The Wolf's Prey

by Edugardo Gilbert X

  Thinking he's taking about me, I huff. "What's not to be jealous of? She's tall and beautiful. I'd do anything for long legs like hers." I grumble.

  "I know, I hate being short." Jessica agrees.

  "I was talking about Rachel being jealous of you." I look at him perplexed. "You have Lennox, it's something she wants." He points out.

  "Andrew, don't start anything." Mom warns.

  "I'm only telling her why her big sister doesn't like her. She has a right to know." He replies seriously.

  Mom looks at me. "She'll get over it when she finds a mate."

  "If she finds a mate. That girl-"

  "Andrew!" Mom scolds trying not to laugh.

  Andrew smiles and leans back in his stool. "Wanna finish the next level before dinner?"

  "Nah, I want to hear more about the two of you." I point to mom and Jessica.

  An hour later I'm overloaded with information and dazed at how much these two can talk without breathing. They really are the happiest people I've ever met. They're so similar it's like they're the sisters. I smile at their behavior and wish I was more like them. My stool is pulled back and Lennox lifts me up and sits down on my chair with me on his lap. I turn and smile at him, grateful he made me come. Who knows when I would have found the courage to come here and meet them? I would have wondered every night about them until I got to meet them. I'm really glad I'm here.

  Everyone sits down for dinner talking and laughing with each other. We sit in a similar fashion as at lunch. It’s halfway through dinner and Rachel talks for the first time. "Why do you keep staring at her?" She questions Andrew who doesn't look her way.

  "She’s not like the others." He comments.

  "What do you mean?" Mom asks calmly.

  He looks away from me towards mom. "She's just different." He shrugs.

  "She's not different, she's special." Mom says smiling at me and I smile back.

  "Same thing." He responds. I feel Lennox tense up and stare at Andrew. I put my hand on his thigh trying to get him to relax.

  "You play COD, sis?" Jason asks. I nod and Josh adds. "You're by far our favorite sister." I laugh.

  "Is she any good, though, Andrew?"

  "I'm better than him." I reply defensively.

  "You're not better than me." Andrew states crossing his arms.

  "I saved your butt so many times." I remind him.

  "That's because you kept standing up."

  I roll my eyes. "It's not like I was standing in front of you."

  "It was still distracting."

  "That's a pretty lame excuse." Josh laughs.

  "Totally, I stand up all the time." Jason adds.

  I smirk. "See."

  "You are wearing tight black pants and no underwear, I was distracted."

  "I have underwear on." I say automatically.

  "I know that now." He smirks. "Those barely count as underwear."

  "Andrew, that's Lennox's mate." Dad interjects.

  "I'm aware of that." Andrew acknowledges.

  I relax. I know Lennox is still glaring, but Andrew just addressed the fact that I was Lennox’s mate. He's not challenging him, Lennox is just being possessive.

  "How old are you?" Andrew asks.

  "I'll be eighteen on the twenty-sec- on the twentieth of September." I correct.

  "You mated by choice?"

  "Yes."

  "He asked you and you said yes?"

  I look at Lennox. "It was implied. I'm sorry, I don't see the point in these questions and you're really making him mad." I reply nervously. I know the threat Lennox presents to Andrew and yet, he is still trying to antagonize him.

  "My point is that he marked a girl before her eighteenth birthday and didn't get consent from her parents. It's against wolf law."

  "Andrew, leave it." Dad states bored.

  "You don't care that he marked your daughter without her consent, or yours, before her eighteenth birthday?"

  "I doubt he marked her against her will." Jessica scoffs. "He's an Alpha."

  "Implied is not asking." He argues.

  "Why do you care?" Lennox growls.

  "It's not right." Andrew answers simply.

  "Does she look unhappy to you?" Lennox counters.

  Andrew’s eyes darken. "I could make her happier."

  Lennox shoots out of his seat, his chair flying backwards from the force. I jump.

  *******

  Again ?

  "Stop." I say, putting my hand of Lennox's forearm. "Listen very carefully. I want and choose Lennox as my mate. I'll choose no other. Threaten him again and I'll let him finish what you tried to start."

