Nerd's Badboy Alpha novel Chapter 7

The old woman doesn't look old, but there's a rumor that she's nearly five hundred years old. A healthy wolf can live up to two hundred and fifty years, provided they take good care of themselves, but a lot of wolves die in violence and die young.

And she terrifies me more than my aunt ever could. You see, she's a clairvoyant. She told my parents they were going to die, so they should take me and run away from the pack, but they didn't listen. Now they're both dead.

I'm pretty sure the old woman doesn't actually like being called the old woman because she has a name: Briseis Marsos. I think she's Greek or something. Anyway, her hair is completely gray and even though she's supposed to be really old, her face is only slightly wrinkled. Like crow's feet, laugh lines, permanent eyebags. They say she's blind because she has seen too many things she shouldn't.

They say a lot of things.

"What is it, Alfred?"

Our Luna, Natalya Murray, rose from her office chair and walked over to greet us. She's a beautiful forty-something woman with black hair and blue eyes, almost as tall as my uncle and just as strong. She shakes hands with him.

The Luna is married to her True Mate, the compound's lead doctor. They have four kids together. She's a foot taller than her husband and they're adorable together. If a Luna were allowed to be adorable, that is.

Before Uncle Alfred can answer, the Luna's eyes shift to me and seem to see right through my bones. I drop my gaze to my shoes. "Ah, Levi's daughter." She puts her hand on top of my head. "You've come to see mother."

"Did your mother see that in her crystal ball?" My Uncle's tone is sardonic.

"No. We heard the girl's scream, Alfred. I'm surprised she didn't wake up the entire compound." She pats my head. "I'll need to speak to you while she consults with my mother. Melody, look at me."

The Luna's voice is mellow, but the steel underneath is solid and her tone is steady. Our people listen to her not just because of her strength, but her conviction and gravitas. Roger jokes if our Luna told him one day that the sky had turned red, he would believe her.

I lift my chin and look at the pointed tip of the Luna's nose. I can't exactly meet her eyes, can I? "Yes, Madame?"

"You've caused quite a ruckus tonight, haven't you? Brought in the son of the Alpha of a rival pack and screamed loud enough to break the windows of four houses."

I chance a glance up at our Luna's face because she sounds more amused than angry. "Madame?"

"You've got a dark horse here, Alfred. A dark wolf, rather." She laughs at her own joke, while my uncle grunts. "Oh, we have much to talk about. Melody, you go on through that room. Don't be scared, daughter. Mother doesn't bite. She's been fed this evening."

I've never had much interaction with my Luna and this is really the first time I've ever been this close to her. She's always intimidated me because she walks around our compound like an Amazon warrior woman that our people follow and respect. Everyone she passes looks at her like she has the answers to all their questions. That must be one hell of a burden to hold on someone's shoulders, but she seems to have very strong shoulders.

"Yes, Madame."

I swallow hard as I try to think of something to say. No one's really asked me anything like this before. No one's really asked me much of anything before. Until today, I was starting to believe I was invisible except to the bullies because I emit some kind of special victim vibe or something. "Uh..."

The old woman laughs again. "You don't have to answer, child. That was a rhetorical question. Mrs. Ramsey, why don't you take a seat on the settee along with Melody? Do not worry, she is not a danger to you or your children unless you get in her way."

"What does that mean, Mrs. Marsos?" my aunt demands in a measured tone.

"In time, Ruffia, you'll see what I mean. I hope you'll become a guide to your niece instead of a hindrance."

"Why would I be anything but?" My aunt sounds outraged.

The old woman cocks her head to the side and laughs, sending a chill down my spine. "You tell me." She shifts her eerie blank gaze to me. "What did you see in your dream tonight, Melody?"

I shake my head, refusing to remember what I saw, especially to that poor woman who tried to save me. But the images flooded my mind, anyway, of people running around, blood spilled everywhere, the fear and panic on their faces; the acrid smoke burns my throat as I attempt to get a clean gulp of air, the screams and shouts reverberate in my ear drums.

"Death, ma'am," I tell her. "Lots of it."