One True Alpha

Chapter 12

I woke up to my wolf shivering in a fallen log she squeezed into. The smell of earth surrounded us as we hunkered down. Her racing heartbeat slows down as she feels my consciousness awaken. Relief washes into her as she keeps her eyes on the outside world. She hasn't slept all night, her throat feels parched. I recognize the taste of blood in my mouth.

A black wolf is laying by the entrance. His dark eyes never leave us and he lets out a small bark that is not directed at us. Scampering paws tell us he isn't alone. My wolf growls at him while I try to assess what has happened. I can smell some of my wolves outside and I hear one howl, there is no danger here. We should be safe.

Rafael's tail thumps on the ground and he lays his head down on his paws. My wolf mimics his motion in a show of truce. He stretches back and throws a sweatshirt and shorts in my direction. The motion brings his scent to our snout. A strong scent of a female we know is on him that will always be intermingled with his own male musk.

Rafael disappears into the trees as my wolf hurls my skin forward. The change causes me to cry out in pain and I dig my claws into the decaying bark to keep me grounded. The black wolf is back and whines out when bile skyrockets out of my mouth, thankfully missing the clothes. I've never been pushed out of my skin so aggressively as my wolf stays on the edge. A weakening barrier keeps her from going further into my mind. Seeing that I am not physically harmed, Rafael backs off and gives me privacy to change into the clothes. The soft cotton keeps most of the dirt off my body as I clamber out. I push myself up on shaking limbs. Her howls of apology echo and rattle my brain. It's hard to concentrate behind all the noise in the silent forest.

"Are you okay Ironclaw," Rafael calls out in a quiet shout as if he hasn't spoke in a long time. I'm not sure at the moment but I don't want him near my log. I'm too weak. "I'm fine," I snap as he takes a step towards my refuge. "You were out for a long time. A few of us have been guarding your log. Mostly to keep the other wolves safe. Your wolf is pretty vicious," he said as I felt my wolf's memories of the night whisper to me. She nearly killed one of our beta borns and took a swipe at Sarah and Alpha Matthews before finding refuge in her log. Pure terror had covered her scent as she looked for me. Everyone was intruding on her space, not allowing her to concentrate. She couldn't find me and they kept asking questions she did not know. I was not there. Her fur had stood on end as she called for me, begging me awake. My father would be so disappointed to know what his offspring did. The first tears hit the ground before I could wipe them away.

"Where's my father," my voice cracking, he was probably running off his anger and disappointment. Rafael slowly edged closer to the opening of my log, facing me. He seemed paler than when I last saw him, his eyes held little shine. The mop of black hair didn't even look combed at all. He wouldn't meet my eyes as my wolf looked for any sign of challenge. There was none. This was a beaten wolf before us.

I noticed his sweater was torn at the neck to better show his mark. The claiming bites had been deep but were healing nicely. A white outside with a purple interior of teeth marks were displayed on top of the blue and yellow bruised skin. The other scars along his throat, were another matter. His entire neck seemed to be collared by purple and blue skin. Maroon scars showed everyone that Rafael had been given a hard lesson in submission by a wolf of similar age to him. Jessica had been without mercy on her mate. I was surprised he displayed his marks with so much pride. Not many males in the area of Snow Beach would do so. To be marked first was seen as a weakness, submissive behavior. Alphas were not submissive.

"He needed to rest, he was close to tearing every wolf within miles to pieces. I gave him my oath I would keep you safe with my life. The council threatened your life to protect the healers, it's what drove his wolf crazy to keep you safe instead of tearing into ever healer at the festival," Rafael said taking another step towards me. I take a step towards him. The sudden movement makes me dizzy, my wolf feels like she is about to come out no matter how far she tries to stay in the back of my mind. "What do you mean," I asked, wiping my tears off my cheek. "How are the healers involved?"