Chosen Alpha

by Rae Hendricks

  The problem was she knew she wasn't going to get a whole lot of help from Isaiah right now, and she didn't expect to. Tamara was so angry that she might blow her top if Annalise asked any more of him. She would have to find someone else that she thought she could trust to assist her; someone who was probably great at controlling themselves. Her answer was clear. She needed to see Roman.

  Annalise pulled her hair up in a messy bun, some of the black curls hanging out the bottom, and walked down the hall as quietly as she could. The yelling from Tamara and Isaiah just got louder as she padded over to the room where Hector was staying. She knocked as lightly as she could manage. He was no light sleeper, so he would be hard to wake. She would just have to hope that the happy couple was too busy with each other to notice her.

  The door flung open and a tired-looking Hector poked his head out. She had forgotten how the teenage years made you feel the need to sleep all hours of the day. His hair was a mess, and his eyes were slits. “What time is it?” he asked, looking around as if he barely knew where he was.

  “I don’t know. Like, nine or something. You can’t tell me that those two didn't wake you up.” She nodded towards Isaiah and Tamara who were about one level away from throwing things at each other.

  Hector shook his head, starting to open his eyes a little more. “I guarded for his father before, and there were always fights going on, especially with Orson. I learned to ignore it. This is nothing,” he explained. Annalise filed that away to think about later. What had Orson and his father fought about all the time? Maybe there was a reason he was such a jerk.

  “Okay, well, I came to wake you up because I need a babysitter to go anywhere, and I have somewhere to go,” she told him casually.

  “Where is it you need to go so early in the morning while those two are at each other's throats?” Hector asked curiously, sticking his head out further.

  “I need to go see Roman,” she told him. He looked her up and down and shook his head. She shrugged at him. “What is it, Hector?”

  “I am not taking you all the way over there, looking like that, to see the brother of the alpha. Please, put on something decent,” he told her with a scoff. She looked down at herself and sighed. He was right. She didn’t need to go out there in a pair of men’s sweatpants and a man’s large tee shirt. She had gotten so attached to the comfort of Orson’s and Isaiah’s old clothes that she had barely touched the clothes Tamara had given her. They were all long dresses, boots, and leather or jean jackets. That wasn’t really her style. Not that frumpy was either, but being in the house all the time made it easier.

  “Alright,” she said. I’ll meet you out there in ten minutes.” Annalise shuffled back to the room to find something acceptable. There was a pair of dark brown hiking boots that seemed to fit her alright and a dark green dress that came down just below her knees. On Tamara, it would probably be an above-the-knee thing, but it was a good thing it wasn't because winter had hit full force. Snowflakes were falling outside as she pulled on one of the leather jackets from the pile Tamara had given her and looked out her window. Just looking at it made her feel cold. He missed her own dresses and clothes back at home; long with many layers. They were always warm. Of course, if she still had her powers, she could keep herself warm, but instead she would have to bear the chill like everyone else.

  Despite the fact that she was trying to be as quiet as humanly possible, an awkward silence came over the room as she tried to walk towards the door. Both Isaiah and Tamara were near the kitchen, not even on her side of the room, but they had turned to stare at her. She looked around for Hector but realized he must have already been outside. See, that was why she did not wear clunky boots!

  Annalise paused and looked back at the two of them. Isaiah looked embarrassed that he had been caught fighting with someone. He was not the type to enjoy it most of the time, though he did know how to blow his top at a girl. Tamara looked deadly, though. She was angry, and right now her laser eyes were focused on Annalise. She could almost feel the burn against her skin. “Sorry, I was just headed out…” she said in an almost whisper, feeling the need to explain the interruption.

  “That’s alright,” Isaiah said. “Be careful and keep warm. It’s getting cold out there.” There was something in his eyes as they surveyed what she was wearing that gave her chills. Annalise nodded and walked out the door as fast as she could, not daring to look back. It was a good thing she was getting away for a little bit. Those two needed privacy, and being alone in the house with Lacy was as close as they were ever going to get.

  “So, why are we going to see Roman?” Hector asked with his hands crossed over his chest. He had somehow thrown himself together in less time than her, and he no longer looked like a sleep deprived teenager. He looked like a man awake and ready for the day in his brown tank and camo pants.

  “It’s purely a business venture,” she told him, wrapping the warm leather around herself as flakes hit the top of her head and the wind made her feel frozen. That was all she was going to say for now, mostly because her teeth were beginning to chatter. Hector was clearly insane in his getup. He didn't even seem to be phased at all. “Is your body temperature really so different that this doesn’t bother you?” she asked, looking at him as she pushed on like he might need some mental help.

  “Yes, it does. You’ll feel warmer too once you have shifted the first time. You’re barely a wolf now. The change makes everything different.” Annalise nodded, knowing that it was the very reason they were headed to see Roman in the snow, no matter that it was starting to stick to the ground. It would likely be washed away later by a late afternoon sprinkle, but for now, she would be watching her step.

  They finally reached the house, one of the most modern she had seen in the pack's territory, and she took the lead to knock against the white door. She hadn't thought about it before, but she hoped that Orson wouldn’t be around. He wasn’t someone she felt comfortable talking about such things with. He would insult her in some way if not tell her a flat out lie. She had learned to be as civil as possible with him. Even so, surely, she didn't have to like him. He wasn’t family to her.

