An Alpha's Claim

Howl

J stared up at the night sky, one arm hooked underneath her head, legs crossed at the ankles. She laid a hand flat on her chest and took in deep, calming breaths. Above her, the stars twinkled on and off as shadows fluttered across the darkened expanse.

Iron tinged the air, her blood-soaked clothing weighted under rocks in the river beside where she lay. In the morning, a pile of bodies would be found just outside the perimeter, but for now, J was just enjoying the silence.

Liam had been correct with his warning,  but J had it under control. That was the third or fourth pack who'd tried to claim her, but so far she'd managed to best them in battle.

Her heart was conflicted, only hours ago she'd been deciding to leave or stay, knowing that she didn't actually want to go. This attack however, had been a sobering reminder of the danger that lurked around them. Around her.

She knew that somewhere out there, somewhere hidden in the shadows of the night, Caine's pack waited - for her. Waited for her to lead them. The worst part was that sometimes, her wolf wanted to.

Beneath the blanket of the moon, J shivered as a howl broke across the sky, followed by another and then another. Her wolf fought her leash, something J wasn't used to. She bucked for dominance, demanding J answered the call of Caine's pack - her pack, but J refused to move, biting her lip until she drew blood to distract her wolf.

Killing Caine had been her life's ambition, she just hadn't expected his pack to view her as their alpha once it was done.

Each night since it had happened they called and called until they pulled J's wolf from her body. In a way, she'd hoped that killing a pack of invading wolves would have done enough to sate her wolf and keep her quiet, but clearly, that wasn't the case.

The lack of sleep was beginning to take its toll. Her control on her wolf was slipping. For the first time in a while, J was scared. She knew that it couldn't continue like this, she couldn't hide Caine's pack from Cassidy and the others for much longer. She also couldn't afford to keep fighting the invading packs, or the night terrors that each battle triggered.

Death always has a cost.

J rolled onto her knees and then stood up, fishing her clothes from the river and wringing them out. The howling started up again and J fought the urge to join in.

Normally, she'd just kill the rest of Caine's wolf, but her wolf would not let her. She knew, logically, it was because her wolf believed that in some sick and twisted way, those wolves belonged to her. She was, in truth, their alpha, whether she wanted it or not. There were not many things that she wanted less, they were a symbol of her tortured past, J wanted nothing to do with them.

Slinging her damp clothes over her shoulder, J made her way back towards her cabin. Still torn between staying or leaving, a decision made harder by her growing attachment to this place, these people.

Some nights, when the nightmares were too much and she woke panting and screaming in a room of destruction, she wished she hadn't been the one to kill Caine. She wished another hand had dealt the final blow. She'd spend the next day racked with guilt, knowing that if someone, anyone from her pack had to face the responsibility of Caine's wolves and the alphas intent on claiming it, it should be her.

After all, she had the least to lose.

As she rounded the corner and emerged from the trees, she paused, a shadow leant casually against the wall of her home. Her eyes narrowed, her wolf scenting the air to decipher who it was, angry that another had invaded her home - grateful she had people who cared enough to do so.

To her surprise, it was Jake.

Shrugging, she walked without a care towards him, as naked as the day she was born. He caught her outline in the moonlight and she heard his audible sigh as he rolled his eyes and looked away. "Jake," she greeted as she breezed past him and headed inside.

He growled low in his throat and after a few seconds, followed her in. He stood, looking a little lost, as she went to the fridge and pulled out a beer. She offered him one but he shook his head. She shrugged, popping the top off as she walked back in, taking a swig from the bottle.

She paused at the look on his face.

Jake wore tension like a neon sign, and right now he looked near to a nervous breakdown. Grooves ran across his brow, stubble coating his chin. He looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. She knew the feeling.

His hands in his pockets, he looked anywhere but her as the silence stretched. J watched him with an even stare, taking the occasional swig from the bottle of beer.

As the cooling liquid neared its end, he spoke in a rush, "Cassidy's pregnant, we're having a cub and I haven't told anyone yet, but had to tell someone and she said I'm not allowed to tell anyone, but I figured I could tell you, as you barely talk anyway, but still, I"

He didn't look at J, if he had, he'd have seen the shocked expression on her face as she froze with the beer bottle tipped against her lips. She forgot to swallow and choked as beer slid down her throat and burned her wind pipe. She was coughing and retching when Jake slapped her on the back, trying to help her breathe but only succeeding in angering her wolf.

Taking in deep breaths of air, J put distance between her and Jake before her wolf took a swat at him. She couldn't. Couldn't hurt him. Not now. Not now that-

"Pregnant." She repeated once she could form words, her voice hoarse.

Jake only nodded, meeting her eyes for the first time. There was so much hope, so much happiness and so much worry contained within his eyes that she had to look away.

"You need to up security. You'll have to announce it to your neighbouring packs too. A cub, they'll be happy for you, but you two ruffled a few feathers when you mated so-"

"J."

J paused, realising she'd rambled. Slowly, she looked up at Jake, a heartbreaking smile filling his face. "Congratulations," she whispered. Fighting the tears welling in her eyes, she looked away as pain sliced across her chest.

She tugged a blanket from the sofa and wrapped it around her body as a chill swept over her. "It's great news," she offered Jake's hopeful face, wishing her tone hid her pain.

He relaxed at her words, letting out a long breath. Not noticing the hollow look in her eyes.

"Actually, I will take that beer. Want another?" He called from the kitchen, J shook her head wordlessly and slowly sat down on the sofa as her mind swam with everything that would need to be done. This cub would be the most protected cub in the existence of the world, she'd make sure of that.

She jumped as Jake walked back into the room and offered her a beer, "didn't hear what you said, sorry," he mumbled as she accepted it and numbly let her arm fall.

"Pregnant," J repeated, her mind spinning still.

Jake nodded and took a swig of beer, "yup, I'm so scared." He finished with a chuckle but paused as a howl tore through the air.

J flinched and tried to hold onto her wolf's control, Jake sensed the shift and snapped his attention to her, his wolf in his eyes. "What is that?" He half-growled as the howling stopped and he slowly regained control.

J took a few deep, calming breaths as she regained control. "Nothing," she muttered darkly, as a realisation hit her. Right now, she was the biggest threat to the pack - isn't that what Liam had said?

Her and Caine's wolves were dragging every two-bit, desperate alpha towards this pack.

J swallowed the lump in her throat and ran a hand through her hair to hide the shaking. "Look, I'm going to go to bed, but congratulations Jake. It really is great news for the pack," she promised as she abruptly stood up and headed upstairs. Half way up she paused, "take-take good care of Cassidy, and the kid. Protect them with your life." With that she turned and headed upstairs, leaving Jake to let himself out.

As she shut the bedroom door, she turned and leant against the cool wood, waiting until she heard Jake leave. Letting out a slow breath, her eyes fluttered and stared up at the ceiling. It was time to leave the Rootbridge pack.