One True Alpha

Chapter 26

The smell of blood hung thick in the air. Pieces of every Crestwood wolf that witnessed our battle in the clearing was soaked into my fur and wet the skin beneath. Crestwood lay on the ground taking struggling breaths as I dropped him on the ground. Most of the flesh was torn away and opened up for the crows. I had dragged him to the heart of the Crestwood land by his neck, his wolf crying as he knew his death was drawing near. I ignored his cries. The bond shook. My skin seemed to crawl in disgust at the bond between us now. The smell of urine and filth filled the air as his wolves gathered around to see their fallen alpha, he'd messed himself in shame. His scent didn't cover my own as I showed his pack who was above them now. Their nostrils flared as they smelled a true alpha's mark of territory, their fur ruffled and rose. I shifted to skin as they witnessed the female that had defeated their alpha, their gazes going to the ground quickly. "Shift to skin! All of you," I commanded as even the dying Alpha screamed out in pain as his wolves obeyed my command. None of these wolves could meet my eyes as they shifted to skin. The few that had already been in skin gave their coats to the strongest males, ignoring the females and elderly completely. My wolf snorted at their ways, they were all in for a rude awakening.

They could smell my scent mixing with his own, my eyes gazing at the mark in his skin as I forced my way into his thoughts. He cried out at the sudden assault in his mind, I wasn't gentle. My wolf was furious and did not see him as fit to be our mate, she knew Terrance had felt the bond snap and she wanted nothing more than to tear Crestwood apart. I knew which wolves were loyal to him as I lifted my head to search them out. I spat out the bile in my throat as the bond he forced us to create cried for us to save him. I barely registered the discomfort, Crestwood was just a bothersome fly compared to the distress Terrance could put me through. Terrance was a moon blessed mate, Crestwood was nothing to us. What Jessica did to Rafael had been nothing compared to the brutality I showed Crestwood. Feeling Terrance's bond fade from me had flicked a switch I had no idea was there. I would never give him up.

The sound of a female's scream of war broke the silence. I recognized the woman as his mother as she charged towards me. His attacker's mark was set deep in his skin as my skin's shoulder was bare. She had barely gone three feet before one of my warriors buried their teeth into her throat. Even if I stood strong, my strength was waning from the battle. My warriors would protect me until I could return home. Her body went limp as her blood splattered to the ground, her death was quick. The Ironclaw wolf threw her body away with a snarl. His teeth were displayed towards the entire pack before anyone could join the former Luna in her attack. Her son made an attempt of a cry that was garbled with the blood filling his lungs. His pain was heard by wolves as they battled within themselves. Their former Luna had been killed before their eyes and their Alpha lay broken before them. Would they fight, or would they submit to the greater wolf? A small part of me hoped they would fight. The more rational part of me knew I wouldn't survive another battle in the state I was in.

"Father, I present the lands from the lake until the great oak as a gift to Ironclaw as their Heir," I announced as my father nodded towards me, I could feel Crestwood's distress. I don't care, my wolf and I in agreement. Crestwood diverted his eyes away from my gaze and to the ground as I glared at him. "Kneel before your new Heir," I commanded as I watched members dropped to their knees. Parents quickly pulling their pups down to the ground, not caring if they cried because at least they would be alive. The higher ranked wolves seemed hesitant to follow the orders of a female.

As their hesitation grew, I charged towards the largest wolf. He was one of Crestwood's most loyal wolves, he would have died anyway. My jaws wrapped around his neck as I tore him open before he could react. His body still twitched when he hit the ground as his nerves died, pups cried in horror, a few of the females fainted. Then silence as everyone kept their eyes on me. "I. Said. Kneel!" my wolf snarled through me in a command that demanded to be followed. Any hesitation was gone as knees slammed to the ground and bodies shook in fear. Many of the wolves lied completely on the ground. The younger Heirs fell to the ground before me as their knees buckled beneath them. Preston's knees shook violently before he controlled himself to stay upright. The Alphas that we're with us we're all shaking but kept their composure, including my father. I could smell their sweat as they stood their ground. It won't be long now, my father's eyes said.