The Wanted Alpha

Christopher

I laid against my beautiful wolf’s chest with his arm around my shoulders, his hot skin the only blanket I required to stay warm. On the drive here I had resolved myself not to lose my senses and be swept away in my soulmate’s turbulent allure. And that resolve had completely dissipated the moment I stepped over the threshold of his home.

“What do you think? I know it’s only 4 days away, but getting married on the solstice seems pretty sweet” he said dreamily, I could already envision his endearing smile spread across his face.

Winter solstice was a significant time for vampires as well, we too shared the moon goddess as a creator. Our ancestors were said to be humans that swore to protect the goddess’s sacred pool of life, her source of power on earth. As thanks she permitted the human protectors to drink from her pool and attain great speed, healing and long life; but as with any gift it came with a price, to consume the life force of a living organism to sustain our own or fade to dust. It was said that without my ancestors protection the moon goddess would have never been able to create the wolves or the wiccans. Marriage on a solstice was a fairly common tradition within vampire couples, though many would choose the summer as it involved the pair standing in a body of water, to symbolise our creation.

“You realise that vampires marry in water, outside? Are you quite willing to risk hypothermia?” I asked with a laugh “and technically by our standards, we’re already married. Our souls, our life forces are already joined. We would simply be paying l*p service to a tradition. And you cannot even wear a marriage band. You need to be able to shift without hindrance.”

“Your traditions are important to me and you already said yes, so we’re doing this. As for the ring, I’d be able to wear it sometimes but when I can’t, I thought maybe you’d be able to hold on to it, like on a chain? And it’s not as though we’d be in the water for long, right?” he asked, sitting up slightly to look at me.

I turned to face him “no, the ceremony is only brief, just the two of us. We vow our lives together, join our souls, which we have already done, and then exchange our bands. After, we celebrate with our families and coven or pack as it would be here.”

“Trust me, if it’s a chance to eat and party, the pack will be all over it!” he laughed heartily.

True, wolves were famous for their appetites.

I kissed him hungrily in acceptance, moved that even though we were already joined, he still wanted to respect my people’s rituals.

After a few minutes of being nestled close to one another, he suddenly felt rigid before he sat bolt upright, knocking me from his chest and almost off of the bed.

“Oh s**t! I’m so sorry! You ok?” he exclaimed, as he rushed to fuss over me.

I chuckled at his fretting, knowing he would never intentionally hurt me; clearly something had happened and since they were mind-linking Jude, it must be important.

“Quite. I take it a situation has transpired?”

“You can say that again. A traitor we’ve been trying to track down has just been apprehended. Ethan’s on his way there now, he’ll give us a run down once we arrive, if you wanna come? He suggested you come, you’re a leader too so you might be able to help?” he asked as he stood and started to get dressed.

It was certainly not how I envisioned the rest of our evening, especially after completing the werewolf mating and other exertions that had left the two of us fatigued. But his position came with obligations that could not simply be ignored, as I knew well.

“Of course, I suppose a Beta’s work is never over.”

And with that I stood to dress as well, rolling my eyes at how Jude eyed and practically drooled over my bare figure. The two of us swiftly headed out down to my truck, I may as well take advantage of the situation to start gaining my bearings of this territory.

“Shifting would be quicker” Jude said as we walked over to the vehicle “you could always ride on my back, wouldn’t be the first time you’ve ridden me tonight” he smirked wickedly my way.

I knew my skin had flushed instantly, judging by the heat I felt on my face at the reminder of just how intimate we had been this evening.

“You are about to interrogate a prisoner” I reprimanded “could you kindly remove your mind from the gutter and focus on the task at hand, wolf.”

This man and his damned flirtations!

“When you’re present sweetheart, you are the task at hand” his smirk only deepened at his words.

I threw my hands up in the air in frustration and moved to get in the driver’s seat “Get. In!” I snapped, growing irritated that his words flustered me to no end.

And that goddess forsaken grin was still plastered on his exquisite face.

———-

Jude had fully explained the situation with this traitor by the time we had arrived. He led us through the entrance of prison to where we would meet his Alpha. I wasn’t quite sure how I would help in any of this investigation, I had only just been made aware of it and I had no idea who this perpetrator was. Something about this seemed unusual but Jude was unfazed. I had begun to wonder why Ethan hadn’t told him the identity of the prisoner, why was he insistent that Jude be told at the prison and why did he really want me to accompany his Beta?

We came to a stop by a secured door where his Alpha, Luna and the Gamma waited, all wearing a most serious expression.

“Hope you guys didn’t start the party without me?” Jude was obviously eager to start the proceedings, but the slight pitying looks he seemed unaware of had an alarm ringing within my mind.

The confusion, hurt, and anger that my soulmate showed was but a pittance of what swirled within at the revelation that his past lover had used him in such an abhorrent way. I felt how his Luna’s calm and caring words settled his inner turmoil, if only briefly, before guilt reigned over him at realising he had unknowingly fallen part of this villain’s plan to abduct her. His voice, so broken, threatened to overwhelm me where I stood.

This was why Ethan wanted me here, not to assist in an interrogation, but to be of comfort to Jude.

I slipped my hand into his, nearing my lips to his ear to whisper only to him “I am by your side through everything, you’re my wolf…my husband. His misdeeds brought you to me, do not forget that.”

His smile was faint but beautiful, as he pressed his forehead to mine, nuzzling me. I felt a warmth spread through my chest, knowing that my words had had the desired effect.

