He's An Alpha

Lucille led the way to the back exit of the building, the three males following close behind. As she opened the door, she looked back at them. “My friend Serena is causing a distraction for Cacey and Tristan as we speak,” she whispered. “Head north, past that treeline, and be quick. Our patrol group is due to check the area in ten minutes. Clear the border in three to give your scents time to thin out.” Two of the males ran past her, nodding in gratitude as they did. Zach went to follow, but found himself catching hold of her hand.

“Thank you,” he said, his voice soft and filled with gratitude.“Thank me by not getting caught. Now, go!” she ordered, pulling her hand from his. The contact of his skin on hers caused a tingling sensation. She watched as the three males effortlessly shifted into their wolf forms. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw Zach’s wolf, pure black with those same piercing blue eyes. The wolves gathered the clothes they’d discarded from their human forms and, with one last look back at her, Zach headed towards the treeline, the other two following close behind. In wolf form, they would get past the border much faster.

Serena, they’re gone. Meet me in my room... now, she mind-linked her friend, leaving the club through its back exit too, in order to avoid Cacey. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of leering at her or handing her over to Joseph in hopes she’d be punished.

I’m already here, my Luna. I’m sorry I sent in Tristan and Cacey. When I couldn’t link with you, I thought something had happened, and Jennifer said she saw you go out the back with that strange wolf. I...

It’s okay. I would have done the same. I told the girls to keep you updated and didn’t follow my own orders, Lucille scoffed at herself, annoyed at how careless she’d been. Run me a bath. I need to scrub myself head to toe before I see Joseph.

Shit— I'm on it. Jeez, Lucille, what were you thinking?

I wasn’t... I just wasn’t. I’ll be home soon.

She rushed into her room and immediately stripped down. “Get that burned,” she ordered Serena. “No amount of washing will remove his scent.” Serena stood there, watching her friend, concern written all over her face. Lucille didn’t take the chance to stop; she immediately discarded her heels, let down her hair, and stormed into her en-suite.

“Wait! It’s too hot!” Serena called after her, but it didn’t stop her. She jumped into the water without hesitation, barely feeling the heat against her numbed skin. She grabbed her scrubbing brush and began to scrub, the action causing abrasions on her skin.

“Lucille, not too hard, you’ll hurt yourself!” Serena cried, but Lucille ignored her friend and continued scrubbing frantically.

“Luna!” Serena shouted again, but Lucille was too focused. Finally, Serena threw herself onto her friend, wrapping her arms around her tightly to prevent her from scrubbing herself further. Lucille snapped from her stupor and placed a reassuring hand on her friend.

“I have to scrub hard enough to break the skin. It’s the only way to completely remove his scent. If Joseph smells another wolf on me, another Alpha, I’ll be going through much worse,” she explained. Serena stepped back and looked her Luna over.

“I’ve never seen you like this before,” Serena muttered, “even your wolf has surfaced.”

“Hand me a mirror,” Lucille instructed. Serena left the room and returned with a hand mirror, passing it to her. Sure enough, her usually vibrant green eyes had gold shining through them, a sign that her wolf was breaking through. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, doing her best to calm her racing heart. What on earth was going on?

“Tell me what happened,” Serena said, her voice low and calm, as she wet Lucille’s hair and began to lather it with shampoo. As Serena continued to wash her hair, Lucille recounted everything. She described how Zach had walked into the club, the talking, the dancing, the energy that coursed through her whenever he touched her. How her mind had shifted from her task to solely wanting and needing him, to the point she’d lost all control and taken him to the back rooms. How she would have gone further with him, had he not said something that snapped her back to reality, and how, even after learning he was an Alpha, she’d helped them escape before Cacey and Tristan could find them.

Serena sat there in shock, unable to find the words to respond to her friend, her eyes a mix of sadness and fear. Lucille leaned back in the bath.

“I need to go and report to Joseph before he asks me to,” she sighed. “If I delay too much, he’ll grow suspicious.” Lucille stood up and stepped out of the bath. Catching herself in the mirror, she could see her abrasions had already healed, and her eyes were back to their usual green hue.

“Grab my strapless black dress,” she instructed Serena as she stepped back into her room and sat at her dressing table to reapply her make-up. Serena returned with the chiffon dress, then picked up a hairbrush and began brushing Lucille’s hair. Just as Lucille finished dressing and checking her reflection in the mirror, a soft knock came at the door.

“Come in,” Serena called out. The door opened, and a man of Lucille’s age walked in. He had olive skin, with short-shaven hair and grey eyes. Tristan, Joseph’s gamma and half-brother, shared only their father’s eyes. For all the monster that Joseph was known to be, Tristan was the opposite—level-headed, fair, and kind. He’d grown up with Joseph and Lucille, treating her like the sister he never had.

“I had to come check on you. Are you okay?” he asked, closing the distance between them and pulling Lucille into a tight hug. “Serena has told me all I need to know. I’ve questioned people at the club, and it seems nothing was reported that could put you in a bad spot,” he explained, though concern still clouded his gaze. “Beta Cacey has already gone to report to Joseph. He didn’t see you, but he knows you went alone to the back rooms with the stranger.”

“Damn,” Lucille cursed. “He’s going to plant some seed in Joseph’s mind before I can even explain myself.” Lucille turned back to the mirror, checking that Joseph’s mark on her shoulder was clearly visible.

“Serena, mind-link me Jennifer’s and Stacey’s reports from speaking with the two other males. I need to go and speak to Joseph before he spirals.”