Behind The Mask

By L Diva and Iris Blossom

Many thin of me as a Friend. many think I'm the Devils Spawn.

Some think I'm their mates murderer or that I've harvested their souls.

Others think I was born to destroy male wolves mates, breaking their cold hearts in the process.

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• Language: English
• Publisher: IngramSpark
• Release date: May 22, 2023
• ISBN: 9784627837737

Book preview

One

"Shit."

Looking in the side-view mirror I saw three blacked-out cars rushing our way. I quickly grabbed for my revolver from under my seat, checking to make sure the wolfsbane-covered bullets were loaded into the cylinder.

What pack is it? Asked my boyfriend, Nico. He was looking in the rear-view mirror.

I looked again at the cars and tried to get a glimpse to see if there were any emblems somewhere on the cars. I didn't spot anything.

I don't know. Can we lose them? I said, still watching the cars inch closer to us.

Nico looked around at our surroundings. It was late, darkness blanketed the sky, and no stars showed their light. But even in the darkness, I could make out another black car climbing its way closer to ours, from the left. His grip tightened on the wheel. Not anytime soon.

I huffed out a frustrated breath. We'd just gotten away from the Skylen Pack and now we have another one about to wipe us off the road. I was tired of this. So. Very. Tired. But I still took hold of my revolver, feeling comfortable in my grip, and gave Nico a signal.

Seconds later the sunroof's glass pulled back, disappearing. Cool air rushed in and I shook off the shivers that ran through me. I slid my heels off and took a deep breath before climbing up through the sunroof and sitting on the edge.

Between the wind and the speed of the mustang, my light brunette hair was getting pushed around but I was able to get a clear view of the SUVs speeding towards us. The windows were tinted to a near black, and I knew it was hopeless to think they would possibly get pulled over for it being too dark. The strong packs practically owned the police.

But it was a smart move on their part—to have blacked-out windows. I couldn't see the eyes of any males residing in the cars.

Harlow, are you going to shoot or sit and watch them get closer, Nico grumbled.

Sorry, I'm not being fast enough for you. I snapped, not like I'm trying to aim or anything.

He didn't say anything back, only focused on driving, which he should. We were both stressed, and right now wasn't the time to start cussing each other out.

I lifted the revolver and took aim at the car closest to us. I pulled the trigger and listened as the bullet flew towards the car's front tire. When it hit, the car shuttered and slowed. I refocused my attention on the upcoming car and pulled the trigger again. But this time the car swerved out of the way, dodging. I shifted my aim and this time it struck true.

Two cars down. Several more to go.

I shot two more bullets and was able to get one more car's tire, before noticing that I only had one more bullet left. I'd used five, leaving me with one. Cursing under my breath, I glanced down at Nico. Hand me another round.

I heard some noises of him searching while also driving before he said through clenched teeth. We don't have another round.

I froze, What? We just got more bullets.

We must have left them in the other car.

My hand tightened on the edge of the sunroof where I was seated. We'd just gotten a whole load of bullets for something like this and yet we forget them, how wonderful.

Looking between the revolver that held only one bullet now, and the closest car, I pursed my lips. Guess we'll have to make the most of it, I mumbled before letting the bullet fly.

It broke through the windshield of the car directly behind ours. It shattered on impact and revealed the two men. This was where I caught sight of the tattoo on the driver's hand—a circle with an elaborate, cursive E centering it. The damn Europa pack. One of the tops in the world.

This is just great, magnificent.

They're in the Europa pack, I said to Nico and from where I could see him from where I sat on the sunroof, I saw him tense.

Are you about to morph?

I am. He'll probably swerve into the car next to him that's catching up to us.

That'll leave us with one car left?

Yes, I said. And when that happens, use the nitrous.

Alright.

I turned to look back at the car I'd just shattered the windshield of. The men were yelling at each other, the one that wasn't driving covering his eyes. It made a wicked smile form on my face. Their little defense went down, now they only had their hands to cover what made them vulnerable to me.