The Alpha disappeared through one door while the Luna led us through another to a darkened room that looked out onto a man handcuffed to a metal table, wearing a pathetically pitiful expression.

So this was him.

The Luna introduced us to a man stood behind us, Bryce, one of their best warriors that had been guarding this wretch. But our attention was quickly turned back to the prisoner as Ethan began his questioning. I held onto Jude’s hand as his grip tightened slowly as the interrogation progressed.

“You took my mate…my fated mate, Maria.”

…He had a fated mate while he engaged himself with my soulmate?! For revenge and information?!

The unearthly silence in the room spoke volumes to what had been revealed. A swirling mess of uncontainable rage, betrayal and violence exploded within my mind that almost blinded my vision, emotions that were not my own. It wasn’t until I heard the loud bang of the door that snapped me back to my senses. Though I couldn’t mind-link Jude like a werewolf, my kind could sense intentions from our own and him being my soulmate, I could sense his and almost hear them. And they screamed ‘KILL’, ‘B***D’ from both him and his wolf. If he killed this man, Ethan would discover no more vital information. Jude’s actions were beyond his control presently, I knew if he did anything rash now he would regret it deeply later.

His Alpha was managing to hold Jude back, but I knew my touch would calm him enough to remove him from the room so Ethan could resume his cross-examination. It took all my strength to hold him back as his struggles continued. But at this wastrel dog’s miserable ‘declaration of love’, I felt an agonising pang of pure fury course through my chest as though a flaming dagger had carved through my chest. I was propelled backwards, colliding with the concrete of the wall harshly, as my soulmate’s singular fixation was now his prey. Still experiencing disorientation and vaguely aware of the commotion continuing, I struggled to my feet. If Jude shifted now, this would be a bloodbath.

I took his face between my hands, looking into his blackened eyes, willing to see those beautiful ocean depths that I loved once more.

“Jude!…Jude stop. Just look at me. Don’t concern yourself with him…just me.”

“Jude!…Jude stop. Just look at me. Don’t concern yourself with him…just me.”

I felt him coming back to me, both he and Jace beginning to calm and the red mist they experienced lifting.

My little wolf was the most infuriating, maddening, sarcastic, lewd man I had ever met…and was without doubt the most precious thing my soul could ever possess. This…creature…had used him in the most vile way possible. I cared nothing for his reasons, they could never justify this type of betrayal.

I was faster than any werewolf…I could do it…snap his neck clean in two. And a very deep, primal part of myself demanded it…

But as Jude came back to me, the rage that had consumed him was replaced with humiliation and hurt. He broke free of our combined hold and ran. I stared after him, overwhelmed by his emotions I felt as my own. I nodded to Ethan to let him know I would follow and assured the Luna I would make sure no harm came to him.

Outside the prison I saw Jude shift and take off into the forest, heading towards what appeared to be east. Though he was far faster in his wolf form, I was more than capable of keeping pace but his agility through the undergrowth hampered my ability to gain on him.

I lost sight of him under the moonlight through the grasses beyond the woods, but with the scent of salt and ocean so strong he couldn’t be far.

A hurt filled cry rung out into the night, one that pierced my soul and clasped my heart painfully.

Snow scattered along the beach and a bitter wind blew from the sea where my soul’s other half knelt bare in the sand looking out to the ocean. I couldn’t pinpoint a singular emotion, just a whirling symphony of despair.

Jude

I had never felt so humiliated in my life.

All that time…I was being used.

There were times, with Ethan, that I found him frustrating and almost unbearable to deal with after Maria. But now I knew better. I understood exactly why he had run like he had, because right now, I wanted to do the same.

F**k…and everyone knew just how intimate we had been. It was no secret how often I’d come from his room or he would come from mine. The thought of every time we had slept together made my skin crawl, I doubt all the wolfsbane and silver in the world would be enough to burn his touch off of my skin.

How could Kit ever want me again after the things he had heard?

My paws hit the sand; unable to run any further, I shifted back to my human form and shouted in pure frustration and hurt into the night. I could barely feel the biting cold that whipped at my skin, but I didn’t miss the warm, gentle fingers that slipped across my back.

My mate knelt in front of me and his soft smile broke the last restraint of the dam I’d been holding back as he pulled me into his chest. He said nothing as he held me tight against him, allowing me to pour out my hurt. He raised my face to look at him, his thumbs rubbing my damp cheeks as he pressed his forehead against mine.

“Sorry for sending you flying. You ok?” I asked in a hoarse voice, remembering now how I had thrown him off of me while I had been in a blind rage. My wolf whimpered from his ball of self-pity at the idea that we may have hurt our mate.

“I’m fine, no apologies are needed. You’re very strong, if anything I’m impressed. It took myself, your Alpha and Gamma to hold you back” he chuckled gently but warmly.

“I feel like I’ve just brought you into the worst situation possible. It’s not the most conventional start to a relationship.”

This was probably the most f****d up way to start anything. He had barely been in my life a day and everything was already a mess.

He laughed, heartily “I am a 103 year old Dutch vampire coven leader who found his soulmate in a Beta werewolf male 77 years his junior during an attempted kidnapping. I highly doubt ‘conventional’ will ever form part of our life together” his voice and smile still radiated warmth, without a hint of reconsideration.

“77 years? So…I’m kinda your wolf toy boy then?” I sniffled a little, offering a watery but mischievous smile.

His eyes flashed that beautiful honey-gold as they swirled in colour like his skin “there’s my infuriating little wolf” he whispered as his lips connected with my own.