The Alpha's Pack

by Conall, Tabitha

  Without missing a stroke, Jake took her face in his hand so he could look into her eyes. “You’re amazing.” He kissed her again before she could answer.

  Then Jake reared back on his knees, shifting her legs so they hung over his thighs. He took hold of his cock and slid the head over her clit. At first she didn’t feel much but then her clit began to respond with a vengeance. Her body tensed, her legs wrapping around his tighter and tighter, and her breathing hitched.

  “What are you doing?” Deirdre grabbed onto the sheets, as though doing that could anchor her.

  Smiling, Jake said, “Just a little trick I picked up. You like?”

  “Love it,” she said, her voice strangled. That was all she could manage as she toppled over the edge, her body tensing and then shuddering out of control.

  Jake waited until she’d come down, then crawled backward. “On your knees.”

  What an alpha. He couldn’t ask. And she couldn’t complain. He was a little dictatorial, but he took care of his own. She flipped over and settled onto her knees, legs spread and hips thrust upward.

  One hand on her lower back, he fed his cock into her pussy. It was an entirely different sensation, like he was hitting her in completely different spots. He reached around and fingered her clit while he pounded into her.

  “I’m gonna cum again,” she moaned.

  “That’s the idea.” His voice sounded breathy and hoarse. “Hopefully right around the time I do. Which is soon.”

  He fucked her harder, faster, and she felt her body tensing as much from the onslaught as from the feeling of his rough fingers against her clit.

  “Soon.” She pressed her cheek against the mattress.

  “Now.” Jake pressed his fingers hard against her clit. “Now!” With one final thrust, he held himself inside her, his cock jerking.

  She came, her body at his mercy, no longer under her control. Her body, her life, all his.

  It seemed they came for hours. Afterward, Deirdre and Jake curled up beside Sam, touching him but careful not to hurt him. All three of them fell asleep.

  ***

  Jake and Deirdre stood side by side in the little park across from the soccer field. Ted had reluctantly agreed to meet at the park, but had insisted on choosing the time—midnight, when most of the city was asleep. Jake took a long nap in the afternoon, snuggled between his two mates, so he felt rested and ready to fight.

  The three of them had arrived a little early. Ted and his cronies weren’t there yet, but a few of Sam’s friends were sitting on blankets at the edge of the field, and some of the pack members Deirdre had called were milling around the park looking worried. Jake and Deirdre left Sam with his friends and crossed into the park.

  Cerise, an old friend of Deirdre’s sister Maeve, came over to them. “Are you sure we can do this?”

  “Watch the fight?” Jake said.

  Cerise looked up at him, her eyes going wide. “Yes,” she said in a small voice. Her voice got stronger as she went on. “Ted doesn’t like us to come to the challenges.”

  “Ted doesn’t like anything that doesn’t keep you in line,” Jake said.

  Cerise stiffened. “He’s been an all right Alpha.”

  “Really, Cerise?” Deirdre said.

  Cerise shrugged and looked away. “I’ve heard of worse Alphas. At least he didn’t rape any of us, or demand tribute.”

  “That’s not a very rousing endorsement,” Jake said. He looked at her until he caught her eyes with his. “If I win today, I’ll lead you better than that. I won’t try to trap the women, and I won’t run off the strong men. I’ll make sure our pack is a safe, strong group that protects its own, no matter how weak or strong.”

  He felt like he was campaigning, but that was exactly what was needed. He’d said “if I win” but he believed he would win. And when he did, he would need the support of the pack members who were staying with him. Some would leave if Ted weren’t in charge. And good riddance. He needed the rest to back him up.

  Cerise blinked. “If you win. And if Ted wins, as he always does, those of us who piss him off will be in trouble.”

  “You don’t have to stand by my side tonight,” Jake said. “Just think about what I said. When I take over the pack, I’ll need wolves like you.”

  She looked like she was considering his words. Then across the park, people started shouting, some of them cheering. Cerise scurried off.

  Was this Ted, with his entourage? And Jake had—not much. His biggest supporters were across the road. Not too far away, but it felt like a gulf. And all the Stonewall Pack members who’d shown up were giving him a wide berth.