I looked into the eyes of the man driving and with that, I sent my ability to activate, to awaken. It beckoned him to look, to meet my gaze. He resisted but that resistance was faltering the more I sent my ability towards him. Finally, his eyes met mine, and there I saw the beauty of his mate through his soul that outlined him like an aura. I let that beauty, that face, that body, change into mine.

Suddenly my skin paled, my brown hair turned to a deep auburn, my eyes sharpening, my cheeks rounding. And soon, I was fully transformed into his mate—according to what his soul lets me see—he hadn't found her yet.

His eyes widened as he now saw his mate. He shook his head as if to try and clear it. When he looked back at me, he didn't see my face but the girl he may or may not end up ever meeting.

The instinct in him started to kick in, one that was driven by protectiveness, one that could blind him from remembering who I truly was. When he saw the car next to his own climbing faster and faster towards me. I put on a frightened face and yelled out, Please!

My voice wasn't my own but of his mate's and with that, he started to turn the wheel, moving the car to bump into the one next to his. The guy in the same car was yelling at him, shaking him. It wasn't until the guy lifted his arm that I realized what lied in it.

A gun.

My eyes widened as I ducked just as the sound of gunfire rose over the tires scrambling over the road.

Harlow! Nico yelled, yanking me farther down back into the car. I met his eyes as my knees hit the center console.

I let out a shaky breath, giving him a weak smile. It missed, I'm fine.

He quickly leaned over to place a kiss on my cheek and pushed me back into my seat before hitting the button for the nitrous. The car jerked into motion, sending us forward at a speed that made our surroundings almost blur.

I knew I looked like myself again. The sharpness of my cheekbones, the lightness of my brown hair, the round eyes, the fair skin. It was all back, all me. Since in my panic I'd lost the hold on his soul, which was what gave me the look into what and who his mate was.

Our speed from the nitrous started to recede and when I looked in the side-view mirror again, they were far behind us. There was only one SUV still driving towards us, the others down. And from the way that one car looked to have a rather large dent in the side, I knew the driver of the man I'd morphed into the mate of, did indeed, drive into the other car.

I was about to let out a relieved laugh that would probably be bordering on the side hysteria because we'd gotten away from one of the most powerful packs. But that was before I saw that one car sped up at a fast rate.

Don't tell me those bastards have nitrous too, Nico said, eyeing the car through the rear-view mirror.

I bit my lip in nervousness as I watched the car catch up to us. Looks like it. Letting my lip go, I said. We could get them off the road.

And if they take us off?

I shot him a look, We'll run.

Or they'll capture us. He countered.

That won't happen.

He only shook his head and refocused on driving. But the SUV was on us in the next moments and I quickly started to look again to see if there were any bullets left that Nico may have missed. Since he was paying attention to the road while he'd also been looking.

There were no bullets anywhere.

When I heard Nico swear, I snapped my head up and looked out of my window. The SUV's driver-side window started to roll down and a gun was pointed at my side of the car.

With the only thing I could think of, I rolled down my window and looked at the man driving. He was quickly glancing between the road and where he was aiming, giving me time to look at him. He had Pitch-black hair that was disheveled in a way that told me he'd been frustrated or angry. His skin was tanned to say that he'd spent many hours in the sun and running along his sharp cheekbone was a scar.

I looked down to the gun he was holding and I felt my breath hitch. He wore the same tattoo, the circle with the cursive E in the middle. But unlike the others I'd seen people have in this pack, he had a long slash running through the circle and E.

He was the alpha.

Oh, shit, I muttered to myself as my eyes trailed back to his face.

And that's when I clumsily reached for my ability to latch onto his soul, to read me his mate that he hadn't met. My power once again beckoned for him to look at me and to my surprise, he did without a fight.

I waited for myself to morph, to start transforming into another girl. But I didn't. And that's when the mating bond sharpened everything within me. My primal wolf side of myself started to itch to be near him.

But the look on his face wasn't happiness to find his mate or confusion. It was pure fury.

Oh, double shit. I cursed.

