An Alpha's Alpha

Jealous

                 

Jake tried not to pace as Doc worked. Liam had disappeared and the other wolves had granted Jake and Doc some space, but he could sense them lingering nearby. With every step he took, his eyes fought to settle on the she-wolf. She had fallen quiet, too quiet, and it was sending his wolf into overdrive.

Watching Doc work sent Jake into a trance, as his skilful hands tended to the wound, yet it seemed that the more he tried to fix it, the worse it would get. The knowledge that Elenor was on her way was beginning to eat at Jake's mind. The possessive worry for the she-wolf momentarily diluted as the annoyance at seeing Elenor trickled in.

The pack healer, Elenor, seemed to think that her and Jake were meant to be, despite his insistence that he had no interest. Jake had heard of her type before, the ones not strong enough to be alpha, yet not weak enough to settle for anything less. They'd always try to 'mate up' as his mother would tell him, along with a stern warning to avoid that kind of person.

Impatience ticked within his body as the minutes stretched out, endlessly. Her scream tore through the infinite silence, and Jake visibly winced at the sound. In panic his wolf lunged to the surface, and Jake, too distracted to control him, couldn't restrain the beast this time. Caught somewhere between man and wolf, his eyes slid to a deep yellow and claws burst from his human hands. His posture, more hunched than before, was more animalistic than man. As long sharp teeth slid out under his lips, Jake's control snapped into place, pausing the transformation from going any further, yet no matter how hard he tried, he could not put the beast back in his cage this time.

The she-wolf had screamed out in pain but was now moaning in agony as she feebly fought Doc's hands from her wound. The sweat from the fever had increased, causing droplets to form on her forehead. The sounds she made were guttural, Jake's wolf feeling the pain more than hearing it, especially in his altered state.

In that moment Jake wanted nothing more than to go to her, to help her, but as he helplessly glared at his wolf-like hands, he realised that going near her in this state, would probably only hurt her more.

As though sensing his dilemma, Doc spared him a glance over his shoulder, the shock evident on the old man's face. "She'll be fine." He insisted, as his hands returned to the she-wolf, a syringe sliding into her skin. "Once Elenor's here she'll be fine. I've given her pain medication, that'll help take the edge off. I need you to calm down Jake." The fear in his friend's voice surprised Jake, and it was only then, as the scent of fear washed off of Doc and the wolves situated just outside the house, that Jake realised he was growling.

Cut short like a stalled engine, silence chased Jake's anger from the room. Taking deep breaths, like he'd been taught as a child, Jake focused on relaxing and easing himself back into his human form. As children, wolves would often struggle with the transformation, their wolf fighting for dominance. Jake had struggled the most due to the strength of his wolf, yet once he'd learned to control it, he'd never looked back, until today.

Just as he regained control and his eyes shifted back to human, the world regaining its colour, the door burst open. Liam came first, his eyes seeking Jake's, a message shared between the two of them. He was followed by the stench of daisies, which always made his lip curl.

"Jakkkkkkkey," a honey-sweet voice purred, as Elenor stalked into the room. "What's this I hear about a visitor?" All smiles and cheer, she struggled to hide the jealous streak that flashed across her features as she spied his she-wolf laying on the couch.

In the background, he saw Liam fighting a smile, before his expression returned to serious. He watched as Doc cleaned up the abandoned medical waste and stood to his feet, grunting with the effort. Doc moved around the couch and stood beside Liam, watching Elenor with a measured expression, whilst absently wiping his hands on a towel.

"Elenor." Jake grunted, wishing, not for the first time, that he hadn't made the mistake of kissing her on New Year's Eve, three years ago.

Elenor sashayed towards him, eyes only for him, a possessiveness she didn't own in her eyes. As she reached him, her hand traced him from shoulder to wrist, her hand squeezing his.

A low, aggressive growl rumbled across the room, freezing Elenor in her tracks and sending a shiver through Jake's wolf.