  Luckily, it was Roman who answered the door, looking down on her strangely. She doubted he expected to see her of all people standing on his doorstep first thing in the morning. And heavens, in the middle of a snow storm. “Annalise,” he said, after pausing to gather himself. “Is everything alright with Isaiah?” he asked.

  Hector scoffed but said nothing as Annalise shot him a look. “That remains to be seen,” Annalise told him cryptically, not wanting to get too deep into it. It was Isaiah and Tamara’s private business. If they wanted to spill the beans to Roman, that was their choice. “I am not exactly here because of that, though,” she admitted, stomping her feet and trying to keep warm. “I wanted to talk, but if you’re not alone, I can come back later.”

  Roman opened the door wide and let her in. He was in a similar getup to Hector, revealing a tattoo on his shoulder she hadn’t noticed before. Ironically it was of a wolf and said something in another language, though she didn't feel like asking him what it meant.

  “Orson was out all night and hasn't come back. He does that sometimes. It’s just me,” Roman reassured as Annalise slipped off her snowy, wet boots by the door. Upon entering, she went to sit on the futon that completed the whole bachelor pad look. Clearly, three, now two, brothers lived there together with no women. There was a homeliness to it though that she wished she could have brought into the old alpha cabin. “So, what did you need?” Roman asked, kicking up his feet. Annalise looked over to Hector to see he too was reclining on the futon, looking like he might go back to sleep. She shook her head in affectionate annoyance. Hector was beginning to feel like the little brother she never had.

  “I wanted to talk about becoming a wolf,” she said point blank, shrugging off the jacket. It was very warm in there, and she was beginning to sweat. Annalise wasn’t into wasting any time. She needed to soak up
as much information as possible before it happened. “I have questions I need answers to, and I want your help. I want to know that you’re going to be there coaching me through it.”

  Both Roman and Hector jumped up at that. They had both obviously expected Isaiah to handle that. “You want me to coach you through it?” he asked, leaning on his hand and scratching his five o’clock shadow like an old wise man. “I thought Isaiah was going to handle all this with you. Aren’t you two pretty close?” He seemed to be challenging her to say something. It was as if he knew something that he shouldn’t. Could it be about that chance moment that was still hard to scrub from her brain?

  She doubted Isaiah had said anything. It was probably that intuition of his. The guy obviously spent several hours a day meditating.

  “I think that Tamara needs a little distance from me,” she told him, leaving it at that. “And Isaiah is so busy with other things. He might be there, but I need you specifically.” Annalise turned it back on him, taking the conversation away from her and Isaiah. She had to let it go, so he should too. Everyone should let it go. He had a mate. Period.

  Roman sat back in his seat again and put his legs up, surveying the young witch in front of him. She had something on her mind, something she thought he could help her with. That was plain to see, but something also told him there were more problems between Isaiah and Tamara than he even imagined. He would need to start being there for the both of them, more attentive, despite his personal feelings, or they would fail. The failing of a mating, especially for someone like Isaiah (an Alpha), would be disastrous. They had to at least make a good try of it before deciding it wasn’t going to work. “Okay, so why me?” he asked. He knew there were plenty of jokes he could make, but he didn't think Annalise was in the mood. She seemed dead serious.

  “You know that I have lost my powers since being bitten, right?” Roman nodded. He didn't understand it, having known very little about the witches other than the treaty. It was the beginning of a unique experience when Annalise showed up. In a way, it was a good thing she didn't have her powers. Being the head of the coven meant that her powers were beyond anything they had ever seen or heard of in their generation. Hyacinthe was powerful but also calm in her use of power and wasn't the true leader. Roman found it hard to imagine someone more powerful than her. But here she was, sitting in front of him. “Well, I have been talking with Hector a bit about becoming a werewolf and what it does to the body. I think I may know some reasons why my magic isn’t working. It is especially important, if I am to go back to the coven without them suspecting anything, that I get my powers back.”

  “And you think I can help you with that?” Roman questioned incredulously. What was it that he could do that Isaiah could not? He was curious for the answer, for more than one reason. Somewhere deep down he had always felt like the inadequate middle brother. A brother good at very little other than to workout, serve, and help keep the peace. He was sure he was far from perfect on that last one. The scars on his younger brother proved it.

  “Yes, I absolutely think you can,” Annalise responded, leaning forward in her desperation. She needed to convince him, regardless of his feelings for her one way or the other. She didn't know if he particularly liked her, or if he thought Isaiah and the pack would be better off with her gone. She did know he cared about keeping the treaty intact. The treaty meant safety for the pack and those he cared about. “You see, I think from what I know about it, that it has something to do with my ability to control the change and control the magic, the emotions that come with being a werewolf. Being a witch involves calm and focus, which seems to be some traits newly bitten werewolves don't have.”

  “That is something you are right about. What is it you need me to do?” Roman asked her. “That kind of control takes time.”

