Alpha's Fire

Too Hot

Prue made her way back to the house, feeling hot and agitated. She spotted Keira perching on a porch step reading a book, half way through an ice-tea. She looked serene in her long white dress that gently moved in the breeze. 

"Hello Prue," her smile was bright. "How was training?"

Prue plonked down next to her, pulling her long plait over a shoulder, letting the air reach her neck. She didn't know whether it was because of her sparing with Henry, the embarrassment she felt or whether she had just overdone it, but on the way back from training, it had felt like she was being cooked.

"Is it me or is it hotter today than yesterday?" Prue began fanning herself.

"I thought the temperature had dropped." Keira eyed her, concerned. She leant forward and placed a hand on her forehead. Prue flinched at the contact, not expecting the kind touch. 

"Prue, you're burning up," Keira stood to pour a glass of ice-tea from a jug that had been placed on a nearby table.

"I'm sure I just over did it. Or maybe I have a little sunburn.” The stifling heat was starting to make her feel nauseous. And while Keira seemed genuine, years of keeping her vulnerabilities to herself as closely guarded secrets, made her want to keep that information to herself. 

Keira scrutinised her, "I need to get back to the clinic, but take it easy for the rest of the day please. It is unusual for wolves to get a temperature."

"You work at the clinic? You have a clinic here?" Prue asked in quick secession, making Keira laugh. 

"Of course and yes I am a midwife in training," she beamed and stood, showing her the cover of the midwifery book she'd been reading. Prue continued to fan herself. "Are you going to be okay?" 

"I am sure I just need some food," she reassured her. 

Keira frowned but nodded "If you start to feel worse, the doctors' clinic is directly north from the bandstand. 

Prue waved Keira off and went hunting for food. After eating enough for three fully grown men she felt much better. She washed off the morning's workout, getting sand out of crevices she did not know her body had, before deciding to explore the village. Maybe she would be able to ask questions about the Beta and the sentries who had been attacked. 

As she was about to leave the pack house, she overheard Henry speaking to someone on the porch, using the same tone with her which he did his sister. Kind and gentle. She scoffed and couldn’t help but wonder if that was how he spoke to every female that wasn’t her. 

Prue trod lightly and attempted sneak past, not relishing in having to speak to either of them. But the woman was quick as a fox, speaking before Prue was even fully in view. 

"And who is this lovely young lady?" An old woman gave her a wrinkled smile, that didn't seem completely sincere. 

Henry stiffened as he glance back, the shape of his sculptured muscles visible through his linen shirt. "Vivian this is Prue. She is staying with the pack as part of a diplomatic agreement to share skills." 

He didn't spare another glance at Prue but Vivian peered down the spectacles on her crooked nose, as if she was inspecting a threat. Prue treated the old woman how she did with any female who appeared to have problem with her for just being there - with utter disinterest. 

"Well, welcome," the old woman's lips pursed into a half smile. 

Prue nodded, mirroring the look the old woman was giving her, holding her stare like it was a battle of wills. Vivian eventually broke eye contact. One to Prue and zero for the old wolf woman. 

"Well I must get back to the clinic." She allowed the Alpha to kiss her hand before hobbling off on her walking stick, limping slightly. 

Prue didn't look at Henry, while she watched her go, "Dean's mother?"

"Yes." She felt the bristle in his tone. 

"Interesting." 

"What?" He growled.

"Nothing. You don't trust her?" She waited for his reaction to her suggestion.

But he once again now wore his usual icy mask. He was a purebred undiluted warrior, trained to show no emotions. Still he asked,  "What makes you say that?" 

"You didn't tell her why I am really here." A statement. She knew the Alpha didn't trust the old woman completely now but maybe he didn't realise it. She didn't wait for an answer, instead she began to make her way towards the village, leaving him to stew.

--------

Prue made her way around the village square. The stalls were full of produce and bustling with people. She noticed all the vendors' carts were decorated with different brightly coloured paints, like some sort of community theme. The stalls were set up in a circle around the bandstand today and were slightly busier than when she first saw them. Children played and weaved in between the adults trying to work. Some were in their cub form while others were in their human bodies. All of them raced around the barrels of fruit and vegetables, inadvertently knocking off a large pile of apples. 

Prue had never seen packs allowing their young cubs to run so freely. She watched them for a while, slightly entranced. And as they fell around laughing it tugged at something in her heart. Made her feel... Sad maybe... She couldn't put a finger on it. She questioned why this Alpha was so renowned for being so brutal when he allowed everyone to live so casually. 

Prue stopped by a cake and sweets stand. The smell of chocolates making her mouth water. She eyed them greedily. So many colours and flavours. They were so beautifully decorated and, oh praised the moon goddess, there were hazelnut truffles. 

It had been so long since she'd eaten chocolates. Her mother had once bought her a small box for her birthday. It was such a treat. Prue had wanted to share them with her, but her mother had insisted that they were just for her to enjoy. 

A kindly old man coughed, catching her smiling to herself at the memory.

"How much for the truffles?" she asked, swallowing the lump now in her throat.

He picked them up, delicately placing them in a gold box, and handed them to her. 

"A gift," His amber eyes seemed to see straight through her, seeing the hidden pain that cut so deep. 

