An Alpha's Alpha

You Feel Like a Memory

His hand wrapped around her waist, taking her weight, pulling her to his chest.

She rested the side of her face against his shoulder as he nestled into her hair. It felt so natural, so logical, that for a moment she forgot the situation she was in; forgot that this was a stranger that she was now gliding around the dance floor with - it was as though they'd been practicing for years.

"You're going to have to let me lead if this is going to work." His rough voice whispered against her neck, breath tickling her skin.

She couldn't speak and was beginning to list to one side, so he held her tighter. She was pretty sure she was going to lose consciousness soon.

"Stay with me, darlin'. If you pass out, every wolf in here is going to know about it." Her wolf growled in response as he put power behind his words. Her wolf, an Alpha, refused to take instructions from anyone, least of all a strange wolf. Whilst the human side of her knew that he was helping her, her wolf didn't want to accept it. She wanted to run, escape and survive. Though, if she passed out in here, like this, in front of a bar full of strangers, then even her pack wouldn't be able to help her, she wouldn't last long.

Then what would happen to her pack? They'd become the property of whichever wolf dealt the final blow on her unconscious body, they wouldn't be safe without her. She needed to Stay. Alive.

"Air." She whispered through cracked lips, her entire body rising and falling with the energy it took.

"What was that, darlin'?" Her mysterious wolf replied.

"Air, fresh air-outside." She gasped, her eyes rolling as pain ricocheted through her body.

"Right you are." Whirling her around so fast that she closed her eyes, they swept across the dance floor and towards the exit.

Her eyes began to flutter shut as the dark hazy cloud of pain descended behind her eyelids.

"Stay awake, just a little longer, don't let these wolves know you're hurt. They'll kill you." The wolf repeated to her as he pushed down on the emergency exit bar.

Her eyes snapped open, her head bobbing up, as the emergency exit alarm went off. Everyone's eyes in the room were suddenly on the two alphas escaping out the back door.

Amidst a collaboration of catcalls, he managed to get them both outside before slamming the door with his foot. "Not as subtle as I was hoping for, sorry." He whispered sheepishly.

Heading for his truck, he held the mysterious alpha close in his arms. When she finally succumbed to the pain and passed out, he swept her legs out from under her and carried her bridal style to his truck, the car keys hanging between his teeth.

Setting her gently into the passenger seat, he moved around to the driver's side and started up the engine, his headlights illuminating the deserted car park.

Thank God it was deserted, he wasn't sure he'd know what to say to anyone who questioned his predicament at the moment. Admittedly he was Alpha, so could easily scare them off, but that wasn't how he liked to rule.

He'd only come out to the bar tonight to wind down after a long day trying to broker peace with the pack two counties over; some people just can't agree on anything. He definitely hadn't expected an out-of-towner to walk in. Especially being that his pack lived in the middle of nowhere and didn't often get visitors. And he really didn't think that the wolf that wandered in would be an Alpha.

It wasn't common practice for an Alpha to visit another packs territory without announcing it, let alone without their pack, and yet here she was, all alone. When she'd walked in, she'd looked worried and brought with her the scent of vanilla and jasmine. His wolf had instantly sat up and paid attention for the first time in years.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to relax and have a drink in your local bar, after a long day, and mind your own business when your inner animal is urging you to march over to the Alpha, who clearly wasn't here to challenge him and introduce himself? His wolf had done nothing but sit there and stare at her since the moment she'd walked in.

Which is why he'd noticed when another strange wolf walked in, causing the she-Alpha to freeze and look around helplessly, their eyes meeting momentarily before she rose from her seat down the bar and turned to see the stranger.

By now everyone was staring at the two wolves who silently spoke to one another, suggesting they were or used to be, in the same pack. They didn't smell like they still were, she smelt of summer rain, where he smelt of the forest, but you never know.

The strange wolf, a young pup, with jet black hair and eyes to match, leaned forward and hugged the she-alpha before turning and walking out of the bar.

If he hadn't been paying such close attention to her, he may not have seen how her body jerked or catch the faint smell of blood. However, as it was, his wolf was refusing to look away, so he saw as she turned around and clutched the bar to steady herself before she took a step forward...One. Two. Three...and then she stumbled, but he was already there to catch her.

He wondered briefly what would have happened if he wasn't there. Would she have collapsed in the middle of the make-shift dance floor? Which wolves would have pounced first from his pack? He had his suspicions. He knew Sullivan was itching to be an alpha, although he isn't strong enough and will never have enough power. Shelby, she could probably be alpha if she wanted, she certainly had the killer instinct to finish her off. Either way, he was surprised at how glad he was to get her out of there.

His eyes drifted from the empty road in front of him, as they had many times during the drive. Illuminated by the flickering of passing street lights, the she-alpha slept fitfully, her forehead beginning to sweat. He knew that she was about to get a fever whilst her body fought off the injury.

He still wasn't sure what the strange wolf had done, stabbed her, he supposed. He was only sure of one thing, when he found out and more importantly, when he found the wolf, he was going to kill him.