The First Alpha, page 10
Lucius nodded, and in the holding pen Grayson strode up to Adam and planted a vicious kick into his stomach, knocking the air from his lungs and sending him to his knees.
Elona continued. "Now, Lucius, do you take Cassandra to walk beside you on your journey?"
Lucius nodded, smirking at the sight of Adam bent double on the ground. "I do."
"And Cassandra, do you take Lucius as your keeper, your master and your morning light?"
Cassie felt her chest tighten as tears streaked down her cheeks. The moment she spoke the words her life would be finished. There would be no turning back. She would forever belong to Lucius.
"I Challenge!" cried Adam, rising painfully to his feet. He gasped for air, struggling to speak. "I call Lucius Ironclaw to Challenge!"
The crowd exploded in shock. Who was this man who would dare Challenge an alpha on his wedding day?
Orin, alpha of the Truesights, stepped forward from the bank of Council members and held out his hands for quiet, waiting for a moment until the crowd fell silent. His was the senior voice on the Council, and the most respected when it came to matters of law. His deep, booming voice carried on the breeze, and nobody dared speak above it.
"Any wolf of the Five Tribes may Challenge for leadership of a tribe. However, this man is not one of us. He belongs to no tribe, and has no right to call a Challenge." He continued. "However, in our territory he is bound by our laws, and his insult to the alpha Lucius of the Ironclaws is punishable by death." He turned to the Council. "Friends, are we of one mind?"
One by one the Council members nodded their assent. Cassie stared at Lucius as he nodded eagerly. Willem Darkfang was the last, and while it clearly pained him to sign the death warrant of Cassie's fated mate he knew there could be no question of the law. Any insult to a tribe alpha, no matter how slight, brought a death sentence. Adam must die.
Cassie fell to her knees and clutched at the robes of Orin Truesight. She looked up at him in a silent plea for mercy, too horrified to speak. Tears streamed down her face as she mouthed the words. Please! Mercy!
Orin's fleshy jowls shook as he spoke slowly. "The Council concurs. The lone wolf Adam will be executed this night." He turned to Lucius. "Would you prefer to complete the wedding, or should we carry out the sentence first?"
"Oh, I think I'd like my bride to watch the execution first, I think." Lucius looked down at Cassie. "A fitting wedding gift, my darling. I think I'll present you with his head. The rest will be left to rot, but not before you've tasted the meat."
Cassie had never experienced such burning hatred. Her body shook with terror and impotent rage, frozen as her mind attempted to take in the scene. The guests stood uncomfortably, most of them unsure just what was happening, but aware that the wedding had taken an unexpected turn. Orin Truesight stood with the Council members, averting his eyes from the hysterical woman at his feet. Evelyn Darkfang stood silently, staring vacantly into space as if the guilt of her betrayal had finally destroyed the final scraps of her sanity, and Megan stood beside her, her eyes fixed firmly on the ground.
Cassie turned to face the Council members, and through blurred eyes she saw the hunched figure of Willem Darkfang, his face burning red with shame - no, with anger - as a single tear rolled down his cheek. Cassie couldn't hear him whisper, but she made out the words on his lips. "I'm so sorry."
Lucius' eyes burned with a mad hunger atop that awful, smug smile. His eyes fixed on Adam, collapsed beside the concrete block as if accepting of his fate. Lucius began to walk slowly through the parted crowd, and as he reached the midpoint Cassie saw Grayson hold out an ax for his alpha. There were only seconds, now... seconds before Cassie's true love would be removed from this life. Before Cassie would be plunged into Purgatory for an empty, soulless eternity.
She didn't even notice the fingernails digging into her palms, or the blood dripping on the wet grass from her clenched fists. She didn't notice the low, ominous growl build in her throat.
"I Challenge Lucius Ironclaw."
Cassie's head turned to identify the source of the voice, until she realized the words had come from her own mouth. Silence hung over the crowd. The only sound was the thud of the ax on the ground as it fell from Lucius' hand.
"I Challenge Lucius Ironclaw!" she yelled, rising to her feet.
Lucius turned to Grayson, then to Orin Truesight, and finally to Cassie herself. "You can't Challenge me," he spluttered. "You're my wife!"
Cassie's voice was cold and calm, carrying across the silent crowd as clear as a bell. "I'll never be your wife. I am fated for Adam."
Lucius looked around in disbelief, as if this were some elaborate joke. For a moment he seemed to consider simply ignoring Cassie, and stooped to pick up the ax. A foot landed on the handle before he reached it.
"I wouldn't, if I were you," whispered Willem Darkfang.
Lucius stumbled back in shock. It was all going wrong! This was supposed to be a day of triumph, and now this woman, his property, was trying to steal it away from him. He turned to Orin with a look of angered dismay. "She cannot call me to Challenge. She belongs to me! All of her rights are forfeit!"
Orin stroked his beard for a moment, unsure of the law in this unprecedented situation, until Elona Whitetail stepped forward. "You have not completed the ceremony, Lucius. This woman is still free, and as a wolf of the Five Tribes she has the right to call any alpha to Challenge."
