Slave to the Alpha

Chapter 5: Discovery in the Snow

Hunter had been driving for a couple of hours, the cold air whipping around him. It was already dark, but he could still see the road ahead of him, smiling at the thought of having to stop and spend the night out here before going home. He had stopped for gas not to long ago and was almost at the border. The bike purred and vibrated under him as he pulled the throttle back, a smile on his lips as the trees were blurs to him.

His wolf was faster than his bike but his bike could handle distance much better. His pack’s territory was large and was bordered by allies and rouges alike. Riding his baby out to the border was one of the few pleasures he had that he was determined to keep.

The territory consisted of a town with a forest surrounding it for miles. His pack house was a large estate just outside of town within the forest. There were also lots of smaller houses and cabins within the woods, though most pack members lived in housing that bordered the forest.

He had almost reached the packs' border when his wolf started going crazy in his head, a frenzy he had never seen his wolf get into before.

Close. We are close.

Close to what? He asked.

Before his wolf could answer a mind-link from the boarder came in from one of his warriors. Alpha, he caught a scent that crossed the border, single female coming from the east just past the twelve-mile marker.

He was near that marker, pulling his bike over he hit the kick stand removing his helmet. Hunter let his nose hit the air hoping to catch a whiff of the intruder. I’m nearby, I’ll check it out on foot.

We find. We are close. Zeus growled in his head as he began to remove his coat.

Affirmative, Alpha we are on our way to join. His warrior responded.

He had finished undressing and had tied his clothes in bundle. Since his wolf seemed to know what was going on, he c****d an eyebrow, Zeus, what do you know about this?

Must find. So close. His wolf was losing patients with him, barreling against his mind demanding to come out.

Fine. Let’s find this intruder, but you are going to answer some questions afterwards. He shifted quickly, letting his wolf take control. The feel of the snow under his feet was exhilarating and he picked up the bundle of clothes in his mouth before taking off into the woods.

Hunter moved swiftly, letting Zeus take control, his steps silent in the snow as he darted past trees. His wolf was on a mission and there was no stopping him. Suddenly his nose caught an unfamiliar scent, making his wolf stop in its tracks.

Wild berries and honey.

Zeus sniffed the air and growled in a way that he had never heard before, Find, it rumbled deep in his chest. A new determination filled him as he followed the scent, his wolf not being able to get enough of it.

Several minutes passed as he followed the trail left by the intruder deeper into the woods. That’s when he saw her, there in the snow, a flash of red fluttered in the wind between some trees. He moved closer dropping the bundle he was holding as he took in the sight before him.

There in the snow, laying face down wearing nothing at all was a young woman with flowing red hair. She had yet to move and Zeus was panicked as he moved to nuzzle her neck, inhaling her scent. He whined as she failed to respond to him, Help her. his wolf pleaded with him.

His wolf had never begged before. Why was his wolf worried about the wellbeing of a single rouge, it had never mattered before. It shouldn’t have mattered to him, but, god dammit, it did.

He shifted back into his human form, quickly dressed, minus his coat, and retuned to her side. His fingers brushed her skin as they moved her fiery hair to expose her neck, her skin was like ice. Zeus whined as he paced endlessly inside his mind, as Hunter used two fingers to check her pulse, his fingers touching something metal.

A sigh of relief, she was still alive, her breaths short and shallow.

Help her. Zeus growled.

Ignoring his wolf, he mind-linked the nearby warriors, I found her. She is unconscious and needs medical. We are bringing her in.

A howl could be heard through the woods, alerting others of the intruder being found.

He placed his hand on her shoulder and gently moved her to lie on her back. Oh Goddess, he was not prepared for what he saw. If this had been any other time, and she wasn’t freezing in the snow, he could have stared at her forever and it still wouldn’t have been enough.

Understood. Shall we prepare the nearby cabin or alert the meds at the Pack House? The mind-link brought him back down.

Looking back at her form, Zeus growled, Take her home. Safe.

Zeus was right, He didn’t like the idea of taking her to a cramped cabin filled with warriors while she was helpless. She needed somewhere safe to heal. The Pack House.

