Saved by the Alpha

by Jessica Snow

  "Ah.... yeah, I think you can," Keith said. "We were just discussing the terms of our alliance."

  Edward gave Keith a confused look. "Terms? I didn't know about this."

  Keith blinked, then looked at Ben. "Wait a moment. Ben, you didn't tell your son about this?"

  "My conditions? No, of course not," Ben said, as if Keith had said something stupid. "It wasn't his decision to make. Edward, I have agreed to assist the Waldwycks with their quest, but there is, of course, the problem of us only going to war to protect the People."

  Edward narrowed his eyes and looked at his father. "What did you do, old man?"

  "You are to be betrothed to Kimberly Waldwyck," Ben Stormstout said, his voice slightly haughty and commanding. Keith realized he didn't really like Ben Stormstout, he reminded him of some of the old-boy politicians he had met in his business dealings. "You will go with them today, assist them in the rescue along with any other members of the Aklark I send to you, and then you shall be Mated, in the style of her Clan. Afterward you shall serve as a proper First Mate to her, with other details to be negotiated between her Clan and our People later, as well as between yourselves. Do you understand?"

  Edward's fists clenched, the sound of his knuckles sounding like pistol shots in the small diner. All sound and motion stopped, the two cooks behind the counter fading into the background. Peter as well got off his stool and stepped towards Keith and Kimberly, moving to protect them. The air crackled with the electricity of barely contained violence, and Keith readied himself to change at a moment's notice if need be.

  Edward held up his hand towards Peter, stopping him in his tracks. "Peter, your caution is unnecessary. Father, outside. Now. Excuse us please, Keith and Kimberly."

  Once outside, the thin steel walls and insulation of the container dulled but did not totally drown out the conversation between father and son. Everyone inside tried to politely ignore the yelling, but it was difficult.

  "What the hell, father? Why were you not going to consult with me at all about this? I know you sometimes act unilaterally, but this is fucking ridiculous!" Edward yelled, turning in the parking lot. "I mean, I know you like to play things close to the vest, but this is too damn much. This is a lot different than when you had Robert go to university in California just to get a chance at an NFL contract or negotiating a deal on the logging rights to the western part of our land without consulting the rest of the Aklark."

  "I made the decision because it is what is best for the People, and for you," Edward countered. "Besides that, I saw your reaction when Peter told us about the situation, you are an open book to me. You want to run off, and be the hero like you see in those movies that you insist on watching late at night. Why not make the best of it, instead of just giving away our services?"

  Edward turned and kicked his boot straight out, into the side of his SUV. Kimberly watched in shock as the SUV slid fifteen feet to the side from the blow, the side door partially caved in before rocking up on its hinges, threatening to flip over before settling back down. "So you sold me off like some sort of male whore? What do you know about this woman?"

  "Besides that she's six feet tall, beautiful, and one of the most powerful Lycans in North America? Not a damn thing," Ben replied. "And before you say one more word, you will remember that you are my blood, you are of the Aklark, and you will do what I say. Now shut your overly romantic mouth, and get your big ass inside the fucking diner. I'll call your cousin to pick up the truck and fix it later."

  Edward looked like he was about to hit his father, and Kim was worried. Despite being two inches shorter than his father, Edward was easily in the prime of his life, his shirt swollen with heavy muscle. If those two fought, most likely one or both of them would end up dead. Edward's fist trembled, before relaxing, and he nodded. Turning, he walked back to the diner, carefully opening the door to avoid ripping it off its hinges, and walking carefully over to the booth where Keith and Kimberly still sat. Edward looked up at the ceiling, then lowered his gaze to smile at Kimberly.

  "My apologies for my outburst outside. Kimberly Waldwyck, I would be highly honored to be your betrothed. As I’m unfamiliar with Lycan codes of custom, is there any special ceremony I should do to ask for your hand?"

  "None, and thank you, Edward Stormstout," Kimberly said. "And Ben, I thank you too for your fine stew. However, I think it would behoove us all to move on our way. Edward, would you be comfortable riding along with Keith, Peter and I back to the helicopter pad?"

