The Alpha

Chapter 7

Axton POV

I tried to press for more information about Zea's mother, but Layla wouldn't budge. She seemed to want to protect the woman, but I will do the same. I can't understand why she would purposely withhold information that could be the key to finding this woman.

As I walk back to my office, I try to come up with why she wants to keep Zea's mother a secret. Who could this woman be that I couldn't at least be told her name.

I was so lost in thought, I almost don't catch the light humming coming from behind my office door.

Confused on who would dare trespass into my space, I slam open the door and I'm surprised to find the little girl sitting before me. Zea doesn't jump at my loud entrance, but instead continues to look down with drawn eyebrows at what she was holding.

After a moment, she lifts her head to meet my gaze. I give her a small smile as I watch her look me in the eyes. Amusement fills me as her eyebrows slowly raise in a questioning expression.

The first thought I have is of how she reminds me of the one I lost. But the second the thought crosses my mind, I immediately push it to the back of mind before the painful reminder can be felt.

"Why do you have a picture of her?" she asks inquisitively. I could hear the tint of sadness in her voice as she points to the frame sitting in her lap.

I look at her in question before asking, "Who, Zea?"

Slowly lifting the frame into her hands, she turns the photo around and into my view. I feek my wolf start to stir in my mind as he whines and howls at what is in front of us.

"Put that down," I order her, my alpha tone seeping in my words, "Now!"

Don't hurt her! Knox yells at me.

Her small form starts to shake as silent tears fell down her face. Immediately forgetting my pain, I try to comfort her. But the second I move forward, she shrinks back into the chair.

"Zea I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" I start but she bolts out of the office before I can even get the words out. I hear her sob as she runs down the hall.

What did you do that for? Knox scolds me, We must protect her, not hurt her!

I didn't mean to, I try to tell him, but he just brushes me off and ignores me. I can't understand why my wolf is acting this way towards one little girl. What is it about her that he needs to protect?

Still thinking about Zea, I walk over to my desk. Slowly swiveling in the chair, I stare down at the lonely frame as her bright smile stares back at me. She was so happy the day I took this photo. She had it framed so I would always remember that day on the beach.

It was our first actual date since I had met my mate at my birthday party. We swam in the morning and then spent the entire day just sitting around and talking. Even though we had just met, it was the day I knew I loved her.

I just continued to stare down at her face, completely surrounded in my past world.

A knock on the door draws me out of my thoughts. Quickly sliding the frame back into my top drawer of the desk, I call for the person to entire.

"Alpha," Walker walks in, "I got a call from some of the scouts."

"What do you have?" I ask him, devoid of all emotion and getting straight to business.

"The rogues are stirring and a big group of them are heading straight here."

My wolf growls at the thought as I rise from my seat, "Double the border patrols. If a rogue is spotted, it dies. Understood?"