Alpha's Fire

Troubles on The Doorstep

Prue emerged from her cottage with a packed bag, locking the door behind her.

Elena had been quiet, likely resting in the back of her mind ready for a long run. The four men were sat around a hobbled-together wooden spit just outside the perimeter of her property. There were three huge frames and one slightly smaller lanky body surrounding the fire that set next some large boulders. It was dark now so she could only see the orange glow cast by the flames onto their faces. The Alpha's deadly but beautiful face was something from a haunting dream. The other three laughed and joked but he just sat their silent and sullen, aware.

Good, she thought scathingly. She dumped her bag down next to the pond she loved to sit next to while drinking her morning tea and listening to the birds sing. Her heart warmed at the memory. 

Elena then flickered awake. Just this one last job and we will be free. 

Elena I don't know. If the Alpha of Alpha and his warriors, who are the best in the world, couldn't figure it out, what makes you think we can?

No-one knows or will suspects why we will be there Prue. They are too close. Have faith. 

Prue meandered over to the white wooden shutters attached to her kitchen window and lay a hand against her cottage as a tug pulled at her heart. This home had been her sanctuary - this beautiful thatched cottage where she had lived since she was 17 years old. Six years of peace. She should have known the Elder's Council wouldn't have let it last. They did not like what they couldn't control. They were cruel and calculating and were more dangerous than any Alpha. 

Pushing the thoughts from her mind, she turned to look around the garden. Her eyes rested on the small willow tree that overhung the southern boundary where she had liked to sit in the shade and read. At the pond where she liked to watch the frogs leap and jump around. At the beautiful wisteria that hung in clumps of bright pink, filling the area with a floral summer smell. Prue smiled to herself, closing her eyes trying to engrave the memory into her a mind.

The crunch of gravel snapped her out of her daydream. She turned, her eyes feeling sore. The man in front of her wore a green linen shirt that contrasted against his curly white-blond hair. His eyes had a sad haunted look about them but his smile reached across his face was warm and kind, crinkling his eyes slightly. 

"Would you like help?" He asked politely, nodding to the windows. He wasn't as tall as the others and was a lot younger, his frame slightly smaller. Prue would have guessed he was in his mid to late teens. She nodded and closed the shutters, bolting it closed with an iron lock. 

"There are three more on each side of the house," she told him, grateful for his help. 

As she went back for her leather satchel, the teenage boy appeared once again. "Can I help with anything else?" He asked gently.

"No, thank-you." She stared at him for a moment before asking, "What is your name?" 

"Gillian," he replied. Another smile lit up his face, showing his slightly crooked teeth. Prue spotted a hole in his shirt. 

"Ah," she nodded, "Sorry about that." 

He looked down. "Oh this," he grabbed his shirt, "Don't be, I was just glad you missed." He chuckled nervously, eyes darting to the ground and back at Prue.

"Who said I missed?" Prue flashed her pearly whites.

She walked out the garden and towards the camp fire silently. Not sparing a look back. It would hurt too much. 

As she neared, she got a full look at lackey number three. She narrowed her eyes as he chowed down on a juicy leg of meat, fat dripping into his bushy red beard.

"Enjoying my dinner," She grunted, scowling at Gingerbeard. 

He bellowed a loud belly laugh. "There's still some left," he wiggled the leg at her. 

Prue bristled, tucking some rogue blonde hair behind her ear that had fallen free from her long braid. 

She felt Henry's stare without even having to look up, the left side of her face warm from his gaze. It didn't leave the whole time it took her to eat. 

"How long will the journey take?" She asked Gingerbeard, whose named she found out was Kelt - she preferred her own nickname. 

His big button nose screwed up as though he was calculating the distance in his mind. "Oh, not as long as you would think."

Prue scrutinised him suspiciously. "And, what is that supposed to mean Gingerbeard?"

Eric laughed so hard he almost fell off his seat but Gillian almost choked on his water as the small camp went quiet. Prue didn't care. She just flourished her hands prompting him to answer. 

 "You saying my beard is ginger? I think it is more of an aubern colour," He stroked it proudly. 

Prue realised she had struck a nerve, so suggested he may need to take another look in the mirror. His squinty brown eyes narrowed on her again. She wasn't sure how he going to react but she didn't care.

A snap of a branch sounded from the distance and Prue swore she saw something in shadows, watching, moving. The hairs on the back of her arms rose and cold washed down her spine. Before she knew it, the hard ground had slammed against her back, knocking the wind from her lungs. Time stilled as a hot rush of terror and adrenaline ripped through her body, numbing her. When she came to, she realised a warm body was on top of her's.

 Henry's grass-green eyes met her's, making Prue's stomach flip. Their faces were so close. He seemed calm and if anything concerned as she creased her brows in confusion. 

