King of the Wolves .01

But his value as an Alpha-Blood lay not only in his ability to protect and lead, but in his ability to have children, one of whom would grow to continue his legacy and protect their pack. His children and their children would mean the difference between whether they thrived or withered.

He turned on the overhead shower and cool water cascaded down his body. He scrubbed yesterday's events from his skin, leaving the scent of sandalwood behind. He inhaled the natural scents in the soap, feeling it calm him. Distant from the present, letting his mind drift, he didn't notice he wasn't alone until the glass shower door opened a crack.

"I was wondering if you wanted me to wash your back." Came a mewling voice from the smaller male. Sam looked over his shoulder and down at Reigh, taking in his features. How could this man bring him so much contentedness?

Sam hesitated only a moment before nodding, stepping closer to the front of the shower to let Reigh in behind him.

Reigh bit his lip and took the washcloth from Sam, folding it around the thin bar of soap. It didn't stink of artificial chemicals, rather it smelled natural. He inhaled the scent before lathering the cloth against the bar, and slowly began to wash his back. he covered every inch, and his free hand used the slick suds to stroke the tense muscles of his Alphas back. Sam raised a hand to brace himself against the shower wall, letting Reigh increase his pressure and knead the knots along his spine.

They stood like this, quiet, Reigh washing him and massaging him thoroughly before pressing his body flush against Sam's back. He wrapped his arms around his waist, bathing his chest, abs, and down his hips. He lathered the fronts of his thighs, brushing his fingers against his balls, earning a sigh of pleasure from Sam. Reigh took the encouragement and set the soap down on a ledge before gathering the slick suds in his hands, resting his head against Sam's back as he felt his way blindly around Sams cock.

Sam clenched his teeth as he felt Reigh's hands stroke up to the apex of his thighs lifted his balls on his soapy hands. He felt his canines extend and he let out a soft rumbling growl of pleasure. He could feel Reigh's face pressed against his back. and he felt his skin practically bristle as Reigh wrapped his hand around Sams aching cock.

"I would like to please my Alpha..." Reigh whispered, parting his lips to nip his back. Sam arched slightly before turning quickly, grasping Reigh high on his jaw and pushing him hard against the wall of the shower. Reigh was limp in his arms as he let Sam manipulate his head, exposing his neck. He moaned softly as Sam dove against it, biting lightly against his skin, but not enough to mark it. His moans cut short as Sam moved quickly up his neck, along his jaw to kiss his lips heavily.

"What are you waiting for?" Sam asked, looking into those wide silver eyes. "Please your Alpha." He let a growl slip from his throat, turning it into a command. He could feel Reigh shiver under his grip, his hands returning to their duty. Sam let his hips rock gently into Reigh's grip as he neared his climax; it didn't take long in the mornings.

Sam's orgasm gushed into Reigh's hands, his body curled over his mate, touching his forehead to Reigh's. He panted, and Reigh tilted his face upwards and gave sam a submissive, mewling lick across his open mouth.

"I... What about you..." Sam whispered as Reigh pulled the shower hose from its bracket on the wall and began to rinse his body free of the soap.

Reigh sighed and looked up into his Alpha's face, his eyes soft and sincere. "Don't worry about me. I know what I want, but this is all new to you. I won't push you."

Sam perked up as he heard his bedroom door open and close. He groaned. "Fuck." he whispered, irritation and traces of fear darkening his expression. He stepped from the shower and grabbed a towel, drying his body of excess water before wrapping it around his waist. Reigh watched his back for a moment before returning the water stream to the bracket on the wall and stepping under it, beginning to wash and rinse his own body.

Sam cracked the door, steam issuing into his bedroom momentarily as he squeezed out to face his petite sister, sitting on his bed, her nose in the air as she tried to scent the newcomer in the shower. He tried his best to us his body to stop her from seeing into the bathroom. "Not wasting any time, huh!" she said with a grin.

"Elle, why are you in my room?" he groaned, crossing to the closet to pluck a pair of jeans and tee-shirt from the rack. He pulled the door partially closed and dressed quickly in the small space before walking out to her. He went to his bedroom door, and opened it, revealing the small passageway under the stairs. "Get out."

