Behind The Alpha Book 4 CASS
Chapter 13

(Chapter song ‘Bad Guy’ by Billie Eilish)

CASS

Michael walks in wearing an all black suit and looking like some sort of gangster. His boots thumping across the floor as Pucks chemistry bubbles away. I take big steps to him. “Mike. Where the fuck have you been? We've been looking everywhere for you. Emily’s sick, Mike. Like really sick. You need to go home…”

He eyes me. “Hey, Cass. I don’t think it’s me you have to worry about.” He pulls back and slugs me across the jaw.

“HEY!” Ember yells and is held back by Jesse and Puck.

Jesse lets her go and aims his gun at Michael’s head. “That was really ballsy, partner. I suggest you apologize.” He nods.

“Cowboy, you don’t know shit. The last thing I’ll do is apologize.” Mike smirks.

I rub my jaw as I analyze him. “Mike. This isn’t you. The Mike I know would be fucked up knowing Em was suffering. What’s wrong with you?”

“She’s in good hands.” He shrugs. “You on the other hand.” He leans around me. “Puck. Last chance.”

“Not a chance.” Puck grits.

Ember whips her head to him. “What does he want?”

“A library tracker. You’re not getting it from me. Tell Artemis to shove it.” He growls.

“What? What library?” I look around everyone. I’m so confused.

“Oh, please tell me my daddy’s here, you sack of shit.” Jesse aims his weapons further.

Michael crosses his arms. “No. Daddy dearest doesn’t want to waste time with you. He has bigger fish to fry. No. You get me. Now, give me the tracker or we’ll have to take it.”

“We?”

From the dark behind him, sick red eyes appear all around him. Deep, garbled growls fill the room as men step into the light. They’re messed up, dirty and ready for a fight.

I back up. “Fuck! Rogues?! Mike, are you kidding?” I walk back and push Ember behind me.

He looks to either side of him and nods. “The tracker, Puck.”

“No!” Puck stand his ground.

Jesse leans to my ear. “Twenty by my count.”

“Mine too.” I say back. “You take defense. I’m offense.”

“This isn’t training.” Jesse growls.

“No. It’s a plan.” I say as I eye the drooling men fighting the effects of Rogue Sickness. They don’t normally take human form. It hurts too much mentally as they battle for control inside their heads. The wolf and human fighting a never ending Alpha challenge inside the brain. It makes them sick with a disease much like rabies.

“Fine. Don’t say I didn’t offer to do this nicely.” Michael drops his hands to his sides. “Sic ‘em!” He looks me directly in the eyes as he barks his order.

The rogues jump from behind him and shift. Snarling, drooling, gunk covered wolves descend on us like a tidal wave.

I shred my clothes, shift to my blonde wolf and jump at one. He’s joined by two more as we make a filthy ball of bloody fur.

Jesse strips quick and changes to Nala’s tiger. The cat quickly makes pin cushions out of the rabid dogs.

Ember and Puck are throwing fists into the heads of the oncoming wolves.

Puck picks one up by the throat. His eyes glow yellow as he slams the wolf into the concrete floor. “THIS…IS…A…NO…VIOLENCE…ZONE!” He yells as the rogues brain matter smears across the floor. He tosses the body aside and stands, heaving his breaths. He grows a bit in the chest, growls and grabs another one.

Ember and Puck join up and start punching their way through, tossing wolves to Jesse and I.

I throw rogues after rogue. Ripping throats and shredding skin.

Jesse’s cat sinks canines into them, breaking spines and severing heads.

I take a quick second to look for Mike. I watch him run toward Puck and Ember.

Ember pulls out her crossbow and fires three bolts into Mike. He just shrugs them off. Pulling them out.

‘EMBER!’ I say in my mind.

She throws punches and Mike punches her back as Puck proceeds to rush around, throwing stuff into a bag.

Two rogues and Nala roll into one of the pots on a fire and whatever was in the pot, caught fire.

‘Shit!’ I shift. “Jesse!”

