sense now. Back in the Earth Moon Pack, I had heard rumors about the kingdom's brothels, including one that catered to commoners. It turned out I had unwittingly stumbled into that dangerous place. Why had that she-wolf deceived me and sent me here? "Yeah, brothel. Why do you look so surprised? Aren't you here to get a job? Come, I'll show you around," the rogue said, grabbing my hand. I felt paralyzed for a moment. A job? The image of the naked, moaning woman flashed through my mind, filling me with fear and dread. "No, there's been a misunderstanding!" I jerked his large hand off of mine in alarm, staring at the dangerous-looking man in front of me. "I'm not here for a job or anything like that. A woman sent me here, saying I could find a place to sleep for the night. But I don't want to be here. I'm leaving," I exclaimed. Lowering my head, I attempted to pass by him with quick yet trembling steps, only to be blocked by him once again. "Do you think this territory is your playground, where you can come and go as you please?" He glared at me furiously, closing the distance between us as I took involuntary steps back out of fear. "I... I'm truly sorry. I was ignorant and entered your territory. Please, just let me go," I pleaded, my eyes beginning to water with fear. He didn't budge, and I suddenly realized that two other wolves had appeared behind me, closing in on me. I was completely surrounded. "Sir, please, just let me go..." I implored, desperation creeping into my voice. "Once a she-wolf walks in here, they can never leave unless she's dead," he grinned menacingly, reaching out to grab my hand. My face turned pale, and my whole body trembled at his remark. Without hesitation, I pushed them away and bolted in full speed, desperation driving every step. "Catch her!" the wolf growled. In a blur of motion, they all shifted into their wolf forms and began chasing me. As I ran in the opposite direction, I realized I was still within the brothel's territory. How had I ended up in this situation when I was supposed to find Leon? Avoiding bumping into drunken wolves and she-wolves, I ran without looking back, my only goal to find my way out of this territory. There had to be a way or I knew I was doomed. As I ran, I witnessed people around me fucking each other like rabbits, in rooms and some in public. There was no shame or veil in this place. The realization struck me with terror—I would be forced into those despicable acts if I were caught by those wolves. The mere thought of it drove me to go to any length to protect myself. Clutching my luggage tightly, I came to a stop at a crossroads when I heard the sound of wolves approaching from all four directions. "No..." I gasped, putting my hand over my mouth in horror. "They found me," I whispered, tears threatening to spill as they closed in on me. Just as they were coming to the fourways where I stood, I felt a hand on my arm that pulled me into a nearby house. Before I could react, a rush of cold water was thrown over my body. I gasped and struggled with the sudden shock and suffocation from the water. "Shhh... if you don't want to get caught, then don't make a noise," a woman's voice whispered into my ears. I wiped my eyes to get a clear view of her. Standing in front of me was a young woman holding an empty bucket of water. "They won't be able to smell you if you're wet," she explained softly. I stared at her, my heart still pounding with fear. Glancing around, I noticed we were in a very small hut-like room. The dim light cast a soft glow, and there was a sweet scent lingering in the air. "Who are you?" I asked cautiously, keeping my distance from her. At this point, I couldn't trust anyone. Despite her appearance in normal clothing, she seemed like just another she-wolf of this brothel. "I received a mind-link about a she-wolf trying to escape from the brothel. It turns out it's you. Do you want to be killed? Why are you trying to run away?" she questioned, her expression carrying a genuine hint of concern for me. I hurriedly walked closer to her and grasped her hand with my shaking one. "Please, you have to help me. I came here by mistake and they are not letting me go. I'm not like these she-wolves in this brothel. I've come to the kingdom to meet my soulmate," I explained. "Your soulmate?" she gasped, her eyes widening in surprise. I nodded fervently. "Yes, I have a soulmate. I'm trying to find him through the address he sent me. He must be waiting for me," I explained. "Show me the address. I travel to various packs to serve the pack wolves. Maybe I know the address of your soulmate," she offered. I pulled out the letter from my pocket and handed it to her to look at. "I've asked too many people in the market, but no one was willing to tell me the address," I explained. She glanced at the letter for a moment, her eyes widening as they fell on the address. Her forehead grew sweaty, and she looked up at me in shock. "You..." "What's wrong?" Her shocked expression only heightened my nervousness. "Do you know the address?" "Everyone in this kingdom knows this address, but no one will tell you the way," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper, her hands shaking. "Why?" I looked into her eyes and asked. Suddenly, she shook her head and slapped the paper out of my hand. "Run away! Run away before you never have a chance. You're in more trouble than the wolves in the brothel! Run away!" She spoke hurriedly, her voice trembling with terror as her entire body shook with fear. Her reaction only added to the fear coursing through my already panicking state. "Run away from who?" I pressed. "From..." I read her lips, but before she could answer, the door of the house was violently broken down. We didn't even have time to react. "AHHH..." I scrambled as a hand mercilessly grabbed my hair. "Caught you, bitch!" the rogue from earlier yelled. "Kill this slut who helped her!" he ordered his accomplice. The wolves pounced on the young woman, tearing her apart before my horrified eyes. "NOOO!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as he dragged me out of the house, and once again, I found myself standing in the crossroads. "LET ME GO! LET ME GO!!" I screamed desperately, my luggage and letter both falling from my hands. He paid no attention to my cries or begging, dragging me away mercilessly until I felt my hair being ripped from my scalp. Then, he tossed me onto the crossroads. "HELP! HELP!!" I screamed, scrambling on all fours in a desperate attempt to get away from them. "No one is coming to save you," he laughed, reaching down to grab me again. In a panic, I grabbed a sharp stone the size of my hand before he could pull me up by my hair again. "Let's go," he growled, preparing to drag me away again. Just as he began pulling me, I raised my hand and struck his face with the stone in my hand. Coincidentally, it hit him in the eyes. "Fuck!" he screamed in pain, releasing my hair. Seizing the opportunity, I bolted away from him towards the deserted street. "Catch her! I'll kill that bitch with my own hands after I fuck her!" he barked, ordering the wolves to pursue me. I glanced behind me to see four large rogues racing after me, their eyes filled with bloodlust. I was in my human form and couldn't match their speed. Screaming in fear, I realized they were mere inches away from me. I was about to get caught. Just as one of them raised their paw to strike me, the streets suddenly went dark. In the darkness, everything seemed more menacing and dangerous. Then, the sound of someone’s shooes reached my ears. Suddenly, the wolf that was inches away from me and about to attack was sliced in two, dropping dead on the ground. My feet came to an abrupt halt in shock as I heard the next sound of shoes entering my ears, and another wolf dropped dead, this time in a pathetic manner. I immediately looked straight towards the dark path where the footsteps were audible. My breaths came in hard gasps, and my entire body was drenched in sweat as I saw a tall, imposing figure emerging from the darkness towards me. As soon as the shiny shoes came into view, all the wolves behind me were killed at once, the entire alley screaming with death and blood. Trembling like a dry leaf, I watched as the figure emerged from the darkness with wide eyes. As his face came into view, I froze in my spot. A pair of golden-black eyes locked with mine, matching the deadly rumors I had heard and the warnings from the young woman earlier. She had wanted me to run away from him... Prince Rayden. The God of Death.