Alpha's Fire

Treetop Heat

A nod was all she managed as she stared into those grass-green eyes and that brutal face of his. 

God she didn’t like this wolf.

He hoisted her above him and she began to silently scale the great oak, a million questions swirling in her brain.

He came for us, Elena told her.

He needs us Elena. Think why. Why did he come for us?

Prue grabbed branch after branch, the cold night wind kissing her skin as she went, making her shiver - although it may have been the adrenaline leaving her body, she wasn’t sure. The higher she went the heavier her limbs felt as she tired, the rush of her escape beginning to take its toll. Her body had also begun cramping in places she didn’t know it could, which wasn’t helping.

When she slowed Henry just pushed her butt right on up. 

She didn’t need his help and the gesture made her want to kick him in the face. 

Henry had stayed silent as they scaled the ancient tree, not wanting to make any unnecessary noise no doubt. The further she went the more pissed she became at the fact he had found her, although it was very fortunate timing.

His presence brought Elena comfort and in a strange way, not that she wanted to admit it, it made her feel the same. A part of her hated him for that. 

Prue grabbed onto a precarious looking branch in a bid to swing herself onto a large arm of the tree that was wide and strong enough to hold them both. 

When it snapped, her stomach flipped and felt as though it went into her mouth as she dropped. Henry’s strong arms caught her immediately pulling her close to his body and the world seemed to stop as their eyes met in that moment. 

His warmth made her skin tingle, her treacherous body betraying her as she inhaled his scent - sea breeze with twists of oranges and musk. 

God he smelt so good, it did things to her body having him this close. Heat spread lower, and lower, and lower. It made her ache.

Prue broke the contact first, trying to hide her flushing cheeks.

It’s just the heat, she reassured herself, I would react like that even if he look like a pig... Except pigs aren’t built like gods. And, they don’t normally smell like you want lick their face...No, no, no. Stop it. 

Prue pulled herself out his grasp and onto a wide arm of the oak tree, pulling her knees up to her chest. 

Henry joined her, leaning against the tree trunk as she wrapped her arms around her body, attempting to preserve her body heat as her wet hair made her shiver.

A wall of leaves and branches surrounded them on all sides, secluding them from the rest if the world. 

“You’re cold.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Yes,” she said uninterestedly looking away into the leaves, not willing to make eye contact.

Of course she was cold, she thought sarcastically. I’ve been running a temperature since this whole heat crap had began. And now I am stuck at the top of a tree, with wet hair and a molten hot alpha sat a few yards away. 

Prue could practically feel the power and heat radiating off him now, she so desperately wanted to scoot closer but she dared not let her traitorous body get anywhere near him. 

Plus he is a professional warrior, with skills to match my own. Maybe. Well probably not. He has skill sure, but I am Prue Featherworth. 

She was renowned for her assignation and bounty skills across the country and Europe. At this moment in time he was the one doing the rescuing because she was mostly naked, weaponless and because her body seemed to fighting against her.

Damn heat, she sulked. 

Prue clenched her thighs as a new wave hit her body. This time it wasn’t pain. No. It was something else. Something primal. A need. An itch she desperately wanted to scratch but dared not even think the words.

She heard Henry move and peeked up just quick enough to see him pull his cotton shirt over his head, revealing a perfectly sculpted body below. She tried to keep her face expressionless but there my have been a little drooling. 

Goddess, how she would enjoy licking her way down those abs. 

No, no... no. Stop it. Ignore the heat. 

He gently tossed her the shirt to put on over her underclothes. Something was better than nothing. 

You’ve found yourself in a messed up situation this time. 

A howl split through the night. The hairs on her arms rose. 

Henry huffed, a laugh of sorts. 

“What?” She demanded, still not making eye contact. She could feel the heat of his gaze. 

“Careful now. Remember who it is that you’re talking to.”

The low rumble of his tone was like honey in her ears. She should be terrified and running towards those rogue wolves, but instead... She liked it.

Goddess have mercy. Bring back my senses. 

“I was just imagining what Gillian and Kelt looked like right now. Keira commanded they run round the mountain with your stinking bedsheets wrapped around their tails.” 

That she wasn’t expecting.

“Excuse me? My bed sheets do not stink. Wait, what are they doing?”

Henry smiled at her, like a predator ready to eat its prey, and she realised she’d made the mistake of looking straight into those grass green eyes.

Heat swelled in her stomach and that urge grew. She could feel the dull ache between her legs begin to pound. She knew she should look away but she couldn’t. She didn’t want to. 

Henry inhaled a long breath through his nose, making his nostrils flare. 

He could smell it on her. The desire. The need. The want. He didn’t say anything but she knew he knew.

She felt her face burn. Just the heat, she chanted internally although there was a deep part of her that thought maybe it wasn’t completely that. 

“Have you thought about why chaos ensued earlier. Have you guessed why your heat is so painful she-wolf?” His voice was gruff. She said nothing so he continued. “The whole bloody town could smell you. The unmated males could barely control themselves. We had to tie nearly two dozen down. It’s why we captured that intruder. He was there to kill one of my pack but then he came across you.”

