Alpha Rising: The Wolf Runs
Chapter 9

RUSE

I felt the bond snap. Mine to hers is still weak, but I feel it in there. She mated one, and by the feeling I get from it; she mated Kale. I know what a bond is supposed to feel like. If Collin was the one she mated, the bond would feel comforting and bursting with love with the new mate jitters.

I don’t know how this happened. She is not supposed to be able to mark anyone yet and by the feeling I get even though it is faint, I can tell she marked Kale and not Collin. The feeling of the bond is sharp and viney and not at all comfortable.

This is all a little worrying. How has she marked someone? This doesn’t sit right with me, and talking to my father is what I need to do. Leaving my hut, I step outside and run right into Renwick. He growls before he sees my face.

“What is wrong?” His face morphs into concern, and it surprises me a moment before I walk past him.

“Nothing that I can’t handle.” I walk away again before Thorin appears out of nowhere and stops me.

“Something is wrong and if you look this concerned, it has to be about Krisna. What is it?” He blocks me and Juniper takes over the other side. Not appreciating it I growl low in my throat. Juniper steps forward more and looks me in the eye.

“Please tell us. We are all on edge and we see how concerned you are, and even though the two of them won’t ever admit it, not being near her is killing them.”

Taking a deep breath, I look at them, and I see through the facade that they have. Sighing, I know I should tell them. “Krisna mated Kale. I feel the edges of it because we haven’t fully mated, and if my feeling is correct he mated her since their bond is stronger inside.” I have been thinking about that and the more I do the more I realize this feeling is correct.

“What?” Renwick looks at me in disbelief. “Why would you say that?” I can hear the confusion and disbelief in his voice. Turning to him I point at my chest.

“I feel it here.” Circling my heart. “It is not Collin, or the bond wouldn’t feel like this.”

“How was she able to mate? She hasn’t got her wolf or she would be back.” Thorin drills holes into the side of my face, so I turn and look at him.

“I don’t know, which was why I was going to talk to my father.” I again move forward before I see the look pass between them. “What is going on? I see that look.” They hesitate and Juniper is the one who pushes the subject when Thorin and Renwick clam up.

“Tell him Ren.”

“Juniper, shut your mouth.” Renwick whispers harshly, looking around us to see who is in the vicinity.

“Maybe we should tell him and then go talk to the Alpha, Ren.” Thorin suggests while I stand here, confused as to what they are going on about.

Becoming frustrated, I again interrupt. “Will someone please tell me what is going on?”

“None of your damn business, Gamma.” Renwick spins on me and Thorin intervenes.

“Stop, Ren, because if it is because of the prophecy, then we need an answer too.” Thorin turns to me and I can tell by the way his eyes move over me he doesn’t want to talk about whatever it is they are talking about.

“Just tell me, please.” I look at him and let him see the need in my eyes. If it is to do with my mate, then I need to know.

“When we were younger, as you know, Krisna’s parents were murdered. It was partially due to jealousy and partially because of a prophecy.” Thorin looks at Renwick and that look passes between them that tells me they are communicating like only two people who know each other very well.

Renwick doesn’t look happy when his eyes slide to mine again. “They killed her parents because of a prophecy of her mother creating the world’s strongest and most dangerous wolves that would even have the possibility of magic. The Alpha at the time was scared and wanted her for himself, but because Kris’ mother was mated he had to stake a claim and hoped it worked and when it didn’t, he killed them and the babies inside her.”

I scowl. “That makes little sense. He killed her for a rumor. A wolf does not hold magic besides the ability to shift.” Krisna’s whole life changed because someone was scared and killed her parents and these idiots followed suit trying to kill her.

Ren speaks again. “There is a new red witch that inhabits the Redlands, but before her, it was another. She was the one who foretold the prophecy and passed it along. It is said that the wolf who holds the magic will bring fortune to the Redlands, and no one knows what that means.”

“You all are just guessing, then?” I am in complete disbelief that Krisna suffered so much for a prophecy. I know we all take these things seriously, but killing an entire family is not what you would expect from wolves.

“Enough talk. Let us go to your father.” Renwick shoves past me, and it takes everything in me not to hit him back. He is not my Alpha. I know this. I follow him to my father’s home and take great satisfaction as I push past him. This is my father’s home, and he wouldn’t be allowed to enter uninvited.

He snarls at me again, and I turn and smile in his face. I open the door and call for my father. It is weird because I am so used to Collin being the first to greet me and he is not this time. My mother comes around the corner with a smile on her face and pulls me into a hug.

“My boy, how are you?” Her love is so pure that it makes me smile. I hug her tightly before pulling back.

