Running Through the Ranks

20 - Dante's Past

~*Dante’s POV*~

I watch from a distance as Tiffany heads for my home. As she leaves my sight I let out a huff of air.

Why does she have to be my mate? Why can’t it find someone more like me? Not some stuck up bitch who thinks she has to have everyone on her shoulders. Maybe even someone with fewer responsibilities. A rogue and Alpha is a bad combination and who ever pairs us has to be out of their mind if this is going to work.

I sigh and shake my head and fight the pulling on my heart. My heart and body disagree with my mind. They want and need her. But I will not accept it. I am a rogue and proud of it. No woman is going to make me change.

I take a deep breath and turn to head back to the promise I made. But I smell something that makes my hair stand on end.

I turn back and around and take a deeper breath through my nose.

Other rogues. A lot of them. And their scent is coming from the direction that Tiffany went.

Whether I want to or not I must protect her only because she is my soul’s mate.

I huff and take off running. The scent gets stronger as I near them. Tiffany’s trail is getting stronger too.

Right as I’m about to slow down I am slammed into the ground. The air leaves my lungs as I look up to see a familiar face.

‘I heard the little pup has found his mate. And an Alpha no less.’

I growl at the rusty brown wolf. ‘None of your business Rochelle.’

The wolf laughs and steps away from me allowing me to stand up. ‘Of course it is. If she is off her land then she is hunting meat. Just like you would be if you smelled of alpha power.’

I growl. ‘I am still a rogue and don’t plan on changing’

A few more wolves appear behind him and I don’t recognize any of them. Rochelle chuckles. ‘Too bad. You would be good eating. Did you hear? There is a new pack nearby. I heard that it’s small and weak from our northern brothers. How about coming back and joining the team? We can go mess with them and kill a few wolves just like we did with that other pack before it grew.’

I shake my head. ‘No. I left for a reason and I am not coming back. And you can’t make me. I have stuff I need to do.’

Rochelle tisks over the link. ‘Oh just because some family member was killed doesn’t mean that it will happen again. It’s not like you’re going to know anyone from this new pack.’

I show my teeth and stand my tail up as a warning. ‘I said no! I am not helping you anymore. Don’t you dare touch that pack!’

One of the wolves steps up and laughs as she joins the link. ‘So this is Dante? The one you speak so highly of. Yet he cowers like a newborn pup. I am curious of what he is protecting. Maybe this pack is his future. Why else would he protect it? The great Dante is being tamed and pampered into the little house dog like he is!’

Rochelle laughs again. ‘You think so? Dante is going back to his old ways? It would explain the mate I heard about.’

I growl and step back. ‘I am never going back! I will never be that again! And I will never be a part of your murderers again!’

The female wolf shakes her head. ‘You would be such a nice little dog. We better tell their alpha that the lap dog is giving them the run around before we kill him.’

Rochelle nodds and a few of the wolves turn toward the pack.

I growl and take a step toward Rochelle. ‘I will kill you if you go anywhere near that pack.’

Rochelle shakes his head and chuckles. ‘You kill me? I though you swore to never kill after you killed your own mother. If her life that meaningless? You only use her memory as an excuse?’

I growl louder. ‘My mother was a mistake but I have had to betray that promise once already. And if I have to betray it again for the same reason then I will again. Back off Rochelle. This is my last warning.’

Rochelle laughs and nodds to the other wolves. They start to walk in the direction of the pack.

I shake my head and take in a deep breath. ‘Should have listened you mutt.’

I lung at his throat before he can even think about what I said. Within a few moments his body is laying in a puddle of blood.

I look at the other wolves that have stopped to watch. ‘Leave the pack alone or you will join him.’

Most of the wolves turn back the way they came. But the female growled at me. ‘You are going to pay for that.’

I growl back and she runs off. I sigh and close my eyes. Something pulls at my chest and I feel the urge to check on Tiffany.

I shake my head and start to turn back to the pack. But my instinct denies my choice. I growl at myself and give in. I start to head to my home and my mate.

Once I’m there, I carefully and quietly slip into the cave. Tiffany is asleep on my bed. I watch the white fur move as she breathes deeply.

I sigh and mumble to myself. ‘See, she is fine and nothing has touched her.’

On an urge I walk up and touch my nose to her head before leaving. I hear a sigh as I step away.

I sigh myself and leave my home to head to her home.

A few hours later I enter the pack land and huff as the feeling of responsibility weighs on me.

A small red wolf appears next to me and greets me. ‘Mr. Dante. I hope that you had a safe trip. Do you need anything?’

I growl. ‘Leave me alone. Future alpha or whatever I am to you it doesn’t matter. Leave me be.’

The wolf bows his head and goes back to border patrol. I shake my head.

The entire pack acts as if I am already in the job. Whether I killed the last alpha or not the full power and rank is not on me yet. I can still go where I please.

I shift and get dressed into some shorts and shirt that I keep tied to my hind leg.

I walk to Kyle’s house and head into the study where I find him deep into work.

I clear my throat and the old alpha looks up. “Oh, I hope that you saw Tiffany out since you weren’t here.”

I nodd. “Yeah. I had a little outsider trouble but I fixed it up. She has a place to say while she is out there. I’ll check on her for you from time to time.”

Kyle sighs. “I hope that you can start helping out a little more now that she isn’t distracting you. But you wish not to step up then that is your choice. Only Tiffany doesn’t have the choice if she finishes the ranking job.”

I look away. “I never wished to take the rank of Alpha. I only wished to help and get to know Tiffany. I thought that the tale she told me was a story to get me to join her. I didn’t know she was serious. And now I’m in this big mess.”

Kyle looks at me seriously. “You seem to have quite the past on your shoulders because most wolves would jump to the job but you don’t. Something has to have made you this way. But it is not my business. Just think about it and until you help out, at least keep an eye on my daughter.”

I nodd and leave the house. Once outside I shift and leave the lands. Out in the unclaimed lands, I find a small cave to settle into for the night.

As I lay down a thought pops into my head.

How did the old alpha know that my past affects my choices? I doubt that he would know anything. Only my father knows and he is hiding as always.

I huff and put my nose under my paw. The Alpha deep down in me growls at me. I force him back to the depth of my mind. I will not go back to who I was before.

Noone will make me that person again. Not even my mate will make me go back.