Alpha

Chapter 9

Alpha 9

AN: last one before I go back to school, aka: hell. I really hate school.

Jack woke up a couple of hours later. He yawned and rolled over. It was about 2 o'clock in the morning. He could sleep more, but got up anyways. The assassin decided to wear his old blue hoodie instead of getting changed. He grabbed his throwing knifes from the closet. The winter god always wore his hidden blades, even to sleep. You could never be too careful. Jack found a pen and paper and quickly wrote a note.

Amelia,

Sorry I won't be there when you wake up. I went to earth to check on the packs. I'll be back before lunch.

Jack.

The winter spirit left it on his daughter's bed side table along with a glass of water and slipped out the door. He walked down the hall toward the kitchen. Jack walked into the dimly lit room and went over to the fruit baskets. He found an apple and went to take a bite when the lights flicked on.

"Prince Jokul, you're up early."

"Andrimnir, nice to see you." Jack said turning to smile at the cook.

"I thought you, being a teenager and part wolf, you would eat something more like steak or cold pizza for breakfast." Andrimnir said eyeing the apple.

"An apple a day, keeps the doctor away." Jack chimed.

"What?" The chef asked confused.

"It's an earth saying." Jack laughed.

"I see." Andrimnir nodded slowly.

"What are you doing up so early?" Jack asked shining the apple on his sweater.

"Preparing breakfast." The cook said.

"At 2 o'clock in the morning?" Jack asked surprised.

"Yes. I need to pick and clean the fruit and vegetables, then cut them, make dough for the pastries, clean the plates and silver wear and make sure Thor doesn't eat everything before it's out of the kitchen." The cook smiled.

"I better get going." Jack turned to leave. He stopped in the door way. "Watch out for Amelia, she's sneaky. She'll go straight for the cupcakes and banana bread."

"Thanks for the warning."

Jack walked down the hall, footsteps echoing in its emptiness. He absentmindedly munched on his apple. The assassin cut through an alleyway and threw out the apple core in one of the dumpsters. Not many people were out in the early hours of the morning that weren't drunk.

The winter god took another shortcut and reached the bifrost. Heimdall was stargazing. "Hello Heimdall." Jack greeted. "How are the stars?"

"They are calm tonight," Heimdall said. "Almost to calm."

"You should enjoy it while it lasts." Jack said.

"I am." The watchful guardian smiled. "Where do you wish to go?"

"Earth, please." Jack said. "Surprise me." Heimdall nodded and opened a portal. The assassin blinked. He knew exactly where he was just by the amazing view.

A blue cloudless sky overhead, but it seemed so close that you could touch it. Below there were rocky, snow capped mountains. Jack could see small glowing lights climbing up the side of the mountain.

Jack flew down the side of mount. Everest. He quickly reached the bottom and shifted into a wolf. The white wolf glided through the snow. He ran towards a small cluster of evergreen trees were the Himalayan pack lived. Their den was made from huge boulders and tree roots covering the ceiling creating a shield from the elements.

The white wolf padded into the snow-covered forest. Jack tensed as he sensed movement to his left. A monstrous black wolf jumped at the alpha. Its golden eyes widened and the wolf stepped back.

"Oh Jack. I thought you were a nightmare." The black wolf said.

"Its fine Cedar, you were only doing your job." Jack said. "Where is Isis?"

Cedar shook his head. "She's in the den. A sudden sickness came over her this morning after a pup noticed an infected cut on her paw a few days ago."

"Take me to her please." Jack asked. The golden eyed wolf led him to the den.

Isis was curled up on a bed of pine needles. Her normally shining fur blue tinted fur white was now dull. Her breaths were slow and uneven.

"Jack." She greeted trying to sit up, but fell back into the bed.

"Careful don't try to stand." Jack said. "It'll only make it worse if you use too much energy."

"Will she be okay?" Cedar said worried for his alpha.

The white wolf looked over the young alpha. "It could get progressively worse, until-". Jack cut himself off. "There are herbs that can help her, but they're extremely rare and don't grow in this area. By the time I or anyone else found them and brought them here, she will be past help."

"So I'm as good as dead?" Isis said.

Jack shook his head. "No, I can help you, but I have to be human. I know you don't trust humans and are uneasy-"

"Jack, it's fine. I trust you." Isis interrupted him. "How?"

"My blood, it has healing properties. It can cure poisons; heal severe cuts and stops infections." Jack said. "I've sure you've heard tails from your parents or elders." Isis nodded. Jack shifted. Cedar took a step back in surprise. The assassin put his hand out for the wolf to sniff. The black wolf relaxed.

The packs didn't see Jack as a human often, but when they did, the wolves would only recognize him by scent.

The winter god slowly pulled a throwing knife from his back. Cedar growled at the silver object.

"यो ठीक छ। म उनको चोट गर्न गइरहेका छैनन्।(It's alright, I'm not going to hurt her.)" Jack said. Every wolf understood two languages, Lupus and the language of the humans that lived the closest to them, but they couldn't speak the human language, only understand it.

Jack made a small cut on his palm and held his hand out to the alpha. She started to lick it. When she stopped, Jack put the knife back and looked at the wound on his hand that was already healing.

The winter spirit looked down at the ice colored wolf. Her fur was no longer dull, but shiny. Her eyes glowed in the dim light.

"Thank you." Isis barked licking her lips.

Jack shifted back. "No problem." He responded.

"I have a question." Cedar said. "How did you learn that your blood could do that?"

The white wolf smiled a wolfy grin. "I was helping my brothers with a peace conference in Muspelhiem when a fight broke out. Thor was stabbed with a poisoned knife. Loki told me to hold his head while he tried to stop the bleeding and poison. At the time medical training wasn't mandatory. Loki was the only one with proper training. I don't really know how, but some of my blood dripped into his mouth. Maybe I had a cut on my face." Jack shrugged.

"That's one hell if a way to find out." Isis laughed.

"Stay resting for the rest of today so your body can fully recover." Jack said. Isis nodded, but immediately sat up. The white wolf narrowed his eyes.

"Just sitting up." She said. "I'm stiff."

"Keep on the lookout for nightmares." Jack said as he left. He shifted back into human when he was outside the packs territory. He flew up north, checking on packs as he went. None of them had seen and nightmares. 'Maybe North was right.' Jack thought as he flew to the North Pole packs den. They hadn't see any either. The assassin decided to check on the yetis.

The winter god flew through the oddly open window and stopped. The workshop was silent. No yetis were making toys, no elves were causing trouble.