I couldn't breathe as I stared into his blue eyes. I tried again to connect myself to his soul so I would transform into his mate. But I didn't. I wasn't morphing into anyone, I stayed me.

The gun getting cocked brought me out of my stupor and my eyes flashed down to the gun in his hands. It wasn't aiming at me anymore, but rather moving down towards our tire.

Nico must have noticed the direction of the gun's movements because suddenly our car was slamming into the SUV.

The SUV swerved slightly before it was a battle between pushing either car out of the way. The Alpha had both hands on the wheel now, his focus on not losing control of the car.

I racked my mind for any idea how to get out of this situation. To getaway. There were so many emotions going through me, through my mind. And my wolf instinct in me was wanting me to get to him, but I wasn't doing that.

He was hunting me. Like every other pack that had a backbone.

I quickly looked at our surroundings. There wasn't much around us but there was a woods a while back behind us and to our far right. I knew a city laid not far off from those woods since this road leads out of it. It would take us a while to get to it because of the size of the woods, but it was our best option.

I rolled up my window and looked at Nico. Hit the brakes.

What? He said, his eyes moving between the road and the SUV.

Hit the brakes, I repeated. And head off towards the woods.

He met my eyes, I nodded my urgency to do what I was told. It only took him a moment to calculate the certainty in what I had planned.

The next instant his foot slammed on the breaks. My body pushed forward, the seat belt—I'd put on after I'd gotten seated—locking, making a rush of breath leave my lungs at the force. The car then turned off the road and into the grass heading for the woods.

When I looked back at the SUV it was farther up the road. At the speed we were going, I wasn't surprised it took the Alpha a second to recognize that we'd stopped moving alongside his car.

We were halfway to reaching the woods when the SUV was rushing towards us. I fidgeted with the end of my hair, twirling it around my finger as I hoped my plan would work.

When I noticed the SUV slowly catching up, I said to Nico, go faster.

I'm already going as fast as I can. He mumbled.

I glanced at him, Is the pedal to the floorboard?

About.

Then you're not going as fast as you can. Push the car to the full speed it can go.

He let out a long breath, doing as I told. I could tell he was nervous too. He'd found me two years ago when I was sixteen. I had morphed into his mate, scared and wanting to be away from any werewolf that came near, transforming into the look of their mate's so they wouldn't immediately hurt me.

But it just so happened that Nico's mate had died so he saw right through my disguise as his mate. It had pained him to see me look like her but we ended up getting along. So, we'd teamed up after I'd found out he'd been running from packs, wanted for so-called 'murder.'

He claimed he didn't murder his Alpha's mate. I didn't know if I believed him though. I think if anything, he did murder his Luna but it was on accident. I truly didn't know and partially didn't care much for it. We all had our past and I knew mine was messy just as his was. And from what I've known of him, he wasn't a bad guy.

Which led me to date him. Now, that's a newer thing though.

Once we reached the woods, Nico pulled the car to a halt and I started to unbuckle my seatbelt.

What's the plan? He asked, copying my movements with his seatbelt.

We shift, hide our scent and start heading to the city before him,—I jerked my head to the SUV driving towards us—reaches us.

Nico nodded and we both hurried out of the car, not bothering to close the doors, and started to shift.

Bones cracking filled the near-silent night as mine and Nico's shifted and moved. Gray fur that was almost black started to form my body as it bent. My hands and feet turned to paws, my jaw forming into a snout, my teeth sharpening to canines.

One last bone cracked into place, the quick process ending. Me and Nico instantly took off through the woods, his pure black fur looking almost blueish in the moonlight.

The ache from the shifting process lasted mere seconds after we started moving, weaving through the trees. We took care to hide our scents the best we could with the nature around us. I didn't know if it was going to work. The guy was the alpha from the Europa back, we were strong and knew out to track. A little kernel in me hoped that the fact he saw his mate, threw him off a bit.

I doubted it, though. He was hunting me, he had to be prepared to see his mate.

Listening with my heightened hearing, I strained to see if there were any other sets of paws that didn't belong to me or Nico.

