FULL NOVELXO Chapter Prologue
She sat stiff and straight in the wing backed chair of her father's study. She was uncomfortable. Her body bruised and sore from the last rite. She had not known what to expect. Seeing the excitement and pleasure in the three pairs of dark eyes had frightened her. Her last rite was to be beaten and tortured for two days by the three males who had tried to hurt her when she was younger. Two rules. They could not hit her in the face. And they could not take her virginity. She hid her discomfort and pain well.
Watching with cold eyes as he signed the papers of her release into the world. Listening intently to his instructions. "Missouri is where I am sending you, my daughter," He said with pride. "You are ready to undergo the biggest challenge of all my children. Three males coming of age. They will be Alphas of the largest and most fearsome of all the wolf packs in North America. You know what you have to do." Her father once a vibrant man now old. His once thick brown hair was almost gone. His once bright blue eyes watery with age. He was thinner now too.
"Yes, Father," she replied in her usual monotone. No emotion. No fear. "Infiltrate. Mate and kill." Her brother's head had been returned with a beautiful feminine handwriting that simply said "You lose." Alexandria had cried for weeks after the box had been delivered. She had loved her brother dearly. She had asked Father why they had done such a thing. He had said it was because they were cruel and did not accept outsiders. She believed him. Seth, Jereme, Tex, and Jackson had not returned. She had missed them too.
Her short cropped black hair and hard green eyes in her oval face made her look sweet and deadly. Malcolm held no remorse for what he had put her through these last two days. It had been necessary for two reasons. To prove that mixing human blood with the wolves did not garner the results he had wanted for a child with all their strengths and none of their weaknesses. And also because he knew he would need the feral triplets if things didn't go as planned with his child.
The secret of who she really was would die with him. After the failed experiment of her existence he had burned all his research that had anything to do with her parentage. The female who had birthed her had died so there was no one alive other than himself to know. When he realized the failure of his experiment when she was six he had begun warp her memories.
Quinten had been a thorn in Malcolm's side. But the best mechanic he'd had. But he had needed to test the pack Margarette had gotten into. This little girl in front of him had been the perfect candidate for a particular experiment he had been waiting to test. Twisting her memories. Alexandria had no idea that the ill will she still harbored for Margarette for killing him was all fabricated. He needed her to take out the pack from the inside in order to complete his life's work. He was not sure how the whole mating thing still worked but he was hoping he was right with this one. He had sent other females over the years. None had gotten the results he wanted.
He did not wish to rule the wolves. In fact quite the opposite. He wanted them to take themselves out. To destroy themselves and rid the world of their monstrosity. A mission handed down for two centuries now and he was the only one who had come close to accomplishing this. The tale of his family's struggles against the beasts had been passed down from father to son. Rampaging their village and taking their women and children. Monsters all. For 23 years he had barely stomached these beasts calling him father. Nurturing them and twisting them. Locking them up when the moon was full so they did not hurt him or any of his staff. Sickened every year. Now it was nearly done.
He pushed a small stack of papers to her. "Birth certificate. Driver's license. Social Security card and two credit cards to use on the drive to Missouri. As well as a cell phone to report on your progress. You are very important to this mission. Do not let your guard down. They will try to twist you or worse kill you if they find out who and what you are." Malcolm warned. "Go with love my daughter." The words stuck on his tongue like venom. Daughter. Ha.
Alexandria stood and took the papers. "I will not let you down, Father. I will avenge my brother and make you proud." She said her cool monotone voice sharpening just a fraction.
"That is my girl." He smiled though it did not reach his eyes. "Go and pack. Your car will be waiting for you in the garage. The black one I believe is the one you had your heart set on." Her lips turned up just a fraction with pleasure. She gave a curt nod and left. He sat back in his chair. The thinness of his skin even through his lab coat finding every button on the chair. He would not last much longer. The treatment for his illness was already proving ineffective. He had changed the formula six times in the last month and the effects were still wearing off too soon.
Alexandria packed her car. The little ones were out playing and three ran up to her. "You're leaving too?" They asked in unison. Triplets did that. She ruffled their hair, each in turn. A true smile on her face. She crouched down to meet their eyes. All gold. Their black hair setting off the deep flecks of brown in the golden depths. They looked so sad.
"For a little while," She said. "I will be back and then I will be your teacher." The three faces lit up at this. She loved children. They were so honest and caring. She hoped one day to have some of her own. To love them unconditionally. "But for now you must behave. Father is not well. Look after him." The three nodded and ran off to play. She smiled after them. Leaving broke her heart. She had smelled the sickness taking its toll on Father and it worried her. She could not show him that weakness. Or she would never get this opportunity for revenge.
She closed the trunk and got into the black Mustang GT that she had wanted since she had learned to drive. She started the engine and sighed at the roar of life. The vibration of all the cylinders. She had helped restore it with her brother before he had left. It was meant to be his but had passed to her upon his death. "I will have my revenge, brother. I will see that bitch pay."
She reversed out carefully and cleared the gates of the compound in Northern Virginia. She set her GPS and turned the radio on to a talk radio station. Relaxed and let the road and the GPS guide her to her destiny.