An Alpha's Alpha

Clarity

He couldn't explain why he'd opened the door at that moment, or why he'd suddenly had a need for fresh air. In the same way, he couldn't quite put in to words how it felt to see her. 'It hadn't been that long', he reminded himself, his wolf huffing in response.

It was like he had been starving but not noticed, like a man without water until he saw her. Every part of him relaxed and sparked to life at the same time. She was home, his wolf reminded him. Jake still wasn't sure how he was going to tell this tricky little she-wolf, that despite her continuing protest and lectures on the reasons why they shouldn't be together, he knew that he would never leave her. Space, he'd decided, would give her a chance to realise they were better together. So, for 24 hours, Jake had left her alone.

To start with, she was sleeping only metres above him in his house, so he'd stayed at his garage instead. A fitful night's sleep in the back of the car he was currently fixing had been made easier with the memory of the way her body responded to his touch. Then, when he'd caught her scent earlier, he'd forced himself to stay away. His whole being had pined for her, but he'd left her alone, until now.

Absently he turned his head to face her, a hand trailing up across her shoulder, catching in her hair. He slowly rolled strands of his hair between his thumb and forefinger, freezing for a moment when she sighed and resettled on his chest. He wasn't sure how, or when, they'd arrived in this position. He'd thought they'd come inside and talk - he had so many questions nagging at him about her past, her future. Instead they'd walked in, she'd asked him about the car he was working on and the next thing he knew they were sat in the back seat, like teenagers on a cliff edge, somewhere between curiosity and need.

He'd been nervous, he realised now on reflection, nervous at being so near to her. She was beautiful, did she know that? They'd sat in the back of the car and just when he thought he might kiss her, she'd laid her head on his shoulder, and just like that she'd fallen asleep, with him not far behind her.

When he'd woken to the briefest of sunlight escaping into the room, he'd been amazed at how comfortable he was with her against him. She'd looked so peaceful in her sleep, the stress of her life didn't seem to touch her dreams. He briefly wondered if he ever featured in that mind of hers. She featured in his, often. She seemed to calm the darkness that built in him. He'd never felt so calm.

"What time is it?" He didn't mean to jump, but he hadn't realised she was awake.

"A little after 5." He whispered, rubbing his hand across his face and clearing his throat. She sat up, stretching her arms wide despite the small car. He longed for her heat against him, but said nothing. "Did you sleep OK?" He asked, watching her with mild fascination.

She barely suppressed a shudder. That voice. That damned voice. He should have to carry a warning for that voice, especially at this time in the morning. It rose up and down her spine, ghosting over her.

"Yeh. You?" She smiled out at the workshop, glad he couldn't see her face. Slept 'OK'? She'd had one of the best nights sleep of her life. No nightmares or faces, no hints of danger or darkness. Despite everything, she'd woken with a smile on her face.

Had Jake replied, and she wasn't sure that he had, she would never had heard it, as suddenly a harsh mechanical scream stretched across Jake's parklands. Both wolves slammed their hands over their ears as a red, flashing light filled the room.

Cassidy spared Jake a glance as they both rushed to climb out of the car, Jake already disappearing out of the door they'd entered earlier. Cassidy chased him outside, arms over ears, swearing under her breath. As she broke out into the cool dawn, her ears were filled with a blaring alarm.

"What is that?" Cassidy shouted at Jake, who stood staring wildly into the distance. "What's going on?"

Jake spared her a glance, before his attention switched back to the horizon, "it's the emergency alarm. We're under attack." He shouted back, hand at his belt searching for a radio, before he realised it wasn't there. "Where the hell is Liam?" He shouted again, before sparing her an apologetic glance as he turned and ran towards the perimeter.

Cassidy stood there for a moment, breathing harshly into the night. What the hell just happened?