Out Running the Alpha

Battle Cry

"Should we call someone?" A voice whispered through the darkness, "It's been several hours."

"Who would we call? This isn't exactly something that's common," someone else snapped back. Whoever it was sounded incredibly worn out and I felt a pang of sympathy for them. My eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, I was blinded by the light. I was surprised to find that I was back in the bed I had slept in the night before.

Fitz and Alston were looking at me, surprised. I yawned and stretched, still feeling worn out from my vision. "How long have I been out?"I asked sleepily. 

"Well, I found you about three hours ago unconscious on the ground, but I have no idea how long you were that way before I found you," Fitz said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He gently took my hand in his. I was surprised at how large and rough his hands felt compared to mine. "When you hadn't come back, I decided to go check on you. I swear when I saw you lying there, I thought you were dead".

I flushed with embarrassment "I'm really sorry about that. It happens sometimes. I guess I should have warned you."

Alston laughed softly, "Wish you would have. You scared poor Fitz here half to death". Fitz glared at Alston, which just made the other man laugh harder. I smiled, enjoying the dynamic between the two of them. This was the first time I'd seen a relationship between an alpha and a beta where they seemed more like brothers than boss and employee. 

"I really am sorry. It's been a while since I've tried that, and I might have forgotten that unfortunate side effect," I said mortified. "But I did actually see something that you should probably know about," I hurried on, "I saw my brother and the rogues fighting with the vampires."

Alston and Fitz grimaced, looking at each other. Neither of them said anything for a moment looking grim. "That is a precious piece of information," Fitz finally spoke.

I nodded, feeling sick to my stomach. The last time I had seen my brother, he had been trying to kill me. I could not imagine what he was doing fighting alongside the vampires, though. My heart ached for my brother. For so long, he had been the only person I could rely upon in my life and somewhere along the way I had lost him. I vowed that once this fight against Mason was over, I would try to find some way to restore my brother. "I know this might not be possible," I said in a small voice, "But please try not to kill my brother. I know he's changed since becoming a rouge, but he's still my brother".

"I can't make any guarantees, but I will do my best to make sure any of my pack does not kill your brother," Fitz said gently. "I know it can be tough to let go of those from your past, but I want you to remember that rouges bear minimal resemblance to the people they once were."

"I know," I replied, remembering the look in Brandon's eyes as he had stalked me through the forest "But he's all I had growing up. If there is any way I can save him, I have to try."

Fitz looked at me with surprise, "You truly mean that, don't you."

"Of course I do," I frowned "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it."

Fitz shook his head "I didn't mean it like that." He sighed, "You've just managed to surprise me, which doesn't happen often."

"How does me wanting to help my brother surprising," I asked, feeling my temper flaring. 

"Because it is the truly kind thing to want to do, and our world tends the leave little room for kindness," Fitz said. "I don't know everything that you've been through, but I know many who have been through a lot less who have allowed themselves to turn hard. When I first met you, I thought you were like them, and I wouldn't have blamed you for it one bit. You have surprised me by showing kindness to me, someone who essentially had you abducted, and to your brother who had tried to kill you."

I thought about what Fitz was saying for a moment, and Fitz moved to leave. "If I let what has happened to me take away my ability to care about people, then it's the same as letting them win. It doesn't mean that I'm nieve and that I'm not wary of people, but I refuse to let people like Bastien and Mason destroy that part of me".

"And what about me? I expected you to fight me with everything that you had," Fitz asked. I could see genuine curiosity in his crystal blue eyes.

"I wanted to, and at first, the only reason I hadn't was that Camille had drugged me. But when we talked, you treated me like a person. I knew then that I wasn't a pawn or a possession that you were trying to control. It has been a long time since anyone has tried to get to know me as a person," I sighed suddenly, feeling incredibly tired.

"I promise you that I will always treat you as a person," Fitz said smiled "I know you've only been here for a short time, but there are also very few people who treat me like a person, and it's been refreshing to have someone around who does."

I flushed under his gaze, feeling the heat rising along my chest. I hated the way that my body reacted to him. It made it more difficult to remind myself that I was currently taking a break from boys, no matter how different Fitz felt. For a moment, I wished that we were just a normal boy and girl. We could let our relationship develop organically without having to worry about whether or not we were soul mates. I imagined going to the movies on our first date and being so nervous; I felt sick to my stomach. Then everything would fade away when he took my hand in his. We would go on group dates with our friends, and they would tell us how nauseatingly cute we were. As we grew closer, we would spend nights together watching old movies and cuddle on the couch. We might get into arguments about whose turn it was to do the dishes. We would never have to worry about vampires, soul mates, or werewolves.

"Do you wish that we could have had a chance to meet in a normal situation. Like as two normal people?" Fitz asked softly.

I laughed and quickly clapped a hand over my mouth to stop it when his face fell. "I am so sorry I wasn't laughing at you. I just laughed because I was just thinking about that. I know it's silly, but for a moment, I wanted that more than anything in the world," I sighed.

"Maybe, if we both survive this, would you want to go on a normal date with me? No pressure or anything, "Fitz said, looking down nervously. I smiled, surprised at how adorable he looked.

"I guess we, if we both manage to live through this one normal date, would be nice," I smiled.

Fitz grinned, looking surprisingly like a puppy, "Ok, I'll let you get some sleep."

That night I let myself continue to imagine Fitz and my relationship as two normal people, and I fell into a blissful sleep.

Authors Note: Hey guys, thank you so much for reading!!!! I hope you liked the new chapter, and please vote and comment with thoughts, opinions, and ideas. A massive shout out @amelieexoxo, @Brigidwhite1, and @mariale821!!! Thank you guys so much for voting and commenting it really is fantastic to hear from you :)