Orphan Ch. 07

Searing pain coursed through his back as sharp fangs dug deeply into his shoulder. More pain came from his leg where another beast latched onto his thigh.

Alexander fell to the ground under the onslaught. Now that the surprise had worn off his mind cleared as he focused on the attack. Both wolves had released him; they circled around him, watching him, seemingly taunting him. He tried to stand, found that he could but feigned that he could not. His left shoulder burned, the powerful jaws of the muddy brown wolf had dislocated it and his arm hung useless at his side.

As he watched the gray wolf stop in front of him the icy tendrils of its thoughts found their way into his mind.

'You should have thought twice before attacking our Beta you stupid dog, and all over some stupid bitch.'

Another voice seemingly as young as the first agreed.

'It's not a good idea to mess with the Bouchard's, now I guess you'll have to learn that lesson the hard way.'

Alexander feigned fear when his true emotion was one of pure fury.

The attack on himself, this was of no consequence, he had long experience dealing with physical pain, had already pushed it to the back of his mind and moved on from it.

'Bitch.'

The word hung in his consciousness, its many connotations whirling through his head causing his thoughts to fly just as fast and chaotic.

'How dare they? HOW DARE THEY?'

'She's MY BITCH.'

Images flashed through his mind.

Jenabel holding a child with azure blue eyes and raven black hair.

Of Jenabel on her knees moaning Alexander's name during his son's conception crashed through his mind.

And then the world, seen through the red haze of his rage stilled and everything came into focus. Jason had not wanted to harm Jenabel, he wanted Jenabel, wanted to claim her, wanted to mate with her.

His fury curled in on itself; becoming a tight ball of flaming ire that as the instant ended blossomed into righteous action.

The wolves tensed as they felt a subtle shift in their prey.

Watched as the blue eyes that a moment ago had held obvious fear clouded over to form dark ember flaked pools as the man before them blurred into action.

When the two wolves had attacked him, all of them had tumbled off the path into the dense trees. Alexander's first action was to leap up and over the gray wolf slamming his shoulder full force into the tree behind it. The speed of his movement coupled with the sickening crunch of setting his shoulder back into place stunned the two wolves. When they focused again Alexander stood before them, blood dripping from his shoulder and leg but seemingly not hampering his ability to impersonate walking vengeance.

The gray wolf moved first, darting in fast looking to take Alexander's legs out. With a deft motion Alexander side stepped, gauging correctly that the stupid fuck had come full speed never expecting him to not be there as he ran right by him and kept on going.

Alexander turned on the brown wolf, which bared his teeth and leapt high in the air, jaws aiming for Alexander's throat. Ducking quickly, the wolf sailed above him. As it did Alexander rose fast, hands up and extended. When they met the fur of the canine's soft underbelly his fingers coiled into the flesh, causing the wolf to howl as Alexander pivoted, using the wolf's own momentum to hurl it into the trees.

Spinning around Alexander's hands flashed toward the gray wolf who had turned and was now almost upon him. The animal's dank hot breath flowed over Alexander's face as he held the wolf's jaws just inches from his neck. Muscles flexed and burned, he could feel the wolf digging in its hind paws, its own muscles slowly overpowering the force of Alexander's. The wolf's eyes gleamed, sensing the battle was soon to be over, that his Beta would be avenged.

-vVv-

The plate fell from Jenabel's hand as her motion toward the sink abruptly ceased. It splintered into brilliant white shards upon smashing into the hard stone floor.

"Alexander..."

Her voice was hushed, filled with fear, something was wrong, something was terribly wrong.

Carl Benton practically ran into the kitchen where Sophie was just rising to go to her daughter.

"Where is he Jenabel, where is he?"

Carl had felt the shocking burst of fear at the same moment Jenabel had, he knew it could only be coming from one person since he couldn't track the source. Had any full pack member been in any kind of danger he would have immediately been able to pinpoint where they were. As it was he just knew someone was in great danger and that someone was Alexander.

Jenabel burst into a run before her mother could reach her. "He's between the Glance and his house on the other side of the lake, he's hurt!" Jenabel yelled over her shoulder as she ran from the house. She shifted in mid-air landing on the ground beyond her parent's patio and immediately breaking into a full run. Carl was hot on her heals.

'The feeling has changed Jenabel, he's not afraid anymore.' Her father's words in her head cut through the fear that coursed through her. She reached out; searching for the tenuous link she had with Alexander. Her father was right. The fear was gone, replaced now by rage, fury so powerful so feral that she was sure he had shifted.

'He's shifted; it's the only thing that makes sense given the strength of the emotions rolling out from him like the incessant power of a runaway freight train.'

'Calm down Jenabel, we'll be there soon. Alexander will be okay.'

-vVv-

Alexander's fingers flexed in the hot fur of the wolf's neck, its snapping jaws inched closer and closer to his face as he struggled to find the strength to end this. At the thought of needing strength Alexander felt a stirring in his mind the incessant pacing of something wanting to be released to be given control.

