Alpha Rising

Prologue

I didn't know it then but that was the last good day before it all happened.

It started like any other day, I stretched out all my limbs until I heard my bones creak. Curling further into the sheets, I rolled to Tommy's side. He let out a surprised grunt as I threw my body over his. In my opinion, the best part of married life was flattening your spouse.

He didn't seem to mind it too much, curling his leg around mine with a familiar touch. I buried my head into Tommy's chest, relishing the feel of our skin pressed against one another. The sun was warm across my back as he traced nonsense words across my skin. My baby. I could lay here forever.

I dug my chin into his sternum to gaze at him through my lashes. Tommy peered down at me mock-annoyed. I just beamed at him. One of my hands came up to prop up my head while another poked at his fluffy curls.

Tommy's eyelids fluttered shut and he grumbled. Sleepy man.

I had too much energy for the late morning. I leapt out of bed and attempted to pull him along to no avail. Tommy groaned and complained and generally stayed stuck in the sheets until I huffed. I gave in quickly, dropping a kiss on his head before setting off to make coffee.

Puasing near the door I stopped and leaned on the frame. I let my eyes roam over his toned back as he flipped onto his stomach, muscles rippling and golden brown in the sunshine. I was a lucky woman.

"I love you," I sing-songed.

"I love you too" Tommy mumbled but I could see the curve of his smile where the sheets couldn't quite cover his face.

I hummed under my breath as I set the coffee to brew, wiping down the counters quickly.

Sighing, I looked around at the clean kitchen and settled in to ruin my morning by watching the news. I flicked on the TV to see what was going on today. Maybe I'd watch the trash on Fox News for a kick.

Static.

Impatiently I kept clicking buttons to no avail. A worry crept up the back of my throat.

I frowned and dug around the couch for the cable remote. I found it stuck between the cushions and flipped through the channels before I found something. Pausing, I turned up the volume. What in the hell was going on?

"Emergency broadcast. Stay inside your homes. I repeat stay—" My vision blurred as I tried to keep my calm.

I went out of it. Werewolves? Vampires? What?

Was this some sick joke?

"Babe," I couldn't summon a calm voice, I was practically shrieking, "BABE! Get in here now! Something is going on!"

Hearing the tension in my voice, Tommy lumbered down the stairs. His hands running through his hair, blinking at me confused.

"What's going on, baby?" His voice was husky in the mornings. Usually, I couldn't resist but this was not the time.

I stood up unsteadily and waved my arm at the TV in a blind frenzy, wondering if I should put on a tinfoil hat.

"What's going on?" I echoed in a panic, not making a lick of sense.

Tommy quickly came over to my side and we watched the broadcast together in an unsettling silence. The president was giving a speech about shifting to new forms of government. My head was spinning, I thought I would throw up. I honestly wouldn't have believed it had it not been right in front of me.

Tommy gently slid the remote out of my hand and switched over to CNN, my eyes were wide open as I watched the burning buildings on the screen and tried to stay calm. I turned to Tommy who was being abnormally calm about the situation and began to open my mouth. He beat me to the chase.

"Okay," he said slowly, a weird shift in his voice, "I'm going to go outside and check. You stay right here okay?"

I looked at him like he was insane, there was 0 chance I was going to let him prance around the neighborhood under these conditions.

Tommy ignored me as I started arguing with him to stay, instructing me to check the landline we happened to have laying around and to stay inside. I attempted to put on my crocs and follow him when he stopped me in my tracks.

He grabbed me by the arm and gazed right into my eyes

"Do not leave this house Sophie. I am dead serious." Tommy looked at me carefully.

I was about to protest but he put his other arm around me in an embrace and squeezed me tight. His forehead was against mine as he looked at me tenderly.

"Please," Tommy whispered, "for the baby."

I was choked up, I guess I couldn't argue with that. I had found out 2 months ago and we were a week away from telling everyone. I didn't know what we would do now.

"Okay," I whispered, "Please be careful, we need you."

Tommy nodded and gave me a kiss on the head. 

Numb, I watched him slide on a rain slicker and his sneakers. He grabbed some bear spray from the table by the entrance and turned to the door with a sigh. The dread crept up my throat.

 Something wrong was going to happen, I could feel it. I wanted to beg him to stay but the words stuck in my throat. 

Tommy snuck another look back at me, his eyes softening at my distraught face. 

"I'll be right back," he said gently, "stay here and don't open the door."

 I croaked out some sort of affirmation and Tommy slid the door shut on my terrified expression.

That was the last I saw of him.