"I just wanted to meet her! I already met Axel's mate! She's so cute! And she likes gardening like me, she was enjoying the tea bushes I've been pruning this morning... Hey!" Sam, impatient, moved forward and grasped her by the upper arm, pulling her to her feet and forcing her to the door. "Unhand me, heathen!" she said in a snarl.

"You're the heathen." he said with a snarl. "You're being so nosy. I'll make introductions when we're ready. Leave me alone."

Elle gave a pout as she was released on the other side of the doorway. "At least tell me her name!" she said, her voice muffled as the door closed on her. Sam locked the door for good measure.

Turning back to his room, he sighed, running his hand through his hair. He wished he didn't have to deal with today. They could enjoy each others company locked away in this room, but as soon as they stepped out, the questions and confusion he faced with Axel and Cal in the woods would be echoed among the rest of the pack. His body tensed, his teeth growing into points once again as he considered how many would attempt to fight him and his father to take his power, or else try and convince Elle to challenge him.

Elle... What danger would she be in, if she refused to try and take his place? Weakness and more weakness. It would be a classic coup d'etat. Bloodshed to protect the pack. Sam shivered, covering his face with his hands. A moment later, two comforting hands gripped his wrists and pulled them away, round silver eyes boring into his own.

"Male mates aren't unheard of." he whispered low enough to guarantee their privacy even if Elle was listening at the keyhole. "It's been a few hundred years, but one mated pair ruled a very powerful pack once. It was in the old stories I read. And they thrived."

"Stories aren't reality."

"History is. And history will repeat itself again and again. Our wolf spirits won't disappear when we die. They are immortal, they will seek new companions in a few generations and seek each other again. And it is possible this will happen over and over until the end of time. What we do now... how we handle this... it could become legend, and set way for more spirits like ours to find companions who will find their nontraditional mates."

"I don't want to set history. I want to protect my family and survive."

"Those burdened with power carry the most weight." Reigh whispered. He took a deep sigh. "Did your parents ever tell you the story about the Alpha with too heavy antlers?" He asked softly, his voice still barely audible as to not carry beyond the door.

"I hear different packs have different stories."

"We have several," Reigh whispered, grasping Sam's hand and pulling him back towards the bed. Sam sat down on the edge, and Reigh sat on the floor between his knees, looking up at him. "My favorite is about the pack that spent their time as wolf more than human. They were wild and free. And the Alpha's horns grew so large that they were heavy on his head, weighed him down. Wolves don't shed their antlers like deer and elk. Moss grew and vines they tore from the trees hung around his face. One day, he was challenged. They fought by the side of a cliff, and his antlers weighed him down."

"I heard that one. He was thrown from the cliff, burdened by the weight of his antlers and died." Sam finished. "Its a story about balance between human and wolf."

Reigh chuckled softly. "That is where your story ends. But not my version. As he fell, his antlers shattered, they splintered down to his skull. But having carried them for so long, he found himself suddenly weightless without them. He carried the burden when he needed to become strong, and when it came time to protect his people, he shed the weight he did not need to carry, climbed back up the cliff, able to hold his head higher than his challenger, and killed his challenger..."

"That's a bit different." he said, his fingers reaching up to touch the fuzz that was hair on either side of Reighs head. The sides were shaved and the top was long enough to braid, falling halfway down his back where it was twisted into a tight curl that kept it from unraveling. His hair was pitch black, contrasting against his silver eyes and the white fur of his wolf, eyes heavily framed by dark lashes. By comparison, his own golden brown eyes and hair was dark brown near the roots and naturally bleached near blond by the sun near the ends and was kept short and neat.

"Carrying this burden can and will make you a stronger Alpha than the region has seen in generations..." he whispered. "I know it. I can feel it. And one day when you let go of trying to be what people expect of you, you will stand taller than anyone around you."

Sam clenched his jaw. He was still unsure, but his confidence in his own mate... HIS mate... His mate... grew. He nodded before jerking his head towards the closet. "Go get dressed." he said, his voice returning to normal volume.

Without another word, a simple smirk on his lips, he rose to his feet and searched Sam's closet He found a pair of running shorts and a too-big button-up as Sam unlocked his bedroom door and yanked it open quickly.

Elle squealed, falling forward with a thump. "Owww..." She groaned, having face-planted the rug. "I wasn't spying I swear..." She looked up, ready to make excuses when her eyes fell on Reigh, who had sat back down on the end of the bed, one leg tucked under his bum.

