The Good Wolf's Alpha Mate

Chapter 7

Liam’s POV

I took the bus as far North as I could before stepping off in what would seem to most people to be in the middle of nowhere. But to me, the forest on both sides of the road was more like home to me than I’d probably ever like to admit. And if I was being honest, I was looking forward to sleeping out under the stars, instead of upright in a musty seat, with loud humans and foul odors.

And yeah, changing a diaper in a public bathroom was something I could do without experiencing...

I stripped down when the night came, and shifted to my wolf form, keeping both me and little Peach warm. And like every night, she snuggled into me, fisting my fur in her little hands. Hell, I'd never imagine that there would ever be a time in my life when I or my wolf would enjoy having our fur pulled. Yet with this little one...

We'd give her the World if she asked!

We’ll come across the Red Raven Pack tomorrow, my wolf sighed sadly. I didn’t reply because I knew where he was going with that.

Tomorrow, we might have to say goodbye to Peach...

My wolf moved a little closer, his cold nose pressing against her soft cheek. Her scent filled our noses, and it had a calming effect on both of us. She stirred slightly but quickly settled back down...

She looks so peaceful, my wolf sighed, wanting tomorrow to be a million miles away. What if they don't like her? Her mother was a vampire, after all.

Yeah, that question had been bugging me a bit. Although Peach smelled strongly like a wolf, there was still a slight hit of vampire clinging to her scent.

Not that any of it made any sense...

I'd heard old tales that vampires also had Mates - but did they have Mates the same way werewolves did? And was it possible for a vampire and a werewolf to be Mates? And if it was possible, it still didn't bypass the fact that vampires couldn't make babies.

So how the Hell did one end up being pregnant?

The only explanation I could come to was that she'd already been pregnant when she was turned into a vampire...

But how the Hell did you get from being a werewolf's Mate to a vampire? Had she been rejected? Captured by vampires? Escape a fight? Was she a victim of the War that the vampires and werewolves were battling?

The possibilities were endless...

And no matter the answer, it still didn't change the fact that Peach smelled like a vampire. Would a Pack of werewolves even accept her? Even if she were an Alpha female, would she be loved and taken care of the way she deserved?

I wouldn't get any answers tonight, and to be honest, I probably never would. Once I got to Alpha Emil's territory, I'd probably be forced to hand her over and then sent on my merry way.

And I'd never see her again...

My wolf let out a soft whine, not wanting to part with the kid, just yet. I felt the same way, which was why I tore my eyes away from the sleeping baby and looked at the Moon.

Please, I pleaded with the Goddess. Let her have a happy life from here on out. Please! Let her be protected and cared for, never having to worry about a thing in her life. Give her parents, who will love and adore her for all Eternity.

I must have fallen asleep at some point because I woke up to a cranky baby.

Admit it, I teased my wolf as we shifted from our wolf form back to our human form. This is something we're not going to miss.

Only when you admit you're starting to get used to this, my wolf huffed back. He was right, of course. But we'd both rather chew our own tail before we admitted defeat...

I fed and changed my little Peach before we started walking towards the Red Raven's borders. Of course, I didn't know exactly where they were, but using my nose, I could direct myself in the right direction.

It was a trial-and-error process really...

The wolves guarding the borders would see me and make sure I kept my distance. In turn, I would ask them if this was the Red Raven Pack and then move on to the next one if it wasn't. For the few who didn't reply, I also just left. According to the rumors, Alpha Emil Daniels was the powerful, younger prince in our Kingdom and was said to be ruthless toward his enemies. But never unfair; and he wasn’t bloodthirsty, which meant that many Rogues that travelled close to his borders were normally let go – as long as they didn’t cause any trouble. I figured that if I hung around long enough, he’d be curious enough to come investigate.

And then I could plead my case…

Alpha Emil would have to hear me out if I had something to say to him!

Or at least that was my hope...

