An Alpha without a Pack

Chapter 2

It's been four years since that blood-filled night. As far as I'm aware, there were no survivors other than me. The Ruby pack had burned my pack's home down along with the bodies. No one knows why they had attacked my pack. Either that or they were just too scared to even whisper it. Luckily for me, the Vampires do not know that I survived.

After I had left that cave four years ago, I had walked in one direction before collapsing from hunger and exhaustion. There was plenty of game around, but I never haunted. I was too afraid to cause trouble on some other pack's territory. My body was too weak from the lack of food and bruised from the river's beating, that I just laid there on the cold, hard ground drifting in and out of sleep. I do not know how long I laid there, but a male wolf and his mate came across me while on a hunt.

The male was quick to say leave me there, but his mate convinced him to bring me back to their pack. Although they did not trust me, the Sapphire pack tended to my wounds and gave me food. The Alpha, Jeff Leone, met with me several times during the week I stayed there. I had told him that I was a lone wolf who had got caught in the battle between the Silver pack and the Ruby pack. Leone knew I was lying but he never pushed for the truth and did not question me when I left.

I had hitched a ride with a trade group of the Sapphire pack to a big city called Lysa. Lysa is one of our major cities in the land that packs or lone wolves go to for jobs or make a trade. In major cities like this, save for petty thievery or the occasional brawl, cities like this is the safest place to be when being a lone wolf. Packs are not allowed to cause disturbance while in a major city. I parted with the trade group and set off to find a place to live and a job.

Now I work for a small candy store near the heart of the city with my boss and one other girl. Most of the time I do the cleaning and stocking, but once a week I make deliveries to other shops. I was on delivery now. I walked into the small grocery shop with several boxes and baskets in my hands and was greeted with a cheerful, plump woman.

The woman smiled up at me with crooked teeth. "Ah, Sophie! It's so good to see you," she said. "How are you, my dear?"

I set the semi-heavy packages down on her counter and said, "Same o'l same o'l. How are you, Mrs. Plum?"

She waved a wrinkled hand at me and signed a form that said she got what she had ordered. "I'm fine, thank you. I hired some new help so I'm not so tired anymore."

"Oh, that must be some great relief that you are feeling."

"Yes, yes. Jake has been very helpful, always doing the heavy work." She looked around the store lost in thought. "How old are you, child?"

I looked at the delivery forms to make sure everything was in order. "I'm 23. Why?"

"Because I think Jake would make a good mate for you."

I nearly dropped my clipboard as my cheeks grew hot. Mrs. Plum looked at me with a growing smile. I smiled and said, "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm not really looking for a mate right now. Plus, who would want to be with a lone wolf?"

"Are you sure? He's in the back- I can call for him now."

"No thank you, there is no need to get him to stop working. I need to get back to the store anyways."

"Well alright, dear. You be safe."

"You too," I waved goodbye and left.

As soon as I walked outside, the stench of blood invaded my senses. I looked around trying to find red eyes but only found deep brown ones. The fear that was swallowing me vanished and so did the smell of blood. The brown-eyed man was leaning against Mrs. Plum's store with his arms crossed. He was watching me intently with an amused look written across his face.

"You look like you've just seen a ghost," he said in a deep voice.

It took me a second to find my voice. "S-sorry," I stammered. "I thought I smelled someone I really did not want to see."

The man nodded his head slowly, never taking his eyes from me. "You must be the delivery girl Mrs. Plum talks about nonstop."

My nerves began to settle at the mention of the old lady. "Are you the new hire named Jake?"

Slowly, he nodded again as he pushed himself off the wall. "It was nice finally putting a face to the girl I was told about. I'm sorry to cut this short but I need to get back to work." He walked to the door and before opening it, he looked over his shoulder at me and said, "You know, your eyes are very interesting. It's not every day you see silver eyes."

Fear struck me hard and I quickly turned my gaze to the ground. I've should've been more careful around a stranger, especially since I had smelled blood only moments before. With that and Jake mentioning my eyes, I have no choice but to not trust him, possibly even assume that he is a vampire. Taking a quick glance, I tried to get a better look at his features.

Jakes hair was chestnut brown and was grown past his ears. He was tall but not too big, and not too big in the muscle. His skin was lightly tanned and clear of scars. Taking a quick sniff, I found that he did not smell like blood, but like soap and dust instead. There were no physical features that could tie Jake to the Vampires. In fact. He looked the exact opposite.

"If you do not mind me asking," I said trying to calm my nerves," what pack are you from?"

Jake flashed me a bright smile that made me almost want to drop my distrust. "I'm originally from the Sapphire Pack, but I didn't really like being told what to do. So, I became my own boss."

Curiosity struck me hard. Sapphire pack is the third-largest pack. It was odd hearing someone left when wolves are constantly wanting to join. I tilted my head to the side and asked, "A loner?"

Again, he smiled at me. "Just like you," he whispered. Then he winked and walked inside the store.

I stood there staring at the wooden door for a moment before hopping into the old wagon with a grey mare I use to make deliveries and began heading back to the candy store. My distrust for Jake never faltered throughout the ride. Especially when I realized I never told him that I was a lone wolf. Besides the occasional whispers that go around, only two people knew that I was a loner. Mr. Smith, my boss, and Mrs. Plum only know. They both then promised me that they would never tell anyone.

So, the question that was eating me is who is Jake and how does he know about me?