"Oh." she whispered, her eyes wide.

Sam closed the door behind his sister, and leaned against it with a sigh. Reigh glanced down at the floor sheepishly, a pink tone blossoming on his cheeks. Sam felt his wolf growl, wanting to protect his own from prying eyes and embarrassment. "You shouldn't be eavesdropping." he said with a slight growl in his throat.

"I couldn't hear anything anyway! I heard whispers but couldn't even tell... WHAT you were saying... let alone..." he trailed off, clearly struggling to comprehend the situation. "But you're a guy!" she said loudly, no longer able to contain herself. Finally she tore her eyes away from Reigh and looked up at Sam, sitting fully upright now and crossing her legs on the rug. "Have you told mom and dad?"

Sam shook his head.

"What will they say... this isn't right. What will you do for kids? You can't exactly adopt Alpha blood kids!" she said, almost hysterically. "That's the whole point of this whole alphablood thing!"

Sam sighed and nodded. "We haven't figured that part out yet." he mumbled.

"What about enemy packs? When they find this out, they'll call it a weakness. They'll look to challenge you or father. The pack might demand you step down to avoid all of this... what do we do? I'm not fighting you!"

Sam shook his head again. "I don't know. We need to call Father and explain, find out what he wants us to do."

Elle paused, a strange expression crossing her face. "What do you mean, what HE wants you to do? Do you want to lead the pack or not?" Elle shot back, her eyes flashing.

"Of course I do. You know it's everything I ever wanted."

"Then Dads opinion doesn't matter. Whether he supports you or rejects you, this is up to you at this point. If Dad demands you step down, will you fight him for it?"

"What?" It was Sam's turn to be angry. "I have no interest in fighting Dad!" he said, his hands balling into fists.

Elle stood up now, approaching him, shoving him back into the door by his chest. "If you don't want to fight him, and you want to lead the pack, you need to show him you've got what it takes!" she shoved him again, and Reigh observed with alarm and concern, half rising from the bed, hands raised in confusion on what to do.

"Don't push me, Elle." he snarled, holding up a hand to stop Reigh from interfering.

"Then stop acting like a pushover! What are you going to do, huh?" She shoved him again. Her canines were extending and cream colored antlers blossomed from her skull. "Are you going to ask Daddy for permission just because you have a boyfriend now? Huh!"

Sam snarled, his eyes flashing gold and he shoved her back. For such a small statured female, she stumbled back but maintained a strong stance. She shoved back at him for a third time. " Stop, Elle... I'm warning you."

"What's the matter, beta, not willing to stand up and protect what's yours? Maybe I will fight you for the title!" Her eyes flashed back at him, as if begging him to get her point. And he did. With a snarl, he dashed forward, grasped her by her throat and threw her to the ground. "NO! I am Alpha! And that's never going to change!"

"Then act like it! Tell Dad, TELL him. But he isn't making any decisions about your leadership, is he?"

Sam huffed and released his sister, who showed no fear despite the anger in his eyes. He was actually proud of her. Or he would be, once he was done being aggravated by her. She shouldn't have been able to push his buttons that way. He shouldn't have let her get to him. And he shouldn't have needed her demonstration to come to that conclusion either.

Sam looked up at Reigh, who was still hovering inches off the bed, looking him in the face. Sam sighed again and visibly relaxed, and Reigh straightened up all the way and stood awkwardly beside the bed.

Elle jumped gracefully back to her feet, straightening her tanktop. "Well. Thats that." she said with a grin. She held a hand out to Reigh. "I'm Elle! It is nice to meet you!"

Reigh glanced, confused, at Sam who nodded. Reigh shook Elles hand and gave her a sheepish smile. "I am very happy to be here with Sam."

"Hungry?" Elle said, using the handshake to get a good grip on Reighs hand, beginning to pull him toward the door. "I love your hair by the way, have you ever considered warrior beads?"

"I'm not a warrior though..." Reigh's voice became muffled as he was dragged through the house, and Sam leaned back against the doorframe, lost in thought. Elle was right. He was Alpha and he needed to make his decision. He needed to form his decision before presenting it as a plan of action to his father, not wait around embarrassed and shamed, asking Father what he should do. He needed to be a leader.