From Alpha to Outcast

Chapter 2

The terrified screams of Emilia were the first things that roused me from my unconsciousness. Even as I slowly blinked, the world still spinning around me, pain instantly flared to life.

Gritting my teeth, I slowly reacted to Emilia pushing against my shoulder, urging me upright. Nauseous from the pain and winded from the fall, my eyes struggled to find the wolves that were still descending from the cliff.

However, I could easily tell from the shape and swelling from several fingers and my right wrist that they were broken. And when I rolled my shoulders to push myself upright, I could already tell that my right shoulder had been dislocated as well.

But I couldn't focus on that; Emilia was crying hysterically, clinging on my less wounded side as I slowly came to, slowly started to inspect her for injuries.

I was glad that I had taken the brunt of the fall, that Emilia only had a few bumps and bruises but nothing severe.

Yet.

Attempting to stand was a struggle, even if I told myself I needed to get on my feet, no matter how much pain I was in. The wolves were fast approaching, hopping from cliff to cliff and closing the distance between us.

But the pain that flooded my system each time I tried was overwhelming, a pained cry slipping past my gritted teeth before I managed to get myself at least on my knees.

However, the sight of the wolves appearing across the clearing made me react faster than I thought possible. Within seconds, my clothes were torn to shreds, wolf kicking off whatever fragments that lingered on my body.

I stood protectively in front of Emilia, holding my injured side towards her on instinct. A wild animal would never reveal its weakness willingly, especially not in a hostile situation.

Even though I was still wounded and still in a massive amount of pain, I gritted my teeth and protected the child.

And by doing so, I forced the approaching wolves to a halt and, unintentionally so, gave away my status.

Father had mentioned before that any Alpha, a true born Alpha, would always strive for the wellbeing of the pack. They would rather lay down their very lives than to let harm come to those under their protection.

Wounded as I was, I still held my ground, stood protectively in front of Emilia even though I was outnumbered. Something a rogue would never do.

Leaping off of the cliffside and disregarding my own safety, simply to make sure that no harm would come to Emilia, had awoken the true nature of my Alpha genes.

And now those wolves were halted, because they could smell the change in my scent.

They could see in the way I stood in front of Emilia, head held high, tail almost curling stiffly over my back as my raised hackles only added in height...

I was a newly awakened Alpha.

"Back off. NOW!" I snarled, snapping my jaws in clear warning at the now hesitant wolves. A few whined and halted on the spot, while that one black wolf, their Alpha-to-be, turned tails and darted in the woods, presumably to change.

I followed him with my gaze as he slowly emerged back out of the woods with a pair of shorts covering his nudity. And each time I laid eyes on a male, my wolf wondered when we would find our mate.

My parents have spoken of mates, the value of the mating process, how our lives were linked together once the bond was made. But they had failed to inform me when one would normally find their mate.