I didn't hear anything. I wanted to feel happy about it but I didn't. And it wasn't because a part of me longed to speak with him, but rather a side that told me we weren't done with him yet.

Me and Nico ran for two hours straight, not stopping for water or to rest. We were too scared the Alpha would end up catching up to us.

When we reached the edge of the city, we slowed our past and made our way through the streets that were lit by street lamps and only stopped to shift back when we found clothes to wear.

I was now dressed in an oversized T-shirt, jacket, and long leggings. Nico wasn't doing much better, with him wearing loose pants and a shirt. But it was the best we could find. We could work with it.

You think he's just playing with us? Do you think we really lost him? Nico asked as we walked on the streets, passing closed stores.

I pulled the jacket's hood over my head, leaving my face in shadow. For your first question, I don't think so. The other... I think we'd be extremely lucky people if we'd actually lost him. But equally foolish if we believed we'd fully lost him.

He nodded his agreement, and I leaned my head on his shoulder, and his head fell on mine. I breathed in the air, letting it settle my racing mind.

That settling stopped when Nico asked, why didn't you morph?

I bit my bottom lip, not sure if I wanted to answer truthfully. Part of me still didn't believe that what I felt was real, that it was just a part of my imagination working it's fantasies I'd had since I was little: wanting a mate.

I needed time to clear my mind, to wrap my head around the fact that the Alpha of the Europa pack was... my mate.

And right now, I was with Nico. I wasn't going to ditch him for someone who probably wanted to kill, experiment, or torture me for information on what the hell I was.

I wish I had an answer for them because even I didn't know.

Harlow? Nico said my name, squeezing my hand to urge me to answer him.

I think I was nervous. With the whole realizing he was the Alpha. I explained, lying. I don't think I was focused enough to morph.

I felt him nod his head as it lay atop mine, His name is Alpha Maximo, I think.

I think, I repeated his words. The Europa pack was from Italy and it was when Maximo's grandmother decided moving to America was best so they would be near the other major packs for business. But they mainly kept to themselves. It was a strong, honored, and respected pack. It had just been recently that Maximo declared himself a hunter in the hunt to catch me.

I think it's been a kind of game between the packs, on who can capture me first. Quite entertaining if you ask me. Yes, yes. Let's see who can capture the weird girl who can take the face of their mates but in all honesty is terrified of her, because she's unpredictable.

I find them terrified of me.

Huffing out a long sigh, I lifted my head from his shoulder, making him lift his own off. We should quickly get something to eat then get going.

At the next stop, we'll rest.

I nodded, very much needed rest.

We started our way towards a gas station to get snacks and debated on which car we'd be stealing.

Two

Most werewolves didn't know what it meant for their mates when I morphed into them. Some feared I'd killed them, granting me the ability to turn into them. Some thought I harvested their souls. Others wondered if I'd eaten their hearts or I had them captured somewhere. When in all reality, I was just able to look into their souls, take what I could read about their mates, and morph myself into that.

So I hadn't killed or harvested or eaten any hearts. It was just my ability I was born with that allowed me to do things no other could. But it was scary for them and they wanted to kill me, thinking it would save their mates or simply rid a demon from this world.

And part of me understood that. The other half just wanted to be left alone because ever since I was fifteen I'd found out my ability which sent every pack out there hunting for me, and I could never live the same life again.

Even though I knew my ability; I, myself, never knew what that held for my own mate, just like the men who didn't know what it meant when I transformed into theirs. For most of my life, I thought I didn't have one. And that's why I was so confused that I didn't morph when I met Maximo's eyes.

How the hell could I be mated to an alpha? Let alone, Maximo?

But I knew it was true. Whenever I would morph into different mates, I never felt the mate bond since it was only an illusion of sorts, but the men did. And when I'd seen Maximo's gorgeous eyes and the thrill of the mate bond sharpening into focus, I knew it wasn't my head making it up.

It scared me. It truly did. Every pack out there doesn't know what I truly looked like nor my real name because once I started morphing into peoples mate's, they couldn't keep up with what my real face was.

