Chapter 2: Meeting the Alpha

Lacey knew it was over, but she wasn't going down without a fight. The rogue wolves stared her down, starting to advance… and there was no escape.

All of a sudden, a huge, white wolf barged into the clearing, biting flanks and then he pinned a wolf to the ground. The red wolf ran, along with a silver wolf. Once Lacey had regained her bearings, she grabbed another wolf and sent him flying into a tree, and then tackled another. Through it all, the huge, white wolf never left her side.

Within minutes, the rogue Wildclaws scattered. But Lacey knew they'd be back.

Once they were alone, the huge, white wolf morphed and phased, pulling himself back together until a very muscular man with long black hair and other... impressive... assets... stood before her. Her wolf wanted him, there was no doubt.

The gorgeous American Indian man caught Lacey checking him out and gave her a cocky grin. Then he ran his hand through his perfect hair, biting his lower lip as he looked her up and down. Only a truly confident man could stand before a woman completely nude and grin like that.

"You know, this would be a whole lot easier if we could talk."

Lacey knew what that meant. He wanted her to phase. But there was no way that she was going to stand before this man completely naked and exposed. She ran toward the hollow tree where she had hidden her clothes, but the same white wolf rushed up beside her and cut her off.

He planted both of his massive paws into the lichen and dug in. Then a low growl erupted from deep within his chest, the growl of an Alpha. Not just any Alpha, but thee Alpha. And he was huge, powerful, and bigger than any other shifter that she had ever known.

Lacey froze, feeling the need to obey, resisting the urge to succumb, and pushed past him. But he stepped in front of her again and morphed into his human form, capturing her attention.

"You know, only a confident woman wouldn't care what anyone thought about how she looked naked." He placed his hand on his chin, looking Lacey over, obviously considering. "But I guess you're not the woman I thought you were when you fought alongside me against those rogue wolves." He turned and started to walk away.

Her wolf reacted violently, obviously wanting him as her mate. Lacey worked hard to control it.

Even though she had just met him, that man was already infuriating her. Here, she didn't even know this cocky son of a... um... and he was already getting under her skin. Alright, two could play at that game. She let the red haze with black edges fill her vision and shimmers ran down her arms and over her body, morphing and changing until she literally pulled herself together into her human form.

"And only a truly confident man would say such a thing to a respectable woman." Then she turned around and walked away, flipping her long, brown hair over her shoulder.

Suddenly, he pulled her hair back, nearly breaking her neck, sending shoots of pain throughout the back of her head and down her back, bringing her to a stop. Then he stepped in front of her. "No one walks away from the Alpha."

"Well, there's a first time for everything." Then, Lacy grabbed a chunk of his hair, getting a good grip. "And I don't care who you are." She took a step closer, pulling his head back hard. "Don't you ever treat me that way again."

His beatific face contorted into something demonic as a guttural growl erupted from deep within his chest. He grabbed at her, but she flipped him over her shoulder, and he landed flat on his back. Then she ran as quickly as she could to the hollow tree where she had hidden her clothes. Although Lacey was appreciative of his help against the Wildcats, she hoped that was the first and last time she ever saw that man... Alpha or not.