  It didn’t matter. Deirdre was with him, and they needed to get Bridget back. This wasn’t a popularity contest. This was war.

  Deirdre put her hand on his back. He felt her strength and added it to his own. With her and Sam behind him, he couldn’t lose. He wouldn’t lose.

  Jake stayed where he was, so Ted would have to come to him. It would be more appropriate for him to walk forward and meet Ted, but then they’d be even further from the edge of the territory. If this was going to work, he needed to be able to access Chris’ wolves if necessary. So instead of walking forward, Jake took a step back.

  That worked just fine. Ted was close enough so they could see each other’s faces. When Jake stepped backward, he saw Ted’s expression. Ted thought Jake was scared. All the better. Jake stepped back again, and again.

  “Where’re you going?” Ted called out, his arms outstretched. “Running already?”

  “Just giving you enough room to get your ego on the field,” Jake called back.

  Chapter 7

  A ripple of laughter spread through the Roanoke Pack members. Jake couldn’t take his eyes off Ted long enough to look back, but it definitely sounded like their numbers had grown.

  Deirdre did look back. “That must be half their pack,” she whispered. “And more are still showing up.”

  Chris had come through in a big way. And Ted didn’t like it one bit. He swaggered toward Jake, arms out. “Is this why you wanted to fight here? So you could bring backup?”

  “Fair’s fair.” Jake nodded at Ted’s entourage. “If you have backup, there’s no reason I shouldn’t.”

  Ted continued past Jake, up to the edge of the road. “What are you doing, Chris? Trying to take over my pack?”

  Chris stepped forward. “We’re just here for the show.”

  “You’ve never come to our challenges before.”

  “You’ve never held them any place where we could attend.”

  Sam stepped up beside Chris.

  “Ah, I see. One of your lapdogs is involved in this.” Ted stabbed a finger at Sam. “He’d better be ready to swear fealty to me or lose his pretty mate.”

  “Both my mates,” Sam said.

  Ted sneered. “Your other mate will soon be dead.”

  “No need for that,” Chris said.

  “Mind your own business.” Ted swung back to face Jake. “Ready? Let’s fight.”

  Ted charged at Jake. Deirdre barely had time to stumble out of the way.

  Jake grabbed Ted’s arms. The two men grappled. It didn’t make sense that Ted hadn’t changed. Wolves always changed in order to fight. But there wasn’t time to do that now, not unless they paused the fight.

  Ted threw himself to the side, breaking their stranglehold on each other. He threw a punch. Jake dodged it, dipping underneath Ted’s arm to plow into his mid-section. Both the men fell to the ground.

  Jake bounced up first and took a few steps back while Ted struggled to his feet. “Don’t you want to fight as a wolf?”

  “You have some problem with fighting in human form?” Ted brought his fists up.

  “Not at all. I just thought most challenges were fought as wolves.”

  Ted bared his teeth. “We’ll fight it however I please. Now shut up.” He took another swing at Jake.

  Jake ducked again. As Ted recovered, Jake slammed his fist int
o Ted’s stomach.

  “Jake!” Deirdre screamed. Cries of outrage broke out from the other side of the road.

  He swung around to see the wolf from the other night—Marcus—in wolf form, jumping for his throat. He threw one arm up to protect his neck from Marcus’ jaws and hit him hard in the head with his other hand.

  The wolf failed to get a good grip on Jake’s arm before he got hit in the head, so he went flying to the side. By the time Jake turned back to Ted, the Alpha had changed into a wolf.

  Dirty trick. No wonder he won all his challenges. Jake was at a distinct disadvantage unless he could manage to change himself.

  Sam’s voice yelled at him a second before a growl sounded from behind him. Jake twirled to see Marcus in mid-leap. Then a silver wolf slammed into Marcus from the side. Deirdre.

  Jake turned back to face Ted, sure the Alpha would take this opportunity to attack. Sure enough, Ted crouched to jump, teeth bared.

  If Ted could change, then Jake could use a weapon. He looked around for a rock, anything, but had to settle for a piece of a branch. He took a couple of steps to the side and grabbed it.