“Where is father? I need to talk to him.” Her face changes with the look on my face.

“Is everything okay?” Her eyes search mine, frantically looking for anything that could possibly be wrong.

“It’s Krisna, mom.” My father walks into the room wearing relaxing sweats and his slippers.

“What’s this I hear? Is something wrong with my son’s mate?” Noticing the males behind me, my father stands tall, immediately showing his dominance, and I can feel the Alpha power behind him. Thorin eyes meet the ground showing respect, and Renwick meets and holds his gaze for a moment before his eyes snap to the floor in respect as well. “Come in and tell me.”

My father turns and moves toward the living room and we all follow. Once he sits down, I am the one to start the conversation.

“This morning, I felt a bond with Krisna snap into place. It was a full bond, he marked her and she marked him in return. I know it is not Collin.”

“Wait, Collin. Is Krisna’s mate as well?” My mother interrupts and it dawns on me I never told them that he was.

“Yes, and so are they.” I motion to the other three wolves in the room and then turn back to my mother and father. “She is also mated to their fourth, Kale. He is the one she marked, and I need to know how it is possible, seeing as none of them have their wolves yet.”

“That shouldn’t be possible, son.” My father leans forward and I can see the wheels turning in his head. “I’ve never heard of anything like that being possible. A wolf would have to possess magic to do that.” I watch my father stand and walk around to his bookshelf, pulling a book from there. “There was a foretelling once upon a time of a great female Alpha wolf that would possess the powers of both shifter and wolf, and when mated properly, her mates would share the power if she found the mate that possessed magic abilities as well.”

Now I feel like we are getting pieces of information. I look at Renwick and I motion to my dad letting him know he needs to tell him what they know. I listen as Ren tells him and it becomes apparent that because no one really knows what is going on that an entire family was almost slaughtered due to fear.

“When she comes back, we need to see the markings on them.” My father mentions and I agree, noticing how Renwick doesn’t open his mouth. “Do you not want to see them?” The curiosity in my father has me smirking when I see Ren wince. He doesn’t want to tell another Alpha that he is planning on leaving his mate.

“We are leaving as soon as Kale comes back.” I hear the intake of my mother and I turn and look at her.

“You can’t mean that. Abandoning a mate, especially one who will need you as she reaches her heat.” The quiver in my mother’s voice is soft and can make almost anyone want to make sure she is okay.

Renwick clears his voice and looks at her. “Respectfully, we have our reasons and a plan and that does not include her.” Ren turns and storms out leaving us all in shock.

Kale

This is not what I expected. This feeling of being attached to her. I feel her when she is near me and when she smiles and even when she is getting pleasure, which is the worst part. I don’t like that. I can feel how much she enjoys being with Collin. It is not jealousy; I know she is hisate; it is just a war inside myself that I want her and don’t in the same breath.

We have started to travel again, days on end. I always know when she is looking at me. I am aware of every little breath she takes and every beat of her heart. I have tossed around theories in my head, wondering how this could be possible and all I can think about is the prophecy.

For years we wondered, and with not having all the information and what would be happening, I am thinking THIS is what the Redlands witch was speaking of. Sitting down on a rock and wiping the sweat from my face, I look out at the landscape, trying not to wince at the still sharp bump under my eye.

Being out here is incredible and while I have no idea where I am going, this landscape is so different from back home. It is covered in the desert colors but with trees in random places and ponds.

“Let’s hunt.” Collin shouts at me. I look up and see him stretching while Krisna sits on the rock next to him. She avoids looking at me whenever she can, but the fact remains, I can feel her emotions and I know I can talk through the bond to her.

I stand, stretching myself, and I feel the moment her eyes caress me. I love feeling her need focused on me and I make sure that she can see part of my stomach as I purposely take my time stretching both ways until I see Collin hiding a smirk.

“Fine.” Putting my arms down, I can’t help but wink at her. I watch the surprise cross her face before her lips curls as she tries to hide that she was looking at me.

I follow Collin, and we walk in silence. I am watching my wolf sniff out prey until I feel the tension in the air.

Sighing, I look at Collin and am not shocked to see him staring at me already. “Say what’s on your mind.”

Stopping, I turn and face him, waiting for him to spit out whatever he has to say. He doesn’t say anything for a moment. Collin takes a moment to look around and I see him look behind us to make sure Krisna is not near. We don’t know what her wolf does.

“You need to figure out what you want from her.” Collin doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He immediately goes for the root of the issue. “She has a connection with you deeper than anyone else right now, and I see the look in your face. You are not wanting to keep her.”

