The Mark of an Alpha
Chapter 18

The silence that is resonating in the forest at the moment makes my heart hammer in my chest.

Nature should be alive with noise from the howling wolf to a chirping cricket. At the moment it all seize to exist.

My paws skid to a stop as the wind brushes through my fur and the eerie silence engulfs my hearing. My wolf is not happy to be caught by surprise.

We are meant to be the hunter, not the hunted, the predator becomes the prey is not our thing.

Melany, someone is here with you. You’re like a sitting duck out here.

We are out in the open.

My wolf senses are on high alert. My breath hangs heavy as my heated breath meets the frosty air.

The branch snapping makes my ears perk up and my wolf takes complete control of her body. There is a rancid smell in the air and the stench is clinging to my nostrils.

It’s a rogue!

My wolf runs but not as fast as she could, she is holding back, waiting to see what I want to do. I cannot let this wolf make me run on my land.

An alpha would stand and fight. They do not allow their past to haunt them.

Alphas learn from their mistakes and grow, not cower.

Let’s take it down.

My wolf seems satisfied with that answer she speeds down the bank of the creek, my footsteps sloshy with the wetness of the mud between my paws. The footsteps strain to run faster the sound of the rogue’s paws hitting the ground becomes louder. It does not care that I can hear him anymore he knows that his presence is known. He is ready to attack as well as I am.

My claws dig deeper into the ground and push me further, faster towards the trees. I am concentrated on the trees when something darts out from the side out of my view.

It all happens too fast. One second the trees are ahead and the next my eyes are staring at the sky.

The impact throws my head to the side and my surprise whimper gets caught in my throat. My body is thrown to the side my teeth snap at the attacker and my teeth grips his leg as I take the wolf with me.

A snarl burst through me and my lips roll back baring my teeth at the wolf in front of me. The scent extruding off of this wolf is not the same as the one before. Its scent envelopes me and my wolf relaxes.

It’s Hunter!

The mud clings to my fur as I begrudgingly lift myself to my feet.

Hunter’s wolf is huge but that is normal for an alpha. His dusty tan fur is almost the same shade as his hair. His golden eyes lock on mine and his breath is coming out in quick sessions and evaporating in front of him just as quickly tells me that he is not happy.

Hunter’s eyes dart in all directions, his eyes shifting around uneasy. He knows that there is something out there as well and he cannot locate it either. He strides to my side and nudges me with his snout to keep moving, he releases a frustrated noise from his snout and I growl at him. He directs me back to the packhouse and I follow him.

We run, Hunter not letting me outrun him or fall behind, he keeps me by his side as we make it to the edge of the trees the packhouse in view.

I shift back into my human form as does Hunter.

“What were you thinking?” He snaps at me. He stands before me with his birthday suit and I avert my eyes and now becoming well aware of my nakedness.

“Who do you think you are? You’re on my turf so stay out of my business!” I shout of him letting my anger get the best of me. I am not going to let him yell at me just because he is an alpha as well.

“How are you even an alpha?” His hands clench into fists by his head as he tries to wrap his head around that concept.

Those words are like a slap across my face and I bite my tongue because what I have on my mind is not going to be taken lightly.

“That rogue was tracking you since you shifted and you barely noticed him when you got to the creek!” His eyes burn into mine if I were not an alpha I would bow down to him and hope for forgiveness. He has his role as alpha down, now if only I could do the same.

“If he would have got me what would it even matter to you?” I snap at him, “I can take care of myself!”

With all the commotion outside some of the members from my pack start coming out of the packhouse checking to see what is going on.

“I’m not a child! You,” my eyes scan everyone outside, “need to learn that. I am the alpha and if you feel like you can do a better job than me then challenge me but do not just stare at me like I’m a little girl that needs to be watched over all the time.”

The hot tears start streaming down my cheeks without my permission and my head and chest hurt. I want to let it all out everything that I have bottled inside.

“Stop pitying me. I know I watched my father get killed I held him in my arms as he took his last breath and I can feel everything you all go through plus my pain.”

I gasp for air and drop to my knees feeling as the weight is being lifted off my shoulders.

“I just don’t understand how anyone can do this!” I sob and bury my face into my hands.

Everyone stands quietly not daring to utter a word or move. I can feel Hunter come closer to me even though I am not looking at him.

“Alpha Blake I didn’t know.” His anger long gone as he tries to comfort me. I want to scream at him, at anyone, but all my energy vanishes.

“Melany,” Andrew’s whisper reaches me making my head shoot up as he comes out of the packhouse last. His eyes widen as he takes in what is happening.