  “Hey, no fair!” one of Ted’s men said.

  “No fair?” Sam yelled. “You want fair, you pause the fight so Jake can change.”

  A loud yelp drew Jake’s attention. Marcus lay on his side, his neck a bloody mess. Deirdre jumped in between Jake and Ted. She glanced back at Jake and tossed her head.

  He knew what she wanted. She wanted him to change while she held Ted off. But what if she got hurt?

  Marcus’ breathing sounded loud, even above the shouting of the crowd. Deirdre did that.

  Jake dropped the stick and pulled off his clothes while he started to shift. He had to shake off the last of the clothing once he reached wolf form. Still it was the fastest he’d ever shifted in his life.

  Deirdre and Ted circled each other, snarling. Jake stopped by Deirdre and bumped her sidelong. It was time for her to leave. Time for him to finish this.

  Jake crouched and sprung before Ted could even get off the ground. He landed on top of Ted and snapped at his neck, trying to catch some skin underneath the fur. He’d rip his fucking throat out.

  Ted wiggled and managed to get out from under Jake. The Alpha danced away a few feet before baring his teeth again. His head bobbed quickly, his eyes on someone behind Jake.

  Up to more tricks? Jake couldn’t turn to look, but it was okay. Deirdre had his back.

  ***

  Sam paced, then fidgeted, then bounced on his toes. He didn’t think he could stand another second of waiting by the sidelines, watching his mates fighting and being unable to help them. He’d nearly crawled out of his skin while Deirdre fought the wolf who had stabbed Sam. Even when she left him bloody and probably dying, Sam still worried the wolf would jump up and hurt her.

  And Jake. Jake was a masterful fighter, but Ted had more tricks up his sleeve than a magician. There was no telling what he’d do next.

  At least now they knew why he won all his fights. He didn’t let anyone come, and in the absence of spectators, he fought dirty. He must be very afraid of Jake to pull these kinds of stunts with so many witnesses. Either that, or he’d convinced himself he was beyond reproach.

  Jake pounced on Ted, biting his back and hanging on as Ted tried to shake him loose. When Jake did let go, it was to immediately jump on Ted again, this time biting him closer to the neck. Ted twisted his body and bit Jake’s hindquarters. Using his paws and strong legs, Jake pushed him back, forcefully enough that Ted fell onto his back. Jake stepped over him, pinning him in place, and grabbed Ted around the throat with his teeth. The Alpha struggled but couldn’t push Jake loose.

  Jake’s big eyes looked up at the crowd as though asking for acknowledgment. He kept his teeth around Ted’s neck for a good two minutes, so no one could be in any doubt that he had won. If he’d wanted to, he could have torn Ted’s throat out, but Jake chose the more honorable path.

  Sam wasn’t so sure he could have done the same.

  Jake released Ted and stepped backward. He remained in wolf form until Ted had changed back, then he also shifted.

  Sam’s body deflated. It was over. Jake had won. Which meant Sam was leaving Roanoke. But he didn’t want to think about that just yet. For now, it was enough that his mates were safe and the danger had been obliterated.

  “You have two choices,” Jake said in a booming voice. “Swear fealty to me, or leave the pack as a Lone Wolf.” He looked not just at Ted, but also at the other pack members.

  “I’ll never swear fealty to you,” Ted said.

  “Then you have until daybreak to pack up your things and leave. Anything left behind is forfeit.” That was the custom. “Where is Bridget?”

  Ted sneered. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  Jake advanced on him, hitting him at the same time he knocked Ted’s feet out from under him. The former Alpha landed on the ground, on his naked butt. “Where is Bridget?”

  Ted spat at him.

  Jake knelt and grabbed Ted around the throat. But this time, he looked up at his new pack. “You will produce Bridget now, or so help me God, I’ll tear each and every one of your houses apart looking for her.”

  A scrawny looking man stepped forward. “I know where she is.”

  One of the bigger men—one of Ted’s minions—grabbed the scrawny man and tried to push him back into the crowd, but Deirdre got there first. Her growling convinced him to let the smaller man go.

  Jake walked over to them. “What’s your name?”

