Rise of the Alpha

by Jessica Snow

  For Melanie, the whole thing washed over her in a wave. Finally, she fell back on an old cop habit of hers. When confronted with the impossible, take a moment to ponder, then crack a sarcastic joke. She took a deep breath, picked up Keith's coffee, and peered inside. "You know Kim, you've gotta use a different blend of coffee," she said, sniffing. "Whatever you've put in here, I'm sure the DEA would find it chargeable."

  "You don't believe him," Kimberly replied, nodding. "I understand. But I will tell you this. This penthouse has no intercom system. Keith communicated with you in your mind alone. And in time, I will be able to do the same, since I am his blood relation."

  Melanie felt her inner doubts start to crumble at Kim's statement. She said it so calmly, so matter of factly. There were no hints of deception, no tell tale signs of a lie. And she was sure from talking to them the past two weeks, neither of the siblings were insane. But it had to be.

  Keith cut that defense down quickly. "You're thinking we are both insane," he said, the surprise of the statement causing Melanie to jerk her eyes towards him. "Let me prove at least one thing. If I cannot do that, you may consider my insanity."

  "All right, but if I think you two are insane, I want my Glock back."

  "It's always been available to you, you just never asked for it," Keith said, "and if you want it back at any time, it is yours."

  "Okay. Kim, please get my Glock for me."

  Without a word, Kimberly got up from her stool and walked out of the kitchen. She returned a moment later with Melanie's pistol, holding it barrel first. She handed the weapon to Melanie, who quickly popped the clip, confirmed that it was loaded, and jacked the slide, loading a round into the chamber. She then pointed the pistol at Keith, fear and hope mixing in her eyes. "You've got thirty seconds. Do what you want."

  "All right." Keith closed his mouth and eyes before his brow furrowed in concentration. Melanie wondered what the hell was going on before she felt it in her head.

  "Melanie, from the first moment I saw you in that alley battling those evil men, I knew I wanted you," she could hear Keith say, as his mouth and lips stayed unmoving. "I rescued you because I saw your courage, your heart, and your goodness. For the past two weeks, I have left every night because I had to hide my true nature from you, and the nights are very difficult for me to do that. But I don't want to hide any longer. I want you as my First Mate, and I love you with all of my heart. I know you can't feel my emotions yet, that will come with time. But please feel my words, and trust your heart."

  Melanie felt her hand loosen, and the pistol tumble from her boneless fingers. Keith opened his eyes, and his warm smile lit up his face. "My God, you aren't crazy," she whispered, the pistol clattering to the floor. "I had sex with a telepath."

  "Not just a telepath," Keith replied. "But a full werewolf. Although most of our kind prefers other terms. Recently the younger males of our kind have an affinity for the term Lycan, and some of the females prefer Shapeshifter or Shifter. Pop culture and all, you understand."

  Melanie laughed in spite of her misgivings. "So do you howl at the stars and turn into a wolf on full moons and such?"

  "Most of our kind do turn involuntarily at full moons, yes," Kimberly said, "Although as Alphas, Keith and I can control ourselves somewhat. And all werewolves can voluntarily turn, to varying degrees."

  "Alpha? What's an Alpha?"

  "Werewolves are arranged in family groups, often called Packs or Clans. Just like in nature, it's a very hierarchical structure, although much more complex than a normal wolf pack. At the top of each group is an Alpha Male and an Alpha Female. Normally, the Alpha Female is the First Mate of the Alpha Male. In our case, since Keith and I are twin siblings, I am the Alpha Female of our Clan."

  "And what does that make me?"

  "You are my First Mate," Keith replied, taking Melanie's hand in his. "You will be the bearer of our children, and they will become the future Alphas of our Clan. You will be respected and honored by all in our Clan, and every member of our Clan would die to protect you and our children."

  "And if I want more?"

  Keith laughed, realizing how old fashioned his speech came across. "You are not expected to merely be barefoot and pregnant in my kitchen."

  "Well, if you're right, I am barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen," Melanie ironically interjected, earning a chuckle from both siblings.