Lucius fumed, his face burning red with the rage of a spoiled child denied a new toy. "But... but she is mine. She is to be my wife!"
Elona smiled placidly. "No, Lucius. She is to be your Challenge."
Lucius roared, tearing his shirt from his body in one quick movement, and before the crowd even had time to scatter he shifted and pounced towards the altar. Cassie shifted by instinct, her dress falling in a heap on top of her as she changed, and Lucius leapt, aiming to strike her about the middle. He caught only the dress, and Cassie scurried quickly out from under it as Lucius became tangled in the white silk.
Cassie ran blindly into the crowd. She knew she couldn't beat Lucius in a test of strength, but she knew in her heart that hope beat despair every time. She may be killed, but it was better to die fighting for her love than to live to see it destroyed.
Lucius untangled himself from the dress and launched his muscular body into the crowd, sending guests fleeing to safety. He growled, enraged, searching for Cassie, but didn't see her racing up behind him. Cassie pounced onto his back and clamped her jaw around Lucius' neck.
If he had been any other wolf he would have fallen to the ground and conceded, but for Lucius this was just a scratch. Cassie had drawn first blood, but there was no way the alpha would stop fighting until she was dead. He shook her off, twisting so that she took a bloody chunk of his neck with her as she was flung from his back. Lucius bled, but he barely seemed to notice.
In seconds he was upon her. Twice her size and many times stronger, Cassie was pinned beneath his weight. Her eyes turned to face Adam, as if to see him one final time before she died. Her mate strained against the chains, switching between wolf and human to try to slip from the restraints, but he couldn't pull free. He howled with rage as Lucius prepared to lunge at Cassie's neck.
But Lucius took too long about it. The cruel alpha was enjoying his prey; relishing the fear he struck into her heart before he took her life. While he grandstanded Cassie managed to twist and wriggle awkwardly from beneath him. Lucius snapped at her, but too late. She was already free.
Cassie ran towards Adam, terrified, but halfway there a figure stepped from the terrified crowd.
It was Willem Darkfang, and he carried Grayson's ax.
Behind her Cassie heard Lucius begin to run, sprinting at full speed towards his prey for the final bite. She felt the heat of his body on her back as she leapt and shifted in mid air, reaching out for the ax as her claws became hands. Her fingers wrapped around the rough wooden handle, and as her bare feet touched the cool, wet grass she spun.
The blade connected with Lucius at his throat, the weight of the ax cutting through as if his flesh was a mere fog. The wolf fell to the ground, stunned, blood gushing from his neck. Cassie landed on her feet, and stood panting above the struggling body of Lucius as he gasped for air that bubbled from the gaping wound. The ax hung loosely from her arm, its edge glinting in the moonlight with Lucius' blood.
"Finish him," implored Willem, looking down in disgust at the pathetic creature. "The Challenge will only be successful if you strike him down."
Cassie looked down at the pitiful animal, her mouth turned up in a disgusted cringe. She looked to Willem and shook her head.
"Your laws allowed this monster to become an alpha. Your laws allowed him to imprison my father, and to condemn my fated mate to death. I don't care to follow them any more. If you want blood on your hands, kill him yourself."
She turned from the broken body of the alpha, dragging the ax behind her, and approached Adam. Grayson tried to block her way, but a deep growl was enough to send him cowering for the protection of the crowd. She hefted the ax over her shoulder and swung, shattering the concrete where Adam's chains emerged from the block.
Adam pulled against the chains, his muscles straining and bulging until the remains of the concrete crumbled and he was free. His hands were still bound and attached to a heavy block of steel ending in a spike that had been driven into the concrete, but he could at least move freely. Cassie threw the ax to the ground as he lifted his bound hands over her head and wrapped his arms tightly around her, drawing her close.
As soon as Cassie felt his skin on hers her body began to shake. She sobbed, burying her face in his shoulder, and felt her knees give way beneath her. Adam held her aloft, supporting her weight as she wept.
"I love you," Adam whispered in her ear, enclosing her in his warmth. She couldn't even find the energy to reply, but she felt love in every bone of her body. She knew she'd never be parted from him again. Their two souls were one.
"Cassie!" Willem yelled, his voice filled with dread. She turned in time to see Lucius lumbering towards them, his still gaping wound healing before her eyes. His skin was pale and his body shook with weakness, but she knew he was still capable of striking a killing blow. He tried to shift, to pounce at her and take the final, decisive bite, but he lacked the energy for the change. He leapt in human form, his hands extended like claws, roaring with an insane rage that bubbled from the wound in his throat.
Cassie looked to the ax and saw there was no time to retrieve it. The only weapons they had were their hands, their feet...
... and the steel spike still attached to Adam's wrists.
Lucius' enormous, powerful body flew through the air, intent on murder, and the last thing he saw with those cold, cruel, evil eyes was the spike Adam held out towards him as he leapt.
Lucius' body fell to the ground, dead. Adam tugged the spike from his eye and gestured to Grayson to unchain him. The cowardly wolf crept forward carefully, avoiding the body of his master, and unlocked the cuffs before scurrying back to safety. The chains fell to the ground, and Adam took Cassie's hand in his.