"What the Hell happened here?" I wondered out loud when I reached--- well, I was pretty sure that it used to be the borders of a Pack, but the scent was off somehow. The border scent was weak as if it hadn't been reinforced for quite a while. And no matter how long I stood there, I didn’t sense any wolves close by.

Where the Hell were the border patrols?

Getting more and more anxious, I moved a little closer. Holding my breath, I crossed into what was supposed to be their lands and---

Nothing!

“This doesn’t bode well,” I mumbled to the sleeping bundle in my arms. Peach didn’t stir, but I still covered her little head and left a lingering kiss on top of it. More than anything, I wanted to protect her, and with the eerie stillness that seemed to thicken the air, I was of more than two minds to turn around and leave.

Still, like the f*****g i***t I was, I moved forward. My wolf was on high alert, spreading his senses out as far as he could. Now, I wasn’t afraid to be attacked. My wolf was big enough to take on any wolf, so I didn’t need to worry about my own safety. But one: I didn’t like killing anyone. And second: I didn’t want to risk putting Peach in danger.

The problem – however – soon became clear as day…

I had to swallow bile when I saw the first dead wolf. It had been torn to pieces! As if a savage animal had gotten a hold of him and then ripped him to shreds. The second wolf hadn’t fared any better, as his head was missing. I found it stuck in some branches a few feet away.

And a few feet up in the air!

And so it continued, one sight more sickening than the next. Despite being asleep, I still wrapped an arm around my baby, as if to protect her from the gruesome sight. Hell, I just barely managed to keep my lunch down.

It was that horrific!

Let's turn back, my wolf urged, his wariness seeping into my bones like an icy cold. Whatever killed these wolves might still be here!

Unlikely, I countered. These bodies are several days old. But whoever was left behind may need our help.

Why did I get stuck with a human doctor? My wolf growled low, pissed that we weren't high-tailing it out of there. We have Peach to consider!

That did make me falter a little...

If we were attacked, she'd be defenseless. And whatever had happened here or whatever wolves had been left behind, she was my first priority.

I couldn't fail her!

But I pushed the fear aside and kept on walking.

If something tries to attack us, we can outrun it, I replied with confidence. I'll make sure of it!

My wolf knew what I was talking about and knew that I was right. If I let out my beast - my true nature! - nothing would stand a chance against me. And while neither of us liked it, we both knew we'd do it...

For Peach!

I kept on walking, not really knowing what to expect anymore. Soon enough, the first houses came into view, and I walked into what looked like a small town. The houses were scattered, with plenty of space between them.

Just the way a wolf liked it...

But despite the curious gazes in the windows, nobody came out of hiding. Nobody was around, and if I'd been even slightly suspicious, I'd think I'd just walked into a cursed ghost town.

Soon enough, I saw a huge structure in the center of the village. I'd been around Packs long enough to know this was the PackHouse. Wolves were social creatures, so we liked to gather together and spend time with each other. Most meals were shared, and the Alpha, Beta, and Gammas were available to anyone who might need them; judging by the size of this PackHouse, I guessed that all the ranking wolves lived here...

It was enormous!

Hell, mansion would be a more accurate description. The white facade was modern, and a lot of it was encased in tempered glass, giving the illusion of mirrors and therefore looking much bigger than it really was. It was several stories high and looked well-kept, with all of the ‘green’ out in front of the huge, black double doors.

It looked like an impressive home...

But the dried blood and scattered remains of wolves told a different story. Ravens and other scavengers were picking at the remains and just barely paid attention to me as I walked by. Whatever had happened here, it had been horrific...

“Rogue!”

The word had me snapping around; coming face-to-face with what I assumed were left-over warriors. They looked pissed and ready to fight--- if it hadn't been for the fact that they also looked dead on their feet! If I’d been a zombie fan, I would be convinced that I’d just walked into an Outbreak Zone!

They looked like s**t!

