An Alpha's Alpha

Rage

Her wolf was quietly raging, a bottled explosion. Her wolf reflected a still lake, the surface so calm, unassuming, peaceful, despite the death and destruction the water beneath could cause.

Bile rose in Cassidy's throat as her wolf forced her body to still, Caine's teeth tore through flesh and muscle, the pain searing bright across Cassidy's memory, conjuring past events from the deepest crevices of her mind. Everything in her wolf willed her to be still, to behave, but Cassidy could not and would not allow it. She begged and pleaded with her wolf to fight back, to not let Caine win, but it was to no avail. Cassidy knew that she had to take control, she had to break free; she had to fight.

In one sharp, swift movement, she burst free of her wolf's survivalist restraints, tearing her arms apart with such force that the silver chain buckled enough for another tug to separate her wrists. She felt Caine's teeth dig deeper and drag through her skin as his hands clutched at her, trying to hold her still. She fought with every ounce of strength she had. 

She fought for every time Caine's father had beaten her, for every time she'd been shackled and paraded as a prize, for every moment she'd lived in fear of Caine, for every hit, punch or bite that he'd inflicted. She fought for her father, for her friends - her pack, she fought for Jake, but most importantly, she fought for herself.

Pushing against Caine's body, Cassidy kicked out at his legs, as her hands fought his from her. In the confusion his teeth slid from her neck, freeing her from the mating hold. Her wolf kicked back into action, angry and humiliated that Caine had tried to mate claim her. Cassidy felt her eyes shift, as claws slid from her finger tips, making each punch she delivered to Caine, that much deadlier.

Fighting with her wolf at the surface, unable to escape due to the useless silver restraints dangling from each wrist, Cassidy managed to drag her claws across Caine's stomach, freeing her from his persistent hands. Jumping away, she was breathing hard, dizziness setting in. A small voice reminded her that she was losing a lot of blood, that she didn't have long left, but it was drowned out by the growl from one of Caine's men as they launched themselves at her.

Whilst men fought her, others crowded around Caine, clearly trying to make sure he was living. Whilst she fought, delivering stab after stab of claws to the men around her, her wolf kept one eye on Caine, watching as he righted himself and pushed his men away. He wasn't dead, yet, but that would soon change.

Cassidy screamed out in anger and threw herself towards Caine, but arms wrapped around her torso, pulling her, kicking and punching, towards the ground. She fought harder against them, slashing at skin, the scent of blood pleasing her wolf. Caine stood before her, smugness radiating off of him as he watched her fight begin to fade.

His men seemed to multiply, holding down her limbs, if she'd have been able to transform into her wolf then she could have got away, but as it was her human body was her only option, the silver still searing her flesh. She knew she was at a disadvantage, knew that her healing powers were practically non-existent, or at the very least, incredibly slow due to the damned silver, yet still, she refused to give up.

Her arms clawed at their hands, even as the world started to blur in and out of focus. She refused to give up, give in or let Caine win. The edges of the world seemed fuzzy, each blink a little longer, a little heavier. She tried to speak, tried to shout out at Caine, to tell him he hadn't won. Though she knew it looked like he had. Stood in the middle of the bloody clearing, only he remained practically unscathed, the wound she'd inflicted already beginning to heal. Stood over her, he chuckled as the last of her energy left her body, the throbbing in her neck a reminder of the blood she'd lost.

As the darkness came to claim her, she silently begged her wolf to save them both, or die trying. In that split second, right before she succumbed, her only thought was of Jake.

**

J had seen a lot in her short life. Born to a mother who belonged to the alpha, she'd endured a rough upbringing with an alpha more cruel than most. She'd been swallowed by the darkness, drowned in her own memories and haunted by faces of the people she'd once loved.

She'd seen children torn from mothers, lovers forced to kill each other, she'd even seen entire wolf populations decimated on the word of one bastard. In truth, she'd probably seen too much.

Yet, it was never the vision of the bloodshed or tears that lingered, never the gore that woke her up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night. No, it was the noise. The eerie silence followed by the heartbroken scream. That was what kept her awake when the sun set, that was what followed her every movement. She'd always found that you could close your eyes, or simply look away from the bloodshed, but it is the cries that follow you across the land.

It was a noise that had her pausing, somewhere among the bloodied clearing she'd found herself in. Bodies lay strewn across the ground, pieces missing and chunks removed. She recognised the work, knew her alpha's hand when she saw it, yet it wasn't her alpha's gloating chuckle that greeted her.

Her head tilted to the side, her eyes sliding across the ruby ground until they reached his feet. Like one might drag a razor, her eyes rose up his body until she met his face. That smug smile, she would tear it from him. However, he couldn't quite hold her attention, not at the moment. For by his feet, laid as though sleeping if it wasn't for the cloying scent of death that hung near her, was Cassidy.

Loss, panic and anger flooded J's system, her tenuous hold over her wolf began to fracture. J would go days sometimes weeks, lost to her wolf, unable to transform back into her human skin. She knew that if she were to transform now, she may never come back - she may never want to if Cassidy was as dead as she looked.

Caine chuckled again, a cruel smile twisting on his face. J shook, her hands curling by her side. She went to lunge for him, when Jake's cry cut through her, an echo of the many she'd heard just like it. A lover who'd lost his love, a wolf without his mate.

Hope reminded her that Cassidy might not be dead, not yet, but luck never had been on their side.

**

Jake's wolf was let loose, the man lost somewhere in the transformation. Paws thudded across the sodden ground until Jake leapt up, soaring through the air, his paws connecting with Caine's chest, knocking the man to the ground.

The two rolled some distance, coming to a stop just a little ways off from where J had been surrounded by Caine's men. Caine didn't waste time, transforming into his wolf, until the two predators began to circle each other, waiting for the other to show any form of weakness.

**

They'd underestimated how big Caine's pack had become. They hadn't paid enough attention, too caught up in running from him to look back. His wolves crashed against J like a wave, unwavering in their destruction. As she fought off another of Caine's men, she urgently sent a message across the pack link calling for back up. Calling for anybody. Calling for help.