Alpha's Protective Pup

10

Gone were the days of territorial wars. I attributed the rarity of territorial wars in modern times, in part, to our smaller population. I supposed it was a catch-twenty two.

The scout had the responsibility of watching for any suspicious activity that might pose a threat to the pack. I was scouting the territory during my shift, as I always did when I smelled the scent of another wolf. My hackles raised, but I didn’t move from my spot.

Wolves formed packs, so one indicated others. The exception occurred when a lone wolf had no pack affiliation. Reasons a wolf might not have a pack might vary. Such a life came with difficulties because you didn’t have a family to rely on.

Isla was in this boat. The difference was, we would take her in and offer her a pack to call her own, a place where she would feel safe and belonged.

When I entered the infirmary, my eyes drifted to Margaret, who was in the back, looking over her supplies. I cleared my throat to get her attention, but she raised a hand, motioning for me to hold on.

“Margaret, I’m here about Isla.”

She turned around and rolled her eyes. “Of course, I know you’re here for her and that you probably want to know where she is. The girl asked me how to get out of there, so I told her. Don’t worry, she’ll be back.”

As one of the oldest alphas in the pack, Margaret commanded respect. The pack leader himself was the only one who could surpass her in dominance.

A low growl rumbled in my throat as I tried to control my anger. Margaret knew what she was doing, even if I didn’t agree with the decision she had made.

“And what if she gets hurt while she’s out there?”

“She is nowhere close to going into heat, so her omega scent is still not as strong as her Lycan blood yet,” Margaret explained. “Besides, she’ll automatically start to shift at any sign of danger because of that protective instinct we all have.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “How can you be so sure she will come back?”

“Lukas, you’re a bright boy. Where else can she go but back to the pack, willing to take her in? Her normal life is gone and the only way she is going to realize that is if reality hits her head on.”

I had no experience with half-breeds and could only imagine how Isla felt about this recent shift in her world.

“If she isn’t back by tonight, I’m going to go look for her,” I asserted, my words earning a shrug from Margaret.

“Do as you wish, but mark my words, Lukas. She will be back.”

After I stepped out of the infirmary, I realized Oscar would be here soon to visit Isla. He visited her almost as much as I did. In my childishness, I assumed I had shared more valuable experiences with Isla, only to discard that idea.

This was my friend about whom I was talking about.

Sure enough, Oscar showed up twenty minutes later. When he saw me standing there, he lifted a brow.

“Why are you just standing out here?”

“I wanted to speak with you,” I told him, gaining another strange look from Oscar. “I will not sugarcoat it, Oscar. Isla is gone.”

He blinked. “What do you mean, she’s gone?”

“Margaret told me she left some time ago.”

Oscar glanced at the door. “Wait, she knew Isla left but said nothing?”

I winced. “Margaret told Isla how to leave, but also how to get back. She’s convinced that Isla will be back soon.”

Oscar was the type to highlight his emotions, so I saw the anger wash over him. I was able to hide it to an extent, but he had difficulty doing this.

“Is that old woman crazy? She’s an unmated omega whose Lycan blood has still not fully awoken. What is wrong with her?”

Margaret laughed from inside the room. She got up and opened the door, gazing at Oscar. Any amusement Margaret may have felt had faded.

“Oscar, you need to calm yourself and trust that I know what I am doing. She will be back.”

He swallowed. “I understand where you’re coming from, but I can’t simply accept that she’s out there alone with no one to protect her.”

Margaret looked at the two of us and sighed. “And it starts. Thank God I’ve reached the point in my life where none of that matters to me anymore.”

“Just give us the exact time when she left,” I snarled, understanding what she was getting at, but I didn’t want to hear it right now.

Margaret, still skeptical of our actions, reluctantly provided us with an estimated time when Isla had disappeared. As soon as she divulged this information, Oscar barged past me, his hurried steps fading away.

“Oscar, let’s just wait until tonight and then we can look for her,” I shouted, trying my best to convince him it was the best course of action.

He stopped and stared at me like I had three heads. “Margaret is a wise woman and chances are her hunch is right, but I can’t simply sit here and wait for her to return. I’m going to go out and look for her. Come with me if you want.”

It came off like a challenge, even though I doubted Oscar meant it like that. I scrambled to catch up and grabbed him, earning me a loud growl.

“For f**k’s sake, Oscar! Do you think I don’t want to rush out there too and find her? I do, but if she comes back here and finds that we went out to find her, it might not go over well.”

Isla had been struggling the entire time she was here, torn between accepting reality or denying it. The mind was a fickle thing. At times, accepting the truth that was right in front of you proved more challenging than living a lie.

Oscar

When I found out Margaret had not said a word after Isla waltzed out of there, it filled me with anger I never felt before. Isla had a valid reason to leave. It would have given me peace of mind to be informed, allowing me to monitor her as she went back home.

In Lycan terms, Isla would be a cub since she had just realized her heritage. Everything was still so new to her. How could she even defend herself?

Despite any doubts, my instincts urged me to find and protect her from any dangers in our woods. Lukas continued to talk me down, but I wasn’t having any of it.

After some back and forth, I settled on waiting for an hour, my frustration growing. He argued Isla might hold a grudge against us for leaving and embarking on a search for her. This might help reinforce her belief that our intention was to make her stay against her will.

The anticipation of that hour passing felt like an eternity. When it was almost over, I was eager to flee the den until we heard noise coming from the entrance.

In an instant, Isla materialized before our eyes. She had the look of someone who had weathered a storm, but she seemed unhurt. Lukas and I shared a look.

In a gentle tone, I asked, “Are you hurt?”

Isla blinked, her eyes glazed over, as if she had entered a realm beyond reality. “No, but I might have injured the bear I clawed at.”

“Clawed at?” I asked with a visible wince. “You shifted, right?”

She nodded. “Yes. You were both right. I’m a f*****g werewolf. There is no going back to any normal life.”

I reached out, my hand trembling as it contacted her shoulder. It earned a disapproving look from Lukas, but I paid no attention to it.

“Why don’t we get you cleaned up and then find you a place to sleep? Since you’re not injured, I assume you’d rather sleep somewhere else. Unless you enjoy Margaret’s company in the infirmary,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.

While Isla didn’t laugh, she gave a small little smile that warmed my heart and insides. I shoved that thought aside in favor of making Isla as comfortable as possible.