Sure, they all had a fighter’s stance, and I could see in their eyes that they would fight to the bitter end. But they all had marks and scratches on them--- Hell, one of them had a huge chunk of his forearm missing! And the fact that: they hadn’t healed already, told me that it had been a while since they had eaten as well. If a werewolf didn’t eat to maintain his energy, the powers that they would lend to our humanside, would be diminished. This and the fact that they looked like they’d been in a fight with a meat grinder told me one crucial fact…

Their Alpha had been killed!

But who or what could have been strong enough to kill an Alpha and this many wolves? And why hadn’t the thing taken over the Pack?

What was going on here?

“I come in peace!” I exclaimed and held up my free hand in a placatory gesture. At the same time, I held Peach closer to my body, in case I had to bolt out of there. The wolves - three males and two females - were already fanning out in a semi-circle so that I wouldn't be able to attack any one of them without someone else attacking me right back.

Smart strategy...

“Who are you?” The biggest of the bunch growled, stepping a little closer. “And what do you want?”

He was big, but not as big as me. He could have passed for head warrior or perhaps even a Gamma, but I didn’t sense any rank in him. His dark eyes bore into mine, and with his African-American features, he didn’t look like someone you wanted to f**k with...

“I came here looking for the Red Ravens Pack,” I said truthfully, knowing it would be useless to lie to a werewolf. "I have business with Alpha Emil Daniels." While humans needed machines to tell them if a person was lying or not, a werewolf just needed a decent nose to catch the change in chemicals. Not that any of them looked awake enough to tell, but I decided to be truthful anyway.

“Our Alpha is dead,” a young female growled, but there was no real venom in her voice. She was just tired and needed to sleep, not stand here and interrogate a Rogue. “So leave!”

Shock tore through me, and my gut clenched painfully.

"What?!" I gaped unintentionally. What kind of wolf could be strong enough to kill a Royal Werewolf? Hell, there was a reason they were Royals! They were the strongest and most powerful wolves in existence...

Although just as the thought passed my mind, I did know of one beast that was more powerful than the average Werewolf Alpha.

And my heart clenched in fear...

We should take her up on her offer, my wolf suggested and looked around, as if he expected the beast to pop up out of thin air. And while a part of me agreed, another part of me noticed the blood dripping down her arm. The wound was old; yet it was still bleeding, meaning her wolf was exhausted and probably in a lot of pain. She was trying to hide it, but my years as a Doctor had given me a keen eye to spot things like that.

If the wound got infected, she could lose her arm...

“I could help, you know,” I said, before giving my idea a second thought. My wolf groaned out loud, but I couldn't help it. This was who I was. Who my grandparents had raised me to be. It was in my nature to help...

Besides, if Alpha Daniels had been killed, it was only a matter of time before the Alpha King showed up. He would want to know what happened to his brother; I was sure of it. No way would the King let the murder of his own baby brother go unsolved.

Or unpunished!

When the storm had blown over, I could approach him with Peach and get him to help me find her family.

Because yeah, after solving the murder of his baby brother, he'll be in the perfect mood to hear a Rogue out about his baby problems, my wolf snorted, still wanting to leave. To take Peach far away from here and keep her safe.

“You?! Help?” Another one asked; this one was another tall guy, but not nearly as bulky as the one who spoke first. “What can a Rogue possibly help us with?”

He said the word “Rogue” as if it were something that tasted like dirt in his mouth. Yeah, there really wasn’t much love going around for Rogues in any Packs, but I had a feeling that in this case, it had something more to do with the death of their Alpha.

Perhaps he’d been killed by Rogues?

Not likely, considering that all those wolves were killed by the same thing, my wolf pointed out and shivered as we remembered the gruesome scene from the woods. He was right, but I decided to dwell on that later. No one Rogue was that powerful.

Except for us, perhaps...

“For one thing,” I replied, ignoring the warrior’s jab. “I can help you treat those wounds before they get infected.”

