Alpha's Blood (Book One)

Fear

A heavy tension rested on Artemis's shoulders as she joined her pack mates for patrol. She could feel the weight in her belly growing, as well as the fear in her heart. Two males walked steadily beside her, another female lead the patrol. Joining her on the patrol was a den mate she had been close to when she was a pup and now many among the pack expected him to be her mate. His black and dark grey coat was stunning yes, but she could never see him as more than a big brother. Daren's eyes stayed on Artemis as they moved along, they're yellow color gentle and filling with concern for her.
"Are you feeling alright?" His voice was quiet, almost a whisper and heard only by Artemis. "Do you need to turn back, Arty?"
"I'll be fine, I'm just tired. I had a twig in my nest, don't worry." The white shewolf kept her eyes forward as she answered, the green orbs she possessed trained on the shewolf in front of her. The patrol was her, Daren, Moran, who was on her other flank, and the patrol was lead by Willow. Artemis never got along with Moran, his snarky attitude annoyed her. Willow was a ginger shewolf with green eyes. A large scar showed on her back, given to her by a mountain lion protecting Artemis and Hestia as pups.
"Why is it of your concern?" Her voice came out harsh, though she didn't mean it to. Flicking her ears to the sides she looked at him apologetically and stopping in her tracks. She felt Moran walks past and continue on, but Daren stopped as well a bit ahead of her and looked down at her, his frame slightly larger than hers.
"Just an observation." He didn't give a clear answer, but his eyes moved from concerned to cold. He turned away and continued on after the patrol, soon he was followed by the young alpha. She felt bad for her harsh tone, but she didn't say anything to fix the situation that had happened between them. Her mind was traveling to how she would tell Hades he was to be a father of the pups she carried. How would the packs react? Worse, how would her mother act?
Artemis lagged behind in the patrol, lost in her thoughts. Her focus was on the many reactions she would receive from everyone, so when the patrol had stopped she didn't realize until she head butted the side of Daren. She lifted her eyes and looked about, her gaze falling on a young pup a few tail lengths off. She had brilliant blue eyes and a grey/brown pelt, her paws painted in white. She looked scared and tired, her ribs poking through her fur as she looked up at Willow. Pushing past others, Artemis looked down at the young female her ears perking forward in curiosity.
"Where is your family, little one?" She spoke calmly, careful not to spook the young pup. Artemis kept her self calm as she spoke with the female pup, but her stance was proud.
     "They left me here, I don't know where they went." Her voice was a squeak as she spoke her eyes littered with tears and fear. "I've been waiting for weeks for mommy."
    Artemis let her growl but pushed it aside as she laid down before the little one her eyes meeting the gaze of the pup softly. "Come, let's go get you some food and your mom will come find you in our cave."
   The pup didn't have the strength to argue as she stood and was picked up by the strong jaws of Artemis, who now pushed before the other wolves to lead the patrol back to the cave, her tail raised high behind her in a show of dominance. The entirety of the conversation she knew Willow had wanted to argue but how could Artemis let a pup sit there and starve as she waited for a mother who clearly wasn't coming back. As the cave began to form into view she saw her mother sitting below a small tree nearby watching the patrol return with curious eyes. Of course, seeing the pup made the alpha stand and follow them to the cave her ears pinned back as she snarled with unease. The White shewolf could feel the eyes of the pack on her as she placed the pup before the medic den looking to Rosemary with a stern glint in her green eyes. "Make sure she is fed, I will see to it that she is my responsibility."
   She turned away to head back out of the cave when she was face to face with her mother who stopped her in her tracks. Snarling, Artemis met her mother's gaze not in the mood to argue.
   "Why do you think you are doing? That pup could be a trap!" Ashanti's eyes were cold and harsh as she barred her teeth to her young daughter. Artemis simple rolled her eyes and scoffed as she pushed passed.
   "What will she do to us, look at her, she's falling apart. I will raise her as my own, stop me if you dare." She shoved her shoulder into her mother's, her mood had changed at the anger she felt for this pup being abandoned like she was. "I will name her Saba." With this Artemis was gone, out of the cave in search of the pups mother. Her fear she felt for her own pups within her now anger to protect this little one she had just met.