  "If you don't mind taking me shopping for clothes when we get back to your home, I can do that. If not, I'll need to stop by my place to pack a bag," Edward said. "As I'm sure you two have guessed, finding clothes my size is difficult."

  Edward smiled a bit at that, and Kimberly felt for the first time a small smile come to her face as well since Ben had dropped the bomb of his conditions. Keith was glad to see it come back.

  "Edward, I think my sister would enjoy taking you shopping. We happen to know every big and tall store within ten miles of our home, including some tailors who can create suits and other dress clothes for you as well. I can understand your difficulties, well, a little bit at least," Keith said. "Just how big are you anyway?"

  "Last time I stepped on the scales, I tipped them at about a hundred and twenty-five kilograms," Edward replied. "What is that, about two hundred and seventy-five pounds I think? But I've been trying to lean out some since then. It's kind of hard with Bear genetics, though. You know, the whole getting ready to hibernate and such. I can get down in spring pretty easily."

  Keith shook his head in amazement and started to squeeze out of the booth. "Sorry, there is much I'll need to learn. Shall we go?"

  "Ah, Keith?" Peter said, "The store?"

  Keith looked like he was about to object, but saw the look in Peter's eyes. Regardless of how much of a manipulating asshole Ben Stormstout was, Peter still had to live and work with the man. He needed to make sure that he wasn't creating any more problems for the older Lycan than those he already had to face. "I suppose there is time. If anything, it’s a long flight back, and while Ben's stew was delicious, a few snacks would be helpful, and probably better than what we could get at the refueling station. What do you think, Kimberly? Think we have time for a quick stop?"

  "Of course," Kimberly replied, following Keith and standing next to Edward. She felt dwarfed, even more than when she was with the largest of Lycan Alphas. "Just a quick stop, though. I think Edward would be best served by getting on the helicopter as quickly as possible. I'm just glad we brought the Ka-62. You can fit in the back at least."

  Edward nodded and looked down into Kimberly's eyes. His throat swallowed thickly, and Keith could see that regardless of his anger, the man had an appreciation for how beautiful Kimberly was. "Sure. I know the store well, I'll help you shop."

  Keith saw Peter let out a quiet sigh of relief and the satisfied look in Ben Stormstout's eyes. At least it was one situation that had been handled without making things worse. "Good. Peter, if you would show us the way?"

  Chapter 27

  "What is it you that want with me?" Melanie asked, as the now semi-familiar white man opened her door. "You keep me locked up, you don't answer my questions. I know you aren't planning on killing me immediately, you'd have done that by now. So what is it that you want?"

  The man looked at her impassively, then waved. "Come on, Melanie Waldwyck. It is time for your outdoor exercise. If you persist in questioning me, you will not get any more exercise outside for another three days. I wouldn’t recommend it, the cabin fever can get intense after a while."

  Melanie sighed and nodded. "Well, can you at least keep me company while I go outside? You’re right, having only my own thoughts can be difficult, and the other staff doesn't talk to me at all other than to ask where the hell I’m going."

  The man thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "All right. I have no pressing duties until later this afternoon. The exercise area isn't much eithe
r, but it’s better than just your room and the other areas we escort you to."

  The two walked down the hallway, Melanie wearing the unadorned but sturdy pajama-like pants she had been given along with her tennis shoes and a t-shirt, the man in black pants and a gray collared shirt. "What is your name, by the way? I mean, it would be helpful at least."

  "You may call me John," the man said. They turned a corner, and he led her towards the end of it. "It is one of my Christian names."

  "All right, John. So can you tell me what you want from me?" Melanie said. They reached the door marked exit, and John unlocked it after tapping a keycode into a small numerical panel, hiding his motions from Melanie.

  The door opened into a fenced corridor, similar to what she had seen during her tours of prisons as a cop. Melanie walked down to an enclosed exercise yard, about twenty meters to a side, along with a pull-up bar with dip station, a picnic table, and a basketball hoop. "I see you guys got me luxury accommodations. What was this place, a mental hospital or a prison before you guys bought this place?"