That got their attention…

“You’re a Doctor?” the big African-American asked, his voice booming with suspicion and distrust.

“No,” I replied honestly again. “But I did study to become a Pack Doctor for four years. My grandparents were Pack Doctors as well. They practically raised me in their clinic.”

It was the truth. Since my mother hated me from the second I saw daylight, my grandparents had been the ones fostering me. And since they were both the lead Doctors in the Pack Clinic, they lived pretty busy lives. Which meant that all my life, I’d been running around Nurses, Emergency Rooms, and Operating Rooms. I was 9 the first time I helped my grandfather with one of his operations, and by the time I was 15, I’d clocked more hours in the Emergency Room than most Surgeons did during their entire residency.

Ironically, the only thing I’d never touched upon was birth and delivery…

I should have taken that class, I mentally grinned sardonically, remembering how close to f*****g passing out I’d been seeing Peach’s Mom give birth. Yeah, I could look at a wolf's guts and ripped-open chest cage, but seeing a baby being born had me fainting like a damned damsel.

Let’s keep that to ourselves, my wolf mumbled with embarrassment.

And I couldn’t agree more...

Before the big guy could answer, Peach made a discontented sound, loud enough for all of them to hear. Automatically, my hand came up to press her closer to my body, and I cooed her, hushing her.

“s**t! There’s an actual baby in there?” Another female snapped, and before anyone could warn her of the dangers of Rogues, she was already next to me.

“Yeah, I don’t wear these because they’re f*****g fashion,” I grinned and removed the cover, so she could see my Baby Peach. Her beautiful, black hair was curled on top of her head, and the way she was adorably curled tight against me, had me thinking that she was really showing off her cute side today. And yes, it had my chest swelling with a little pride, when I saw the adoration in the she-wolf's eyes...

“Oh my Goddess, she’s adorable!” The woman cooed and gently caressed Peach's cheek. My wolf puffed his chest out, as if he had anything to do with the adorable little peach. But since I felt the same way, I guess I couldn’t judge. Still, I kept my guard up, not wanting to risk her in any shape, way, or form…

“Orella ,” The big guy snarled, but his tone was more hopeless than admonishing.

“Oh, come on, Remy,” the girl snorted and rolled her eyes at the man I now knew was Remy. “What’s the worst that could happen? She gulps on me?”

Remy looked ready to take her ass to a training ring and teach, the somewhat younger, She-wolf some respect. But before they could tear into each other, I cut them off.

“Could you please take this somewhere else?” I asked in a low but polite tone to calm the two wolves. “You’re waking her!”

“Oh! So sorry,” Orella instantly admonished, before continuing her cooing and swooning over my baby-girl. Hell, at this point the other She-wolf was also getting closer, and her eyes lit up, seeing the little baby girl in my arms.

"Oh, she’s so cute,” the other she-wolf fawned over her. “Where is her mother?”

The question shouldn’t hit me like a brick in the chest...

But it did!

Her eyes flashed before me again, and for a second, it was as if I were there. First-seeing her pain and fear. The agony she was in and how brave she was when she kept on fighting. Doing everything she could to save her baby. And the sheer joy on her face when---

And then she was just gone...

“I’m sorry!”

I snapped out of the memory and looked up. The girl had a sympathetic look on her face; as if she understood the pain I felt better than I could ever imagine. She gently brushed my arm in a comforting manner, forcing a small smile.

“I didn’t mean to bring up any bad memories,” she continued.

“Yeah, sorry about your Mate,” Orellachimed in understandingly. I nodded my thanks, and---

Wait---!

Mate?!

And then gaped when I realized what they were thinking. Since werewolves couldn’t impregnate anyone who wasn’t their Mate, they assumed that Peach’s mother had been my Mate. I wanted to correct them, but the next thing that happened, had me snapping my head in the other direction---

And honestly, I forgot all about it…

“What the Hell is a Rogue doing here?!”