  “I am determined that it won't take any time. This will be the only change I cannot control and the only time I will not have my power. Without my power I cannot help Isaiah or the pack in any way. Whether it be getting the coven to believe the pack had nothing to do with the attack or making them believe I ran away and nothing more, will be a challenge I’m not up to like this. That is why I need you to be there for the change. I need you to teach me how to be calm, how to control myself. You are the only person I have met since being here that can control your emotions like some kind of monk.”

  Roman had to laugh at that. It might be the reason he was good at being a better peacekeeper than he had imagined. It was as if he had this air tight bottle inside of him where he held his sadness and anger. Something that possibly enabled him to take control of a situation. “Well, I am flattered that you think of me that way,” he said through the laughter. “Yes, I will be there to help you, but don't be surprised if Isaiah feels a little jealous about it,” he warned her.

  “What do you mean?” she said. He had struck a chord somehow.

  “Isaiah likes helping people. He will be a little miffed that you came to me for help too.”

  “Oh,” she answered, feeling a little embarrassed for jumping to conclusions. “Thanks.”

  “No problem. Just be ready. Meet me in the thickest part of the woods past the cabin. Hector will help you find it, then he can go back once you’re with me.” Annalise looked over at the sleepy teenager who nodded in reply to the directions Roman gave. Half asleep and he was still able to take directions.

  “I will be,” she replied, hoping that she meant it.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Annalise was freezing as they watched the sun going down, fading slowly behind the tree line. Inside the forest, it was already quite dark. All manner of creatures were coming out for their nighttime frolics, and she felt a strange buzz going through her body. She kept moving back and forth, unable to be still. They told her that was normal right before a forced change. It was likened to a menstrual cycle, which had been quite an annoying conversation to have with the two men while waiting for her body to do the unthinkable.

  Roman and Isaiah were both watching her with extreme caution. She tried not to look up at them and notice because it would make her feel more self-conscious than she already did. These were two werewolves that had been that way their entire lives. They had years on her and complete control. What would they have to witness her doing and stop? She didn't even know what she was going to look like or how loud she was going to scream in pain. Still unsure as she looked up, she saw the moon coming out in full force, she knew she didn't have long to wait until she found out.

  That first snapping bone, her left shoulder blade, took her to the forest floor. She knew she didn't scream, because she couldn’t scream. The pain was so much that it began to bring up bile from her stomach. She just prayed that the two men had looked away for that as she choked on her own vomit. The snapping of the second shoulder blade was just as painful but expected. Soon, she felt her spine shifting, and that was the point when she felt something else. Annalise could feel her magic inside of her. It was just different than it had been before.

  Annalise began to test it, as her body writhed, trying to form into whatever wolf form she was going to take. Her sight was blind at that point, but she pushed out with her magic like a rubber band, trying not to lose it again. She tested to see if she could dull some of the pain. When her body snapped again, her arm turning into a leg and paw, she felt nothing but a tingle. Her magic was working.

  Annalise’s body sped up at that point, and she found she could control the speed of the change. Her magic enabled her to make the change go faster or slower as she wanted. She could hear a howling as she looked up at the moon, and then she realized it was her. Looking through new eyes, she turned around, seeing two more wolves in a cautious stance. They had to be Isaiah and Roman. They had changed while she was in the middle of her own shift. She looked back and forth between each, and she wondered which was which. One of them was large and muscular with brilliant reds and browns on his fur, almost like a giant fox. The other had a white and grey coat and was a
beautiful representation of a wolf. That had to be Isaiah. She just knew it.

  “Annalise?” She could hear Isaiah’s voice, but his mouth was not moving. Even if it did, a howl or bark would come out. He was in her head. “Yes, I am in your head. That’s kind of how it works. I guess this means you’re part of the pack, technically.”

  Annalise didn't know how to feel about that, wondering if there were some thoughts that could be blocked. She felt for a wall or a curtain and put it up, leaving a hole open to push through what she wanted to be heard. Maybe it was because she had used magic before and was a witch, but it wasn't seeming too hard. She had no cravings, no need for anything other than an urge to run and play. Thankfully, even that could be controlled.

  “It seems you have some pretty amazing control on your own. You’re giving me a run for my money,” Roman told her, entering into her head as well. She jumped up on her back legs excitedly.

  “I can feel my magic. I have it back. I just couldn't feel it before. It’s very different, however. Watch!” She looked to a tree and caused a spark to come from it as if someone was trying to set a fire. A loud crackling rang through the forest but then stopped. She could tell that the two men were shocked.

  “That’s great, but are you ready to hunt?” Roman asked, sounding a little exasperated.

  “Okay, let’s do it!” She assessed herself and her feelings. The idea of grabbing a rabbit between her teeth and chomping it up wasn't so bad. That wolf instinct was there, but so was her magic. The possibilities were endless, but she knew she had to be extremely careful. She could tell there was something in the back there, wanting to come out and be wild. “But wait!” she called out just as they were about to take off. “What do I look like? Just think it, and I can try and pull the image out with my magic.”

  She probed their minds and found it in Isaiah's, easily extracting it. It was hard to hold back her emotions at regaining her powers so easily. She had felt so naked and lost without them all this time. She felt so much like herself and maybe even better than that now.