  "True. But I was saying, perhaps in my grandfather's time, if an Alpha and a non-werewolf had done what we have done, things would have been different. But you are too smart, too strong, and too intelligent to simply be a den mother. It will take you time, but I want you to be as involved with my life as you wish."

  "And what's this about a Clan? Just how many members are there?"

  "Currently, there are two hundred and thirty-six members of Clan Lockwood along the eastern seaboard, most of them within the tri-state area," Kimberly immediately replied. "There are other Clans within North America, but we can discuss that later. I look forward to your education on those fields."

  "That is because you have borne the stress of Alpha Female alone for far too long, Kim," Keith said. "But let's not overwhelm her tonight. I would like to celebrate."

  "Celebrate what?" Melanie asked, confused yet feeling Keith's enthusiasm wash over her.

  "My love, I said you are my First Mate. We are now the equivalent of married. If you don't mind, I'd like to celebrate our matrimony."

  Melanie sat shocked for a moment, then shook her head. She bent down from her stool and retrieved her Glock from the kitchen tile. "I love you, Keith, my heart knows that. But my brain needs time to think. It's time that I go out. Alone."

  Keith and Kimberly nodded. "Take all the time you need," Keith said. "But before you go, at least pick out some clothes and stuff to be ready."

  Chapter 6

  The night air was unseasonably crisp as Melanie strolled the streets. They seemed so different than just a month ago when things had made more sense. Sure, she knew there were corrupt cops, and her life was in danger, but at least there weren't werewolves to think about, as well as most likely being pregnant. What did you call werewolf children anyway? Pups?

  A bitter wind gusted and Melanie pulled her leather jacket and hoodie up tighter over her head. While she normally detested wearing hoods, she knew that with the entire police force was looking for her, she had to be careful. It was why she had chosen The War Zone for her walk. The notorious red light district was a haven for street hustlers, gangsters, pimps, prostitutes, and just about every other form of illegal activity in the city. If your tastes ran towards the illicit side of life, most likely The War Zone could cater to your desires. It was the most dangerous section of the city, and the cops didn't come down unless they were in serious force. Like SWAT team force.

  "Hey babe, you lookin' for some playtime?" A prostitute that couldn't have been older than 14 called to her, wearing fishnet stockings, a ripped skirt, and bringing gorge to Melanie's mouth, a Hello Kitty t-shirt tied up in a way to try and accentuate the girl's developing breasts. She was fish-belly white and looked like she was starving. Her dirty auburn hair was done up in pigtails, and she wore enough makeup that you could pretend she was 18 if you were drunk enough. "I can go a lot of ways, you know. I'm the best scissor in all The War Zone."

  "No thanks," Mel said, turning away. Why did it have to be this way? She had joined the force to protect children like this. And now she was running from the very same force, after finding it corrupt. Why did humans have to be such evil bastards?

  Mel kept walking, her mind whirling with thoughts about her life, about Keith, about the whole situation. She knew that she loved Keith. To call it a whirlwind romance would be an understatement, but she knew she loved him, not just lusted after him. Suddenly, someone grabbed Melanie's arm, breaking her from her reverie.

  "Hey bitch, you weren't being very nice to my girl April back there," a greasy looking man scowled in her face. "She asked you for some playtime, real
nice like, and you just walked off. That ain't polite."

  Melanie pulled her arm back, out of the pimp's grasp. "Fuck off, buddy. You don’t want to fuck with me tonight." The pimp looked closer under Mel's hood, and a cavity-ridden smile grew on his face.

  "Yeah, I bet so.... Detective. Although you picked the wrong night to go for a walk, lady. The way I figure it, you got two choices. You can give me every cent you got, or I call out that a cop wanted for child kidnapping and murder happens to be walking down the street, and someone should call your cop friends. I don't know who'd kill you first, the cops, or everyone else on this street." While The War Zone was nowhere near as busy as the more famous metropolitan districts such as San Francisco's Tenderloin or New York City's Times Square, there were still dozens of people within sight, all of them engaged in some form of criminal enterprise or another.