Alexander shuddered at the thought as he fought with the wolf. Jenabel's words came back to him about going rogue, the possibility of losing himself to the other half of his nature.

'Find the balance.'

That was the other thought, the other part of what Jenabel had said. That he had to find a way to trust and balance his nature.

'I can't shift, I don't know how.'

The gray wolf's front paws dug into Alexander's chest causing deep gouges that soon had his chest colored bright crimson as the pain bloomed large causing him to lose a little more ground.

In his minds eye he found an image of a blond wolf. Large and stately, its fur almost a golden color, it paced slowly back and forth, watching him. There was no hint of danger from the animal, the animal that seemed so familiar.

Alexander's consciousness moved closer to the wolf, noted that it was the largest wolf he had ever seen, probably double the size of the one currently trying to disembowel or behead him. The closer he got the more clarity the beast gained. A full powerful chest. His back straight and symmetrical. Thick legs flexing involuntarily as he paced slowly back and forth.

Alexander's grip tightened further on the wolfs neck, his fingers and hands finding new strength, his arms bulging with renewed force as the animals incremental motion toward his face ceased.

The blonde wolf in his vision curled its lips in a snarl, its ivory white fangs glistening in its massive jaws as it raised its head to the heavens.

The wolf in his grip yelped as the pressure from Alexander's fingers began to cut off its air supply. Opening himself briefly to Alexander, he found waves of unrepentant rage roiling off him. An instant ago this dog who dared touch his Beta had been all but beaten. Now, fear found the wolf as the constricting fingers pulled tighter at his neck.

In his head, Alexander's wolf released a riotous howl, its tone and volume deafening and at the same time empowering. It was a roar of strength, of rage, of unstoppable force and it infused Alexander with all of its attributes.

Alexander's roar echoed through the forest and across the mirror-like surface of the lake. Birds leapt to the sky away from it, the small animals of the forest hid from its tone. Were's within its range stopped in their tracks, turning as one toward the primal howl of blood lust.

The gray wolf's neck bulged against the cloying hands at its throat. It jerked around helplessly trying to free itself from the man's grasp but it was a losing battle. In the next instant the vertebrae in its neck gave up the fight against the unrelenting pressure as they were crushed by the onslaught. The gray wolf went limp in Alexander's hands, but he didn't release the now lifeless body from his grasp. Instead he rose, turning slowly and striding purposefully toward the other wolf who was slowly slouching away from the scene.

It stood still, locked by the ebony and amber eyes of the man before him, holding his pack-mate as if he weighed nothing. He was covered in blood, eyes blazing, seething with a blood need that could, it seemed, only be satiated by more blood, namely his.

Alexander's icy voice made the breath catch in the wolf's throat.

"Tell Jason or his father or whomever else has an issue with me, that I'm here, that if they come, death will find them. Jenabel is mine. Do you hear me, MINE!!!?" His declaration cut through the still air; once again all those that heard it were shocked by its power, the fury and truth contained within it.

Jenabel and her father had just come upon the scene as he issued his howling declaration. It sent a tsunami of need through Jenabel's body as her soul knew that his declaration, the depth of it, was for her, all for her.

Carl shifted, standing tall and moving slowly toward Alexander.

Alexander heard the steps and turned, body tensing ready to exact whatever punishment was required to another who would think to harm Jenabel. He relaxed at seeing Carl, a sense of calm washing over him. There was no new threat at his back.

The brown wolf flashed off into the trees. Alexander's fury spiked for a moment the desire to chase the other wolf down and exact his retribution flared for an instant. He did not follow, instead dropping the limp corpse of the wolf at his feet. Alexander's body began to tremble and he fell to one knee. In his mind he saw the large blond wolf turn slowly and walk away into the midst of his subconscious.

Alexander's breathing became ragged as his eyes regained their normal arctic blue hue. Unconsciousness threatened to overwhelm him although he fought it with every ounce of strength he had left. Alexander had seen Jenabel shift and race toward him, the look on her face, one of need, of pride, and of desire. He so wanted to hold her, to tell her what he needed to. But he lost his battle against the crushing fatigue and pitched forward into her waiting arms as the sweet abyss took him.

-vVv-

Alexander was once again in Jenabel's bed upstairs. She sat around her small kitchen table with her family, her mind reviewing the events of the morning.

Her brother had come to Alexander's after a quick call to the compound. Between Brad and Carl they had gotten him back to the compound. Her father had suggested letting him recover in his own home, but Jenabel refused. She wanted him home, with her and the safety of the pack close at hand.

Alexander stirred in his sleep as her father gently opened the door and motioned her out.

Her mother and Brad were sitting around her small kitchen table; all of them had looks of concern.

"He'll be fine, why are you all looking so down?" Jenabel asked, curious as to why they would be looking so pensive.

