Alpha Mendoza

Chapter 4

Alexander:

“You know, sometimes you can spend the night without working yourself too much.” Seraphina’s fingers slid along my arm just as I reached for my jacket.

“When you have a pack to run, and the safety of a family to take care of… I think the two of us can agree that responsibility beats pleasure.” I said coldly.

“But there has to be a break from that responsibility, Alexander. And that break can be me.” She said, playing the role of a Luna. “We may be friends, but it doesn’t mean that I can’t satisfy you.”

“I have things to take care of.” I said, ignoring her seductive tone.

“Do you really have to go now?” she asked softly, leaning closer. “You’ve barely spent any time with me today. It is already night, Alexander. Whatever it is that you want to do… don’t you think that it could be done tomorrow?”

I didn’t look at her.

“Yes.” I said, making her sigh. “I have a lot to take care of. And spending time with you is not amongst my tasks, Seraphina.”

“It might not be amongst your tasks to spend any time with me, but I do enjoy your presence. And I know that you tend to enjoy mine.” She pouted, stepping into my space like she always did when she wanted to distract me. “The forest will still be there later. You could stay. We could…”

“I have things to take care of,” I cut in.

Her smile faltered. “You always do. I am sorry for stepping in your way. It is, sometimes, in a woman’s nature to miss the man she is intimate with.”

I turned then, finally meeting her eyes. “And you know better than to stand in my way when I do. Don’t wait up for me and go home.”

The air between us chilled instantly.

She straightened, masking irritation behind practiced charm. “You don’t need to patrol yourself. That’s what warriors are for. And I think that I can find a place on your bed. It is not like you will be coming back anyway.”

“Go to your home, Seraphina. Whether or not I come back, I never gave you permission to spend the night.”

Seraphina opened her mouth to argue again, but Marcus appeared in the doorway, helmet under his arm, having come with his bike, expression alert.

“You asked for me, Alpha?”

“Yes,” I said, already moving past Seraphina. “You’re coming with me.”

Her gaze followed us as we left, sharp and calculating.

*******************************

“You know, you can just let her know that you’re no longer interested.” He said, making me roll my eyes.

“Yes, because Seraphina was always a woman to listen to words.” I said, shaking my head. He chuckled, but understood my point well.

“What are we here for anyway?” He asked, looking around.

Patrol lights flickered between the trees as we moved deeper into Blue Moon territory, the sounds of night creatures echoing faintly around us. Everything appeared normal.

“There is something that my wolf seems to sense. And this normality and quietness does not settle well with me.” I said, and Marcus frowned.

My wolf stirred uneasily beneath my skin.

Something’s wrong. There is a scent.

I inhaled slowly.

Then I caught it.

A scent.

Faint.

Familiar.

Impossible.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

Mate.

The word roared through my mind like thunder.

I stopped abruptly, lifting a hand. Marcus halted instantly.

“You smell that?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said tightly.

“Whatever that it… it’s close.” He said, and I nodded, not daring myself to speak.

You might not want to dare yourself to speak… but you are not letting her go this time. My wolf said angrily.

I rolled my eyes in response and simply went on.

The scent was woven with fear. With herbs. With something achingly familiar and painfully out of place in my territory.

“What is that person carrying?”

Mate, my wolf snarled again, surging forward. She’s close.

“She.” I said, making Marcus frown. He opened his mouth to speak, but the forest shifted, and the night went quiet.

Marcus’s hand went to his weapon. “Alpha…”

I heard it then.

Footsteps.

Multiple.

Fast.

And growls, warning, or attack…

And they were not from the pack.

Rogues.

I turned sharply, scanning the shadows just as movement exploded from the underbrush.

“They’re moving east,” Marcus barked. “Toward the river bend. Something is wrong, and they…”

Toward the scent.

Toward her.

My blood went cold.

“They are more than one.” I said, and Marcus nodded. “At least six. Maybe more. And they approaching fast. We are going to need to get moving.”

Too many for coincidence.

Too precise.

And the timing… she must have led them here.

My wolf slammed against my control, fury and instinct colliding violently.

They’re hunting her.

“Or she is brining them here herself.” I muttered, but nevertheless, I knew not to take my chances.

I didn’t hesitate.

“Signal the patrols,” I ordered. “Now. Tell them it is an ”

Marcus was already moving.

I broke into a run, tearing through the trees at full speed, the scent growing stronger with every step. Fear spiked sharply in my chest, not for my territory.

For her.

Whoever she was.

Whoever fate had tied to me.

Whoever that familiarity led me to…

“Hold on,” I growled under my breath, claws scraping against my palms as I pushed harder. “I’m coming.”

The forest blurred.

The scent sharpened.

And somewhere ahead, danger closed in on the one person my wolf had already claimed.

And something in me told me that the masked scent only meant one thing…

I knew who it was…