He throws his opponent and looks. He shifts as the fire grows fast. “We need to leave! Now!”

“WE CAN’T! THE ARROW!” Ember says.

“If we don’t get out of before the fire boils that last pot, we all go KA-BOOM!” Puck growls loud.

I look to the last black pot and it’s already surround by fire. I can see the steam coming out of it faster. “Uh…RUN!” I yell.

Ember and Puck leap over the rogues, Jesse and I shift and run around the wolves, we beeline to the nearest exit. As I pass the pot, it starts to shake violently.

‘MUST GO FASTER!’ I say in my link.

I watch Ember and Puck practically bounce out the exit. A huge wave of relief washed over me seeing her escape. Jesse let’s out a tiger growl and nips my ass.

‘OW!’ My wolf growls.

Jesse runs ahead and I was almost at the door when I’m grabbed and slammed into the floor.

My wolf yelps as Michael’s black wolf tears at me. I bite at him furiously. Our paws are pushing on each other as fur flies.

The boiling pot starts to whistle loud like a giant kettle, signaling that I don’t have time for this.

I try to get him off me, but he has my neck and I feel the blood start to fill my fur. His yellow and green eyes glow bright sending a wave of fear and anger through me.

“HEY, ASSHOLE!”

Michael drops me and looks up just as a bolt enters his left eye. His wolf screams and kicks. He rolls off me and across the floor. I shift and look at the door. Ember is standing in the doorway, her crossbow still raised.

I look at Michael. He’s shifted and on his knees. He’s growling as he pulls the bolt out of his eye socket. He throws it and his face twists into rage. His good eye flares next to the now open hole in his head.

“CASS!”

I scramble to my feet and run.

I get to Ember. “GO! RUN!” I shove her out the door as Michael gets to his feet and runs with the determination to rip my head off.

“GET DOWN!” Ember shoves me to the ground, she waves her hand and the world goes watery.

I look to Michael and he’s stopped. He’s looking around like he’s searching for us.

I hear the whistle get high-pitched then the building explodes in a huge ball of flames. I cover Ember with my body and cover my own head. Burning pieces of debris and the shockwave hit us, but we’re protected in her shield. We’re surrounded by a fire ball and the ground shakes as the explosion rocks through.

I raise my head slowly and turn toward the building. “Holy fuck!”

The building is decimated. The street is covered in a mound of brick and debris. The buildings on either side are also destroyed. Smaller explosions happen inside the giant crater and what looks like magic dying rises hundreds of feet into the air and almost screams as it dissipates.

Car alarms go off. Dogs bark and the city seems to wake up. Ember drops her shield. Michael is gone, as well as those rogues who survived the fight and the blast.

I stand and help Ember up. She dusts herself off and glances at me. I look down at my naked self. My cheeks heat and I cover my manhood. “Uh…Damn…”

“It’s fine.” She stands and rubs her neck, she turns around and surveys the area. “What the hell was all that?”

Jesse and Puck walk from an alley across the street. “That was a good guy, gone sour. Cass, ya need to get River out here Pronto. He’ll need to know Mike’s here.” Jesse says.

I nod as I try to hide my embarrassment and calm my heart from almost getting killed. My shoulder and necks bleeding, but I can feel my skin start to stitch.

Puck looks at Jesse and I, naked as Jay birds. “I also think we need to move. They won’t stay away for long.” He waves his hand and we’re both dressed in hoodies and track pants. Jesse looks down at himself. He glares at Puck. “I don’t fucking think so.” He snarls as he pulls on the hoodie. “Change it.”

Puck crosses his arms. “Fine.” He smirks and waves his fingers. Jesse’s in a red dress and heels. Jesse juts his chin out and ticks his jaw. “You think I can’t kill you in heels? Cuz I can.”

I’m pressing my lips together, holding myself and covering my lips to hide the smile.

He narrows his eyes. “Don’t even.”

I wave at him. “Nope. Not even thinking…”

“Don’t lie ta me.” He says with snark.

“Puck!” Ember growls. I look her over. Seriously no patience.

