“Francis, I need you,” I call through the mind link. Standing, I limp over to my bed and lean down to pick up a shirt.
My chest is looking much better today, though there is still a sizable divot in my left pectoral. The wound itself is scabbed over and I’ve been cleared to move about as normal. I pull my olive green v-neck over my head and down around my waist just as Francis walks through the door.
“What’s up?” he asks, closing the door behind him.
“I want to know more about my supposed Guardian.” I don’t mince words. He gapes at me.
“How am I supposed to do that? Records are locked down, asking questions to the wrong person can get you kicked out of your pack no matter what your rank is.” he stumbles over his words in fear. I understand his worries, but there is something about her I just can’t put my finger on and I have to know what it is.
“I don’t know Francis. Search her things?” I offer a shrug before crossing back over to my desk.
“Right. Well, I get you don’t really care or follow the gossip surrounding the guardians, but I do. This girl is legit Wade. I mean serious shit. She is who they use to protect committee members.”
“She is not a girl,” I smirk at him, recalling the mistake I made the day she arrived.
“You’re right. She is a damn beast, she is freaking big leagues.”
“Then why is she here? Admit it makes no sense that she is here protecting me. I’m a small pawn in the game. I’m strong, yes, and stubborn, but our pack is average at best. It feels like this is a big set up and I want to know what it's really about before I do this stupid ceremony letting her into my head.”
“Maybe you will get more information if you just ask her,” he offers. I roll my eyes at him, annoyed. Francis is an excellent Beta. He works tirelessly and has always been insanely loyal. But he sure likes to whine when he doesn’t want to do something, even if he fully intends to do it.
“Francis, I am taking her for an official tour around the pack grounds in a couple of minutes. That would be the best time to snoop around her things.”
“Seriously, maybe she is more open than she looks?” he offers in a last-ditch effort to get out of what I’m asking him to do.
I laugh at him. There is nothing about her that screams, asks me important questions and I will answer them. She is the ‘ask and you will receive a stoic silence until you figure it out for yourself’ type. And I don’t have time to waste, so I might as well try to figure it out.
“Just do it,” I say, grabbing my watch and placing it on my wrist. Ethel mind links me.
Trudy is on her way up to your room Alpha
Shit. I don’t have time for this right now. I made Trudy a promise and I have never in my life gone back on a promise until Ali showed up. An alpha needs a Luna. Luna’s keep our wolves sane. They deal with our animalistic side and keep us satiated.
I have gone three years without one and in the past two weeks, my wolf has emerged without consent, taking control while common sense gets forced to the back. Each day is a race against time to find my true mate so I can be complete and lead my people. And if that doesn’t happen soon I will take Trudy as my mate as she is the only wolf in the area who does not have a mate at 21 as well.
It’s not the same for female wolves. They can live a life without their true mate, though they won’t ever feel whole. Male wolves eventually take over and they get in trouble acting fools and eventually getting ostracized out of a pack. It’s what makes Rogues that much more dangerous.
Their human side is slowly whittling away, giving in to the wolf’s need for survival instinct as it wreaks havoc on the villages surrounding it, looking for its mate. It’s more aptly described as a love lust than blood lust, though they often leave a river of blood behind them when they search.
The door is whipped open and Trudy flounces in her short leather skirt and barely-there crop top has my wolf trying to jump out as I fight for control. She knows how to toy with my wolf’s desires, and I have a feeling she enjoys the power she wields when she shows up randomly to force my wolf into overdrive.
I close my eyes and breathe deeply, trying to calm the beast. I inhale a very faint scent. Lavender and honey with a hint of lemon and my wolf no longer has a desire for the woman before me. I breathe frantically again, no longer finding the smell as my wolf claws at my mind begging for control with promises of finding the owner of the smell and making the wolf his.
“Trudy. What do you need?” I bite out, my back to her. I can hear her saunter over to me, her high heels thudding against the carpet.
“I thought you said we would have our own ceremony this week.” Her voice is whiny and sounds like nails on a chalkboard. A life with her sounds more and more painful by the moment.
“Things changed,” I say, turning to her.
I walk around her, giving myself a wide enough berth that she can’t reach out to touch me. I grab my boots and slip them on quickly, bending down to tie them and then reaching into my closet, I grab my black leather jacket and shrug into it. Finally, facing her as she pouts and tries to walk towards me, I walk back towards the door.
“Look, I’m sorry Trudy, but I have Alpha business to attend to. We can chat about this later in the office with Francis.” I need to make sure I’m not alone with her, ever.
