The Alpha (The Pack 3)

There are four men here and the Hanley Alpha, I told him, fear hiccupping through me as I realized help wasn’t on its way. The Hanley Alpha challenged Caleb. He wants the Navarre Pack.

Growls ripped through the Pack link, reverberating in my head until I shouted, Stop. They silenced immediately and I took a deep breath. Does anyone there know where we are? Is there any way for you to track us?

Let me find out, Trent answered, hesitating before continuing. Stay alive, he commanded, his voice brooking no argument. Whatever happens, survive.

I will, I promised, my attention focused back on the two men in front of me. One old and grizzled, hungry for power at any cost and the other, young and determined, already aware that power came at a cost.

“Here and now,” Caleb stated, spitting on the ground at Hanley’s feet. “Let’s see if you really are an Alpha.” His derision had the desired effect as Hanley snarled, his fist coming up and slamming into Caleb’s face while his men continued to hold him.

“Watch your tongue or I’ll rip it out,” he threatened and Caleb smiled, blood coating his teeth as it dripped down his chin.

“You’re not really my type,” he replied, widening his mouth as he flicked his tongue up and down. “I expect dinner first.”

Hanley roared in rage at Caleb’s insinuation, his fist clenching as Caleb leaned forward, tilting his head sideways in invitation for him to hit him again. Hanley paced back, agitated, but not biting.

“Release him,” he ordered, his head jerking toward the two men who still held Caleb. “We fight and I want no interference,” he commanded, his gaze sweeping over the men until their eyes dropped. “I kill him.”

The gun barrel pressed uncomfortably against my temple as Hanley glanced back at Caleb. “You try anything and she’ll be dead before you can reach her,” he promised as the guy holding the gun pressed hard enough to force my head sideways.

Caleb nodded tightly, sending me a glance I couldn’t interpret as the men holding him shoved him forward on the ground. He slammed to his knees as Hanley started to strip. I brought my hand up to shield my eyes from the gag inducing sight. Shifters remained in peak condition throughout their lives, but that didn’t mean I ever wanted to see a Hanley ball sack.

Caleb reached for the collar of his shirt, yanking it up and over his head with one smooth motion, almost disguising his wince. The purple bruises covering his chest though were easy to spot. They’d beat him but I knew the shift would heal any wounds he had. I crossed my fingers that nothing was broken though. I’d noticed Caleb limping as we’d tried to find our way out and I knew any weakness would lead to a quick end, and we needed time.

He finished stripping and in the blink of an eye a sandy brown wolf stood in his place. My vision blurred for a second as nausea swept over me and my mother’s burning gaze met mine. It was gone in a heartbeat and I sagged slightly, forcing the guy to tighten his hold on me.

“No funny business,” he growled, giving me a shake. “Once this is over, I got first dibs.”

I glanced at him over my shoulder, tempted to puke on him before the nausea faded, and told him, “If you really think you’re going to be first, then you’re even dumber than you look.”

It took a minute before my words registered and anger coated his face, but by then my attention was back on the wolves facing off in front of me. Hanley was bigger than Caleb but there was gray in his coat and I hoped youth would gave Caleb an advantage.

They circled one another, studying their opponent for any sign of weakness. The fight wouldn’t be decided by brute strength alone, but cunning as well. I worried Caleb would be hindered by his lack of experience, but when he suddenly lunged, snapping at Hanley’s back leg, I remembered who had trained him to fight.

The next few minutes were a blur of tangled wolves, blood and fur flying as they bit and grappled for dominance. It took time but I could see Caleb was slowly wearing Hanley down with each darting lunge, toying with him as he bought us time.

I briefly wondered if he would actually kill Hanley, thereby making him Alpha of the Hanley Pack, but a glance at the men Hanley had chosen to accompany him made me realize they were equally as dangerous. If Caleb won, they’d try and challenge him while he was weak and I wasn’t sure he’d have the strength to force them to stand down.

Hanley seemed to realize he was weakening and with a surge of strength threw himself at Caleb as the guy holding me shoved me to the ground, aimed the gun, and pulled the trigger.