  Melanie twisted to the side, seeming to think for a moment, before whirling back to the pimp, her fingers already formed into a spear hand. She jabbed the pimp's throat and relished at the gagging sound he produced. His hands flew to cover his throat, and she used the momentary distraction to kick the exposed inside of his right knee with the side of her tennis shoe. His knee buckled outward, at least three of the major ligaments torn, but before he could even collapse, Mel followed up with a Thai knee to his solar plexus. The pimp hit the concrete with a mail sack thump, his eyes fluttering once before dropping unconscious.

  Mel looked around the street. Fights and altercations were nothing unusual in The War Zone, so the patrons and hookers barely paid her any attention. The only person who paid any attention was the young prostitute, who was looking at Melanie with a strange mix of fear, anger, and adoration. "What am I going to do when Danny wakes up?" she asked fearfully. "He likes to cut girls that disappoint him."

  Melanie reached for the pocket of the fatigue pants she had borrowed from Kimberly and pulled out the money clip Kimberly had insisted she carry. She pulled the clip off and peeled the first bill off the top, not even looking at what it was. Pocketing the bill, she thrust the rest at the girl, folded discreetly so as not to draw attention. "He called you April, right?"

  The girl nodded. "Yeah, but that's not my real name."

  "I know. I'm only going to say this once, so listen up. You're better than this bastard. I don't care what line of bullshit he used on you, I don't care what angle he played to get you out here, you're better than this fucking shit. Get out of this life."

  "But I got nowhere else to go!" the teen wailed, tears starting to course down her pale face, streaking her cheap makeup. Mel glanced again and stepped closer to April in order to cover the scene.

  "You stay out here, and you're going to either be dead or strung out on Ice by the time you're 20," Mel whispered fiercely. "Get yourself over to City of Hope in the Financial District. They've got programs to help girls like you, and I know the director, she's legit. Take this money, get some food, and get yourself uptown. Now I gotta go, before the sack of shit behind me wakes up and starts screaming about his knee. Get. Yourself. Uptown. City of Hope. Tonight. Got it?"

  The young pro could only nod as Mel turned, fixed the hood around her face again, and took off at a fast walk up the street. She turned the corner a block up, and April watched her disappear into the night. April looked down at her hand, which was holding the packet of bills the hooded woman had thrust to her. She wouldn't dare count it out here in the street, but she did know that the packet was thick, at least five or six bills thick, and that the face looking up at her belonged to Benjamin Franklin. The girl looked up in the direction the hooded woman had disappeared, tears of joy falling from her eyes for the first time since she could remember. "Thank you," the young girl whispered, before turning and running off into the night.

  Chapter 7

  "Okay, I'm in. One hundred percent."

  Keith looked up from his seat on the sofa, the only light in the living room provided by a small fire in the central stone fire pit. Melanie was standing in the entrance way, her posture strong and passionate. Whatever had happened on her walk, she had found something to help her make a decision. She had been out for a few hours, and it was just now coming up on two in the morning.

  "I'm glad you are, my love," he replied, standing and walking towards Melanie. "What helped you make a decision so quickly?"

  Melanie hesitated, before throwing herself into Keith's arms. Her embrace was not passionate, but yearning, seeking comfort and consolation. He gave her what she needed, as his hand gently stroked her hair. Mel could feel her rage, her tears falling away, replaced by the comforting warmth of her Mate.

  They moved to the couch, where Mel told Keith about her walk through The War Zone. He could feel her anger and pain at the memory, and wished he could have been there. The pimp would not have survived. Mel started weeping as she recalled her anger and horror, and let it all flow out onto Keith's shirt. He held her again, just stroking her hair, while she shed the rest of her emotions. Finally, with a sniff, she sat back. "Tell me, Keith, do you consider yourself a good man?"

  Keith looked her into her eyes. "I will not lie, my love. In defending our Clan I have done things that I am not proud of. I am no saint. But yes, I think I have done my best to be a good man."

  "And our Clan.... it is powerful?"

  "Yes, for a North American clan, we are powerful. Why?"

  "Because I want us to use our power for more than just protecting ourselves," Melanie said passionately. "I know we can't change the world, and I know we can't do everything. But we can start to make a difference, here in this city. In the city where we will raise our children."

