THE COLOMBIAN ALPHA

ALBERTO AND MARIANA

"Alberto, understand that what we have can't be."

"Mariana, I understand it, but I don't accept it. I love you, and nothing else matters to me."

"That's very romantic, but you're far from reality. It's not just the fact that you're a werewolf; it's everything else."

"I swear I'll find a solution to all those problems. I don't know how, but I will. All I know is that I can't live without your beautiful green eyes, your golden hair, and that lovely scent of yours."

"That's another thing. I also love your elegant bearing, your honey-colored eyes that I get lost in, your hairstyle that never gets messed up, that black hair of yours, your goatee that traps me, and your burly figure that makes me feel protected. Add to that your manners and attention, it was impossible not to fall in love with you."

"Then why don't you accept me? Let's run away together to a private island, away from everything. In that place, it'll just be the two of us, where we can fully give ourselves to love."

"Alberto, you know your enemies wouldn't leave us in peace, even in the farthest corner of the planet."

"Then, my beloved Mariana, we'll go to another world, where we can be happy forever."

"No, my dear Alberto, I've made my decision. I don't want to keep going through everything I've been through. It's a miracle I'm still alive after so many misfortunes. I've come to the conclusion that it's very dangerous to be the wife of a mobster, and even worse, of a werewolf."

"I'm telling you again, I'll do whatever it takes, and that includes leaving the mafia, even if it means being expelled from the pack. You are my moon, the love of my life."

"Alberto, please, snap out of it. Your father is the Alpha. He will never let us be together. Remember how he opposed it when he found out I was human, and even worse, poor. Please, leave me alone."

"No, remember what I promised you the day we met. Please, remember."

"That was a long time ago. I remember that day; we were in a situation similar to this. I was being chased by a pack of jaguars, and when they had me cornered, you appeared like a gift from heaven, saving me like a superhero. The events of that day made me question everything I believed to be reality, not just because of your transformation but theirs too. Plus, it never crossed my mind that mafias were controlled by supernatural beings."

"That's because our abilities give us an advantage in facing the dangers of this risky profession. Speaking of dangers, we're surrounded. There are twenty-two of them-I can smell them. I'll have to fight while you escape."

"None of that, sir. I'm no longer that frightened girl. I've learned to fight and face my fears. Likewise, I'll fight by your side. Furthermore, I will never again be the damsel in distress who needs her prince to save her. I did think hiding in this abandoned building wasn't a good idea."

"Then why, dear Mariana, did you agree to hide with me?"

"Because I needed to talk to you. I also wanted to clear my head and rest a bit. We've been running all night."

"As for you escaping, it's not because I doubt your ability to defend yourself. It's because I fear losing control and hurting you."

"Alberto, I can't run away knowing they might hurt or kill you."

"Don't worry. I've had tougher fights. Since I came to this country, fleeing European hunters, I've had to face many enemies. Especially when my father agreed to be the driver for that drug lord, and then took over when his enemies eliminated him. He became the head of the organization and gathered several werewolves without a pack, who chose him as the Alpha. Because of that, I was always a target for bullies who wanted to hurt my father by attacking me."

Just then, some men wearing wool ponchos entered the room where they were hiding behind a wall, and one of them shouted: "Freeze! Surrender, and I promise we'll spare your lives. Don't hide; we can smell your fear."

"We're not afraid of you. We just wanted to lure you here. You should be the ones afraid. You can still run before you regret it." Alberto stepped out of the hiding spot, puffing out his chest and looking at them with disdain and arrogance.

"Don't think you're invincible, mutt. There are only two of you, but there are many of us. You don't stand a chance," one of their pursuers replied, showing a hand that transformed into a yellow claw. Behind him, more men appeared.

"You may outnumber us, but we are more powerful." Alberto's body swelled as his size increased, gray fur sprouting all over his body, shredding his clothes. His jaw elongated, his ears became pointed, his teeth grew into fangs, his honey-colored eyes now seemed to spark, and his hands turned into powerful claws.

"Of course, wolf pup, we know you're strong, but not strong enough to fight all of us while protecting that human girl. We'll see how long you can last," the man said as he threw off his poncho and transformed into a jaguar, roaring and showing his powerful fangs.

"Enough talk; let's get to action. Remember, we have to take the girl alive. That's what the shaman ordered, and we don't have to hold back on the mutt. Let's hit him with all we've got." Another man transformed too, roaring, and was followed by the others who lunged at Alberto. He swatted them away with his claws like a baseball bat, though one managed to dodge and a bit down on his neck, latching on like a clothespin.

"Let go of his neck, you disgusting beast! Get out of here, you have overgrown cats!" Mariana shouted, delivering a flying kick to the jaguar biting Alberto's neck, forcing it to release him and crash to the floor, where Alberto finished it off with a stomp.

"Comrades, the shaman told us to take her alive, but that doesn't mean we have to take her unharmed." roared one of the jaguar men as he charged at Mariana, only to be blocked by Alberto, who, in defending her, let the guard down. His attackers then bit his legs and tail, causing him to lose his balance.

"Leave him alone!" Mariana exclaimed as she saw several of the small tigers piling on top of her beloved. In desperation, she shoved a few of them off, just enough for Alberto to get back up.

"Thank you, my love. We only have one option left: we have to run," Alberto growled, striking the nearest jaguars.

"No, my love, we have no options left. Only desperate measures." She pulled out a lighter from her pocket, climbed onto her werewolf's shoulders, and lit it under a fire sprinkler sensor, triggering the sprinklers and drenching the place in water, disorienting the jaguars.

"Hold on tight, my love," Alberto told Mariana as she clung to his back. He ran on all fours, dodging the other beasts, and leaped through an old window that led to the main street. The six-story fall didn't affect them due to the werewolf's sturdy body, and upon landing, he continued running.

"Love, please, wait. Stop for a moment, please, Alberto."

"Of course, love. I think we're safe now. What happened to you? Let me see that wound."

"Alberto, it's not just a wound-it's a bite. You know what that means."

"Don't worry, we'll find a way to fix it. You know, I always find a way."

"No, my beloved, this is the end. You know if this bite doesn't kill me, I'll transform into one of them, and that will be a powerful reason for your father to prevent us from being together. Now, our relationship has become even more impossible."

"Maybe there's a solution. I've heard of a priestess who has the power to cure curses and hybrids."

"Once again, you cling to hope, to rumors. You need to face reality. Stop chasing fantasies. Abandon your naïveté and, most importantly, abandon me. Forget me."

"I can't do that, Mariana, my heart, because I love you with all my being."