The Alpha’s Flame

I can feel it. My wolf can feel it too. Something is about to change. “Alpha, the warriors you sent for recon are on their way up” I look up to find Alec standing in my doorway. I give him a curt nod. “It’s John to you.” “Sorry, still getting used to that. Did you want me around for the debriefing?” “Not necessary. Go home, you look like shit.” A small chuckle escapes Alec. With a nod of his head, he leaves my office. I had sent Liam & Sam to keep an eye on Damon. Since I had demoted him from my Beta to Gamma, he’s been.. “He’s been a thorn in our ass” my wolf chides at me. That he has. But what do we do with him? “He’s had more than enough time to get over it.” Silas barks at me. “How does one really get over a mate’s rejection?” I question him. Yeah I thought that would shut him up. We haven’t found our mate yet. So how would he expect to know how much time it takes to get over that kind of rejection. I’m pulled from my thoughts when a knock on the door calls my attention. I nod my head at them to enter. Liam strides in first and takes the arm chair closest to me. Sam keeps his eyes in the ground as he moves to the armchair across from me. “Please, take point” I encourage them. Sam & Liam exchange a look with each other. Sam nods his head at Liam and Liam clears his throat. “Alpha, we tracked Damon to the human side of our territory. Looks like he’s set up there. Making a home for himself.” Liam’s facial expressions tell me that there’s more. I nod and he continues on. “There’s nothing much to respite, his behaviour isn’t threatening to the pack at this time. We just tailed him for a few days. Just Damon trying to blend in. Going for jogs, stops at the cafe and what not.” I can feel Sam’s anxiety. He was clearly uncomfortable with this assignment. “Fair.” Silas comments. “He’s Damon’s right hand.” He adds. Damon’s my brother, yet the bond he and Sam share is more brotherly than ours. I have to admit, I’m a little envious of that. “He’s been following this blonde though. She hangs out at the cafe and fire hall.” “Oh?” This peaks my interest. Liam nods and continues. “From what we can tell she’s not a wolf.” Liam adds. “What would he possibly want with her then?” Sam interjects, accidentally making eye contact with me. I raise a brow in question to ask him what he means, but he just stares at the floor. “Do you know why he’s there Sam? Because I get the feeling you know.” I lean back into my chair and wait for his response. The tension starts to become too much for him when I stare at him while swishing my glass of scotch. Sam’s eyes finally lift and meet mine. “I don know he’s not looking to do harm to the pack. It’s his pack too.” “What’s he looking to do?” I take a sip of my drink waiting for an answer. But nothing comes from Sam, from the corner of my eye I can see Liam shift in his chair. “Maybe-“ Liam starts but I cute him off through our mind link. I want to hear from Sam. “John, he wants space. Alpha sorry.” He quickly corrects himself before continuing. “He wants space. His mate’s rejection and the guilt from the call are haunting him.” Sam looks at me as if he’s pleading for something. “That guilt should stay with him.” Silas huffs to me. My wolf isn’t the most sympathetic. “If he had of listened to my orders, no one would have died.” I leaned forward in my seat resting my elbows on my knees. “I don’t disagree with you on that. It’s just, you know how Damon thought he was right. He thought-“ my irritation very evident in my voice as I interrupt him. “He thought nothing of the lives of those who were with him when decided to move in on the coven. I ordered him to wait and he ignored that.” Silence fills the room. “The girl.” Silas breaks my attention from Sam. Really? You want to know about the girl I sigh at my wolf. I turn my attention to Liam. “The girl?” I ask him. He straightens in his chair, just as he’s about to speak, Alec bursts through the door. “I said I would link you if needed” I said through our link. “I’m sorry, but there’s been a development.” Interesting choice of words. “A development?” I stand and walk towards him. “The apartment building that Damon’s been residing in, it’s on fire. Our eyes stationed there have said it’s a large fire and that the residents are being evacuated.” “And Damon?” “They think he may of started it.” A groan escapes my throat and I run a hand through my hair. “Liam, Sam? I hope you’re up for a run. Alec let’s go.” “Yes Alpha.” - We break through the forest. Alec, Liam and Sam fall behind me. A large brown wolf approaches us. When he makes eye contact with me, he bows his head. “Alpha, the fire isn’t far from here. Alec linked me to meet yous and lead you to it.” Wyatt links me. I nod my muzzle at him. He nods and takes off. I follow his his lead, after a few strides I’m on his left. I can hear the siren of the fire truck. I can see the truck come into view as it races to the building. I can smell the smoke before we even see it. The building was bigger than I expected. “Alpha. Damon is at the tree line.” Wyatt informs me. I shift out of my wolf and pull on a pair of jeans that I was carrying. “Did you start it?” I ask in more accusatory tone then needed. “For f*ck’s sake. You think I’d do that?” A low growl ruptures out of me. Put him in his place would you? Silas chirps at me. “I didn’t start the damn fire. It’s an old shitty building and the landlord doesn’t care about it.” I turn my attention to the building where I see a crew of firefighters working the scene. There’s a couple of fire fighters at the base of the building with hoses. The wind shifts, and it hits me like f*cling freight train. It’s like nothing I’ve smelled before. My body pushes towards the source of the scent. Silas is howling in joy. He’s fighting me for control. “Mate. That’s mate. Go find mate. Mate!” It’s practically a chant inside my head. “What’s going on?” Alec tries to link me. But all I can do is move towards the building. “Do you think he’s discovered his mate?” Alec asks Liam. “Looks like it.” Liam responds. I can hardly hear their conversation. There’s only one thing that I need to do. I need to see her. It’s like my own little inferno. I’m burning to meet her. “Well which one is it?” Alec asks. I can hear the amusement in his voice. I’m too consumed in her scent to respond though. She smells like fall and cinnamon. “Mate!” Silas yells at me in my head. “I know!” I practically yell back. “Winston, Murphy, I want yous on search and rescue. Bennett and Hill you’re on ladder company. Get up there and vent the roof.” A voice says.