My Alpha Wolf

Chapter 2: Alec

'Sir! There's an unknown entity at the southern border. Female.' The voice of my second-in-command, Kale, filled my mind.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I set the paperwork and pen down on my desk. I pushed to my feet and exhaled deeply, noting how little I was able to actually accomplish in the hour and a half I'd remained cooped up in that office. 'I'm on my way, Kale. Detain her until I can arrive.'

I shoved the door to the office open and strode down the hall. The voices of my pack echoed through the mansion. I dodged a couple of children darting through the hall to take the back door out of the house.

The wind whispered through the trees and flowed past my face, cool in the spring air. I inhaled deeply, making sure to close up behind me before I lept off the back porch and shifted, darting into the woods.

My massive paws churned the earth underfoot as I wound my path through the woods, throwing my senses out to track the scents of my second-in-command and lieutenants. It was less than ten minutes before I arrived at the scene.

The female, human in appearance, was being held up between the two lieutenants on duty. Her slight frame was near bone-thin, unsurprisingly, given the roughed up look of her. Dried blood crusted the thin cotton shirt hanging off her shoulders, the right one a mess of flesh with deep gouging. The dark blonde hair hanging in her face was tangled and matted with blood and what smelled like sweat.

I nodded at Kale and then at the lieutenants, all of whom straightened at my attention. Curious, my head tilted to the side as I approached the female. The scent of blood and rot and something.. Not entirely human wafted off of her.

When I got close enough for her to catch my scent, her head lifted. Dull blue eyes met mine and widened. I halted, inhaling deeply. Underneath the superficial stench, her scent called to me. That's when it clicked.

Astonishment colored my voice. "You're my mate." I stared at her, at the bleeding, broken mess of a body, at the hollow eyes and sallow skin. I swallowed hard, my fingers curling into my palms at the sudden rush of rage lashing through my veins. Someone, somewhere, was responsible for the state she was in. And they needed to pay, dearly.

She was mine. Mine. Mine to protect. And I hadn't been there when she needed me. Her mate.

Kale was the first to react, shaking his head as though to clear the shock from his system. "Parker, Micah, you heard the Alpha. She has been claimed; release her."

Parker and Micah gently lowered her and let go of her biceps. She stood on her own feet and wrapped her arms around her tiny waist. Even from here, I could tell I was at least a head and a half taller than her. My gaze traveled over her and took in the torn up drawstring pajama pants, the bare feet and knees scraped and bloody. A near feral growl tore out of my throat at the light bruising on her skin where the lieutenants had held her arms.

The girl blinked at me, her pupils expanding. Her thin legs swayed, too weak to properly support her weight and I darted forward and gathered her into my arms.

"Sir.. should I mind-link the pack doctor to make herself available?" Kale asked, tentatively.

I held the tiny female in my arms, staring down at her in wonder. My mate. I was holding my mate. I turned around, in the direction of the household. "Yes, Kale. And see to it that Parker and Micah finish their rounds before heading back and that the pack knows to keep away from the infirmary unless the situation is dire while she heals. I do not want anyone to disrupt us. You'll work in my stead until my mate and I are ready to step back up as Alpha and Alpha Female."

Parker and Micah's scents dissipated along with Kale's, off to finish monitoring the borders of our territory. I started the long walk back to the mansion. My attention was inexplicably drawn to the tiny woman I held and I barely registered the leave of my pack members.