The Alpha and the Kitten

3

Denys

It was done. She was staying. Denys gave a tight smile to her and when she hesitantly lifted the corner of her mouth. If that was what she thought was a smile then work would definably have to be done.

He strode out. Somewhere would have to be found for her to live. His beta came in when he saw Denys leave the medical centre. “We rescued a cat?” He asked, matching Denys’ stride.

“We did.” Denys answered. “Is that a problem?”

“Not to me, but you know what the Cats have done. Some families might not be so calm about the idea.”

“Please. The girl is a child. She is so small and scared, a fly would do harm to her.” Denys answered, shooting his Beta a look. “I don’t feel that she should go back.”

“The King wants her though, what you are doing is basically kidnapping her.”

“She is eighteen. I am sure that she can chose what she wishes.”

“Would you be so understanding if she was your sister?”

“Why are we discussing this? I’ve made my decision. She stays.” Denys said calmly. He walked to his house in the centre of the village.

The girl intruded his thoughts. She had such a look of venerability, of fear on her. He wondered if she had ever learned how to speak. He found himself wondering what she sounded like, and more importantly, what the f**k her name was.

Melody

A notepad and paper were brought to her and she was able to finally converse with Saera. The alpha didn’t visit again for a week. Melody spent the week studying and sometimes even helping Saera preparing medical boxes. Saera advised her not to leave the room. She said that the Alpha was dealing with some trouble in the pack. The way that Saera said it made Melody realise that the trouble that she meant was her.

It was quiet in the medical bay without Saera there. Melody curled up on her bed, reading a book that Saera had left her, a guide to how things worked in the pack. It was truly unlike anything in her home.

Sounds came in from the open window, Melody moved over to take a look and saw a crowd moving towards the centre. She frowned, Saera had left to do some rounds, and she knew that Saera locked the main doors when she wasn’t there. She had been told that some of the pack weren’t happy that she was there. Melody heard banging on the locked door downstairs and she shivered. Something wasn’t right. She grabbed her blanket and blew out her candle, moving to the corner behind Saera’s desk. It was a tiny gap. Nobody would see her here. Melody curled up to be as small as she possibly could as the doors slammed open and the crowd could be heard loudly. They weren’t happy. Melody covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut.

Denys

He was on patrol with a few of his men when word got to him that the medical centre had been attacked, and by his own pack. He growled as he phased into his wolf, charging towards the village. f**k. He knew that his people were angry that there was a cat in their midst but seriously. He skidded into the village just as the leaders of the crowd were dragging Melody out. She was straining away, fighting like, well, like a cat. He had no doubt that should she have been able to that she would be screaming. Her hair had come out of its plait, it was the first time he had seen it down, he knew that her hair was black, but he didn’t realise that it fell… no, fell wasn’t right. It tumbled, a mass of black curls. She looked so tiny as she was picked up by the waist and deposited down in the back of a truck. Her look of pure fear sent ice into his spine. He had promised her that he would look after her, that she would be safe. And here she was being treated like that. He growled, the low grumble that none of his people could ignore. Melody’s eyes snapped to him and he saw a trickle of relief in the blue depths. He barrelled between her and the crowd before phasing back.

“What the f**k do you think you are doing?!” He exclaimed angrily, practically nose to nose with the leader.

“My brother was killed because of that thing!” The man argued back.

“Look at her!” He growled. “Actually use your f*****g eyes and look at her!”

Denys knew that Melody could melt even the hardest hearts. He looked around the men surrounding them.

“Do you see a warrior here?” He asked. “Do you see a threat? Is she the one that beheaded your brother? I am sorry about what happened… Truly, but what I see here? I see a girl that needs our help. A girl that is too terrified to breathe too loud. And you want to do what? Send her head back to her clan? An eye for an eye never works, I will mourn your brother, but I will not allow a girl that has been so abused to have anything else happen to her. Not here. We are Wolves, not savages.”

“But Micah….”

“We will avenge Micah.” Denys promised. He held his hand out to Melody, and like a scared bird she gently placed her hand on his. He closed his fingers around hers. “But we will not take it out of a child.”

He carefully helped Melody off the vehicle and led her to his own home. The silence that followed them gave him chills. This was going to be a nightmare.