She raised her eyebrows at the revelation but couldn’t help but wonder why she’d never heard about the affects of she-wolves’ heat. She didn’t want to ask if it was normal or not. She’d give away how much , or in this case little, she knew. Instead she choose to look him up and down and said: “Does that mean you will signed my freedom contract?” 

“Is that what you want?” His eyes bored into her.

She looked at him through narrowed eyes, “Yes. You have a good lead you can get to the bottom of this now. You can allow me to just be left alone.”

“You say that with so much conviction. You know I can hear her right?”

She gulped, unsure what to say. He didn’t mean... No he couldn’t. I’m not pack. It’s impossible. 

Prue schooled her features to remain unreadable as he c****d his head like he was listening for something. 

Henry then spoke with such calmness,  “I can hear your wolf. She sings to him. You can’t hear it but I can. You’ve been denying her of what she needs.”

Prue scoffed at the insult, “Oh right because you know what I need?” She laced every word with venom pointing a finger as at him, “Listen buddy, I don’t give a crap whether you are the king of wolves...” 

Henry broke off her words as he snapped out his long arm and grabbed her finger, yanking her forward so she was practically sat on his lap. Their faces were mere inches. 

“I told you to remember who you were talking to. And, I was talking about Elena not you.” His face was smug, like a fox in a chickens’ coop. 

Furious, he just made her so furious. Prue saw red. She knew she shouldn’t, she knew what a bad situation she was in. But before she could stop herself, she’d drawn back her fist to punch him square in his smarmy mouth. Henry caught her hand in his crushing grip but wasn’t quick enough to see her knee coming up. He let out a grunt of pain as she jabbed him in the kidneys. He still held her one hand in a death grip but Prue had been in worse situations. She’d outplay this Alpha all day long if she had to. He tried to move to get a better hold on her but Prue used this against him, twisting her body enough to grab his free arm and put it in a pressure point lock that would break his bone if she applied enough pressure. 

She was straddling him now, baring her teeth in his face breathing heavily, “Remember Alpha I am not your’s to command. Respect is earned.” 

They both sat panting and deadlocked until Henry said, “It appears we are in a stale mate,” his face unreadable. Prue searched his face trying to figure out what was going on behind that brutal face of his. 

Was he mad? Was he trying to get a reaction? She couldn’t tell. 

A new wave of desire shot through her system like red-hot burning fire, loosening her grip. Prue breathed through her mouth as she tried to concentrate on anything but his bare chest that she’d now become hyper aware of and was now pressing into her now piqued n*****s. His chest was broad, the lines of his muscles were defined and rigid. She wanted to run her hands up the length of him, run her dingoes through that golden brown hair.

Traitorous mind and body alike. 

Henry inhaled another long deep breath, smelling her arousal. A low wanting growl slipped out making her gulp. Prue’s body tingled as she felt her core heat further and begin to pound. She took another slow breath trying to concentrate on anything but the male she was desperately trying to not grind against. Her body ached for him. 

“You said I wasn’t giving my wolf what she needs... That’s why you were there when I woke up... The skin to skin contact?” She swallowed and closed her eyes trying to control the heat. “Is this going to get worse?”

“Yes,” he breathed heavily, staring into her eyes like he was reading her soul, “This will only get worse until the moon hits its apex.”

“And then tomorrow?”

“I assume you left your pack for that reason. Without a mate’s or Alpha’s help the heat sends most she-wolves mad.”

The mention of her old Alpha made her feel sick. She didn’t like to think about it. She couldn’t. 

“That’s why you are here, to help give me what I need?” She swallowed. It was a loaded questions. The only way to truly relieve a female was to give her body what it craved most in heat. A male - some to her take her, pleasure her, put pups in her. . 

Henry shook his head. She wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed. 

“I’m not going to bed you Prue. You’ve made your feelings clear. That’s not how we work here. Females alone decide what they want to do with their bodies. And heat... It confuses things. I can help you through this though,” he cupped her face gently and she could have moaned. The skin to skin contact cooled and heated her in just the right way, bringing welcome relief she didn’t even know she needed. 

“It will only be like I did before you rudely ripped my door of its hinges and sent half my pack crazy with lust,” he winked at her and it caught her completely off guard, making a smile tug at her lips.

“So you do have a sense of humour?” She said in mock shock.

“Not very often,” be returned with mock seriousness. 

There was something about this Alpha that Prue appreciated. She wouldn’t go as far to say she trusted him though. It was as if he read her mind when he said, “Prue, no one will find out about your heritage. The secret will die with Keira and I.” He was so serious. 

“Henry, I want to believe you. But the risk.”

“I’m not asking you to trust me, just give me a chance to earn your trust.” His face seemed so sincere.

“Would you stop being so god damn rude if I gave you a chance?” 

He c****d his head, “Probably not.” 

She nodded, but really had no other choice. What else was she going to do? She needed to go back. She needed food, clothes and her weapons. She needed that damn declaration signed by Henry that gave her freedom, or she’d always be running. 

Henry took her nod as permission and held out his hand for her to take. Prue had no other choice than to take a chance on Henry. She prayed to the moon goddess Henry wouldn’t use the information he’d learnt. So she did the only thing she could and wrapped her fingers around his. 

They erupted in blue flames that felt hot and cold and before she knew it she was back in her room in the pack house, in the same straddling position she’d been in the tree.