“She is a grown woman and can make her own decisions.” I cross my arms, showing him I am not talking about this.

He shocks me by grabbing my shirt and bringing us face to face. That is not what pisses me off. What pisses me off is that I get a twinge of fear that passes through me. He is the stronger wolf and I can feel it in my soul. Damn it to all wolf goddesses.

“This is why I know you don’t want her. You don’t care what type of damage you are doing to her as long as you get your fix before you go back to your pack. She is going to lose a part of herself when you walk away. You shouldn’t be teasing her.”

“What I decide to do is none of your business,” I growl into his face.

“Actually, it is. My brother and I will be the ones there for her, while the rest of you break her heart.” He is breathing heavily and I know that I lost this one. He is right. We are going to leave her and breaking the bond is going to hurt all of us.

“How about we hunt, huh?” I don’t want to continue to talk about this. I push ahead of him, feeling the stirrings in my body. I hate knowing what I am going to do to her. This bond happened and now even the thought of making her cry makes me want to rip my own head off.

Would I even want her? Would she even want to make it work with us? What would Renwick and Thorin do?

Thoughts of her and me in bed, naked and maybe even with a belly holding our baby. She would look beautiful pregnant. I shake my head, trying to clear the thoughts that I keep having. There is no need for me to daydream. I may be attached to her now, but it will be broken once I am back to the village.

Juniper and I are the last ones to have to do the wolf run. Renwick wants to travel further until we replace a land unoccupied and make it ours, and make it home to others in need and who will be an asset to us. It’s almost ironic and I have to stop the snort.

We are trying to create a haven for wolves who need one and we are getting ready to tear our mate apart.

“Hey, pay attention. We need to get some food and bring it back to Krisna.” Collin whispers in my direction and I move forward and see some desert steeds. These creatures are very gentle and they’re not one to defend their territory. They mate four times a year and they mate and bond with a select few partners for life. Which, with their incredibly long lifespans, is quite common among this species.

They stand tall and proud. It is easy to tell the males from the females. The males have large silver antlers that stand out against their light multicolored coats. The females don’t have antlers but they have light red fur and slimmer necks compared to the males.

Smiling, I move with Collin. This should be easy enough. The males will try to protect the females if we go for them, confusing them enough to take out a male. I lower myself looking for something that we can use.

“Here, sharpen this to a point.” Collin thrusts a sturdy stick at me and I see he has one in his hand as well. I take the rock and start making it a point. Before I can finish, Collin nudges me. “Do you hear that?”

I pause, trying to listen, and after a moment I hear the faint movement down the hill from where we are. “I do. We should see what it is.” Another shifter doesn’t bother me. In fact, expelling some of this energy will do me some good. I motion for him to move closer and together we look over the rock.

Fear hits me first. These are not other shifters below. These are males dressed in the colors of the Redlands, red, black and gold. They have actual weapons and I can see they are also hunting the desert steeds. I knew we were close to the Redlands, but I wasn’t expecting to see anyone.

“What are they doing all the way out here?” I think out loud, but Collin answers instead.

“I can only think that this is a possible scouting party and that they have been out here a while and that is why they are hunting now.” It makes sense, but what could they possibly be wanting? Are they looking for easy soon to be shifters?

I breathe heavier and realize that I am getting skittish. I don’t think I am about to shift but it tells me I may not be the Beta I thought I was. Trying to calm down, I watch as the warriors surround a powerful-looking desert steed and another shock hits me when I see a woman in the group of men. She looks to be the fiercest.

We watch them trap the male, and the woman is the one who jumps into the air,making the final blow. The steed falls, and the woman laughs, moving to a male that I hadn’t noticed before. Together they move closer to us and Collin shoves us down harder, making sure we are not noticed.

While they are closer to us we are able to hear them talking. “Alore, thanks for bringing me along.”

I hear a laugh before the male speaks. “Ya, you better be happy brat. Mom about killed me when I told her I was taking you.”

“Well, you’re the best older brother.” We hear the complete admiration in her voice.

“And you’re the best pain in the a*s, sister. I will tell you to stay away from Paxeor. He is not the one for you and no matter what mom says, you will not marry him. Especially if she wants me to marry some shifter.”

My ears perk. Shifters don’t marry and they haven’t mated outside themselves ever. We listen more to them and learn that these are the children of the red witch. If I had my wolf I would kill them both where they stand. After they leave. Collin and I go back to Krisna with no food but knowledge. There will be much to tell the guys when I return, replaceing out that the witch has children is not a known fact, but slowly it is becoming one, which means mother’s plans will be coming out soon enough.