The Reluctant Alpha

by A. K. Michaels

  Cam turned towards the others, his voice somber, “We’ll need to watch out for each other on this, guys. I’ve a feeling it’s going to get dirty.”

  Jinx got up, standing next to Cam. “We’ll be careful and it’s been a long time since I had a good ol’ fight. So I say, let’s do this and god help any fucker who gets in our way. What do you say guys?”

  Mac, Rory and Logan all shouted, “Hell yeah!” Excitement now rolling off them all. Their little group liked nothing more than a good hunt.

  “Good,” Cam replied and smiled around at his friends, “now we get some rest ‘cause I want to be up and away before dawn.”

  He watched as his Wolves left, making their way upstairs to their rooms. Cam sat down on one of the sofas as his own Wolf prowled around inside his head. “Tomorrow, old friend, tomorrow I’ll let you out.”

  His Wolf seemed appeased as Cam lay down and let his eyes close.

  ~Chapter 6 ~

  The smell of cooked bacon and strong coffee woke Cam, his body aching from his night on the sofa that wasn’t meant to house his large frame. Stretching and rubbing his eyes he got up, heading towards the large communal kitchen, noting it was still dark outside.

  The young woman he found was zipping around the kitchen doing, what appeared to him, a dozen different things at once. Her long dark hair flying around behind her, humming a tune, as she organized a feast for their breakfast.

  “Hi,” Cam said and she almost jumped in the air, turning around quickly and almost dropping the plate of scrambled eggs she had in her hand.

  “Heck!” she exclaimed, “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

  “Sorry,” Cam smiled, noting the blush that crept up her face. “I’m Cameron and you are?”

  Placing the eggs in the middle of the table she smiled back. “I’m Charlotte but everyone calls me Charlie.”

  “Good morning, Charlotte.” Cam saw the slight frown as he used her full name. “You’re here early.”

  Charlotte continued fixing breakfast. “Yes, I was told you’d be going out before dawn so thought I better make sure you’re all fed.”

  “Thank you.” Cam poured himself some strong black coffee, taking a sip as he watched her over the rim of the cup. “I’m sure the guys will appreciate it. I’m going for a quick shower and I’ll give them a shout, although the smell of the food will probably have woken them. See you in a bit.”

  Placing his cup on the table Charlotte only nodded as she continued to ready the mountain of food. Cam strode out towards the stairs, passing Logan and Jinx as he went up. Both were dressed and looked refreshed as they passed. “Morning,” they said, almost in unison.

  “Morning, I’ll be down in five. Are the other two awake?”

  Jinx nodded. “Yup, they’re on their way. The food woke us.”

  “Thought it might.” Cam smirked as he carried on.

  Rory and Mac met him in the hallway, “Morning, Cam,” Rory said as Mac only inclined his head. Mac was not a morning person.

  “Morning, I’ll be down shortly, food’s all ready for you.”

  Cam found the room with his luggage, sighing as he saw the large, very comfy looking bed and wishing he had slept there instead of the sofa. Grabbing his toiletries he had a very quick shower, dressing in casual jeans, boots and a t-shirt, with his denim jacket on top. Not that it mattered, he’d be Wolf all day.

  As that thought passed through his mind, his beast started prancing around, obviously excited to be let loose. “You need to behave. We could be in danger and I won’t allow you to put any of my Wolves in danger just because you’re excited!”

  His beast seemed to quieten down, although Cam was sure it wasn’t happy with him. He thought he’d insulted it by implying it would put the others in danger. If so then it could just suck it the hell up because he was going to make sure none of his Wolves were hurt or injured under his care. Not happening.

  His face hard and cold as he joined the rest in the kitchen, Rory chatting away to Charlotte as if he’d known her all his life. Cam saw the twinkle in her eyes as she laughed at one of his jokes.

  “I love your accent! It’s so cute.” She almost purred as her hand gently ran along Rory’s shoulder.

  Cam snorted, “Cute?” before taking a seat and loading up his plate.

  “My accent!” Rory scowled before finishing off what had been on his plate.

  “Here, I’ll help you with the dishes.” Rory stood up, his plate in his hand.