His eyes wandered up her form, taking in every curve as he knelt beside her. He was checking for injuries before he moved her, he told himself as his eyes lingered more than they should have on some parts. Eyes moving past the swell of her breast to the nape of her neck; that’s when he saw it.

Fury built up in him, Zeus wanting to shed blood in anger at whoever was responsible for this. Around her neck was a silver slave band, but that wasn’t what was the most upsetting, the skin beneath looked as if she had been burned, as if the band itself and scorched itself into her skin. How had he not noticed before.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, he moved her to a sitting position, placing his coat around her form. She was so small in his arms that she weighed practically nothing as he lifted her, pressing her against his chest. Cradling her in his arms he began to make his way back to the road.

Bring a car around to the road nearest my location, I will meet you there.

Yes Alpha, they are on their way. We have also alerted Dr. Anderson to meet you at the Pack House.

He was still fast in his human form, not as fast as he was in wolf but still fast. His grip tight on her as if he was afraid he would loose her in the snow. Dr. Anderson was the warriors’ doctor, he had treated Hunter many times before but he didn’t like the idea of another male seeing the girl naked.

Call Dr. Porter instead, I’m almost at the road. She was a civilian doctor, but he felt more comfortable having her around the girl.

There was a pause and silence before he heard, Of course the car is already on the road. We will notify Dr. Porter.

Good. Double check to make sure she was alone. I want a resweep of the area, his tone harsher than he meant it to be. He was close to the road and wanted to get her to safety as quickly as possible. Another howl coming from the direction of the road could be heard, notifying him of the car’s location.

It was another ten minutes before he was on the road, finding the car easily. A black, fully loaded Jeep sat on the road. One of his warriors was standing nearby in wolf form. Hunter quickly, yet gently, loaded her into the passenger seat. He opened the back of the Jeep and pulled a blanket from the emergency kit and covered her, tucking it around her small frame before buckling her seat belt.

He turned to the wolf, “Return to your patrol. Report if you find anything about where she came from.”

The wolf bowed its head before taking off back into the woods from the direction he had come from. He moved to the driver seat and started the jeep, turning the heat on to full blast before taking off at full speed back to the pack house.

He had never driven this fast, but he was determined, occasionally casting glances in her direction. Her face turned to his, as she took short steady breaths through her parted lips. Her scent was filling the car causing him to inhale deeply. Dammit, what was wrong with him.

Zeus had finally settled within him during the car ride, but he could tell his wolf was still worried about her.

An hour and a half later, they pulled into the driveway of the Pack house. Several warriors were outside waiting along with Dr. Porter. He pulled the jeep to a stop and jumped out, making his way to the passenger side before anyone else could move towards them.

Hunter opened the door and quickly unbuckled her, covering her entirely with the blanket before taking her in his arms once again. His hands gripping her tightly as he walked past everyone without saying a word. They all moved from his way without question as he stormed his way into the house and started up the stair.

“We set up a room for her on the-,”

“No,” he growled, cutting off whoever had spoken, “Follow me, Doctor.” His eyes never faltered as he went directly to his destination.

Our room. She must be safe. Zeus snarled at him, and Hunter agreed.

“Yes, Alpha.” He said before her light footsteps could be heard right behind him.

He finally stepped into his own room, placing her tenderly on the bed before moving the blanket to uncover her face, his fingers brushing a stand of hair from her face, tracing the curve of her features.

“Leave her to me, Alpha. I will take excellent care of her.” She stood on the opposite side of the bed, placing her bag on the nightstand.

Hunter stood and nodded, “Please let me know if you need anything, we will fetch it immediately. She appears to have some burns around her neck.”

“Of course, Alpha.” She bowed her head.

“I’ll leave you to work.” He made his way out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Turning on the mind-link he summoned one of the female warriors to stand outside the door incase the doctor did need something.

Making his way to his office, he ignored the commotion his arrival had caused. For it being past midnight, the pack house was very active. Sitting at his desk, he released a breath he didn’t know he had been holding and leaned back.

The events of the last few hours replayed in his mind. So many questions were running through his head but before he could start asking Zeus anything the door to his office burst open, “Do you want to explain to us why you brought an injured rouge wolf, not only to the Pack house, but to your room?”

His Beta and Gamma both stepping into the office, shutting the door, a smirk on both their faces.