The Alpha

Chapter Twenty-One

Josephine

My wolf had to hardcore run to keep up with Theo's trotting. He's just way too big and I'm way too small. But even at this pace, he's acting too protective. If I steer too far away from his side he growls at me. Or if Jason gets too close to me, Theo snaps at him. I'm afraid f what's going to happen when we meet with the rogue leader.

When we finally come to a stop, Theo remains standing while he gestures for me to sit right next to him. Our fur touches, that's how close he wants me. Jason stays standing just like Theo but he's behind us and off to the side a bit. He's a part of this but not a huge part. Well, I'm not a hue part either but Theo refuses to let me get even a foot away from him. It's beginning to get on my nerves.

I'm just going to speak with him for a little bit to figure out a solution and then we can leave. Theo explains to me through the mate link.

I tilt my head to the side and study him. He's the Alpha of the most vicious pack and he'sgoing to come up with a solution? What the hell? I mean, I guess he started out just killing them all but when that didn't work he went for plan B, which was talking it out. That seems backwards to me.

Theo tenses up and I move my eyes to what he's looking at. A large brown wolf approaches us and I blink at it. Whoa. He's massive. Theo is still bigger but this wolf is ginormous. My wolf immediately wants to show my neck in submission but, as if he knows what I'm thinking, Theo looks down at me and growls lightly.

I tilt my head to expose my neck to Theo, being submissive only to him, and he leans all the way down to lick the side of my jaw. I brush my head affectionately against his leg as he turns to face the rogue leader with a snarl. The rogue leader tilts his giant head at us and then turns to his mate with a look.

I study his mate and frown when I note I'm the smallest wolf here. She's a bit bigger than me but much smaller than Theo and the rest of the male wolves here. Her fur is a lighter brown than her mate's but darker than the leader's second in command's fur. Just as I look at that wolf, he looks back at me. I flinch at the eye contact and Theo growls a warning. This is turning into a mess already. Theo just needs to cool his jets.

I'm fine, Theo. Calm down before you get us killed. I tell his through the mate link and he growls softly at me, looking back at Jason before nipping at my ear in warning.

I don't know these people. I can't trust them around you. He responds, looking up from me to glare at them. He turns back to me with sort of sad eyes and he runs his nose along my neck. I must go speak with the leader now. You stay right here and don't move an inch. And with that, he walks into the middle and waits for the rogue leader to follow suit.

I watch anxiously as they converse through the wolf link. They both have to consent to talk to each other for that link to work so I guess everything I going well so far. I glance back at Jason, who is also currently watching their exchange, before I look to see what the rogue leader's mate and the other wolf are doing. I paw at the ground nervously when I see them both looking at me.

The female stands and takes a step towards me but I stay still since I was ordered not to move. Why is she looking at me like she's a predator and in her prey? That can't be good.

Theo? I whisper through the mate link nervously and he glances back at me just as the worst possible thing happens.

The female lunges at me and her claws run across my arm. I'm up in seconds, running in the complete opposite direction with her hot on my trail. I can hear snarling and growling as it fades which must be Theo fighting with the rogue leader. Well shit. That means I'm on my own.

My blood is dripping down my arm and each time I step on it, pain shoots through my body. But I can't stop or she'll likely kill me. I just came back from a near death experience. This is absurd! Like seriously World? Give me a break please.

I should probably turn around and fight her but, let's face it, I'm no match for someone that much bigger than me. Though I do have my dignity to think of. Do I want to keep running away like s coward? I stop running and turn around to face her. Theo is gonna be pissed at me if I survive.

She stops a few feet away from me and growls. I stand my ground and snarl right back. The blood from my arm continues to drip down to the leaf covered floor. This is a disaster. I refrain from flinching as she snaps her teeth at me threateningly. It's official, I'm gonna die. Again.

When she finally lunges for me, I scoot to the side and she topples to the ground with a frustrated growl. I contain my fear as she gets back up and glares at me. Where's Theo when I need him? Technically I could use the mate link but I sort of want to do this on my own. Prove I'm worthy.

She comes at me again and this time I get a good bite at her neck. She yells in pain and claws at my already clawed at arm. Now that is going to leave a definite mark. I try to jump away when she lunges at me yet again but I'm not quick enough. The she-wolf pins me to the ground and I stare up at her wide eyed. Now is the perfect time to call out to Theo. But I don't.

If I'm going to die, I want to die with honor. I don't want to die having my last words calling out for help. I'm going to die fighting or I'm not going to die at all. My attempts to get her off of me do little to help my situation as she positions her jaw around my neck, slowly as if teasing me. I whimper a little but don't stop fighting. I'll stop fighting when I take my last breath.

As a last attempt to free myself, I rip my throat out of her mouth and clamp on to her throat hard. Hard enough to kill her. I squeeze my eyes closed as she struggles a little but then she goes limp. I open an eye only to she her lifeless body on top of me.

Oh my god.

For a second, I can't breathe. I thrash around, trying to get out from under her, but she's too big. Panic starts to creep in as I realize I'm stuck here. I will not call out to Theo. I won't. He'll come running up to us and she I've killed her and then what? I should have died. This alternative is so much worse. He won't love me now that I've killed someone. I wouldn't love me.

Now that I've calmed down, I hurriedly shift back into human form and shove the wolf's lifeless body off of me. I brush the pine needles off my bloody body before I sprint away. I have to get as far away from this area as possible. He won't find me if he waits long enough to track me down. Hopefully by then I'll be long gone, back living with Kaiden, where I used to belong.

But I didn't realize how much blood I lost my body starts to feel sluggish after the third mile and I slow down substantially. My luck has never been very good but this whole week takes that to a whole new level. I stumble a little as I fade from consciousness.

For the second time this week, I pass out.