  "I guess that settles that then." Andrew replies, smiling.

  "I guess it does." I agree.

  Lennox sits down on my chair and pulls me into his lap. "You're very lucky to have her." Andrew says, sincerely.

  "Talk about her again, or look at her like you’re doing now and we're going to have a problem." Lennox replies.

  "We need to focus on why everyone is here. Rhys is the fight, not you two fighting over my daughter. She's marked Andrew, get over it. After dinner we're contacting Rhys. I'll give him twenty four hours to surrender his father to us, or we strike against him. Now, I'd like for both of you to get along, if it comes down to using force." Dad, states.

  Andrew nods at Lennox and Lennox nods back. Well at least that's over. What is it with these alphas anyway? It's not me Andrew wants, it’s the challenge just like it was for Lennox. I think all alphas can't stand to not be wanted and sought after. I can't imagine what would have happened if Lennox didn't take an interest in me. I'd probably be with Rhys or here if my "parents" would have told me the truth about my past. I have to admit I'd like to stay here a little longer than a few days, but I know Lennox would never let that happen.

  I lean back against him. Tired from the long day, Lennox rubs my side as he continues eating and I feel my eyelids get heavy. I feel agitated then I hear shouting. I open my eyes startled and see my father yelling into the phone. "I will wipe you out. You have until twelve o'clock tomorrow." He threatens, harshly.

  I look up at Lennox who is still holding me in his arms although I notice were in my father's office, now. "Did he agree?" I ask, quietly.

  "He agreed if he could have you." Lennox answers.

  I don't have to ask what he said to that. I put my head back down on Lennox's shoulder, getting comfortable. "Want to go for a run?" Lennox asks.

  "Sure, but I have to go with Jessica after dinner I owe her one."

  "Owe her one?"

  "From earlier, Andrew and I ran too fast for her, she couldn't keep up." I explain.

  His hands tighten on me and his head snaps to Andrew. "At dinner you said you know she's wearing under now. You watched her." Lennox accuses, his voice cold and hard.

  "He's right. Explain, Andrew." Dad orders.

  I feel my breathing hitch, betraying my nervousness. My heart races, I look at Andrew and he says. "When we realized Jessica wasn't with us we ran with her back to the house. She shifted before I knew it and started dressing. I didn't stay and watch her, even if I wanted too." He replies, smirking.

  "Lennox, why don't you go for that run?" Dad urges, knowing as well as I do Lennox is close to snapping. I see the challenge in Andrews’s eyes. He couldn't care less about Lennox's wrath, I'm starting to think I underestimated him. Andrew is either confident in his fighting or completely stupid and I've never met a stupid alpha.

  "Let's go." I say, trying to stand up. Lennox's hold on me doesn't ease. I look at my father. 'Distract him' he mouths to me. My eyes get big remembering the last time I tried that. Gradually, I turn in his lap until I'm facing him. His eyes are still on Andrew, fighting with his wolf to come out and most likely rip the other alpha to shreds.

  I clear my throat, trying to get his attention. I'm too short I try pulling his face towards me and it doesn't work.

  "Andrew." My dad says, warningly and Lennox starts to shake and growl.
I don't know what happened, but I stand up and put my baggy shirt over Lennox's head. His growling and shaking stops as he licks the valley between my breasts.

  "Well, that's one way to do it." Dad mutters, amused.

  "It's better then what I did last time." I grumble, trying not to let Lennox's wandering tongue make me moan. I hear Lennox's deep laugh, obviously remembering the incident too. Deciding he's had enough fun, I lift myself up so I can take my shirt off of his head without exposing myself. "Better?" I ask, sitting back down on his lap. I feel his hardness and blush, uncontrollably.

  The phone rings and we are all at the phone. Dad answers it on the second ring. "Alpha Griffin."

  I watch his face harden, listening to whatever the caller says. "We'll meet you there." He replies, hanging up. "He's bringing his father over tomorrow morning at 9:00."

  "What changed his mind so fast?"

  "He just found out he's going to be a father." Dad answers, I can see he's relieved.

  "What are you going to do to Chris Rhys?" I question.

  "Kill him."