A drip of something warm landed on Prue's arm. She didn't need to look to know what it was. Her enhanced senses could smell and taste the metal in the air. Blood. It was the tip of the arrow poking out of Henry's shoulder caught her eye. 

"How many?" Gingerbeard urged as an ear splitting howl cut through the calm night.

"Six maybe more," answered Eric, urgency in his voice.  

Henry was up and off her within half a second like she had burnt him. Panic washed over her. There were too many wolves. She could hear them moving behind the tree line now. Too many. Questions ran through her mind. Who were they? What did they want? Could she use this as an opportunity to run?

Gillian rushed over the Henry. "Alpha, you are hurt."

"I'll be fine. Just pull the arrow out." 

Gillian stuttered over himself, panic in his voice as he tried to speak. It sounded more like throat noises. 

"Gillian," Henry boomed.

“Alpha I, I, I can't..." He stuttered and took a step back.

Another howl rung out, so much louder this time. So much closer. 

Gingerbeard and Eric both shifted in unison. Unsurprisingly their wolves' colouring were similar to their hair. One Red and one black. Both gigantic with vicious snapping teeth.

Henry grunted and gripped his shoulder, looking like he was going to try and remove it herself. 

Prue sighed in frustration, Gillian froze watching his Alpha's blood begin to drip on the ground. His face paled. 

She stormed up to the Alpha and smacked his hand way from making a mess of the wound. He growled fiercely, making Gillian whimper behind her. Eric and Gingerbeard did not so much as look too back, too focused on the movement in trees. She growled straight back, baring her teeth in his brutal face. She wasn't going to get killed or worse captured just because he got injured. 

"Can we make it to the house?" She asked him.

"I don't know if we will make it. We don't know where they are. We will have to make do with the cover behind  these rocks."

Prue knew she needed to get the arrow out quickly so Henry could shift. One good thing about being a werewolf was that you healed much quicker than human. Especially Alphas. 

"Gillian, keep watch with your pack mates. I have got this," She told the younger wolf. 

He didn't moved until the Alpha nodded in permission. 

More howls sounded behind them, and Gillian shifted into a bright blonde wolf with long hair. Smaller than the other two but truly beautiful. 

Prue stood on her toes so she could inspect the Alpha's wound closer. His hard grass-green eyes watched her and his full lips twisted with pain when she prodded it slightly. Part of the head was still in his shoulder so she would need to push it through far enough so that she could snap the head off and pull it all the way out. 

"Kneel," she commanded the wolf, slightly enjoying the temporary power.

"Not many people give me orders," he grunted through gritted teeth as he kneeled before her. Prue couldn't help but feel smug. Henry's eyes flickered to the trees and back, desperate to get out there.

"Hold still," she said without remorse as she moved behind him to push the arrow further into his shoulder. It made a squelching noise as it moved in his flesh. Under normal circumstances the sound would have made her squirm but she felt like this bastard deserved everything he got. Prue was only helping because she knew she could't face that many wolves by herself, although she suspected this trouble had been brought by the very man she was tending to now. 

"Careful," he hissed. 

"Mind your temper," she scolded, uncaring, "I don't have to help."

"I saved you," he replied hatefully. She didn't want to know why they had shot at her first right now - she would think on that later.

"Yeah, from wolves you probably led here," she drawled.  

She watch his body tense up. Waves of anger seeped off him. He grunted in pain again, his knuckles going white from where he was clutching those large hands of his. 

Good, she thought. She could hear movement in the trees around them now. Rustling leaves, snapping twigs shadows moving in the darkness. The urgency weighed on her. The fear beginning to swell.

"Quickly," He urged her. 

Prue snapped the arrow and pulled the rest of the shaft out in one swift movement, jumping back as the Alpha fell on all fours. He shook and transformed into one of the biggest wolves she had ever seen in her life. She couldn't help but let a gasp escape her lips. He was a light brown colour with a dark neck and head.  His claws looked like they could rip her throat like it was butter and his teeth... Well they made him look like a monster from a nightmare. Prue swallowed and felt her hands go to her neck, suddenly feeling rather vulnerable. She realised now why he hadn't bothered bringing weapons.

All four wolves disappeared into the shadows without a second glance. 

Elena, this is our chance, we need to run. 

But where would we go? 

Anywhere. 

The council will follow. 

We have to try, Prue urged desperately, her palms sweaty and heart racing with anxiety.

She gave her body over to her wolf. Feeling her bones snap and move. Her arms and legs transformed, her face grew and stretched into a maw. Hair pushed out her body transforming her into a golden blonde wolf as her ripped clothes fell to the floor. The red-hot pain was over in an instant. Nothing like the first shift which took hours and was pure torture.

Prue was now the passenger in her body as the world came to life around her. She could now see through the darkness, now hear the growls of the wolves, the snapping of vicious jaws and the smell of blood and fighting. She listened for a moment, hearing the savaging wolves before she took off in the opposite direction, her bag in her maw.