Rogue Wolf

Ch 68 speech

The little switch that Lone Wolf had used had been hard to find. I've been in the habit all my life of using every advantage I could grasp, and I didn't plan on stopping now. I was using anything available, including standing where my Max had stood. I didn't have to stay in the alpha spot for long. I purposely let my rage loose for a moment, letting the breeze send the odor of my fury to those below me. It took effort to rein it back in tight. It took no time to get everyone's attention. There was no way I was going to address everyone from up here though. I was Beta, not Alpha.

I worked my way down, my skin itching, until I was standing nose to nose with our old alpha. I stood there, becoming just wolf enough to start huffing slightly and growling, the way you mutter something under your breath, until he lowered his head.

"Did I interrupt you?" I finally asked intently. "Were you planning on going out? I can wait until you come back if you like." I think even our old alpha understood the challenge in my sarcastically worded offer.

His head lowered a bit more.

"I obey my beta's command to assemble."

"Yes, how wonderfully obedient of you," I commented as if I was delighted. My eyes traveled down the length of him and back up. Stupid, I told myself. He can't see what I was doing with his head down!

I brought a hand up and fingered the collar of his shirt. I swear he blushed slightly. My finger trailed over to the top button. Slowly I undid it, letting my hand linger. He didn't move a muscle, but his odor changed slightly. I went down to the next button.

I played with him then, feeling cocky. The change in his smell triggered something in me. I moved my finger along his chest, back up to fiddle with the edge of his collar, back down to the next button. Leisurely and with teasing touches, I undid his shirt. I felt myself get aroused when I stroked his cheek. I stopped playing then.

"You know street clothes are for the street. Go change into your shorts. We'll wait," I commanded.

Almost, I thought he would disobey me. I held tight to my rage, letting some spill out to help me control my nerves. He tensed, aware of the rage within me, finally bowing his head that last little bit.

"I obey my Beta," he rasped out before turning around and practically stalking toward his territory.

I was shaking suddenly. I couldn't stop the trembles that kept afflicting my body. My mind seemed everywhere. I hated what I had just done, but I wanted to keep doing it. I was ticked at myself for playing with him. It was the sort of thing I was trying to stop. Worse, it was the sort of thing he would do. And I was scared- scared of the reaction in him, scared of the reaction in me. And with my Max gone, I had no outlet for the passion I had ignited within me with my teasing behavior. What was wrong with me? I had no answer for myself.

Be the actor, I warned myself. Be the official, the speech maker, the politician. It wasn't my usual line, but I've passed myself off as someone with the right to be places I shouldn't have been. I looked at Michael, kneeling there as patiently as the guards, head down and tilted. I didn't understand why. I worked at organizing my thoughts, thinking about what I wanted to accomplish with this meeting I'd inadvertently called. By the time our old alpha came back, I was ready.

Everyone was positioned by rank. The guards were in a double line. Nathan was in the front row. Whiny Carl was in the back row on the end. Michael was even with the front line of guards. Even though Luke was behind him, Luke was further back than the guards. Our old alpha came up and knelt right in front of everyone, as if he had the right. There was a fury building inside him. I decided I had enough fury myself that I could face him head on.