And I knew, if Maximo ever ran into me again, he would think I was simply playing as his mate; not having a clue that I could only hold the illusion of a person's mate for only so long.

I sighed, my face resting against the cold window of the hotel we were currently staying in. We'd stolen a car and had driven for most of the night until we were somewhat certain we'd be safe for the night.

I couldn't sleep though. A bad feeling was wrapping itself around me and I wanted to be conscious if anything were to happen. So, I sat in the leather chair, staring outside the window counting the stars.

Nico was asleep in the bed, his even breathing the only sound in the hotel room. After a minute though, when I heard the rustle of the sheets, I glanced over my shoulder. He'd turned on his side, his back facing me and his dark brown hair gleaming in the light that was filtering in from the windows.

Nico and I have been dating for almost six months now. I wouldn't go so far as to say I loved him, because I didn't. But I liked him--a lot, and I trusted him with my life. But as the feeling of the newly awakened mate bond strengthened, I felt guilty. Like I was betraying my mate by being with him.

I shook my head, shaking off that guilt. I shouldn't be feeling guilty. I'd been living my life not thinking I even had a mate and he was probably hunting us--me down this very moment.

I felt torn. Maybe if I went to him, explained myself he would take me as I was instead of seeing me as a monster as every other pack did. He was my mate and even though I was with Nico, me and Maximo were soulmates, meant to be together. At least that's what everyone says a mate is.

Sitting up from the chair, I made my way over to the small fridge and opened it, only to find nothing there. I let out a frustrated breath. This place wasn't the worst but certainly not the best hotel, they must have forgotten to put the drinks that came with the room in the fridge.

Looking back at Nico, I quietly grabbed the room key and a few dollars from his nightstand and started for the door.

Walking out into the hallway, I kept my pace quick and after a couple of missed turns, I finally found the vending machine.

I quickly looked at what this one had to offer, then put the dollars in, getting a bottle of water and a Twix candy bar.

Just as I was reaching down to pick up my snack and water, I felt something oddly like a barrel of a gun press to my head. I immediately brought my hands up in surrender.

Slowly stand. A male voice said from behind me.

I did as they asked, standing.

Now turn towards me.

I turned and was ready to make eye contact with the male, but I was met only with him wearing blacked-out glasses.

My pulse started to race. That was my plan, to morph into his mate, and that wasn't going to work with his sunglasses on. I inched to punch or kick the guy, but I knew if I so much as moved that gun would go off.

I didn't feel like dying today.

Suddenly two other werewolves turned the corner, one female the other male who was wearing sunglasses.

The guy who was holding the gun, jerked his head. And the woman and man came forward, seizing each of my arms. I started to thrash, readying to kick but I stopped moving once I heard that gun cock.

Stop fighting. He said towards me, then to the two people, Get her in the car. Alpha wants her in his, in the back seat.

I raised my brow. He wanted me in his car? That's interesting.

They pushed me forward, down the hallway that had an exit at the end. I really wished I would have told Nico I was getting something to drink but even as my heart was beating wildly, I wasn't too scared.

This wasn't the first time I'd been 'caught.' Nico always got me before they made it to pack grounds. So, I was hoping it would be the same. The sun was coming up soon anyway.

But my pulse wasn't thundering only because I had a gun to my head, but because my mate was near and I'd be seeing him.

When we reached the exit and made it outside, they tied my hands before pushing me into the back of the SUV that was waiting outside the door. I sat up and adjusted myself before noticing that the front and back of the car were separated by a wall that had a long window near the top. It reminded me of a cop car.

When my side of the car door was shut, I looked towards the front of the car.

That's when that thing inside me jolted forward at the sight of him--of Maximo. I swallowed hard as he met my eyes in the rearview mirror, not bothering to hide his eyes from me.

See you're still wearing the face of my mate. He grumbled, his voice dangerously low. And I almost winced at the slight disgust in his words.

The only thing I could think to say was, You owe me a Twix.