  “No need.” Charlotte took the plate as Jinx and Mac’s laughter erupted.

  “Help with the dishes?” Logan’s grin was huge. “I’ll tell Mum that when we get home, will I?”

  Rory turned on his twin. “No need for that, Brother!”

  Cam watched the banter between his Wolves, enjoying it and realizing, again, how much he missed it.

  “Boss,” Jinx broke into Cam’s thoughts, “what’s the plan for today?”

  “I want to speak with Fearghas first about a couple of things.” Cam didn’t expect that conversation to go down well, but it had to be done. “I would like him to stay near Camp until we can find a clue as to what’s going on. Then we’ll start on the side of the land that leads towards where Fergie was hurt. I want us to check it as we go. Slowly and with care. I don’t want to miss anything and we stay close to each other. No fucker is gonna sneak up on us the way they’ve been doing to others. So stay alert and keep your wits about you.”

  Cam looked at each of his Wolves, “Jinx, I want you to be right behind me. I’m going to try using a trick or two my mother has taught me so I may not be one hundred percent focused on my surroundings. Mac, Logan, you take the flanks and Rory, you’re watching all of our backs. Got it?”

  Everyone nodded, although Cam noticed Mac and the twins frowning at his mentioning using his mother’s magic tricks. It wasn’t only Fearghas’ Pack that was uncomfortable with magic.

  “Get ready and I’ll meet you shortly in front of the Alpha’s house.”

  Cam got up. “Thank you for the breakfast, Charlotte.”

  “You’re welcome, Alpha,” Charlotte said, causing Cam to frown.

  “Why the hell did she say that?” he thought as he made his way to his Uncle’s house.

  All the lights were ablaze in the Alpha’s house as he approached and Cam hoped his Uncle Fearghas was still inside. Taking the stairs two at a time he knocked once before pushing the door open, “Uncle, you here?” he shouted as he moved towards the kitchen.

  “In here, Cameron.” Fearghas’ loud voice bellowed.

  Cam found the Alpha finishing his breakfast, Marie already clearing the table. She stopped to offer him something, which he declined before he took a deep breath and started the conversation he knew would be problematic.

  “How did you sleep?” Fearghas asked as he drank his coffee.

  “Fine,” Cam lied. “Uncle, I need to talk to you and I want you to listen to me fully first.”

  Fearghas frowned but nodded so Cam plowed on, “It’s clear to me that there is some kind of ‘attack’ going on against the Pack. You’ve asked for my help and I’m more than willing to give you it. However, what I’m about to ask may not be what you want to hear this morning but I have to do it.”

  Fearghas’ frown deepened as Marie stopped, holding a dish towel in her hand and listening closely. Cam gave her a quick smile before turning back to his Uncle.

  “Alpha, it would appear to me that your strongest Wolves are being picked off and that leads me to think that the next in the line of fire is you. Now,” Cam stopped and placed a hand on Fearghas’ shoulder, “I know you want to be out there doing what you can to protect your Pack. However, the most important thing here is that your Pack needs you in this time of upset. Would you agree?”

  Fearghas rumbled, his frown deepening even more. “Of course, Cameron, I don’t see what you’re getting at?”

  “I want you to stay close to the Camp for the time being. The Camp needs its Alpha’s protec
tion right now.” Cam stopped, waiting on the outburst that he knew would come.

  He wasn’t wrong, Fearghas pushed his chair back, standing abruptly and scowling at him. “Now just you wait a minute...”

  Cam held a hand up. “Please, Alpha, I’m asking you to stay within the Camp to protect it from those that would hurt your Wolves.”

  Fearghas stopped, his eyes closing to squint at Cam. “You’ve a way with words. I’ll give you that.”

  “I only speak the truth.” Cam grinned. “Plus, it would make me feel a lot better when I’m out there to know that you’re here in case you’re needed.”

  “Okay, I’ll concede the point for the time being, but I’m not sure how long I’ll manage to keep my Wolf contained.” Fearghas sighed heavily, “It’s been on the rampage since all of this started and I find it hard not to be out there trying to find those responsible.”