  Sorry, busy & chaotic life right now....lots of family drama...this is all I could get done today..but it's a double! I'll be finishing a couple paragraphs of loving blackmail after this it will be posted tonight!

  ******

  Who did it ?

  Lennox carries me out of the room towards the back doors right off the kitchen. We get to the edge of the woods and he drops my legs, allowing me to stand. I'm about to undress behind a tree when Lennox stops me. He undresses me slowly not saying a word, his fingers lingering on my skin. By the time he's done I can tell he's worked up, I'm sure my scent isn't helping.

  "Undress me." He orders, his voice deep and husky.

  I look at him a little shocked the lift my hands to the hem of his shirt. I run my hands along his skin like he did to me. I get it to his pecks before he has to take over and take it off himself. I lower my eyes to his belt and slowly undo the buckle. I slide my fingers into the waistband of his jeans, unbuttoning them. With my hand still holding his pants at his waist, I use the other to lower his zipper. I push down his pants and they fall to the ground around his feet. I trace the elastic of his briefs, looking at he's hardness. I lower my hand and trace it with my finger. He growls low in his throat and I tug on the material pulling it down past his erection. I lean forward and kiss the middle of his chest. Before he can wrap his arms and me I shift and take off running. My white wolf shaking with the excitement of being chased. I dodge trees and boulders scaring wildlife and eluding Lennox. I get to a small clearing when I feel his solid body crash into mine. His jaws on my neck making me growl in excitement.

  He shifts back, "Change." He demands and I automatically shift. His body is still flush with my back. He turns me over and kisses me, dominating my mouth. All of a sudden I feel him tense up and sit back up, looking around.

  He stands up and shifts, so I do the same. I don't hear anything but still Lennox is watching and waiting for something. In a flash I see a wolf come out of the woods and tackle Lennox. He reverses positions with the wolf within seconds. I'm taken down from behind and I land hard, sending up chunks of grass and dirt. I howl when I feel my paw snap and powerful jaws biting down on my neck. I hear loud whimpering then it's silenced. I feel a rush of wind and the wolf behind me is hit by another and they roll away from me. I look up and see Lennox tearing out another wolf’s throat. I stand, careful not to put weight of my paw and turn behind me seeing two dead wolves next to Andrew. That's four total, why we're they here?

  Lennox and Andrew shift back, I keep my eyes on Lennox. "Do you know any of them?" He questions Andrew.

  "These are Travis's men." I look over at Andrew from shock, my father's men just tried to kill us?

  I hear more wolves coming closer. Lennox leans down in front of me and inspects my paw. "It's broken." He states and I feel his anger rush through me.

  "What happened?" I hear dad shout, running into the clearing in a pair of jeans.

  "Your men attacked them." Andrew answers.

  I watch as my dad takes in the dead bodies, his rage showing. "My men tried to kill you and my daughter?" He asks Lennox.

  "Just me. How could Rhys have gotten to them so fast?" Lennox inquires perplexed.

  "I don't know. They're all enforcers, they were hired at different times." dad replies, confused.

  "Where's your beta? Could he have given them this order?" Andrew asks, coming to some kind of conclusion by the look on his face.

  Dad turns and yells to his men "Find Brooks, now!" his eyes land on me. "Are you hurt?" He asks, coming closer.

  "Broken wrist." He nods and walks back into the woods bringing out a large black tee shirt. "Here shift back and put this on. You won't be able to run back like you are." Lennox takes the shirt and we walk behind a group of trees. I shift back and feel the pain in my wrist intensify. Lennox dresses me careful because of my broken wrist.

  "I think you're wrong, that wolf wanted to kill me." I move my hair aside and show him my neck. I feel the broken skin and the burning sensation. Going for the neck in an aggressive manner is considered a kill shot. "This wasn't Rhys, Lennox." He nods in understanding and we walk out of the woods. I hold my wrist tightly with my other hand, trying to keep it from moving. Andrew and dad are discussing what the next step is.

  "Look." Lennox says, showing them my neck.

  "So, it's not Rhys. Someone here wants you both dead." Andrew responds, looking at my neck.

  "Let's get back. I'll send people out asking who these four were seen with over the past twenty four hours. They could have been acting without orders."

