She Alpha

Twenty Two

Picture// Alex and Riley
Song// Ladders Mac Miller

I shoot upwards from my position on the dirt flooring. My mate lied beneath me peacefully, his arm outstretched as a pillow for my head.

Whipping my head around the dark cave, I furrow my eyebrows at the sound of footsteps just outside the cave.

My eyes drift to my Beta and Casper, who both looked to be in a deep slumber.

I tried to channel my wolf hearing, but the connection was still weak. I could feel my wolf trying, however, I felt her at the back of my skull begging to come come back.

"Riley?" Alex asks, rising up from his position, his face so close to mine.

I just saw the caramel eyes I had fallen in love with, the rest of his face shadowed by the darkness.

"I think someone is outside." I lean into him, whispering very quietly.

His eyes narrow, turning his head to listen carefully. The footsteps become closer and closer to the mouth of the cave.

I slide to my right a bit, kicking Kody in his boot. He jolts awake, clutching a sleepy Casper to his chest as his wide eyes look around for danger.

"Calm down, moron." I whisper towards him, making his shoulders relax only slightly.

The sound of a twig snapping makes us all focus our eyes on the eerie trees just outside of the cave.

Alex instinctively places me behind his back, allowing me to see over one of his shoulders. I wasn't used to being sheltered when faced with danger.

I was a more than capable warrior and fighter when I had my wolf. I knew Alex didn't mean any disrespect, it was simply in his male nature to protect his mate first.

Grabbing a rock near my shoe, I decide to keep it near in case I have to hit someone very hard.

We all hold our breaths as the footsteps stop outside the cave.

"Riley." A familiar voice whispers.

My heart drops into my stomach as I recognize the sound.

Alex glances at me questionably, but I simply rise to my feet and move towards the mouth of the cave.

"Riley!" The voice increases, and that time I was sure of who it was.

I stomp out of the cave, much to Alex's dislike.

I see a boy, my height, with short black curls and mocha eyes.

My fingers loosen, and the rock falls to my feet.

"Jude." I sigh out, moving towards him to give him a hug.

He actually wraps his arms around me, squeezing me so tightly I couldn't breathe.

I can't remember the last time Jude had showed any kind of affection towards me.

"Martinez." Jude says so lightly in my ear, I thought I imagined it.

I pull back with a frown, when I realize Jude has a cut lip and a bruised cheek.

What happened to him? How was he here? How did he know where to find us?

Alex comes out from the cave, followed by Kody. Casper watched from the mouth of the cave with fearful eyes.

"Jude, how did you find us?" I ask my little brother.

His pained eyes meet mine as Alex places a hand on my hip from behind.

"It's going to be okay, Riley." Jude says quietly, his lanky body shaking as he clenches his jaw.

Something didn't feel right.

A slow clapping resounds around the woods, making my blood go cold. Alex growls lowly as Martinez steps through the trees.

"I have to say, I am really impressed at your escape." He shakes his head with a smirk.

"Of course, I did help a little." Martinez shrugs.

I clench my jaw, pulling Jude towards Alex and I.

"I didn't actually think this would lure you out, but here I stand corrected." Martinez's dark eyes glare into my own.

"So what, you're going to capture us again?" I ask him in a tight voice.

He chuckles darkly, "I'm not capturing anyone tonight, Alpha Black." 

I gulp as his Beta walks out of the trees with a hard look.

"We are going to make a deal Alpha." He says casually, inspecting his nails.

I feel Alex tighten his hold on me, his gaze not leaving the man.

"What's the deal?" I demand to know.

"So impatient." He ticks, shaking his head at me.

"Here's the thing Alpha, I don't like you- or what you stand for." Martinez shrugs.

"The feeling is more than mutual." I sarcastically smile back.

Alex looks at me from the corner of his eyes, Kody looking back every few seconds to check on Casper.

"Great. Now in the wild, when a wolf doesn't like another wolf- they kill them." Martinez explains.

Alex growls lowly at the man, making Martinez stop and raise a brow. "Ah, a changed man I see."

Alex's body begins to shake violently.

I place a hand on his chest to calm him down, but instead, I'm yanked so quickly away from him my head spins.

The Beta places a silver knife to my throat, a few feet in front of Alex.

His dark eyes flicker to the caramel I loved, as his face grew in horror.

"Now, if you would be so kind to turn around." The Alpha asks Alex, silver handcuffs and shackles hanging from his hand.

The Beta pressed the silver into my flesh, making me hiss in pain.

Alex's eyes shoot to me, his body shaking angrily again. But in order to save my life, he let's Martinez secure the shackles around his hands and feet.

I closed my eyes in defeat, I knew silver shackles will not allow Alex to change into his wolf.

Right now he's the only chance we've got.

Martinez shackles Jude and Kody for good measure, not even glancing in the way of Casper in the cave.

"Now that's done, here is my deal." Martinez says, the boys all on their knees in front of me in a row.

I stare into my mates eyes, fear and anger swimming breath his pools of caramel.

"I want you dead, so I have two options. Destroy every person you love in front of you and watch you crumble, or kill you personally-which would be fun, but I kinda like the first one." He grins in my face, making me spit at him in defiance.

"You bitch." He growls, striking me across my face.

My head whips to the side, Alex letting out a giant roar as the pain from my cheeks subsided.

He struggles against the restraints, and I see the fear behind his eyes.

"Now, lets say our final goodbyes." Martinez sings, grabbing Kody by the neck.