Maximo's eyes narrowed at my declaration of him owing me a Twix candy bar. He opened his mouth to say something but before he could say anything, the passenger door opened revealing the female that had helped push me into the car.

Alpha, she greeted. We think he's in there.

He nodded, find him. He'll ride with you.

The woman looked around my age, maybe a few years older, bowed her head before yelling the order to some men behind the SUV I was currently sitting in. She closed the car door after and I watched as she and some of the other men walked back into the hotel.

I only put my elbow on my knee and propped my head on my hand. So, Beta, Gamma, Delta, or Epsilon?

I saw Maximo's gaze through the rear-view mirror. I somewhat admired that he didn't wear those sunglasses to try and block out my ability. He was probably thinking that since I was already wearing the face of his mate like he thought, it didn't matter much if he covered his eyes or not.

I was glad though, I could see his dark blue eyes.

When he didn't respond, I sighed. Shall I go on? Zeta, Eta--oh wait, wait, she's a Lambda since she's on the hunting team that I seem to have chasing me. I'm right, right?

His face remained expressionless as he said, "She's one of the

."

I widened my eyes and made the loudest gasp I could, then put a hand to my heart. You put one of your lead hunters on my case? I feel so honored.

He looked away from the rear-view mirror, slightly shaking his head and mumbling, should have gotten a damn gag to keep you quiet.

But you didn't, I said.

He let out a long breath, then without another word he opened his car door and stepped out. When he slammed the door closed, I involuntarily frowned, his presence being gone made a slight sadness seep around me.

I shook it away though.

And it was weird. How the thing that rested inside me, that connected my soul to his, could make you feel so strongly about so many things that had to do with your mate. Good or bad.

I looked to where he was standing, leaning against the hood of the SUV. His back was to me where I could see him through the windshield, talking to someone that was in his pack. I tried lip-reading what the guy was saying since he was facing me, but I couldn't make it out.

Glancing to each of the car doors that were in the back--where I was sitting--I scooted over to the right door and moved my bound hands to try and lift the lock. When I realized that couldn't be done, I simply got hold of the car handle and pushed my weight into the door.

Maybe I could break it off, I was a werewolf after all.

I was about to slam my shoulder into it again, but I noticed a shadow fall into the car from the window. I looked up and saw Maximo standing there, his arms crossed over his long-sleeved black shirt, a grim expression set to his features as he stared at me.

I only shrugged and mouthed 'it was worth a try.'

He rolled his eyes as he moved away. Someone must have called for him, which had to be the Kappa--the leader of the hunters of the pack and the woman he'd given an order to--and I had to scoot to the other side of the car for me to watch them speak near the exit door to the hotel.

They spoke for a minute and after their conversation he ran a hand through his black hair, disheveling it more than it already was through his frustration. He said a few more words to her then I assumed she yelled an order because men and a few women of his pack started moving.

He made his way back to the car, getting in as the man who had put a gun to my head got in the passengers side.

I waited for one of them to speak but neither did. Maximo started the car and pulled out onto the road, the night still alive.

I quickly noticed that there were three other SUVs following us, all belonging to his pack members which I assumed were his Lambda's--hunters--and had to stifle a snort.

Where were they when he'd been chasing me on the road with Nico? Probably most of them had to come to help pick up the ones that had their cars crashed or tire busted because of me.

Neither of the men spoke as Maximo drove and the silence was itching at me, so I said. Didn't find Nico I presume.

My mate briefly met my eyes in the rear-view mirror. No.

I tried very hard to stifle my smirk, but I couldn't hold it back. Ah, he's a slippery one. Better luck next time catching him.

The man who had the gun spoke without looking at me. And you're not?

I thought for a moment. Not slippery, obviously. Since you guys caught me. But rather... foxy.

Foxy? The man asked, finally looking over his shoulder to look at me.

I tilted my head to the side, Trickery, I clarified.

The man snorted and made me raise a brow. Don't believe me? How do you think I've gotten away for so long, even after getting captured multiple times.

Yes, Nico has helped with most of those situations, like I was hoping he would help with this one. He got away, so I