Orin Truesight stepped forward meekly, as if afraid that Cassie would strike out at him in retaliation for sentencing Adam to death. "Um... congratulations, Cassandra. The Council --" he turned to his fellow alphas for their blessing. "The Council recognizes you as the alpha of the Ironclaws."
Cassie shook her head. "No. I didn't kill Lucius. Adam did. He will be the new alpha."
Orin's cheeks flushed beneath his thick beard. "Um... well, Adam is not eligible to become an alpha. He didn't have the right to..." His voice tailed off as he saw the fire in Cassie's eyes.
"Adam is the alpha of the Ironclaws." Her voice was firm, and Orin shrank back.
"Yes. Of course he is."
"Now leave. All of you. And don't ever come back."
The guests looked around at each other in surprise, looking to their alphas for guidance. The Council members saw the look in Cassie's eyes and turned to leave, setting off an exodus, and before long the only wolves remaining in the garden were Adam, Cassie, Grayson and Evelyn.
Grayson stood against the wall, almost as if he was trying to blend in to the brickwork. His face was pale with fear. "Master?" His voice dribbled out in a cowardly whisper.
Adam turned to him and glowered. "If you are still in my territory by sunrise, Grayson, your death will be slow."
The wolf didn't need any more hints. He crept away around the corner, and in the silence Cassie could hear his footsteps turn into a run.
She turned to Evelyn and stared.
"Cassie, darling..." Evelyn's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, I'm so proud of you." She began to walk towards Cassie, her arms outstretched for a hug, but froze in her tracks when she heard the growl begin from deep in Cassie's throat.
"The same goes for you, mother. You're banished from my alpha's territory. You will never return here again."
Evelyn began to sob. "But Cassie, I did it for you! Don't you understand? It was all for you, my darling."
Adam stepped between Cassie and Evelyn and growled. He moved so close that Evelyn could feel his hot breath on her face. He whispered, so quiet that only she could hear. "Run."
He returned to Cassie as Evelyn fled from the garden, leaving them finally alone. Cassie reached out to take his hand, and looked into his deep green eyes. The sadness was goners was the sense that he was lost and far from home. He was home.
"What now?" he whispered.
Cassie smiled, leaned close and kissed him on the lips, wrapping her arms tight around Adam's back. "Now we bury my father. And then... well, tomorrow is a new day. Let's take it as it comes."
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Chapter One
'OK, now watch the big one over there. You see her?'
Emily peered through her binoculars, carefully scanning the clearing below. 'You mean the one prowling by the trees?'
Aylen nodded her head. 'Yeah, that's the one. She's the alpha female. See, you can recognize her by the way she's curling her tail to expose her genitalia. See the way she's presenting herself to the alpha male? That means she's entered her estrus cycle, and she's ready to mate.'
'But they're not mating, right? That's what you said earlier?'
Aylen looked thoughtfully through her binoculars. 'No, they're not. We can't figure out why the alpha male isn't jumping her. He should be fucking her five ways from Sunday by now, but she's been presenting for three days and he hasn't so much as glanced in her direction. She's getting pretty desperate. See how the little one over by the tree is bleeding? That's what happens when momma wolf doesn't get her cock.'
'Weird. Do you think the alpha's sick or something?'
'I don't know, maybe.' Aylen began to pack away her gear. 'We don't know much about him, to be honest. He turned up about six months ago out of nowhere, just wandered into the middle of the pack and tore the throat out of the old head of the pack.' Aylen paused, remembering the scene. The wolf had strolled through the pack with no fear. She'd almost screamed when the attack came. She'd never seen such speed and ferocity in a wolf.
Aylen looked thoughtfully at the mountains. 'I can't put my finger on it, but there's something different about this pack. It's not just the alpha acting unusually. They're all a little off. It's almost as if they've caught the scent of something more attractive. Whatever it is, I'm a little worried. Until the alphas mate, nobody mates.'
'What? Why not?'
'That big alpha will kill any male who tries to fuck before he's had a piece. It's a dominance thing. I tell you, though, he's gotta mate soon. The little guys won't wait for ever, and if he doesn't let them get some action tonight they're gonna start challenging him.' Aylen snorted through her nose. 'Typical guys. OK, Em, you ready to go?'
'Sure.' Emily slung her backpack over her shoulder and adjusted jacket. 'Let's roll.'
Aylen slid through the hatch of the high hide and climbed easily down the ladder towards the thick snow. She was completely at home in the mountains after five years of working as a ski instructor and, more recently, assisting a professor conducting a study on the local wolf packs. She'd been raised out here in the hills, in one of the few remaining Native American settlements in the state.
Emily, on the other hand, descended the ladder slowly and carefully. She was the epitome of a city girl, unaccustomed to anything beneath her feet but the sidewalk. She'd met Aylen a few years earlier while on her first and only skiing holiday in the mountains. Emily had proved completely unable to pick up any of Aylen's instructions, but the two had struck up a friendship at the foot of the slopes.