Puck sighs. “God, you guys are no fun.” He waves his hand and Jesse back in his old clothes.

Jesse walks through us. “Ok. Kid, blink us to a gun shop. I need my irons. Puck, we need that arrow.”

“You’re not getting it now.” Puck crossed his arms again.

Ember turns to him. “Yes, I am.” She grits.

Puck leans to her. “No. You’re not.”

“You promised!” Ember snaps.

“Yes, I did until everything I needed to make it went boom. I don’t have the stuff.” He throws his hand to the giant hole in the street.

Ember stares at him. I can see her anger building.

“Uh, baby…um…It’s OK…It’s fine…” I try to calm her down. I place my hands on her shoulders. I’m calming myself to. Touching her seems to have that affect.

I feel her heat building and see her light cheeks turn red.

Jesse grabs my arm and pulls me back. “Hombre. Ya might want to stand back here.” He scrunches his nose. “Trust me.”

I look at him wide eyed then back at Ember. Her body shakes, her fists ball. You can almost see the fuse as it burns the final length then like the building, she blasted out. “WHAT?!!” Her voice is almost as loud as the explosion. I cringe next to Jesse. He looks at me and nods in an I told you so look.

“YOU MAKE THE ARROW, PUCK! RIGHT NOW! I’M NOT FUCKING AROUND! I WANT OFF THIS GUY AND I WANT IT NOW!!” She thumps a finger off his chest.

Her arms flail and my heart feels like it had just been punched. She can’t get away from me fast enough.

Jesse leans to me. “She’s just mad. Don’t worry about it. They never have any idea what they’re sayin’ when the viper comes.”

I hold myself. “No. She’s knows what she’s saying.” I know she does. She’s said it enough times.

“Look. I can’t make it right now, but I can replace the stuff again. The problem is it took me years to replace it all.”

“I DON’T HAVE YEARS PUCK!” Ember shoves herself in his space.

“Then I’m going to need help.” He lifts his chin to her.

I step up behind Ember. “Help with what?”

“I need to have certain ingredients. If you help me, it’ll make it go faster.” Puck informs.

Ember breathes deep and rubs her forehead. “Fine. Alright. What do you need?”

Puck thinks. “Well, to make an arrow, I need an arrow.”

“That’s easy.” Ember reaches for her quiver.

Puck holds up a hand. “Not that kind. A special arrow only meant for love at first sight dealers. I need the lust arrow.”

Embers eyes go wide. “Are you insane?” She mumbles.

“The jury’s still out on that one, but…no…for this to work, it has to be the…arrow.” He eyes me and Ember.

“The Arrow?” I look confused as I walk up and try to see her eyes.

Ember sighs and turns to me. “The Arrow. The one Eros shot himself in the foot with. It’s the Arrow that holds the love and want Psyche is under. He guards it with his life because he can actually be controlled by it under the right spell.”

I rub my forehead. “I’m so confused.”

“It’s a Greek God thing. It’s supposed to be confusing.” She slaps my chest.

“So, get the arrow and bring it to me and I’ll get the next ingredient. We’ll meet up in two days. How’s that?” puck places his hands on his hips.

“Do I have a choice?” Ember says.

He looks at me and her. “Not really.” He smiles. “Jesse.” He gives a two finger salute as Jesse scowls and disappears.

We group up again.

“Well, this…was very informative.” I smile.

“Shut up.” Ember glares.

“Right.” I mumble.

“Take me home. I need some comfortin’ before I tell River his friends an asshole.” Jesse rubs his hair.

“Sure. Let’s get this done as fast as we can so we can end this nightmare.” Ember grumbles.

“Nightmare?” I arch a brow.

She looks at me quick, grabs our arms and blinks us back to Phoenix to drop Jesse off and I get us a hotel room.

I didn’t sleep very well that night. Embers words and attitude hit me hard. I thought she was softening up to me, but she slammed that wall back up. Now that she’s on mission to destroy us, I can’t help but feel…rejected again.