Becoming a Leader

Chapter Two - Helping Strangers

Merrick's POV

"Alpha, there's been an attack on a pack about 200 miles north of here. I believe it was Alec and his followers." Zane, my Beta, tells me as he came running into my office.

I stand up so fast it causes my office chair to slam into the wall behind me. "Get the warriors together, we're leaving now!" I order as we start running out of my office and down the stairs.

"Already did sir, they're ready to go." Zane says.

As soon as we are out of the door of our pack house we shift into our wolves and pound our claws into the ground as we run full speed ahead. We run into the woods that surround our territory and head north. I'm ready to kill some rogues, especially Alec. Alec is my cousin, his father always thought he should have been Alpha and planted it into Alec's head that he was the next leader. A couple months ago he tried to stage a coup and take over the pack at my alpha ceremony.  My uncle Raymond, Alec's father, was killed when the coup started. He didn't stand a chance against my father who's always ran this pack with an iron fist. He said he wouldn't kill Alec for his sisters' - my aunt Seline- sake, instead he banished Alec, leaving him to the life of being a rogue. Now Alec has gathered rogues from all other the state to threaten my pack.

"Zane, how did you find out about the attack on another pack?" I ask my best friend through the mindlink.

"Our informants contacted me, telling me that Alec and his rogues were planning an attack against The Nightwalkers Pack." Zane tells me.

"I want Alec dead, I don't care who does it just put him down!" I growl.

"Yes sir." I hear my warriors reply through the link.

It takes us a little over two hours to get north to The Nightwalker Pack. I look around as we exit the woods and see rubble and c*****e. That bastard killed the entire pack and set ablaze to their home. I feel my heart speed up and over the burning wreckage I smell vanilla and rain mixed with fresh blood.

"Be on the lookout, I'm going to take a look around." I order my pack. "Griffin, please send a dozen men in SUVs to The Nightwalker Pack right away." I mindlink my Delta, third in charge.

Being the Alpha I can contact the Luna, Beta, and Delta from anywhere. Though I have yet to find my Luna, I haven't given up hope that someday I might. I trot around and stay on guard for any surprise attacks. I see a pool of fresh blood on the ground next to a body with the throat ripped out. I keep walking and follow the smell of vanilla and rain to the back of the burned down pack house. I see a tall, red haired girl limping to an open door and my heart squeezes. She turns her head quickly realizing that someone is watching. I see her beautiful face with green eyes, pale skin, and a cute button nose. It's like nothing else matters but this stranger. I'd do anything for her including give my life for hers. I shift as fast as I can into my humanself.

"Mate." I say with a throaty growl.

I start walking up to the beautiful redhead and I see tears start to form in her eyes, but she quickly puts a stone expression on her face.

"I won't hurt you. My name is Merrick Rivers, I'm Alpha of the Evercrown Pack. I heard of the attack and came to help." I tell her as I take slow steps to her.