An Alpha's Alpha

Goodbyes

Cassidy ran with less urgency than before, her body felt numb and as though it wasn't her own.  Her wolf was in mourning inside her, knowing that mating with Caine meant losing her power, her freedom, her pack - and most importantly, Jake.

Wiping tears from her cheek, Cassidy ran to Liam's front door and pounded on the wood. The curtain twitched and Liam's face appeared, before a heavy lock was undone and the door was pulled open.

Before Cassidy could speak to Liam, Saf appeared and engulfed her into a hug that sent both she-wolves sliding two steps back. "Christ, Saf, I wasn't gone that long." She said with a laugh she didn't mean.

"I know, but we got word that Caine was here, I'm so glad you're OK." Cassidy held back the tears that wanted to fall and plastered a fake smile on her face, which she was pretty sure Liam saw right through judging by the look on his face.

To the top of Saf's head, who was still hugging her, she spoke. "I'm fine. We're all going to be fine. I need you to get the pack, we're all meeting at Jake's." She urged, grabbing Saf's arms and removing them from around her waist, putting distance between them. Cassidy tried to smile reassuringly, but her sadness felt evident.

Saf didn't say if she noticed, but Cassidy had the distinct impression she'd seen the truth in that look. Slowly Cassidy followed Saf's retreating form inside the house, passing Liam as she went. He watched her with a steady expression and she wondered what he was thinking - not that he'd share it.

Wordlessly, he turned and walked into the kitchen, leaving Cassidy stood alone in his living room. Upstairs she could hear Saf talking to the others, Kelsey's voice singing out above the rest. Cassidy smiled as she spoke of rainbows and parrots.

Cassidy cleared her throat, looking down at her feet, trying to ignore the falling sensation in her middle, or the tears burning at her eyes. It was time to say goodbye to her pack, to her best friends.

They clattered down the stairs, a worried but vibrant bunch of she-wolves that she'd easily call family. They came to a noisy stop in front of her, their conversation slowly dying out as each one noticed her.

"No." Leah whispered as the silence stretched between them. Even J was here, all four of her pack members, here when she needed them the most.

She smiled and ignored the tear escaping her left eye. She shuffled awkwardly and let out a hollow laugh. "Come on girls, we've been through worse." She promised, not meeting their eyes. "I need you to get to Jake's, we're all meeting there." They, of course, ignored what she said, reading between the lines instead.

"Cassidy, you can't." Leah insisted, Saf, glancing between the two of them, not quite catching on to what Leah had realised instantly.

Cassidy smiled, holding back the words she wanted to say. "Come on. We need to go to Jake's. Kelsey? You ready?" The she-wolf span in a circle, a smile plastered across her face.

Cassidy opened the door that had shut behind her, ignoring Leah's words and face, whilst hoping Saf would let it go. J walked past her first, heading into the cooling night. She paused next to her, as Kelsey began spinning in circles, forcing Leah and Saf to try and calm her down.

Cassidy tried not to meet J's unwavering gaze, but it was futile. They shared a look that said nothing, yet everything. "Alpha." J nodded, before she moved outside and disappeared into the shadows. Cassidy watched her go, biting her tongue, squashing her need to cry.

Next, Saf walked past, still confused. She could tell something was happening but wasn't sure what, she hugged Cassidy none-the-less and then followed J out.

Leah looked distraught. She always had been able to read her. "I'm going to meet you at Jake's," she lied, trying to convince both herself and Leah. Leah rolled her eyes, tears staining her cheeks. Cassidy could see the anger flaring in her eyes, but also the acceptance - which told Cassidy everything she needed to know - her pack would be in good hands once she was gone. An alpha's duty was sacrifice.

"I can't say goodbye to you." She whispered. Her head dropping, heavy tears falling from her eyes.

"You don't have to. I'll be right there." Cassidy gushed, sweeping her into a hug, loosing her tears in her hair.

They pulled away and wordlessly, Leah followed outside.

She wasn't sure when he'd reappeared, but Liam stood just behind Kelsey, lingering around her as he often did. When Kelsey didn't move, he sighed and brushed past her, their arms grazing. The two wolves jumped apart, making Cassidy flinch.

Liam narrowed his eyes at Kelsey, a look flashing across his face that revealed more than he'd intended, before he walked out past Cassidy, nodding at her as he went.

She thought he was gone, when he reappeared, and staring out at the night, spoke, "He'll hunt you to the ends of the earth Cassidy. He'll never let you go."

Fear rippled across her skin, a new sense of hopelessness settling in her, "he already has." She whispered, defeated.

Liam turned, one eyebrow raised, "Jake." He clarified, "Jake will never let you go." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Cassidy's heart to sink, her wolf howling in sadness.

"It'll be safer if he does." She whispered, as tears tumbled down her face. She sniffed and wiped her cheeks as she turned to Kelsey, only to find two, fully focused iris' glaring back at her. "Kelsey?" She whispered, stepping towards her.

Kelsey smiled, "Cass. Oh god, Cass." She threw her arms around her neck and pulled Cassidy close.

"Kelsey, oh my god, Kelsey, it's you!" Cassidy shouted, pulling apart so that she could focus on her face again.

In the back of her mind she began to wonder what had caused Kelsey's mind to return - she had a feeling it was something to do with Liam.

Kelsey was nodding, a heartbreaking smile spreading across her face, hope soared through Cassidy, chased by reality dawning on her - her friend was back, just as she had to go.

Cassidy's face fell, and Kelsey noticed, a hand reaching out to brush her cheek. "Cassidy, you can do this. You can beat him. If I can, you can." She whispered.

She was right, maybe there was a way, maybe Caine could be beaten. If Kelsey could be saved then maybe-

Kelsey's hand flinched, forcing Cassidy to look up at her. Her eyes had narrowed, her face harder than before, "Hurry, mate." She purred, her voice lower, unnatural and familiar.

Cassidy gasped and stumbled back, putting distance between them. Just like that, Kelsey's clarity was gone, her eyes drifting towards the ceiling, the glazed expression returning.

"No." Cassidy whispered, heartbroken as a false smile returned to Kelsey's face and she began to hum under her breath. "F*ck you, Caine." Cassidy spat.

Shaking her head, Cassidy stepped back to allow room for Kelsey to leave, she moved forwards to do so, but paused again, her head tipping back. "So off the little lamb goes. Off, off, off until the big bad wolf comes to eat her."

With that, she giggled and skipped out of the house. Cassidy paused, confused and a little creeped out, before she followed her out, noticing Liam waiting for Kelsey just beyond the garden.

With a deep breath, Cassidy stepped out into the night and left her pack to find safety at Jake's, returning to Caine, as she'd promised.

'It's time to surrender to the big bad wolf.'