Alpha Rage: Bred to rule

Chapter 4: Cut from the same cloth

Beau looked around and caught a man staring at her. She also held her gaze and felt an odd sensation from the pit of her stomach. The feeling was new to her, but she ignored it. Beau averted her eyes from the man when she found what she had come there for. Three of her peers joined her in her mission at Big Stone Gap, although she insisted on going alone. They refused to let her go without company because she was the leader of Theron, and wolves from other packs might see her wandering alone as an invitation to take out what kept them from successfully taking their independent community.

The only hindrance standing between success and them was Beau Hardy. She's a pain in their a**es, and they've tried many times before to get rid of her but failed.

Theron needs her, but they also crave the pureblood Alpha. She always had to deal with it, even if she had proven herself worthy as their leader.

The people she came to talk to were patrons of Stone Pub, and they noticed Beau almost instantly. Beau signaled the bartender to approach. "The usual, Benny."

"No problem, Beau. Did you forget something on your last visit here?" Benny, the bartender, queried, attempting to engage her in small talk while preparing their drinks. "Sorry, I know it's none of my business, but you don't often leave the mountains for a drink."

Beau smiled while surveying the surroundings. "What are you trying to say, Benny? Is it illegal to enjoy drinks in a pub now?"

Benny slid the beer bottle to Beau, and she caught it effortlessly without looking. "All I am saying is that repairs are expensive. Business has not been doing well lately. If you're looking for trouble tonight, kindly do it outside. I told the other group before you the same thing, and they agreed. I have a feeling they've been expecting you, Beau."

She wiped the mouth of the beer bottle with her thumb and swigged it like a thirsty nomad. "What did they say?"

"They agreed. My pub is the only pub here in Big Stone, so if I close for renovation, there's no other place to go. My customers will be sad," Benny shrugged. "I don't mean to be on your bad side, Beau, but I am a businessman through and through."

"Understood, Benny. I hope they keep their word." She stood up and walked in their direction.

"Beau," Cory, one of her friends, stopped her. "What are you doing? We are a team. We're supposed to be by your side when you confront them."

Beau brushed her hand away. "Stay here; I'll talk to them first. Keep your eyes peeled. If I need help, that's the only time you'd interfere. This is personal to me."

"O-okay, if you say so," Corey sat down.

Rage saw this, and while he tried to keep up with the boyish stories---his attention was drawn to the far corner of the pub where five burly men were. He's convinced they're not friends like the bartender because the men all looked at her with intent, not with desire, as he does. They all looked angry at her, and she didn't seem to mind.

"Come on, Rage. Remember what Ray's mom told your group; 'don't be a problem, don't look for a problem'." He told himself when he felt the urge to get close to them. However, all his logic was thrown into the air with this woman. "Ah, f*ck it." His feet felt like they had a mind of their own, and he was soon standing near their table where he could hear their conversation.

"… you're courageous to come looking for us, Beau." One of the burly men said in a low voice.

"Beau, that must be her name. Unusual, but I like it." Rage was six or seven feet away from them, and he could hear them loudly and clearly despite the sound system blaring.

"You know why I came here, Roman. You have some explaining to do." She responded.

Rage tried to act normal to avoid drawing attention from anyone. He's new in town, and eavesdropping was never polite. So, he tried to blend in by sipping his beer bottle and stomping his foot with the beat.

"Hey, what are you doing there?" Knox grabbed his arm. He noticed the woman Rage had been eyeing earlier and smiled teasingly. "Wow, this is not you. You really like her, don't you? You don't do this. What's next? You'll ask me to help you find her social media account?"

"No, can you just shut up?" Rage turned to see if she heard Knox's words, but they were gone. "Where did they go?"

"Who?" Knox asked him and realized who he was asking for. "Ah. Her. I don't know. Do they move pretty fast here in Stone Gap? Where did they even exit?"

Something told Rage he had to look for her. They won't be far away. Maybe the back door. Without weighing his options, he took off and looked for the exit. And he was not wrong. He found her surrounded by five men. She doesn't even seem scared she's outnumbered.

The man she called Roman looked like he was the group's leader. "We are fortunate tonight, guys. We were only recruiting new wolves a few days ago, and here we are, the famous leader of Theron herself."

"Roman, she's not the leader; she's just self-appointed!" Another man said.

They all roared in laughter.

Rage froze upon hearing those words. "She's a leader? Of Theron? What's that? A gang? Am I in the middle of a gang war? Did I just walk right in the middle of a problem?" All of a sudden, he was having second thoughts. "But she's a female, and five versus one is not reasonable! I have to help her.”

He heard her laugh. "Are you done laughing? I am here to warn you, Roman. Stay away from my people. We don't need protection. We are fine by ourselves."

Roman smirked, tossed his half-lit cigarette, and stepped closer to Beau so they stood a few inches apart. "Why would we do that when we could just end your life here and take Theron tomorrow? Easy-peasy without you there to protect them.”

Rage knew what was about to happen. But before he could take the stairs to help her----Beau kicked the first man who lunged at her in the shin, and the 150-pound man fell on the cold ground.

“What the f*ck?”