  Cam again patted his uncle’s shoulder. “I understand that, but for now you need to be here.”

  Marie’s exhalation was clear for them to hear, she’d obviously been holding her breath. Cam turned and saw the relief all over her face and he gave her a slight nod before turning to leave. “I’m away to start our search and, hopefully, get to the bottom of this. We’ll be back later and, of course, I’ll let you know if we find anything.”

  “Yes, please let me know as soon as you’re back.” Fearghas sat back down, looking as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

  “This’ll be my first stop. I promise.” Cam gave a last smile to Marie as he left.

  His boys were waiting on him, Rory and Mac bouncing on their feet as Logan’s eyes peered all around. They looked as if they were all set for the hunt, with Jinx his usual calm self. “Let’s get going.” Cam pointed off to the right, heading there quickly, his long legs striding over the ground as the rest fell in behind him.

  As they neared the edge of the forest Rory ran ahead, “Over here guys, this was what I was telling you ‘bout last night.”

  There, set back within the trees, was a large wooden shelving unit, inside the individual shelves were the plastic container boxes. As they started to strip Rory handed down a box to each of them. Cam was naked first, placed his boots at the bottom of the box and his clothes on top, fastening the lid he placed it back within one of the empty slots.

  Cam saw the Clan tattoos on each of his friends and again knew they wore theirs with pride. Maybe one day he would feel that pride too but not today.

  Cam could feel his Wolf was pacing back and forth in his mind, his stomach suddenly filling with butterflies at the thought of running wild and free in the forest. It had been so long since he’d allowed himself to be truly Wolf that he was filled with apprehension and excitement in equal measures. Once again he wondered if his beast would behave. “You fucking better! ‘Cause now is not the time to put anyone at risk.”

  He saw his beast clearly as it stopped pacing, cocking its head to the side and moving it in a parody of a nod. “Thank you,” he told it as he turned to his friends.

  Cam stood for a second, muttering under his breath to cast a tracking spell. One that would show anyone or anything that had been in the area and were not part of the Highland Wolf Clan Pack. Once he was satisfied the spell was in place, he turned back to his Wolves.

  “Right, so we all know what we’re going to do, stay close and alert. We have our link so we’ll know if anyone’s in trouble. Let’s shift!”

  No more words were said as they each morphed. Cam was first, his change always one of the quickest. His change no longer painful as his bones broke and reset, his muscles growing and stretching, his face elongating as great fangs erupted from his gums. His Wolf ecstatic at being released from its prison within.

  His midnight black fur rippled as he shook his body, getting a feel for his Wolf once again. A feeling of joy encompassed him as he embraced his beast and he wondered why he ever tried to contain it. This was what he was, a great beast full of raw power and strength. A Wolf, an Alpha!

  As that entered his brain he shook his massive head, “No! I’m no Alpha!” he told himself forcefully. Never.

  As his friends changed he “felt” them in his mind. The Pack sharing a link of feelings of the others within it. They couldn’t talk to each other but they could sense feelings, especially strong feelings such as anger or fear. Cam had never told anyone, apart from his mother, that he had a stronger link. A much stronger link to his Packmates, so much so that he could get glimpses of thoughts as well as feelings.

  His mother taught him at a young age to keep it to himself and not draw attention to it. She put it down to his being part Witch and it was never good to advertise that in a Pack.

  At this moment he could feel the excitement in all four of his friends. Jinx with his usual exuberance, Rory with his unfettered enthusiasm for a hunt, Logan was full of anticipation of a new adventure, and finally Mac, who held eagerness and wariness within. Cam smiled, Mac always the one who could see good and bad in every instance. His reluctance to run headlong into something without first thinking it through first, a trait that they needed.

  Cam’s beast took point, moving deeper into the forest and towards the place where Fergie had his accident. He set a pace of a slight trot, going slow enough to use all of his senses, including his magic. It wasn’t too long until he saw something, a light purple mist floating through the grass like footprints. His Wolf stopped as he used his abilities to scent all around.

