One True Alpha

Chapter 05

I faintly felt my father brushing his calloused fingers on my cheek. "My offspring, it is time to wake up," his voice was deep and comforting. The darkened room was gentle on my eyes; the sun had yet to rise. I looked up at my father. My muscles still felt strained and a few were defiantly torn. I let out a grunt when I tried to sit up. "Stay down, assess your injuries," my father's words said as he gently tried to push me back on the bed. "I think I can sit up," I said, pushing back, sitting up. Alpha borns are notoriously stubborn. I felt some of my skin stretch as the healing wounds threatened to weep again.

A strong male, who easily towered over me and most other wolves, stared at me with the anger of an alpha male on his face. A tattoo of three fine jagged lines went from just past his sideburns to the bottom of his jaw at parallel angles on each side of his face. Turquoise face paint outlined each line and had the mark of an Ironclaw Alpha shown brilliantly against his tanned skin. I would be given a similar tattoo once I became Alpha and our Healer and Seer approved of my design. My father had chosen the jagged lines to represent the ferocity of our pack. To be honest, I was considering on matching his, everyone thought we were similar and the simple design fascinated me. Brown eyes held a feral rage that was barely contained as he assessed my healing body. His wolf was furious. No one touches the alpha's pup.

I could tell his anger was not directed at me as he turned my face back and forth. "These bruises will hold until the end of the festival," he commented with a soft growl. I could see his wolf was barely contained, the threat of losing his heir had him feeling livid. His hand ran over the top of his head and around the long black ponytail as he let out a frustrated sigh that turned into a growl.

"It is fortunate that Pratt has been placed in solitary confinement until the Trials," my father said coolly. "Otherwise, I would already make him eat his own intestines for touching my pup." I shivered before letting out a small giggle that hurt my side. "I did not draw first blood," I stated as I gently rubbed over a bandage that was over my side. It wasn't deep and would at least scab over before my Trials. "I know. There were witnesses who went to get the council as soon as the first hit was struck," my father said as he started to finger comb my hair. My tangles easily unraveled in his gentle touch. Alphas always take care of their young.

"How are Jessica and Rafael doing," I asked as I stretched some of my muscles. The medical room beds were all empty except for mine. Neither a trace Rafael or Jessica's scent were here. "Heir Marchand was placed in a private room. Jessica has not been found," my father said dryly. Not our pack, not our issue.

"What will happen to her," I asked in curiosity and concern for my friend. "I do not know. The council are discussing the issue amongst themselves and Alphas that are involved or want to be," he said. That didn't include us, unfortunately. "I know she is your friend but we best not make possible enemies with two packs and war with one," my father stated calmly. I nodded, the pack came first. Jessica had no ties to our pack except by being my friend, it would not be good for us to go to war because of cultural differences.

"Pratt was not the only reason I spent the night here," my father said as took my hand. "The twins from Canyon Creek have questions as to who you belong to. I made it clear that it would be who belongs to you," my father said with a smile before gently working out a tangle in my hair. I saw some fading scratches along his forearm. The bond made my stomach turn at the thought and I felt my skin pale a bit.

"I thought it was Terrance. He is supposed to be coming today," I said, confused. The bond twisted at his name and it felt just as dull as Luca's. "He was the one that found you and knocked Pratt on his head," he said. "He also mentioned that you called him Luca. Do not make that same mistake again, or their wolves may try and take your neck and show you who they are," my father added as I clutched the place where everyone was marked, just past where the neck met the shoulder. "Like Raphael," I said, not able to control the cold shiver that ran throughout my body. I was answered with a roar from the large alpha wolf that my father barely contained within himself. It didn't startle me. My father's wrath had never been directed at me.