She tried to pay him a few times but he refused. She only gave up when his angry-looking wife came and shooed her away. She stopped by a few other stalls and spoke to as many people as she could. No one would accept her money, no matter how hard she tried. Prue spent the afternoon on the bandstand, enjoying her decadents chocolates, listening to passerby. No one said anything of note, unless you considered the poaching of one person’s apple pie recipe. 

As she was sat, enjoying the sound of children’s laugher, the smell of nearby growing Jasmin and gentle warmth of the sun on her face, she felt twist in her gut. It came from no where making her tense, a rush of heat made her clasp her stomach. She told herself to breath through it. Sweat began to bead on her forehead but slowly it began to ease, like it had never happened. She told herself it must have been the rich food she was so unaccustomed to.

---------

Gingerbeard, Eric, Gillian and Prue had met the Alpha in his office. 

"You want to do what! No way." Henry was stern. Dismissive. 

"A trap is going to be the quickest way to flush out the guilty party, before another one of your pack is murdered," Prue insisted. She cricked her neck feeling another hot flash begin. She ignored it, hoping the others wouldn't notice. 

"I think it is a good idea, what other option do we have? Listen to the assassin," Prue scowled at Gingerbeard’s words just as he added, "Has anyone noticed a strange smell this afternoon? It smells like," he inhaled a long breath, "freshly baked cookies."

Henry's jaw clenched. It felt like she could feel the frustration pulsing from him. It made Prue want to hit him.

Henry pushed his light brown hair out his face, exacerbated.

Gillian looked lost in thought, "I thought it was more like freshly bake bread."

Henry snapped his fingers. "Focus." He was now drawing another cross on a map on his desk.

"We just need to plant a seed. Something to tempt them in."

"No," he growled. 

Prue was quickly losing her temper. The heat getting to her again as she rubbed her temples. "Well, what are you going to do then?" 

The men continued to argue over the next step. She listened to the debate for an another two hours before then all gave up and went off for dinner. 

Prue on the other hand decided to skip it, exhaustion pulling at her. As she made her way up to her room to sleep, she deciding that in the morning, with the Alpha's permission of not, she going to lay a trap. Maybe she would even be home by the weekend she thought hopefully. 

------

Prue tossed and turned in her sheets. The cotton had stuck to her and her undergarments were now soaked through. Her stomach twisted and her head thumped.  She began to rock her body, holding herself. 

When a cool lick of air from an open window kissed her face it was welcome relief. She lay panting in the middle of the bed, eyes closed but there was something strange. It was so quiet. She felt like she could hear her blood pumping around her veins. She was waiting for another cramp in her gut to subside when it occurred to her - she had left the window closed...

Slowly, so slowly she lifted her lids. Her eyes burned and her heart hammered. She didn't want to look but she just knew someone else was in her room. A dark figure stood at the bottom of her bed, a knife hanging at their side. She gulped - her throat raw. She needed to scream but the pain. She felt paralysed. 

Elena was howling inside her head. She had to try but she couldn't move. 

"Help." It was a pitiful croak. 

The stranger at the bottom of the bed stepped forward and the moonlight lit his face. He licked his lips. His eyes were so dark. Hungry.

"Help." It was a panicked whisper. It was like a horrible nightmare that she couldn’t wake up from.

The stranger took another step towards the bed. He didn't go for the knife, his dark eyes only gleamed in the darkness, like soulless pits. He placed a hand on the bottom of the bed frame, stroking it. Bile rose in her mouth as Elena thrashed inside her mind, trying to get out but Prue felt so weak. 

There was a high pitch howl. No it was a scream. And this time it was coming from her. Her fight or flight instinct had finally kicked in, momentarily overcoming the haze she was in that had fogged had her senses.

The dark menacing figure at the bottom of the bed whipped his head up as two large men came crashing through the door, a smaller female figure in a white nightdress  it far behind. One of the men was completely naked and the other wore cotton brief. 

The two men tackled the intruder to the ground, shouting and grunting as they struggled to pin him down.

Keira rushed to her side. Checking her over. "Prue," her voice was panicked. "Where does it hurt, Prue?" 

She couldn't answer. Her voice had gone. The pain too much. She groaned and wrapped her arms around stomach, the mound between her legs was burning, as if on fire, as another wave of agony lanced through her body making her back arch. Prue felt a cool hand on her head  and a string of curses one didn't normally hear from a lady. The cool hand felt so nice she could have moaned. 

At some point Gingerbeard, Gillian and Eric had arrived helping the one fully naked man, she realised was Dean, and the other slightly large man - Henry. 

Gillan and Eric dragged the intruder out the room.

"Henry we have a problem," Keira called. Urgency in her voice. 

All the men in the room looked up, all inhaling deeply. Their eyes turned hungry. Prue could do nothing but watch half lucid. There was growling vibrating through the room. 

Keira grabbed a sharp knife that Prue had left on her bedside and turned to them all. "Henry," her voice was deadly calm, "You need to get them out this room now."

He didn't hesitated at his sister’s ordered. A stern bark sent everyone packing. Keira locked the door and rushed to shut the window. 

Prue couldn’t keep her eyes open the pain, too much. Her whole body throbbed. 

"Keira what is wrong with her?" His voice was gentle. 

"That, my dear brother, is an unmated, lone she-wolf going into her first heat. And you are the only one that can help her."