Chapter 7: So it begins

**Ryker**

I leaned on a tree by the training grounds chatting abstractedly with my beta. My eyes swept methodically through the training grounds, searching for Tamara.

The little witch affected me in ways ayond my understanding. Her limited presence turned me into an horny dog. I couldn't even think properly whe...

'Alpha..' My beta called me, snapping me out of my thoughts.

'What is it Jayson. ' My irritation showed off. He was my closest friend after all. One of the reasons why he qualified to be my beta, well apart from the beta blood running in his system.

' Are you looking for someone? '

'What if I am? ' I snapped.

'Sappy doesn't look good on you my Alpha friend. ' Jayson drawled the words, smirking and enjoying the vexatious expression on my face.

Jayson and I had grown together, with his father being the beta and mine being the Alpha. We did almost everything together, including girls.

He was the brother that I never had and he always understood me. He never once saw me as the cold and ruthless Alpha the others said I was.

He respected that and understood that it was my duty to protect my pack. I totally became relaxed around him, I knew I could trust him.

'Motherfucking cow! ' He suddenly swore beside me, slapping my shoulder in the process.

'What the fuck dude! must you slap the hell on my shoulder? '

'Oh you are the Alpha, you could take more than a slap. '

'Jayson.' I warned.

'Alpha. ' I followed his index finger, my eyes landing to the object or rather the person he was pointing at.

My eyes itemized on the beauty who stood amidst the rest of the trainees, her stance emanating confidence. Her eyes searched the grounds, ignoring the whispers her presence attracted.

I could see why Jayson had sworn, and why the rest of unmated males couldn't blink.

Tamara wore a sexy high waist booty biker shorts. The soft black material highlighted her peach hips effectively.

The sports brallette she wore had a deep v neck on the front, with wide shoulder straps. The material had the two globes peeking from underneath and I couldn't help but wonder...Were they making work out bras like this nowadays?

Her eyes finally connected with mine and her lips stretched in a brief smile. So she was looking for me.

'Of course dude! you told her to avail herself here, remember? ' Jayson answered, making me look at him in a skeptical manner. I mean how did he know what I had been thinking about?

'What? ' He shrugged his shoulders apathetically, disregarding my expression.

'Not my problem you said it aloud. ' He answered my question.

'I didn't know the witch has such an attractive body. ' I practically glared at him.

'Not quite like that of my mate anyway. ' He ignored my glare.

'Of course you'd put your mate above everyone else. ' I pointed out.

'Because she's my mate. '

'This mate thing is soo overrated, now shut up and get to work. I want everyone taking this seriously. '

'Yes Alpha and Tamara is making her way towards you. ' He patted my shoulder and jogged towards the grounds.

What would it take to call off this training, summon her to my place and have my way...

'Alpha Ryker. ' Tamara's soft voice awoke me from my dazed state and totally unacceptable thoughts.

Since when did I start thinking about bedding her? and especially in my own place? No female had ever basked in my arms in my house. I had rules about the women I had sex with and that included not having sex in my house.

So why the hell had I just considered the possibility of allowing her in my house?

'Alpha! '

'I heard you the first time, Okay? ' She recoiled a bit, I would've missed the movement had I not been paying attention to her. I hadn't meant to snap but hell, but how couldn't I when she was invading my thoughts?

'It's a good thing you came. ' She kept her eyes cast down on the ground.

'and on time. ' I added, still her mouth stayed shut.

'Theodore will be training you, starting from the basics until you become a pro. '

'Theodore? as in Theodore your cousin? ' She questioned in disbelief.

Theodore was one of the most dangerous elite warriors in my pack. My father Lionel Manoa the former Alpha, had personally trained him.

He was unmated at 35 among a few others that were almost slipping into depression. It was rumoured that once a person reached that age without finding their mate, they would lose the will to live gradually.

Yet here he was, stronger and more serious than ever in his duties. That is why I knew he would carve out a good fighter in Tamara.

I ignored the frown on her face at the mention of her new trainer. Instead, I summoned my cousin through the mind link.

'My Alpha. ' Theo slightly bowed before me, a respectful gesture that he had adopted since when I was inaugurated.

'Theo, you know what to do. ' He answered with a single nod, not even a word slipping between his lips.

He then beckoned her with her wave of his hand to follow her. She spared me no glance as she quickly tried matching her short strides to his.

'Wait. ' I called out to them after a thought crossed my mind, luckily, they hadn't gone further.

They halted instantly, recognising the order in my Alpha tone. None of them spoke as I approached them. Every one in the pack grounds knew not to mind my business. So they continued with their press ups.

'I will be joining you today. ' I spoke after catching up with Tamara and Theo.

They dared not question my change of mind as we made way towards the trails that went deep into the forest.

'You will run from here to the south, up to the river meadows in between the forest grounds. You will not rest even for a second, once you reach there you will turn immediately and come back here. '

'But Alpha. '

'No buts Tamara, we'll run with you. Theo will set the pace, and you will keep up with him without any question. I won't be far behind, just to make sure you won't ditch the training. ' I smirked at the though of Theo losing sight of her.

I knew she knew her way around every part of this woods, even the most dangerous ones.

With a quick glance to her, Theo signalled her with a nod that it was time.

Then Theo took off, with Tamara following him behind.

Theo set a gentle pace which noticeably quickened within the first few minutes. Tamara surprisingly kept up with him and I couldn't help but wonder how the hell she was doing it.

I was right behind them and even though for me it was simply a walk over for me, for Tamara it was supposed to be hard for her. Yet she hadn't even started showing any signs of fatigue.

How the hell was she that fit and athletic?

I had never seen her run a day in her life and yet it seemed that she was enjoying it. Theo on the other hand glanced behind him once in a while, increasing the pace each time he did so.

Just before the forest broke out into the meadow, Tamara halted instantly, making me almost bump into her back.

Theo noticed the sudden halt and did so too.

'What the hell Tamara! ' I exclaimed.

'There's a breach. ' She simply stated.

'A breach? ' I confusedly asked her.

'Someone tried breaking the pack border barrier. ' This time around she faced me and I could tell she was dead serious.

'How did you even know? ' Theo for the first time talked to her.

She ignored his question entirely, making her way towards the meadow.

'Where are you going? '

'Something's horribly wrong in that meadow? '. Her voice was barely a whisper.

We followed her figure as she squatted near the edge of the river meadow. Her right hand picked up a small piece of paper and I clearly could see what was written on it in capital.

I AM.

Theo and I approached her silently, my Alpha Mode kicking in. One thing about the writing stood out, it was written in blood but Theo and I couldn't smell it.

Why?

I couldn't help but wonder how the hell my Alpha Wolf couldn't detect it.

'Alpha, this here. ' Tamara referred to the piece of paper, shaking it with her hand.

'Didn't write itself and it certainly didn't place itself here. I think this is connected to the fracture on the border barrier. ' The witch explained.

'Alpha Ryker is the one who is supposed to feel when there's an invasion and he clearly didn't. So what makes you think so? ' Theo challenged Tamara, his face guarded of any emotion.

'You can't smell the blood on this paper and yet it is there. Same reason the Alpha didn't detect the breach. '