My Female Alpha

NINE

lenora

As I smile, I wet my lips and notice they still taste like her. Denver won't stop staring at me and I find it every bit amusing as it is annoying.

"You're staring," I say. I don't lift my eyes from the gravel road as I direct the Wrangler off the main highway.

"Forgive me, Alpha. I am just astonished that this day has come."

"What day?" I scoffed.

"The day you find a mate. She's perfect for you, too."

I roll my eyes. "Of course she is. What do you expect?"

"I honestly thought you were going to be alone forever." At my sharp glare, he adds, "Well, you know you scare away all the she-wolves, and I knew you weren't getting a he-wolf as a mate. So that eliminated basically all of your options."

"I do not scare away all the she-wolves," I grumble.

"Believe what you will." He waves me off.

We pull up to the packhouse to find a caravan of three SUVs waiting out front. I instantly smell Alpha Shores. A growl builds in the back of my throat.

"Be nice," Denver warns while I cut the engine off.

Hopping out of the car, I march over to the caravans. Shores is talking to my Gammas, Blakely, and Mark. Their faces are scrunched in concern. Most of Shores' leadership stands around him, looking stiff and angry.

"Have you ever heard of calling, Alpha Shores?" I snarl.

He turns to me with surprise. "Alpha Dunn, hello. I would have called, but this is too urgent."

"Whatever you want is not a good enough excuse to come onto my territory and disturb my pack—"

"I think you'll believe otherwise when I explain—"

"Do NOT interrupt me!" I bellow.

Everyone stands still and silent. I step towards him and push my shoulders back, a habit of making myself look larger. Stupid ass alpha males disrespect me often for my size. And I'm no small she-wolf.

"Now," I say more calmly, "Candace is doing everything in her power to sway the Board. A team has been collecting soil samples and conducting an ecological study to convince the Board that developing would endanger some species. There is nothing else we can do, for the moment."

Alpha Shores swallows and then raises his brows as if asking for permission to speak.

"Speak," I snap.

"I appreciate the update on the development scheme. However, this is about a different matter. A rogue pack has been reported to be heading east. They've been gathering numbers as they move. Soon, they'll be here. They've been terrorizing and raiding packs. It's a crusade."

"Rogues don't travel in packs. That goes against the very nature of being one."

"So you would think. I'm afraid this isn't the case. A rogue leader is rallying them all and he's, from what I hear, quite charismatic."

"Who is your source?"

He nods at his Beta, Jack, who I am unfortunately familiar with.

"I've seen it for myself, Alpha Dunn," he says, looking down at me. The he-wolf is nearly seven-feet tall and his body is littered with scars. "We got word from another pack five hundred miles west. They killed several wolves and severely injured those who resisted. Their Alpha was crucified."

My chest feels heavy at this. I don't have many contacts west of us, except one. Another female Alpha reigns over a small nomadic pack in Alabama. I should reach out to her.

"This is a serious matter," Jack tells me. "We must act now before they get too big and reach our lands."

"We'll send scouts to track this rogue pack's movements. Then we will decide what to do," I say. "I'll send my Gammas. The smaller the party, the less they'll be noticed."

"I can agree to that," says Alpha Shores. "In the meantime, I'm increasing training and bolstering our defenses. You should consider building a wall around your packhouse."

I grind my teeth together. "I won't trap my wolves in, Shores. We have better things to be doing than building walls. Besides, we can always build another packhouse."

He lifts his chin at me. "Well, I gave you my advice. I'll leave you to prepare. We'll send the scouting party out tonight?"

"Six o'clock, my Gammas will meet yours on the territory divide."

"Excellent. I look forward to working with you."

I watch as he and his caravan pack up and drive off. My hands quiver from the rage that courses through me.

It's always fucking something.

These rogues need to be put to an end. They are menaces to wolf society and outcasts to the human world.

My temper ticks. I am now responsible for the rogue that I allowed to escape. If he comes back with other rogues, I will be the one to blame for letting him live.

"Alpha," says Denver. "You alright?"

I look up at him, forcing my balled fists to relax. "No, I am not alright. This better be a fucking hoax. If Shores is wrong again, I will kill him."

"We don't want to do anything rash. His pack is very valuable."

"His pack is a nuisance," I snip as I storm to the pack house.

I raid the kitchen for pasta and ground beef. Since I was far too angry to eat at the diner, I'm starving again. Damn wolf metabolism.

"Can I help?"

Huffing, I look over my shoulder. Desiree stands in the kitchen doorway with her hands folded.

"You can watch the pasta," I say, motioning for her to join me. "Then you can eat some with me if you'd like."

She smiles. "I'd love that, Alpha."

While she stirs the pasta now and then, I watch the ground beef. The quiet between us is comforting. She's fifteen, but it often feels like she's much older. She reminds me of myself at her age.

"So." I lean against the counter on my elbow and tuck the hair from my face. "Why am I your role model, Desiree?"

Her nearly twisted black braids bounce as she turns to grin at me. "Because you're cool, Alpha. I've never heard of a girl being an alpha before. My dad always said that you worked hard to get where you are."

"Well, I did. A lot of alphas inherit their position, but I didn't. I had to fight for it."

"Why did you want to be an alpha anyway? You have to deal with big things . . . like the rogues."

I sigh. Of course, word had gotten out already.

"The big problems aren't fun," I admit, checking the meat. "But our old alpha was dying and he didn't have any sons or daughters. So it was up to the pack to pick a wolf. I didn't like the guy they picked, so I challenged him." I turn to her. "Have you ever seen a challenge before?"

She shakes her head.

"It's to the death, you know," I say. Her mocha skin pales. "I trained hard to become alpha. I was an omega, too, so nobody wanted me to win."

"Do you think I could be an alpha one day?"

The slightest sliver of a smile ghosts my lips. "I think you would make an excellent alpha. Let's just hope you don't have to kill anyone for it, yeah?"

Desiree nods and I pat her head. Some long-lost maternal instinct prickles under my ribs. I breathe deeply to keep myself from whining. My mate needs to be here.

Soon. Very soon.