An Alpha's Alpha

Alpha

A wolf, its movement quick and deliberate, distracted Jake's wolf from Cassidy's scent. The two creatures stopped, eyeing one another up. J, Jake's human mind supplied to his wolf, this was one of Cassidy's girls.

As they weren't in the same pack, Jake knew that he'd have to shift to be able to speak with her. When he'd met her in person, she'd seemed unstable, but her wolf was another thing altogether. Snarling, scarred and fearless, it took everything that Jake had not to let his wolf overreact and charge her.

Slowly, Jake's wolf relinquished control, allowing the man to be back in charge. J had done the same, though much quicker than Jake. He had a feeling that she was more in tune with her wolf - that she was as wild as her wolf would be.

J didn't bother to hide her body, neither did Jake, both knowing that neither was interested. "Caine has Cassidy."

Jake's growl followed her words, his wolf pacing inside wanting control again.

"She tried to strike a deal. Her life for ours, but Caine has betrayed her. He's ordered his wolf to kill everyone they find. I have to get the rest of the pack out of here, but I need her safe too." J spoke with such authority, that it surprised Jake she'd never chosen to become an Alpha.

"She didn't need to make that deal. I could have protected all four of you." He ran a hand through his hair, worry clouding his judgement.

"Not just our lives - She made Caine promise that he wouldn't kill you either."

J's words shouldn't have made Jake's heart sing the way that it did.

"Where are they?" He asked, "I'll go and find Cassidy and you can raise the alarm with the packs. Tell Liam, he'll know what to do."

A look flashed across J's face that sent a shudder down Jake's spine. A cruelty he hadn't thought her capable of written in her features. It reminded her of what she'd done to one of his pack members - how scared the man had been of the 'beast with crazed eyes.'

"Caine is our problem. Our pack knows how to handle this. You get your pack to safety, we will save our Alpha." She countered, clearly wanting to claim Caine's kill for her own.

Jake knew that there was some logic in what she'd suggested. He also knew that he wasn't able to leave Cassidy's safety in another's hands. Via the pack link, he sent Liam a message, telling him that wolves were on their way to kill and to prepare the pack for war.

'Have you found her?' Liam asked.

Jake didn't respond to Liam and instead turned to J, "we'll work together. It'll be easier this way. Liam's getting the pack together to tackle the other wolves, you and I will get Caine and save Cassidy."

J nodded, already her eyes switching to wolf and back, clearly ready for the change.

As if on cue, a howl tore through the night, filling the void. Cassidy. Jake's wolf lunged for control, transforming on the spot. The howl was full of rage and pain and sent Jake's wolf teetering close to the edge of control. In the back of his mind, a voice whispered a warning of the dangers of going rogue.

Both wolves raced across the forest, their paws thudding across the ground in sync. Cassidy's scent catching on the wind.