  John gave her a smattering of ironic applause. "You’re quite observant. It was a bit of both, actually. It was a mental hospital for the criminally insane. When this country's government slashed the budget for this sort of treatment, my organization bought it. Normally it’s an actual hospital, for the treatment of those who have been exposed to the cursed kind, mostly werewolves. With your capture, however, we have temporarily cleared the grounds of all other patients."

  "And yet you keep me confined to a single cell most of the day. Why?" Melanie walked around the inner edge of the fence, staring out at the surrounding landscape. There wasn't much to see, but more importantly, the fence was very solid. She didn't see any broken fasteners or rusty spots she could take advantage of, even if she had tools or were left out here by herself.

  John chuckled. "You’re a very resourceful woman, Melanie. If we gave you full run of even a wing of the facility, you would most likely attempt escape. Not wise for a woman who is six months pregnant, especially one with a child as valuable as yours."

  "What do you mean?" she asked, turning away from the fence. Walking over to the paved over section that had the basketball court, she looked around. "You guys could have at least given me a basketball to use. What good is a basketball hoop with no basketball?"

  "If you behave, we'll see what we can do about getting you a ball. Come." John led her over to the table, gesturing for her to sit down. He stood a few feet away, relaxed but still carefully out of lunging distance. "I suppose the Archbishop would be upset if I told you, but I don’t see the harm. The child you carry inside you is very special, Melanie. Keith Waldwyck is the strongest male of the werewolf kind in over a hundred years. His father was wise to have had children with the woman he did, as he brought in a very virile and very intelligent human bloodline that blended perfectly with the cursed Lockwood genes. With your own intelligence and athletic ability, we expect your child to be even stronger."

  "So you want to destroy the strong before they even have a chance to become a threat," Melanie said. She pointedly ignored the insult toward Valeria Waldwyck, as if her husband had chosen her for his Mate based off of some anticipation of strong breeding rather than love, as Valeria had told her. "But then why am I still alive?"

  John shook his head, chuckling. He crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. "You must think that I’m a jailer or caretaker only, don't you?"

  "Aren't you? I mean, you act like a jailer." Melanie rubbed her arms, chilled despite the sunshine she felt on her skin. She knew it had nothing to do with the ambient air temperature, and everything to do with the threat she perceived from this man and his band of psychopaths.

  "I am far from just a jailer, Melanie. I'm also a psychologist and an OG-GYN. I will be quite famous in my Order's history books, I imagine, even if that is a bit of a sin of pride. You see, the best way to defeat the werewolves is to use their own kind against them. So your child, son or daughter, will become the Order's greatest weapon against werewolf kind. Combining our training with their physical skills, they'll be one of the best soldiers our kind has ever seen. Imagine, the speed, strength, senses of a prime Alpha, able to blend in amongst werewolf kind, but armed with our sense of purpose and skill? Oh, the war could finally be over by that point."

  Melanie felt like she was about to throw up. "You want to commit genocide. You're a monster. How can men who are supposedly part of a Church that preaches love and forgiveness be this way? I mean, do you operate under the auspices of the Vatican?"

  The man leaned his head back and pealed laughter into the sky until she felt anger building inside her again. "Oh, silly girl. Yes, our Order was started by the Holy Church, and until about the end of the Inquisition, was, in fact, a part of the Church. However, as times changed, and we realized that sometimes crossing religious lines was important for the pursuit of our cause, we officially left the Church. We still maintain the original mission, however, and many of our original structures, even if we do accept those of other faiths when needed. I myself feel that it is only through my faith that I can have the strength for this battle for humanity."

  Melanie shook her head. "You can accept other religions, yet will not accept my Mate, and call him a monster. Again, I say that you are the monsters."

