Alpha's Poison

Chapter 2 ~ Alpha Hardships

Chapter 2

I glided effortlessly along the forest floor, my grey ears flattened against the top of my head. Dead leaves crunched beneath my paws, unavoidable considering they blanketed the forest floor. I peered through the tall brush and caught sight of the large buck, my mouth watering at the animal’s plump body. Definitely enough meat to feed the entire pack, maybe even enough for leftovers. 

                I took a cautious step forward, another dead leaf crunching under the weight of my paw. The buck’s head snapped up and his wild eyes darted in my direction, his antlers beginning to look intimidating, sprouting from the top of his head and branching off, only to end with dagger sharp edges. I held my breath while I eyed the beast, hoping he hadn’t seen me or couldn’t smell me. Rolling around in the leaves before a kill always helped, but who knows; one buck might be able to smell better than the last. The buck heaved a heavy breath, grey mist escaping his nostrils and disappearing in the frigid late autumn air.

                A growl sounded from my right and a big black wolf pounced from the brush, teeth gnashing and claws aimed for the buck’s meaty shoulders. The animal cried out as Brendon sank his claws into the buck’s shoulders, his jaws snapping aimlessly for the deer’s neck as he jeered and bucked. That’s when I lunged from the bushes and caught the buck by the forearm. A piercing cry filled the air, making me wince. Blood poured into my mouth, coating my tongue and teasing my taste buds. I was distracted for only a second, but it was a second too long, and then next thing I know a hoof catches my chest. The air escapes my lungs and I attempt to gasp for more but the beast bucks again, his front legs swinging angrily in the air before they came crashing down just beside me. Fear had paralyzed my bones and I couldn’t move. Pain engulfed my chest, but it was nothing compared to the raging emotions that pounded against the inside of my skull. A part of me told me to scurry away and hide in the brush, but the other part of me, the alpha part, demanded that I get up and take it down. My alpha instincts took over before I could second guess.

                I jumped for the deer again, rage and impulse controlling my muscles now. Red coated my vision and a new wave of blood poured down my throat. That was when I realized I had wrapped my jaws around the buck’s neck. The huge creature swayed on his feet, but he ultimately fell when Jack came out of nowhere and brought the deer down. Just beneath my fangs, I felt the buck’s fading pulse until it stopped and I retreated from the kill.

                “Astrid,” Brendon’s voice came through the mind link. I looked at his blurry figure as I attempted to stop my body from swaying.

                “You alright, dear?” It was Jack’s voice now, pounding in my skull. I managed a nod, at least I hoped it was a nod. The world around me was pulsing with shadows.

                “I’m going back to the-the pack house,” I replied as casually as I could. I found the where the buck laid dead and stalked over to it, fulfilling my next duty and tearing a limb off in order to make transport easier. I nodded to the boys and began trotting back home, the leg held firm in my jaws. I passed Shannon on the way; she merely glanced at me with a wolfish smile on her face; a rabbit in her jaws. When the pack house came in view I couldn’t help but wag my tail once in relief before I bounded up the stairs and dropped the limb off in the kitchen. Then, I carefully yet hastily trekked my way up the stairs towards my bedroom. A horrible pain was picking at my chest and I knew something was broken, something that would take time to heal. Sternum maybe, possibly a rib was fractured if not broken. I didn’t even realize that my door was strangely opened until I had entered my room and had shifted, a new wave of pain crashing against my chest. My vision was spiraling now, warping my sight completely, but I could make out two figures standing in front of me. That was before I blacked out.