  For the first time, Melanie felt that she was the dominant one in her interactions with Keith. Her feelings were so strong, so intense, that it felt like it was her eyes burning with desire. She put her entire soul into her gaze and felt the thrill of conquest as Keith nodded. "We will. Even if it is just you and me, we will."

  Melanie felt elated. She leaned in, capturing Keith's lips with her own, thanking him for his presence in her life. As their lips danced, she felt her passion change, becoming more personal, more sexual. She wanted her Mate.

  With a small shove, Melanie pushed Keith back onto the cushion. It was her turn to be dominant, and she relished her chance at controlling her powerful lover. She swung her leg over until she was straddling his lap, her knees pinning him on each side. She looked him in the eye and smiled.

  Leaning in again, she captured his head in her hands and kissed him, her hands running through Keith's mane of hair. Her pulse quickened, and she could feel her arousal growing in her pants, as the heat spread up and down from her core until her entire body felt aflame. She groaned, her hips swaying on their own as she ground her groin against his. Keith's arms reached around her, as he held her ass firmly, massaging her as she rode him. Finally, with a gasp, she broke the kiss and sat back. "Wait," she gasped, getting off of Keith's lap.

  "For what?" he asked, his breath ragged. He was worked up, and Melanie felt a thrill at being the one in control after the love making in the afternoon.

  "For this," Melanie replied, sinking to her knees in front of the sofa. She reached out with her right hand to massage Keith's cock through his pants and was rewarded by a sigh from her lover. Deftly, she reached up with her left to untie the string to the loose silk pajamas he was wearing, before urging them down his hips. She didn't have to get them far, just a few inches before she was rewarded with Keith's beautiful cock springing free. She smiled, seeing it up close for the first time. It was just as sexy as it was before, perhaps even more so. She took him in her hand and grinned as her fingers barely could encircle his massive shaft. She started pumping him gently, watching as his eyes fluttered, his hands clutching at the cushions of the couch.

  "You are a tease...." Keith growled, and Melanie could smile as she saw his teeth start to look just slightly longer. While she knew he could control his changing, it was fun to see how much she could make him lose control
.

  "If you want me to stop....?"

  "No! Please, no!"

  Melanie grinned at Keith's mewling tone, and she rewarded him by lowering her tongue, licking him up and down his hot, throbbing shaft. He tasted salty, gamy, and incredibly masculine. Much like his chest and arms, Melanie could feel silky fine hairs growing near the base of his cock, barely visible in the firelight. She tickled them with her tongue, before licking up and down his shaft again. She could feel his hips jerk as she teasingly tongued his slit, and she was rewarded with a clear, sweet drop of his precome that she licked up greedily. "Tasty," she breathed, smiling.

  "Any time you want it, it's yours," Keith replied, his voice floating on that edge of banter and losing control.

  "Anytime?" Melanie asked playfully. "Well then, how about now?" She licked around the head of his cock once more, before her lips parted, and she sucked his cockhead into her mouth. Working gently to avoid scraping the sensitive flesh with her teeth, she swallowed more and more of him into her mouth, her efforts spurned on as she heard his groan deepening with every inch she took in. Finally, she felt him lodge against her gag reflex, and she reversed, drawing him out quickly and forcefully until just his sensitive head was on her lips. She swirled her tongue again, teasing his sensitive tip, before going down once more. This time, when she felt him there, she relaxed her throat as much as possible. It had been years since she had deep throated a man, and even then the guy hadn't been as large as Keith. She tried to grin as she felt him finally all the way into her mouth, but she doubted that her lips could stretch anymore. Instead, she started humming deep in her throat, the vibrations causing Keith to growl with lustful energy. She was worried he would try and force her more, but felt relief as he kept his hands on the cushions of the couch instead of her head.

  After a moment, she reversed again and started bobbing her head up and down on his massive cock. She relished the power of her position, seemingly submissive, but knowing that her Mate was fully under her control just through a simple lick, a gentle teasing of his balls with her hands, a caressing of his tip with her lips. Not that she was neglecting her own heat at all. Her left hand had left the couch and was stroking her pussy through her pants, rubbing and massaging her heated center as she pleasured her Mate.