Chapter 3: Madelyn

Did he say Guardians? Isn’t that what Alec and his friends were saying before? Something about twins finding their mates?

When the man, Cayden, crouches into a fighting stance, I don’t even have to duck to stay hidden behind him. Whether that was intentional on his part or he’s just that tall, I don’t know, but I stay behind him, my hands looping into the back of his pants. If Alec tries to tear me away, at least I have something to hold onto.

“We just want the girl, Alpha Cayden. She’s part of our pack and she’s distraught. We need to get her home and take care of her.”

Alpha? Oh no!

“Distraught…” he says as if he’s rolling the word around in his head but it’s not making sense. “Yeah, I might go with terrified, not distraught, based on her scent. So, I’m guessing that whatever you boys did, she didn’t like it. She’s run from you and now she’s asked for my help. If you know who I am, then you know I won’t say no to helping her or anyone that asks for my assistance,” he growls.

I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I’m thankful that it sounds like he’ll at least help me get away from Alec and his men.

“Alpha Cayden, you are severely outnumbered here. Give us the girl and there will be no problem,” Alec says.

“You think I can’t take five of you? You think I won’t kill you for going against me? The Holstins own this town. You have no say here. Run along before you get yourselves into more trouble than you’re already in,” he says.

Who the hell is this guy?

“Alpha, is there a problem?” I hear another man say, walking up on one side of me as a woman walks up on the other.

Alpha Cayden stands up. “I don’t know boys. Is there a problem?” he asks quietly, but his tone is menacing.

“No, no problem,” Alec says. “We’ll be on our way. We’ll see you soon, Maddy,” he says before I hear them walking away.

“Follow them, Jesse. Make sure they leave the city,” Alpha Cayden says.

“And if they don’t?” the woman asks.

“Show them what happens when they go against us, Penny,” he says.

The woman, Penny, looks at me. She starts to say something, but Alpha Cayden cuts her off. “I’ve got her.”

“We’ll check in with you later.”

“Thank you.”

The two werewolves take off behind Alec. I know they’re werewolves because they were both extremely attractive people and also because they are very muscular, even the woman.

I feel hands wrapping around my wrists and I try to pull away. He releases one wrist and turns. “Easy, Maddy. I’m not going to hurt you.”

I look up into his green eyes. They are startling against his tanned skin and blond hair. Geez the guy is gorgeous, but I shouldn’t be surprised since he’s not only a werewolf, but also an Alpha.

“Thank you for your help, Alpha. I’ll be on my way now,” I say, trying to pull away.

“Hey, hey. Maddy, I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Madelyn,” I say, hating the nickname that Alec gave me.

“Madelyn,” he purrs, at least it sounds like a purr. I’ve never heard a werewolf purr before. “Where are you headed?”

“Oh, I um…” I say, jerking my thumb over my shoulder in the general area behind me.

He leans down, getting closer to me. Good grief, he smells like Sunday mornings when I was young and my mother would make pancakes with butter and maple syrup. It was my favorite breakfast and made Sundays my favorite day of the week. At least when my parents were alive.

“Do you have somewhere to go?”

I don’t know why, but I feel locked in his gaze and I answer truthfully. “No.”

“Come on. I’m not letting you sleep in the street. The city isn’t safe, especially when you have a pack hunting you.”

“I don’t have any money,” I say quickly. I want him to understand that I can’t afford to get a hotel room.

“I have a place here,” he says and I’m not sure what sound I make or what he heard, but he pulls me to a stop, still having a hold on my wrist. “I’m not going to hurt you. You probably don’t know what a Guardian is, but I’m the son, brother, and friend of very powerful women called Guardians. The name is exactly what you were expect. Guardians protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

“Who got married?” I ask, sounding absolutely stupid.

“What?” he asks frowning.

“I heard Alec and his friends talking about twins finding their mates. That’s like marriage, right?”

“My sisters, Quinn and Malin. Yes, they found their mates, friends of mine, Alpha Emerson, and Alpha Cohen. Powerful Alphas who are in an alliance with my brother, Alpha Richard.”

Now it’s my turn to frown. “But they called you Alpha.”

“I was born into an Alpha family. My father is an Alpha and my mother is a Guardian. My oldest brother, Rich, took over the pack several years ago. Only the oldest son takes over the pack. My brother and I run our family’s business here in the city. Well, we will once we finish school,” he clarifies.

“Oh,” I say, feeling my stomach rumble. Alpha Cayden’s eyes flash to my stomach.

“Let’s stop and get some takeout on our way.”

“I said I don’t have any money,” I remind him.

“Hmmm,” he says, looking thoughtful. “Then I guess you’ll have to pick out what we’re eating, and I’ll pay for it.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. I don’t even know what you like? And how is that fair?”

“Lucky for you, I like everything, and didn’t you hear me tell Alpha Alec that the Holstins own this town? It’s pretty much true. I think I can afford dinner for two.”

“Okay.” I’m not sure I’d be so amenable to his offer if I wasn't starving and exhausted, and so far, this guy is being nice to me. Of course, Alec was too, until he wasn’t.

“We’re not going to your pack, right?” I ask him.

“No, but if you’d feel safer there…”

“NO! No, I just wanted to make sure.”

We stop at a street vendor that sells pizza, wings, and hoagies.

“So, what are we having?” Alpha Cayden asks me.

“Uh…” I look at the prices and see that they are all higher than I’d expect to pay. Must be city prices. “Pizza?”

“What kind?”

I open my mouth to say cheese, but Alpha Cayden interrupts me.

“Nevermind, we’ll get several,” he says before ordering a cheese, a veggie, and a meat lover’s pizza. Then he adds wings and two sodas before turning to me.

“Did you want anything else?”

I shake my head, frowning at him. How many people is he feeding? I know that wolves eat a lot. I’ve been cooking for them for months, but even this is a lot of food.

“Ohh, dessert,” he says to me then turns and asks the vendor what they have for dessert tonight.”

He orders some cookie dessert that will be hot out of the oven and then he pays.

“It’ll be about ten minutes, Alpha,” the man says.

“Thanks, Tyson,” Alpha Cayden says.

We get our drinks and we move aside to wait for our food.

“So, tell me. How did a human get mixed up with nasty werewolves?”