  We start walking back, Lennox and dad are in a heated discussion about the men that attacked us. "Thanks for saving me." I say quietly to Andrew.

  "I guess you owe me one." He replies.

  Not knowing what to say, I nod and stay quiet for the rest of the walk back.

  *******

  It Can't Wait

  The house comes into view and we all walk inside. I see a group of wolves in the kitchen. Most look terrified, so I know they're some of the wolves that dad, Lennox and Andrew will be interrogating. This is ridiculous, I doubt anyone here wanted us dead. The people that wanted us dead are in that meadow.

  "What happened?" Mom yells, rushing to my side.

  I show her my wrist. "I think it's broken. I need to go get it looked at, can you take me?"

  "Of course, sweetie."

  "She's not going anywhere alone, she needs a guard." Andrew says, looking at Lennox.

  "Do you have any men you trust?" Lennox asks dad.

  Dad growls, "Not right now."

  "You go with her." Andrew orders. I know Lennox needs to stay to question people, he wouldn't leave it to someone else.

  Interrupting I say, "Anyone that wanted me hurt was in that field. You can trust your men dad." A couple of his men are nodding at what I'm saying.

  "She's right." Mom seconds.

  "Alright, Damon you go with Jen and Jocelyn." Dad orders. I don't bother changing, the shirt covers me to my knees anyway. I won't lie I'm a little hurt by the fact that Lennox isn't coming with me. My safety and finding out who tried to kill me is his top priority.

  We get in the black Hummer and mom drives to the doctor’s office in the middle of our suburban town. Damon opens the door for me and we walk into the building. There are a few people, but we're emitted immediately by a nurse and taken to a room. I sit on the exam table hearing the crunch of the white paper underneath me. I look down at my wrist, it's already starting to swell and turn a dark bluish purple.

  "Does it hurt? Do you want me to ask for some pain reliever?" Mom asks, wincing at the sight of my wrist.

  "No that's okay, it's only bad when I move it." I answer as a young man around twenty-seven comes in the room. My first thought is that Marta would eat him alive. He has dark blonde hair and blue eyes, her dream man. I'm calling Marta as soon as I leave.

  "Hello, I'm Doc
tor Sanders." He introduces himself to my mom and I out of respect.

  "Hi."

  He lifts my wrist gently and examines it. "It's already swelling and bruising. I'd say you have multiple breaks in your wrist and possibly your hand. I'll need to take you in for an x-ray."

  I nod in acknowledgement and he writes a few things down on my chart. "Is there a possibly that you’re pregnant?"

  "No, I'm on my period."

  "Are you allergic to any medications?"

  "No."

  "Great if you'll follow me we'll get those x-rays." I get down and follow him down the hall. He opens the door and I go in. I watch as he turns on the machine and takes a grey lead vest from the wall. He puts it over my head and moves my hair.

  "What happened to your neck?"

  "A wolf attacked me." I reply.

  "That's a kill shot."

  "I know my mate and father are looking into it." I assure him.

  "It needs to be cleaned, before you leave." He states, laying my wrist on a flat surface. He turns out the lights and lowers a hanging device, hitting a button once. A nurse comes in to help and after a few painful x-rays involving moving my wrist to different angles, we stop and he takes the vest off. "Let's clean that wound on your neck while they develop." We walk back to the room while the nurse waits for the x-rays. Mom is pacing and looks relieved when we come back in. "Sit down and I'll get started." He orders, taking out alcohol and gauze. I do as he says and he starts on my neck. The burning and stinging sensation makes me flinch, he finishes and wraps the wound.

  There's a knock on the door and a nurse comes in with a folder. The doctor takes it from her and turns on the light hanging on the wall. Pushing the black looking x-rays onto the screen. He studied them then turns to me. "You have a fractured wrist, your radius and the scaphoid are broken. I'll need to put a cast on your hand and wrist."

  I nod really just wanting this to be over with. I keep getting an anxious feeling and I know its Lennox worrying about me. I'm given a black cast, pain killers and extra gauze for my neck.

  On the way back to the house I ask, "Mom can I use your phone?"