Page 4 of Claiming Her Alpha

Though she could see and feel herself she wasn’t able to connect with her body. She could feel the pain, but as if it was through a veil. The creature grew bigger with each second and the more it grew the less control Kendra seemed to have over herself.

From behind the being, she watched her body start to move. At first, she had the grace of a baby deer, tripping and stumbling but then she ran faster and faster, and after a few moments she surpassed the pace of her fastest sprint.

Kendra tried to feel more of herself, but the thing was in her way, stopping her from accessing her own body. She tried to fight it. She was desperate to regain control, so focused on pushing past that veil that it took her a while to realize that something was different.

She wasn’t running on her two legs, but rather on four. Her vision was much clearer too. She adjusted her mind’s focus and tried to feel her body instead of wanting to gain access again. Then, it dawned on her. She was no longer a human.

She was a wolf.

Chapter Two

Even though it was their Goddess’s Moonnight, Ryker was busy patrolling the Blood Wolves’ territory. Not only because he was the lead warrior but because he volunteered for it each year. He didn’t have blood family within the pack so he let his men enjoy the night with their families. At least as many of them as he could spare without endangering the pack’s safety.

He’d grown up as a rogue wolf–a wolf without a pack. His mother had never told him who his father was, only that he carried wolf blood. Ryker knew that his mother must have been part of a pack at some point, but she refused to talk about it.

His wolf came to him at the age of fourteen–sixteen years ago. Three years after that, his mother died. After trying and failing to fit in with the human world like his mother wanted, he’d gone out to seek a pack of his own. Many had turned him away. It was only when he’d stumbled upon the small but vicious pack of the Blood Wolves that he found his home.

They weren’t called the Blood Wolves out of sheer fun. The blood of their enemies decorated the territory’s border. Ryker had added his own blood when he’d joined the pack, just like every young wolf that Isis gifted to them. The pack was known to kill whoever crossed their borders without permission, no questions asked.

The following evening, he would take the new wolves out to the borders so they could add their own blood in an oath to provide, protect, and even give their life for the pack if necessary.

His patrol was interrupted when Gabriel, his beta, sent out an alarm. ‘Intruder to the south. Heading straight to the village.’

Ryker’s paws started moving as fast as they could towards Gabriel who seemed to be running after the intruder. Since Ryker was already close, he caught up to the chase quickly. Gabriel was chasing a massive grey wolf. As soon as he inhaled the new wolf’s peachy scent, his own wolf started pacing and howling in the back of his mind, pushing to take control.

Before Ryker could figure out his next move, Tailor’s wolf jumped the grey one from the side, digging his canines into its shoulder. Without warning Ryker lost control. His wolf pushed his mind aside and darted towards Tailor, sinking his teeth into his friend’s neck. He wrenched Tailor off, throwing him to the side before putting himself between the warriors and the enemy wolf. Then, it dawned on him, why his wolf was behaving like that.

The whimpering, bleeding wolf beneath him was his mate.

Slowly, more warriors appeared, circling Ryker. With his wolf in control, he had no way of linking with them. His friends growled and threatened him like he was the enemy, his wolf mirroring them. They’d hurt his mate, had made her bleed. And for that his wolf wanted revenge.

The circle of wolves parted, giving Alpha Vallerian a path to approach. His dominance spread through the air and even Ryker’s erratic wolf couldn’t withstand him. As his alpha stepped closer, Ryker’s wolf bowed before him, giving Ryker the opening to regain control.

As soon as he could link again, he bowed until his neck was exposed. ‘My mate.’

‘Step aside,’ Alpha Vallerian growled, fuming with anger and disappointment.

With his wolf fighting him every second, Ryker stepped aside.

His mate’s heartbeat was weak, the air leaving her lungs in shallow breaths. Alpha Vallerian sniffed the wolf before pushing into Ryker’s mind.

‘Take her to Melanie and then come see me. No delays!’

‘Yes, Alpha.’

Without hesitation, Ryker shifted and kneeled down, running his fingers through the soft fur of the grey wolf. His mind spun, his wolf still angered by what Tailor had done. His mate’s blue eyes met his and immediately his whole world stopped. His heart no longer pumped to keep himself alive. Now it beat for the other half of his soul laying before him. A moment later, her eyes fell shut and she lost consciousness.

Much slower than usual, her bones cracked and rearranged as the fur turned into skin. A few long, agonizing moments later, a woman laid before him. Her shoulder still bled and her red curls covered her face. His heart ached for her, but he had no time to waste. His alpha was already raging at his disobedience. He hadn’t only lost control of his wolf, but had hurt his own pack by attacking one of his warriors.

Quickly but carefully, he lifted her into his arms. Taking care to keep her covered, he started to carry her towards the village.

He was guarded by a wolf to either side of him. It wasn’t to protect him or his precious mate. They were protecting the village from him. The moment he’d put an enemy above his pack’s safety, he’d lost their trust.

Gabriel walked behind them in his human form. “Melanie knows that we’re coming.”

Ryker nodded, unable to speak. His mind was swirling with all kinds of emotions. He was joyful to have found his mate, but he was worried for her wellbeing. Besides the overwhelming feeling of carrying his mate in his arms, finally feeling her touch and his skin tingling as they touched, he still felt guilty for what he’d done to Tailor. He looked around, but couldn’t see him anywhere.

“He’s already with Melanie,” Gabriel offered.