Silent Strength: The Female Alpha Leads the Purge

Chapter 4

Kristi

Ash…. Nothing but smoldering ash. The pack house stood surrounded by it. How was one of the only things left standing the building that brought me so much trepidation and anxiety? It was the location of neglect as a child and abuse during my teenage years. I stopped, breathing in the heavy air and trying to sort out exactly how I felt.

“We will rebuild.” Marcus’s reliable voice echoed in my head. I wasn’t sure how the mindlink stayed intact after my father’s death. Perhaps the Moon Goddess was giving me a chance to prove myself. I wasn’t in a position to question the gift. It would make this process easier.

I smiled over at him, though my expression held apprehension. We both seemed relieved at the realization we could still link. Neither of us had had the courage to try until that moment.

“I want it burned. I want nothing of my past life to remain.”

“We need somewhere for all of them to sleep.” He waved his hand behind us to the worried faces standing there. Young pups clung to their parents, who rubbed their arms reassuringly.

“Fine. But I'm not sleeping there.” I walked away toward the bunkhouse. Among the pain I experienced in that house, also laid the small glimpse of beauty in my world: Rose. Her room was in there and I wasn’t sure my heart could handle seeing it without her. She was gone. Not far in distance, but I was sure her new family would keep her tucked away from her old life, and me.

I kicked the bunkhouse door hard, allowing my frustration to be released against the old worn wood. Walking to the far corner of the building, I flopped on the bed that I had spent the last fifteen years occupying. My mother kept me around until I turned eight, trying to convince my father that I held value within the pack while she simultaneously attempted to conceive the pup they desperately wanted. One who was not broken.

There were no decorations adorning the wall between my mattress and the bed on top of mine. My blanket was the same grey standard issue given to all warriors in the pack. Nothing fancy. Most would upgrade their bedding and attempt to personize their space, but not me. There was no point. I lived my life knowing that the birth of a male pup during one of my father’s conquests would mean death to me and Rose. I worked hard to protect her, to show her the love I always wanted. Hopefully, she will remember that.

Weight landed on my bed and I looked over into Marcus’s eyes, which seemed to understand my thoughts. He was such a good-looking male, but he lacked the gentle edge required to be truly tempting. His defined muscular body and chiseled jaw were something that teased the females of the pack, though we all knew they would never succeed in bedding him.

“What?” I linked.

“I got everyone beds. Most of them are in the living room, but it works. The warriors will remain here. Kristi, it’s time. You’ve got to name some leadership, and you know I deserve to be your second. I’m not playing any longer. This has nothing to do with our relationship and everything to do with what’s right for the pack. What’s it going to be?”

I raised my body up onto my elbows. A crooked smirk crossed my face. He would think our relationship would influence my decision. It doesn’t matter how many times I've handed his ass to him in training, the underlying stigma of the emotional female remained. Typical.

“You are strong and usually reliable, but if anyone here is likely to respond disproportionately to a situation, it’s you. Do you really think I can trust you to follow commands?”

His smile nearly matched mine, but with a slight edge. I raised my brow, feeling uncomfortable as he leaned his body so close to mine. So close that sign could no longer be our language.

“Depends on the command.” He linked.

I hated the involuntary butterflies in my stomach. I shoved him hard. Not hard enough to make him actually fall on his ass, but hard enough for him to realize the magnitude of my anger. I stood, watching as he too revealed his height.

“You can be my Beta, but I’ll kill you if you get in my way.”

With that, I walked through the corridor of bunks and left the building. Why was I still thinking of my mate all of the sudden? I had a pack to run, to heal. I couldn’t be distracted dreaming he would saunter into the pack house and sign his feelings towards me, prove he accepted every bit of me. I wanted to be fully loved, not loved for some type of potential.

I stopped short of the doorway. Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders ready to take on the monumental emotional task at hand. I felt Marcus’s presence once again, this time remaining silent thankfully. I grabbed the doorknob and flung the door open, nodding at the faces staring at me. Beds lined the rooms. It was like a refugee camp. In a way, I guessed they were. All were displaced during this war, which would inevitably start. I knew those Alpha males had their sights set higher than my dimwitted father.

I kept walking until I reached my father's office. Walking in, I looked at the worn leather couch where I had seen him violate pack members numerous times. The bookshelves were in perfect order. I walked the perimeter, running my hands over the volumes which he had never read. It was for decoration purposes only. I was the only one who enjoyed them, sneaking in late at night to grab a book and ensuring it was returned before he woke. His desk was filled with random profiles of breeding options, making me sick as I lifted each stapled file. Anger filled me. They were young, too young, and all offered up by Alpha’s as sick and twisted as my father. I grabbed the stack, walked to the far corner of the room, and dumped it into a letter box sitting empty on the oak corner stand where a plant used to be. Long gone were the days my mother put fresh flowers there. Then determination settled in. Marcus and Darius stood in the doorway watching to see what I would do. I walked briskly to the center windows of the bay set sitting behind the desk and threw them open. Then I turned, grabbing every personal possession of my father's and chucking it out the window. I walked throughout the room, gathering the memories of him and adding them to the stack on the lawn before turning to the two males and pointing to the couch, motioning for them to get rid of it. They obliged, lifting it and taking it through the doorway. I headed through the house and out the front door once again, walking up to the pile now lined with female pack members who seemed to understand my vision. All of them were just as happy as I was to be rid of him. I knew their faces and their names. Victims, all of them. Sarah, a sweet sixteen-year-old whose parents died, leaving her vulnerable and forcing her to accept my father’s offer to move into the pack house, held out a small pack of matches. I smiled as I accepted them from her. Marcus and Darius threw the couch on top, then grabbed a jug of oil from one of the older women standing on the lawn. Her story was tragic. A beauty herself, her daughters stood out. They didn’t survive their nights with the Alpha. Now she was childless. Olive oil wasn’t the best fire starter, but I applauded her initiative. With the pile doused, I struck the match across the box and tossed it on. Smoke started to rise, followed by small licking flames. We all stood still, not moving, just mesmerized by the cleansing fire. I nodded to Darius and Marcus, who understood immediately, heading back into the house with more warriors and starting to carry the bedroom furniture and clothing from the master bedroom and adding them. The sun started to set, but I wouldn’t move until I knew it was gone. All of it. The deep colors of the sunset filtered over the valley and danced on the large pines. The heat from the fire caused everything to wave, distorting the scenery, but not enough for me to not recognize him standing in the tree line. s**t. I knew he would come once he heard of my father’s death, but I figured I had time to prepare. Marcus stiffened when he noticed the figure growing as he walked further into our territory. Darius came up to the other side of me and glanced over, waiting for an order.

“Stay here.” I signed and headed past the fire, preparing myself for the battle I’d been fearing for years.