Chapter １０

Alexander’s pov

When Crete leapt towards my mate, I clenched my teeth and yanked them back. The brand new friend who was just racing away from me at breakneck speed. A little part of me was devastated by her betrayal, but happily it was just that. In my heart, I knew I had to stop thinking about anything except my challenger. After all, I had marked her, making our relationship permanent.

Crete was certainly much older than I was. It was clear that he was no match for my strength, speed, or healing ability. Yet, he was much more experienced than I was at the time. If I wanted to keep alive, I had to take seriously his accounts of conflicts from his prime.

"You're really challenging us over a nobody?" This time it was an older person, perhaps Hiro, who posed the question. I didn't have the time to focus on trying to identify the source of the voice.

And despite my ambivalent emotions, I was certain that I had a responsibility to safeguard my mate. The possibility exists that she attempted theft against one of our most respected leaders. Maybe she was running away as if her life depended on it, but Philip didn't give a hoot. I really wanted to re-experience the comfort of her body on mine and the familiarity of her perfume.

It was a miracle that I didn't pass out after biting her neck. Those bonding chemicals, of which I had always heard but never taken seriously, had suddenly flooded my system. Instantaneously, I went from appreciating her perfume and desiring more of it to desperately requiring it. Such like water. The same air we breathe.

Idiot! In my mind, I could hear Crete hiss, nasty and judgmental.

That was Crete's only forewarning before he came at me. While I hadn't been training as a wolf recently, my body nonetheless responded with a strong leap backward.

I wasn't fooling myself; I'd never faced off against an alpha before, even though I'd prepared extensively for the potential. I knew that in order to succeed, I couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

While I was in the process of landing, Crete used this as an opportunity to exploit his advantage and sprang forward, trying to snap at my neck. Still, I avoided going down on my back by rolling to the side, going against my wolf's natural nature.

It was the crucial move that gave me the upper hand. As I rushed him, Crete slid to a halt, his knees trembling as he struggled to stop his forward motion.

So that I wouldn't cause any serious injury after everything had gone so well, I kept my mouth tight and slammed the side of my skull, blunt side first, against his.

Crete was thrown with such force that it collided with one of those large trash cans, denting it with the impact. Its volume was so loud that it would attract the attention of even human beings.

Hence, we had very little time to complete everything before potentially being discovered by an ordinary member of the public.

Fearing I might lose my edge, I sprang at Crete as he stumbled to his feet and opened my mouth so my fangs rested just over his jugular.

That settled the matter. Without getting us hurt, I had won. Thank heavens.

After taking a step back, I reverted to my human form. Not for the first time, I found myself really appreciative of the fact that, after a shift, our clothes magically returned. I had heard that people lost or had their wigs and diamond necklaces smashed in the changeover, but I had never heard of someone being completely unclothed.

Crete moved back, which was probably a good thing for me, and the rest of the alphas helped him get up. It wasn't until he bowed deeply before me, head cocked, that I understood the gravity of my actions.

Wolf politics were complex and fierce, but one universal truth was that the victor of an alpha battle was the undisputed leader of the pack. It took a second for the implications of what it meant to sink in, even though I was aware of it.

If you compared myself to Crete, I would have been number one. I had assumed the position of table leader.

As disorienting as the idea was, I did my best to bury it deep into my consciousness.

I knew I had just made my life and the lives of my pack a lot more complex than they needed to be, but I simply couldn't cope with it just then.

I was searching for a missing mate.

“You are all dismissed. Please return to your packs; we will continue this discussion when you have returned home. "

Although a few of the other alphas seemed stunned by the events, I detected a strong undercurrent of disapproval from a few of them. Also, not very enthusiastic, but I felt I had no choice.

I had been strangely attracted to that lady ever since I'd first seen her in the foyer, and after I'd bitten her, well, that pretty much ended the game. Indeed, I had heard other shapeshifters talk of their claiming bites. A lot of them spoke in flowery language or overblown poetry, both of which made me roll my eyes. The thought that they were being dramatic had crossed my mind. The act may be entertaining, exciting, or sexual, but there was no way it could be that amazing.

But it really was that satisfying to bite the pickpocket. Not even close. My wild nature yearned for that feeling of incredible pleasure, desire, and belonging again.

I didn't start following my mate's scent until the other alphas turned and unwillingly started to depart. Yet the underlying tones of terror made me cringe, following in her footsteps was an exciting experience. The pheromones were like manna from heaven, and I drooled like a cartoon figure as I floated around on my tongue. Luckily, the laws of nature didn't operate that way, so I could maintain my feet on the ground while I relived her attributes in my mind.

I had no doubt about her beauty. On the other hand, I found her physicality to exude a certain strength that appealed to me. It was a given that she was physically capable. Her emerald eyes were keen, which piqued my interest and my inner wolf. She seemed like a true hunter, someone clever and perceptive.

I made my way quickly through the scent markers, not caring whether anybody took notice of the well-dressed guy tearing through the alleyways and side streets. The thrill of the pursuit was amplified by the fact that she obviously knew the way.