The Alpha's Heir

CHAPTER.11

The night seemed blacker than it ever had; the thick trees around the cabin were in full sway with the growing wind. Elena, her heart pounding in her chest, turned to look out of the small window. She felt her breath catch at the shapes of men moving stealthily through the shadows, closing in-armed and, for all intents and purposes, ready for a fight.

Lucas was standing near the door, his back to her and Marcus, his broad shoulders tense. His eyes, golden, shining weakly in the dim cabin light, scanned outwards as every muscle coiled and readied.

"This isn't going to end well if we just sit here," Marcus whispered, his voice trembling.

"We're not sitting here doing nothing," Lucas snarled. His voice was different-deeper, rougher. His skin rippled, the first hints of a change. Elena stepped backward, her mind faltering to make sense of the image of his hands shifting, of claws bursting from the fingertips.

She had never seen him this way before, not this close. The werewolf part of him was so strong, so primal, so fearsome all at once. The last time she saw him change, it was brief-a glimpse during a dangerous moment-but now it was purposeful, controlled.

"We need to block the windows, they'll try and catch us off guard," ordered Lucas in a voice barely human, closer to that of a beast restraining himself from a full-on attack.

Elena nodded, dry-mouthed, and they frantically sought out something with which to barricade the windows: some planks of old wood, a table they overturned, even some old blankets pushed in against the cracks. It was nothing much, but it felt like something, anything, in readying them for what could not be avoided.

What are they going to do if they get in?" Marcus asked, his hands shaking as he shoved a chair under the door handle.

"They won't get in," Lucas said finally. His eyes flickered toward Marcus, a dangerous glint in them. "I'll tear them apart before that happens.

Elena's breath caught. There was no longer any question in her mind: Lucas wasn't human. He wasn't just a protector - he was a predator, and the men outside were going to find that out.

The cabin fell silent. Elena could distinctly hear the rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs, the slow, plodding approach of armed men. They were closing in; the footsteps steady, determined. How was this group of people going to bring down a man like Lucas?.

Then, out of nowhere, a voice pierced the night air. "Lucas! We know you're in there. Give yourself up, and no one else has to get hurt."

Lucas let out a low, mean growl. Already, his body had started to shift further. His muscles flexed beneath his skin, and Elena could see fur starting to creep down along his arms.

"They try to get in here, they'll get hurt," he was muttering.

The tension mounted; the air thickened with fear and anticipation. She had never felt this helpless in her entire life. She had no idea what those men were capable of, but from the look of things, it wasn't just a little chat they had in mind. They wanted Lucas, and by all appearances, they weren't walking out without him.

We don't have time for this!" Marcus spat, edging away from the window. "We should run while we can!"

"There's no running," Lucas bit out; his voice was a hoarse whisper. "If we run, we lead them straight to the pack.

Elena's head spun. The pack, he'd spoken little about, she knew were out there, as his numbers, not visible to human eyes. Those men outside hunting Lucas, that would be where it started, not ended. They would hunt the others, too. This was no longer just survival. It was protection of his kind.

The voice from outside yelled again. "We have someone you care about, Lucas. Someone you thought was gone."

Elena saw it now-the flicker of doubt in Lucas's eyes. His shining gaze relaxed for one moment, as if something in him snapped. She'd never seen him falter before; now he did.

"Lucas…" Elena whispered, barely audible with fright and bewilderment. "What are they talking about?"

For a moment, Lucas said nothing. Jaws clenching, breathing deepening as if he was holding something back. Finally, he turned to her, eyes once more human, though still feral and on an edge.

"They're bluffing," he said with a voiced cadence much more as if he tried to convince himself. "They want me to go outside so that they could catch me.

Are you sure?" Marcus asked, doubt creeping into his tone. "What if they really have someone? What if-?"

"They don't!" Lucas snapped, his voice a rumble of thunder. He took a step backward, obviously struggling to keep himself in check. His claws were extended, his muscles straining with the effort of holding the wolf aspect at bay.

Elena did not know what to believe. It was the first time such a possibility had grazed her mind-that these men may actually have leverage over Lucas, that they actually do have someone dear to him. She knew how far he would go for those he loved. And what if this was indeed someone from his past?

"Lucas, you really need to think it over," she said, taking a step closer. "If they have someone… you can't just let them die.

Lucas growled low and turned his back to her. He was silent a long moment, the tension in his body increasing. Outside, men were waiting with weapons ready, watching for any sign of movement.

Finally, in a voice so low and thick with anger that was hardly contained, Lucas spoke, "If they do have her, I'll know. But I can't risk everything for a lie. Not now."

Time didn't allow for Elena's answer because, suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the air of the forest. A gunshot. The yelling followed, with the unmistakable sound of feet running toward the cabin.

"They're coming!" Marcus shouted, laced with panic in his voice.

Lucas turned, almost fully transformed now, eyes gleaming with fury, form towering and beastly, fully presented. He had stood to meet what was coming to their door.

"I'll handle them," he growled, no longer sounding human. "Stay behind me."

Elena's heart was racing as she grasped Marcus' arm, tugging him across to the far side of the cabin. She could only stand and watch as Lucas reached the door, his huge form filling the frame, his wolf silhouette gunning an impressive shadow against the night.

Outside, the men froze at his appearance and their guns just seemed to vibrate in their hands.

One of them stepped forward, yelling, "We told you, Lucas! We have your sister!"

Lucas snarled low and deep, but his stance weakened, if only for a second. That was the waver the men needed.

And then, the real fight kicked off.