  Magic hung in the air around him, his Wolf pacing back and forth as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. It hit him like a blow, so strong he nearly yelped aloud. He could feel the unease from his Wolves at his strange behavior and he did what he thought best. He transformed to talk to them before continuing.

  His change so quick the others stepped back, wary and on alert. Cam addressed them, his voice hard and cold, “Magic is all around and others have been here. Yes, here, this close to the Pack and they’re managing it by using magic to hide their scents. We need to be even more on alert because this means we won’t scent, or even possibly hear, them coming. Do you all understand?”

  Each of the large beasts before him lowered their heads, letting him know they understood. Jinx’s brown beast growled, the rumble coming from deep within his chest. “I know, I’m not happy ‘bout this either but I’m going to try and cast a spell to counteract theirs. It may or may not work so we can’t depend on it. Okay?”

  There were a few more growls, yips and pacing from the Wolves in front of him as Cam thought hard on the spell he wished to cast. His reticence high in doing so in full view of Wolves from his Pack. Although they knew he could do simple clothes spells, only Jinx knew he was capable of more. Cam made it short ‘n sweet and as soon as he was done he went Wolf again, his beast desperate to find those who had violated this land.

  As soon as they set off, Cam could feel the change around them. His spell was working and he could now sense that they were shielded from others. Good. Looked like they would need all the help they could get on this foray into the forest.

  It looked as if things were far worse than they had first expected. He knew that Fearghas was going to go ballistic when he found out. It also meant that the Alpha would be even more against magic and Witches than before and Cam saw his chances of getting Fergie to a healing Witch completely disappear.

  The growl that erupted from his throat told of the anger that was now encompassing him as he trotted on. As more and more evidence of interlopers was found, his pace increased. It was obvious now that the Pack had been invaded multiple times, and by several Wolves, so trying to find evidence of that was no longer an objective.

  Cam’s beast took off, its large paws eating up the ground as he picked up speed. His mission now to find out if the same evidence was to be found at the site of Fergie’s so called accident. If so, then this put a whole new angle to what was going on and his uncle would definitely not like some of the solutions Cam was already formulating in th
e back of his mind.

  He registered the pleasure his beast was having running free and Cam vowed to try and stop denying who and what he was. It wasn’t fair to his beast to keep it caged like an animal in a zoo. His Wolf was incredibly happy, barreling along through the forest with glee.

  Cam took in the beauty of the land, rivalling even his homeland in the Highlands, and he could understand why rivals would want to get their hands on it. He was determined that they would never get the Highland Clan Pack land, no matter what it took.

  On and on they ran, swiftly eating up the distance to the point where his cousin had been injured. The miles fell away as they moved through the deep forest, Cam noting that they were now heading upwards on a pretty steep incline. None of them slowed down though, still running at top speed until they broke free of the trees to enter an area that had been cleared, trees felled to leave a large open area.

  Cam slowed, walking around and taking in all the different scents. Most were from the Clan Pack but others reeked of magic. The purple mist showed clearly to Cam’s eyes and it told him exactly what happened to Fergie, causing a growl to rumble in his chest.

  His cousin and uncle had been right; it was no accident. With the spell cast to hide any scent from the other Wolves, Fergie didn’t have a chance. They’d attacked from behind and threw him off the cliff. Cam moved to the very edge, Jinx’s Wolf yipping a warning as he looked over; it was a long way down and covered in rocks and jagged outcrops. No wonder Fergie had been hurt so severely, it was a miracle he’d survived at all.

  Moving away from the edge Cam changed, pacing back and forth to compose himself before he spoke to his friends. After a few moments he turned to face them, “It was no accident. Fergie was attacked and thrown off the side of the cliff. I want to carry on and see where these fuckers came from but if any of you are too tired stay here and wait for my return. I’ll give you five minutes to rest and there’s a small stream over there for you to get a drink. After that I’m going hunting!”

  Cam morphed quickly, trotting over to the stream and lapping the clear water. Jinx and Logan joined him as Rory and Mac kept guard. Once Cam was finished Rory’s reddish brown Wolf took his place at the stream and when Jinx had finished, Mac’s grey Wolf went to slake his thirst.