  "No, Melanie, your Mate is the monster. However, there is still hope for you. After all, even the thief on the cross next to Our Lord was forgiven and now is in heaven next to Him. Perhaps, before your own death, you too can repent. But enough talk for now, I suggest you use your exercise time wisely. Just a warning, the tops of the fences are electrified, and I doubt in your present condition you would be able to vault that zone without killing yourself. Besides, while you don’t see them, there are armed guards patrolling the perimeter, although they are more concerned with external attack than escape. Still, they are effective men, very highly trained. In the meantime, I’ll give you some distance to think, and sit over there by the door to the facility. You have another forty-five minutes to enjoy the sunshine."

  Chapter 28

  Keith felt bad for Edward, as the massive man tried to worm himself out of the back seating area of the helicopter. While it was supposedly designed for twelve infantry troopers in the original configuration, over half of the cargo area had been replaced with fuel pods and upgraded engines, while the remaining space was hardly comfortable. The seats had been removed for cargo, and any passengers would have had to sit or lay on the cold metal floor.

  Still, Edward had done no griping the entire flight, merely asking for a blanket and pillow from Peter Alces before taking off. At one point Kimberly had even stuck her head back to see if he was doing all right, and had found him reading a book, his head propped against one of the side bulkheads while his feet were at an angle against the other side wall. The vibrations must have been migraine inducing, but he had claimed he was all right.

  Now however, after flying for nearly five hours straight, broken up only by a fifteen minute refueling, the man was undeniably cramped and hemmed in, wiggling from side to side to slide out from the rear cargo area. "Can I give you a hand, Edward?" Keith asked, trying not to laugh at the image of the giant man wriggling like an upended turtle. Kim had already gone inside, carrying their flight gear. She hadn't said much during the flight back, but had been acting more herself otherwise. "I thought I got stiff after a long flight like that. You must be in agony."

  "It's not as bad as the time I rode on little puddle jumper airplanes for ten hours straight to go see a lecture on experimental agriculture in Toronto," Edward replied. "One of them was so damn small I had to just lay in the aisle the whole time. That was pretty bad. But yeah, I could use a hand out. Think you can grab my leg and pull, just kind of slide me to the edge of the cargo area?"

  "Sure," Keith said. He pulled as Edward said, then helped the gigantic man sit up. "While we're out here alone, can I ask you a question, man to man?"

  "Well, some wou
ld say neither of us are fully men, but I know what you mean. Of course you can. In fact, you don't have to even ask for permission from now on."

  "Thank you. Why'd you agree to do it? To come with us, to become First Mate to my sister, all of it? Your voice somewhat carried, and there was no hiding the boot print on the side of your truck. Nice kick, by the way."

  Edward shrugged and looked towards the roof entrance to the Lockwood Towers, where Kim had already gone inside. "I listened to the story that the Kenai told my father. Can I ask you a question in return to help answer?"

  "Sure," Keith said, watching as Edward slowly brought his legs up one at a time, working feeling back into them and his lower back. "By the way, my guest room has access to a bathroom with a full hot tub, sized for me. So you should be able to fit too."

  "Thanks. Anyway, my question is, do you love your Mate as much as I think you do? Would you really give up everything, your Clan, your honor, all of this power that we're standing on in order to have her back?"

  Keith nodded with great intensity. “In a second. Without Melanie, all of this is useless trappings. Kimberly feels the same way. It was why she agreed to your father's deal."

  Edward nodded in understanding and drummed his fingers against the side of the helicopter. "That is why I agreed as well. My father is, for a seeming lumberjack hippie, far too Machiavellian for my tastes. He sent off members of the People just to get money for us all, regardless of the stress it puts on someone like us to live the life of a football player or a professional wrestler. The repeated beatings, the stress of playing in such a manner that we cannot use our full strength, even in human form, all of it. Hell, at least when our kind made some money by doing circus strongman stuff we could still sleep outside if we wanted. So when I heard your tale, and I thought of what I would do if our situations were reversed, I realized the choice for me was very easy. Regardless of what my father is trying to do, I will fight with you to recover your true love."