An Alpha's Duty

Chapter 38

Ryan raced through the pack grounds in his wolf form, dodging trees and other pack members as he pushed himself faster towards his home.

The pack link had gone silent in his head and he could no longer hear Akari or Ajax's footfalls behind him, they would always struggle to keep up with his wolf, so he wasn't surprised.

The silence of the night unnerved him. It was still only the early hours of the morning so at least he didn't have to pass too many curious stares from his pac.

Apparently whatever was going on with Lenah, his father had decided to keep secret from the pack for the time being. His father had even refused to answer any questions that Ryan sent through the pack link. Instead he just reiterated that Ryan needed to come home immediately and that Lenah needed him.

It irritated him that his father was being so mysterious, especially concerning his mate. Ryan couldn't help but think that whatever was wrong with Lenah was because of him. Had he done something wrong when he was in her mind? Something potentially much worse than being in a coma? The thought he'd harmed his mate had his wolf howling in agony.

With a sudden spurt of speed he entered the small patch of forest separating his home from the rest of his pack but was brought up short by his father standing just in front of him. Ryan growled at him slightly, signalling him to move but instead he stood his ground and threw a pile of clothes towards Ryan.

"Son, you need to change back now." His father crossed his arms whilst he waited but Ryan only watched him. His wolf growing more temperamental the longer he was separated from his mate.

Ryan tried to dodge around his father but stopped abruptly when his father used his enhanced ability to appear in front of him.

"Ryan listen to me, you can't go to Lenah like this, you could put her in danger. Trust me on this son, change back and I'll explain everything to you." His father's voice held a note of nervousness which worried Ryan. His father was never anything but completely sure of himself and yet here he was nervously shuffling his arms. Something was wrong.

He shifted back quickly, pushing his wolf back as he wrestled for control. Ryan had no idea what was wrong with his wolf, normally they never fought for control but still Ryan could feel him just below the surface. It was like he was determined to be present.

Grabbing the clothes his father had thrown at him, he quickly changed into a pair of sweatpants and short sleeved t-shirt before facing his father, waiting for him to explain.

His father shuffled his feet nervously, looking extremely uncomfortable as he looked anywhere but at his son.

"Lenah is in heat." The was a few moments of silence as Ryan tried to understand what his father had said.

"But that's just a myth? How can she be...is she really in heat?" Ryan had been told the old stories about female wolves and their ability to go into heat but he'd never paid much thought to it. In truth the stories were always too far fetched to be real.

A female going into heat was always associated with true mates. If they tried to resist the bond then it was believed the moon Goddess would trigger the female's heat to force them to complete the mating.

An unmated male wolf would find it impossible to resist a female in heat whilst the female would be in excruciating pain until bonded with her mate. The two would quickly seal the bond but in all their research they'd never come across any records that signified that the story was anything but myth.

"She is." Ryan made to move around his father again, knowing that his mate would be in agony every moment that he spent away from her, but his father's hand gripping his arm stopped him.