“There is a rogue out there if you want to get some other members of your pack to track it down,” Hunter says and I see Andrew take the stairs two at a time.

“Are you okay?” He says as he looks at me all I can manage is a nod. Andrew takes that as his cue and runs off with two wolves behind him.

“Of course you didn’t,” I sigh and take a deep breath, “no one did,” I answer Hunter as I bite my lip to stop the sob trying to escape me.

He stands in front of me. He is not seeing an alpha but a broken person that needs to heal her wounds. His hand stretches out to me and I take it he pulls me closer to him as if afraid that I will break before him his hand wraps around my waist and he holds onto me tightly.

For the first in a long time, I let someone comfort me. Forgetting that my pack is outside with us he leads me up to the house, upstairs, and into my bedroom. He leads me to the bed and makes me sit down on the edge I stare at him as he rummages through my dresser and pulls out some underwear and sweatpants then moves along and grabs a shirt.

“Here change it is cold outside and in here for a matter a fact.” He hands me the clothes and stares at me.

“Can you turn around?”

“Really I’ve seen you naked already what are you trying to hide?”

His smile is sweet as he stares at me. I know it is true but I cannot move. His gaze makes me feel a bit uncomfortable.

“Fine, I’ll be right back.” He walks out of my room and it is like lightning struck me I jump off the bed and change quickly before he has a chance to come back into my room.

Stop being such a girl!

I am a girl!

Hunter saunters back into my bedroom as if it is his own. He is wearing just some pajama bottoms, “I’m going to ask you something and I want you to answer me truthfully, can you do that?”

I stare at him blankly, what does he want to know? “I guess.”

“I’ll take that. When was the last time you had a good night’s sleep?” My mouth drops and my eyebrows furrow. That is not a normal question to ask.

“Why do you ask that?” I sound dumbfounded.

“I don’t know when was the last time you looked in the mirror,” my eyes narrow at him, “but you look beat and exhausted.”

I sigh in submission, “it’s been a while. I’m having a lot of trouble sleeping.” I sit back down on the bed Hunter follows me and sits down next to me.

His presence is somewhat comforting. Hunter has this aura that makes him trustworthy quickly.

“You know that there is a lot of perks about being an alpha.”

Of course, there is an entire pack at your beck and call, the respect, and most of all the shutting almost everyone out of your mind.

“Such as...” I press.

“We all have some hidden talents. I happen to be able to relax you. Take all the pain, worry, and stress away.”

He is staring at me from the corner of his eye as I stare at him flabbergasted. I know about the secret powers not everyone has them but the fact the Hunter found his power is astonishing, and he is so young as well.

“Really!”

He nods, “Yes, all I have to do is have contact with the person and I ease their pain.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I arch an eyebrow at him.

“I need your help and in return, I will help you.”

He wants me to owe him?

“What do you want?”

“We’ll talk about that later but for now get into bed and I’ll help you fall asleep.” I lay down and pull my blanket over me not sure of what to expect. Hunter motions me to scoot over a bit. I do and he climbs into bed with me.

“What are you doing?” I shout in surprise and prop myself up on my elbow. My body stiffens as he invades my personal space. He lifts the blanket and covers himself.

“I am going to make you relax and I need to have contact with you all night so that it will work. Hopefully, Andrew doesn’t get mad.” He shrugs as he scoots closer to me.

His words confuse me. His cold hands accidentally skim my exposed back as he gets into a comfortable position.

“Why would he get mad? What does Andrew have to do with this?”

“Well, mates usually will kill any other male that dares touch their mate.” He looks at me as if I am a confused child and I stare at him as if he has grown a second head.

“He’s not,” my jaw drops and I look at him, “he is not my mate. He’s my friend.”

“Oh well, then that explains certain things.” His arm snakes around my waist and he pulls me into his chest and I squeal. My hands press against his chest.

No one has touched me since Marcus. I thought my wolf would be putting up a fight but at the thought of having a night's rest seems appealing to her.

Thanks for helping me out.

Shut up and get some sleep, lord knows you need it.

I turn so that my back pressed against his chest and his chin rests on top of my head. “Goodnight and sweet dreams,” he murmurs against my hair and my wolf drags me into slumber with her. She does not even let me put up a fight, not that I want to. We both need this and I welcome the darkness. His body heats mine and I feel as if there is nothing to worry about at the moment.

Sleep consumes me like wildfire and my wolf for once lets herself fall into a deep sleep.

I like Hunter.

Unconsciousness swallows me as my wolf’s words fade away.