I turn quickly, pulling the door open and running into Ali, who is about to knock on my door. I quickly try to adjust, but land on my bum leg and begin to fall. She is quick as she spins to move out of the way, and I’m not sure if she could see the pain in my eyes or the odd angle at which my leg twisted, but instead of releasing me, she has me flush against the wall.
Her hand is splayed across my chest as she looks at me in such a way that I feel naked before her. Instead of stepping back, she steps closer to me, her nose mere centimeters from my own as my heart beats wildly due to her closeness. She spins, looking behind her at a shocked Trudy. And when she turns back again, her eyes are filled with disgust. I have never felt more ashamed in my life.
“Get your wolf in check, Alpha. My job is to protect you. I can’t do that if you’re busy screwing the only available flouncy around.” Her words are full of poison. I place my hands on either side of her arms and remove her from in front of me.
“My wolf is in check, Guardian.” I take a quick glance down at my leg. It hurts more than usual today.
Healing has always been something werewolves thrive at. We heal quickly and we almost never have terrible scars, unless you are unlucky like me. The night I turned 16, I shifted. 2 years earlier than most and I was so happy I couldn’t help but take off running and embrace the feeling of euphoria it brought me. I felt invincible and strong.
Until I came across a ground of grown rogues. They were merciless, tearing at me from every side as I tried to fight. I was the Alpha’s son, the strongest of wolves, or I would have been if I had been old enough to actually shift. After they brought me to the brink of death, they carried me to the abandoned well on the property line and threw me in.
I waited to heal, but it was slow and painful. After a long time, my pack found me bloody and still injured. I should have healed by the time they found me. I should have been able to crawl out of the well on my own, but I had only gotten worse. It wasn’t until I forced myself to stand that I noticed the little wilted blue flowers thrown down with me. Wolfsbane. They tossed it in after me and they had crushed it into the gaping wound in my thigh. It never healed right after that.
She follows my line of sight and looks at my denim-clad leg. Its full disfiguration is hidden but the outline of its lumpy state is noticeable to anyone who looks closely. Her eyes fill with curiosity as she tilts her head and looks at me strangely. Her eyes meet mine and my breath hitches as her beautiful eyes swirl shades of green, morphing into a pale purple. I don’t even notice that the pain is gone until she closes her eyes too long to be a blink but not long enough to be anything else and she steps back.
“I’m ready for the tour when you are alpha.” She says, sounding robotic as she turns and walks away with a slight limp.
“Is she making fun of you?” Trudy whispers, her voice full of fury.
Anger, rage, and humiliation roll through me. She was making fun of me and my injury. I pride myself on thinking before speaking and trying my best to always be kind and understanding, but I can not contain my rage as I stalk forward with murder on my mind.
I thunder down the stairs with such force that anyone in passing presses themselves against the wall to stay out of my way. No way would I let this woman get away with treating me like some weak piece of crap. I sniff the air, trying to catch her scent and grow more furious that I can’t sniff her out. I let out an angry growl as I enter the kitchen. My eyes land on her as she looks up at me, confused, her teeth sinking into an apple. Within a second, I am looming over her, staring into her eyes that hold no amusement or fear, just confusion. Of course she tries to look innocent in the matter. She has just offended an alpha whether or not I’m her alpha; it is a grave misstep to make fun of an alpha. “Alpha?” she says, sounding strong and unphased by my presence. I hate her cool demeanor. “Do you find it funn
I hesitate for a moment, panicking. Should I chase her down and try to make her stay or should I tell Francis to get out? He has about 6 minutes if she continues to limp her way to the pack house, about three minutes if she runs. She stumbles in the distance and a wave of guilt washes over me. She took my pain as a penance for an injury she didn’t prevent. I lied to her and allowed her to take it, knowing exactly what she would feel. I jog over to her, watching as she steadies herself. Her skin is pale and sprinkled with sweat. She looks at me with determination. “I don’t need your help,” she says, her words clipped.“I thought I would walk with you since I’m heading the same way.” I offer. She just nods as she looks forward and trudges on. She is about as tough as she is stubborn, and after only a few days, I can say with complete confidence, she is one of the most stubborn people I have met.“Can I ask you some questions?” I ask.“Depends on the question.”“Guardian-related question