  “Wyatt.” The smaller man fidgeted. “If I pledge fealty, can I stay with the pack?”

  “Of course. But only if you tell me where Bridget is.”

  “They’ve been keeping her at Marcus’ house. I can show you where that is.”

  Sam felt his muscles relax a little more. They knew where she was. They’d done it.

  “We’ll go there as soon as we’re done here,” Jake said. He leaned down and said something in Deirdre’s ear, but Sam couldn’t make it out. Then he walked toward the road. “Sam.”

  Sam turned to Chris and knelt on both knees. “I ask permission to leave Roanoke Pack to join my mates as a member of Stonewall.”

  Chris put his hand on Sam’s head. “I grant you leave.”

  When Sam stood, the two men hugged. “I’ll miss you guys,” Sam said.

  “We’ll see you often,” Chris said.

  Then Sam turned and crossed the road.

  When he reached the edge of the park, he got down on his knees again. “I pledge fealty to you,” he said to Jake.

  Jake put his hand on Sam’s head. “I accept your fealty.” Then he hauled Sam to his feet and hugged him.

  Sam tried to ignore that his mate was completely naked, his skin warm under Sam’s hands. Warm, and sweaty.

  The two men walked toward their mate where she stood over Ted. Cerise had joined her, and someone had given her a chance to change. She stood naked, streaked with blood, looking fierce. When Jake reached her, she fell to her knees and pledged herself to him, then resumed guarding Ted so Cerise could do the same.

  Then came the rest of the pack. Jake stood, Deirdre to one side and Sam to the other, as one by one the members of Stonewall Pack pledged themselves to their new Alpha.

  Ted still lay nearby, unwilling or unable to even stand. As they walked by him several pack members spat at him, kicked him, or bared their teeth. It seemed more had been going on underneath the surface than most of them knew about or were willing to admit to, with Ted at the center of it all.

  When the last pack member stepped behind the threesome, all that were left were Ted and most of his minions. A few had opted to stay with the pack, but it appeared most were either going to follow Ted into exile or make their own way as Loners. Either way, they were leaving the pack.

  “Like Ted, you have until sunrise to gather your things and leave,” Jake said to them. He turned aside to Sam and said, “Match each of them up
with two or three of our pack members who can make sure they leave as promised. Deirdre and I will take Wyatt, find Bridget, and escort Ted out of town.”

  Sam nodded once, then turned to his new pack, looking for the strongest members.

  ***

  When they pulled up in front of Marcus’ house, Deirdre’s heart beat fast. They’d found Bridget, but would she be okay? If Ted had hurt her, Deirdre would rip him apart herself.

  They’d swiped Marcus’s keys from his body. He was still living, barely, and the pack doctor was working on him. If they could patch him up, they would. And then they’d kick him out of their territory.

  Deirdre and Jake had opted to wait until later to get patched up, although they’d made sure Ted got his bandages before they left the park. He wasn’t sticking around one second longer than he had to.

  After Jake unlocked the door, Deirdre slipped by him and entered the house. “Bridget?”

  She didn’t hear anything. Where could he have kept her? Some sort of dungeon? A bedroom with a lock on the outside?

  The latter seemed more likely, so she headed upstairs, still calling her sister’s name. None of the bedrooms had locks, but when she looked inside the third door, she found her sister lying on the bed out cold.

  “Bridget?” Deirdre knelt on the floor next to the bed and brushed the hair off her sister’s cheek. “Wake up, sweetie.”

  Jake and Wyatt looked into the room. Ted had been tied up in the back seat of the car so he couldn’t get away. They didn’t trust him not to do something underhanded.

  “What did they do to her?” Deirdre asked Wyatt. “Why won’t she wake up?”

  “I dunno. I just heard they were keeping her here, that’s all.” Wyatt shoved his hands into his pockets, his arms straight and his shoulders slightly lifted.

  Jake knelt beside her. “They must have drugged her.”

  “Drugs don’t work on werewolves,” Deirdre said.

  “They do if you give us a big enough dose.” Gently lifting Bridget’s eyelids, Jake looked into each of her eyes.

  “Does that really tell you anything?”