*Ali POV*Frowning in the mirror, I reach over to the countertop and put my necklace back on. I have always hated jewelry and I often have begged Samuel for an amulet like the male guardians. Their rings are large and gaudy, and each one matches their personality. Mine is 3 dainty metal chains twisted together with a circular moon locket. Inside the moon-shaped locket lives the seeds of a moonflower. The necklace has many qualities to help protect me. For one, it’s my mate's deterrent. I am bound by an oath to not find my mate until I am released from servitude. Taking the oath meant my ability to sniff out my mate was now suppressed. This is to keep me from leaving the heat of battle to protect someone that is not in my charge. The one I am protecting must always be my first priority, even over my own preservation. This is nearly impossible with the mate bond in place. The necklace I have is a scent suppressor, meaning my mate is incapable of smelling me when I am near. We can liter
I follow the scent of the Alpha for about a quarter of a mile until I come up to a group of people. I can see the top of Alpha Wade’s head as I angrily push through and freeze when I see what’s happening before me. In the mud are the young omegas I met the other day. They shiver in fear as Alpha Wade hoovers over them, demanding answers they are too frightened to give. Robin is covered in mud as her brother tries to cover her frame from the line of sight of the onlookers. Her shirt appears to be slightly ripped and her hair is matted to her cheeks as she sobs about being sorry. Mason looks feral as he growls like a beast with rabies at anyone who comes near. Alpha Wade grows weary of their crying and lack of answer as they hand him a whip and he raises it above his head. My feet are moving as fast as I can push them as I land myself in front of the shaking teenagers my back facing the Alpha. The whip comes down hard across my left s
*Wade POV* The moment she walks out of the locker room, my eyes find her. She looks stoic as usual as she eyes up the men training on the pitch in front of her. Oddly, I’m angry that she has dressed so scandalously. I look sideways to see Kane practically drooling at her when she treks our way. I roll my eyes. Maybe it’s a dominance thing. She is trying to assert her own by showing off her femininity? I’m not so blind that I can deny she is ripped. This girl has biceps that scream annihilation and abs so toned that I’m convinced she’s made of stone. I mean, really, do women get abs that defined? My eyes wander up and I swallow hard. She has a perfect angular face and plush pink lips that are in a line, looking disappointed. Her eyes are busy watching, assessing, the men who are trying to show off and failing. Snapping myself out of the daze, I clear my throat and whack Kane in the gut, grabbing his attention. He yelps and rubs his
“Wolf form,” Derrick demands, smirking. This douche thinks he is being so slick by suggesting this type of fighting. Me fighting her in my wolf's form is insanely dangerous for her, especially considering she doesn’t have a wolf. “Agreed.” She says quicker than I can decline. I glance at Ali, disappointed in her quick agreement, but she just smiles. “To the center, Alpha,” she says as she saunters away from me. “Damn it,” I mutter, following behind her. I know she is a formidable fighter and has an extremely high pain tolerance, but I’m certain I can beat her. Admittedly, I may be lax when it comes to training my warriors, but it is because I know my skills are enough in most situations to keep them safe. I remove my shirt, not wanting to rip it, and look down at my pants. These are my favorite jeans. Sighing, I unbutton them and slide them off, standing only in my navy blue boxer briefs, leaving nothing to the imagination of anyone in the training ring. I notice a tinge of red
I wait for everyone to clear out, and when I’m finally alone; I let my guard down. My leg quivers in pain as I wince, trying to get it to move. Each step shoots up and into my back, bringing agonizing pain. I grunt with effort, closing my eyes and forcing myself to breathe through it. I usually rely heavily on the strength of my wolf to help keep the pain at bay, but my control over him slips more often lately. In fact, it seems to be a similar thing to all the wolves in the pack. Everyone is on edge, grumpy, and quick to anger. I can only assume that it is the stress of the rogue attacks and the potential danger that lurks just outside our borders. I know that more and more lately I find myself hard-pressed to want to check the Eastern border near the meadow and spring. I make a misstep as I move down the stairs and tumble down the last three, landing with a dull thud and groaning in pain. “Fuck!” I yell out in anger.Why is it so bad today? I call for my wolf to help, but the mome
*Ali POV* I chew on my lower lip as I look over my guardian ceremony outfit. It is the only time I ever wear a dress. And it’s not because I want to, but because I have to. I also didn’t have a choice in choosing it. It’s flattering, and I don’t mean in a small manner. I mean, it’s really flattering to my shape and my muscles. Which is why Samuel had it made for me. Male guardians get some version of a tuxedo. I, however, get a busty, emerald green chiffon gown with a slit up my right leg highlighting my muscular thighs. My only objection to it is that it wasn’t my choice, and it’s not purple. Which is my signature color since I’ve been told my eyes flash purple when I use certain Guardian techniques. No other guardian’s eyes do that, so it’s obviously just meant to be my color. A knock has me pulling my eyes from the dress and sighing as I walk over and open the door. “Ali,” Trudy says in a flat tone. I internally scream. T