While Jenabel was scared when she first felt the fear coming from Alexander, that immediately morphed into anger. She raged at the thought someone would dare attack her mate. Then her feelings shifted once again as he came into view. He stood there victorious, body tensed, with his dead foe still in his grasp howling out for all the world to here that she was his.

Jenabel felt waves of awe and raw desire pull at her heart and soul. He was strong, strong enough to master the change, strong enough to be her mate, to sire and protect their children. She cradled him as his body went slack in his arms, tears, both of joy and sorrow mixing with streaked red blood that seemed to cover his body.

As her father and brother carried Alexander back toward his house and the waiting jeep, Jenabel was struck by another important issue.

The ramifications of an attack on one of their own, on their lands were vast, she couldn't help being proud of how Alexander had handled the attack. Under their laws he was challenged and he won. Even though the challenge was not given formally, to have two attackers ambush him on pack lands, there could be no question.

Carl watched his daughter as they now sat in the kitchen, saw the emotions play over her features as she replayed the day's events.

"This could cause a war Jenabel. I'm not saying Alexander was wrong, he did what he had to but the Bouchard's have thrown down the proverbial gauntlet and we have to respond."

Jenabel looked at her father and felt his tension. The Pack was at risk. Being the Alpha he was; there could be no other response than to take this attack as an act of war.

Brad stood, pacing around the room, his wolf wanting to prowl, lusting for the hunt.

"We can take the Bouchard's. It won't even be a contest. Let me take the Beta's we'll show them what a mistake they made coming to our home and harming one of our own."

Jenabel gave her brother a grateful smile for standing up so for her and Alexander. Carl stood as well, facing his children.

"He isn't technically one of our own yet Brad and you know that." Carl saw the anger that colored Jenabel's face as he said it but he continued. "It's the truth. He hasn't changed, hasn't been welcomed by the pack. Did they trespass on our land? Absolutely. Did they attack someone who at a minimum was under our protection? Yes. But can we view it as an actual challenge under our laws?"

Jenabel was having none of it.

"If they had attacked Willow or Amy, both of whom haven't been formally brought into the pack and haven't had their first moon change, would you be saying any of this?" Her voice was becoming a bit manic as she vented her growing anger at her father.

A voice from behind her silenced them all.

"No he wouldn't Jenabel and you know that. They are children of your pack; they're very different than I am."

Alexander walked slowly into the room, his eyes never leaving Jenabel's as he took her in his arms.

Jenabel's breath caught in her throat as he embraced her, the feel of his strong arms wrapped around her, the heat and scent of him being so close both exhilarating and comforting. He lingered a moment, drawing out the connection, she could almost feel him drawing strength from her before releasing her to face the others.

"I don't want you to go to war on my behalf Mr. Benton. I don't know your ways or customs but there has to be something I can do to put an end to this before it escalates and anyone else has to die."

Carl watched as Jenabel squared her shoulders, standing next to her mate, amazed as he watched the bond between them grow before his very eyes.

"Yesterday you challenged Jason Bouchard, Alexander. You didn't know that was what you were doing; you acted instinctually to protect Jenabel, as any of us would."

"If you were Pack, if you and Jenabel had been fully mated, Jason would have been challenging you through his actions. Since this is not the case and you attacked Jason, by our laws you issued the challenge and then didn't kill him."

Alexander was incredulous.

"So the issue is I didn't kill that fool yesterday?"

Carl shook his head, understanding the young man's belief that they may all be completely crazy.

"Let's do this. You all relax awhile, I have a few phone calls to make, some things to check on. Everyone come to our house for dinner. After, we'll give you a crash course in the history of our kind, our laws and some other things you need to know. Once you have the full picture it will be easier for us to decide on what the best course of action is."

Alexander relaxed some. He trusted Carl Benton and knew there was so much he didn't understand, he couldn't make snap judgments. If his years in the military had taught him anything, it was that Intel was what won battles, not brute strength or foolish heroics.

"Alright Mr. Benton, I'm sorry about jumping to conclusions. But I want you to understand, no matter what your laws may say, I won't allow anyone to be put in harms way because of my actions."

Carl shook his head and gave Alexander a weary smile.

"Son, you're Pack, whether you've been formally accepted or not. We take care of our own. Relax, we'll explain everything this evening then make the decision as to what is the best action to take."

Brad and his parents departed leaving Alexander and Jenabel standing close, silently looking out the window at the mountains.

They both felt the heat that traveled the bare inches between their arms. There was a tension between them, like two magnets pulling to reverse their polarities so they would be pulled together.

It was Alexander that broke the impasse.

"Would it be alright if I took a shower?" His voice was soft and unsure.

Jenabel looked up into his deep blue eyes, her hand coming to rest on his shoulder.

Her father had taken off the tattered remains of his shirt and cut away the leg of his jeans where he had been bitten when they brought him to her home. She had gently washed his wounds, noting that they were already healing up at the time. Now they were no more than livid red lines that would disappear altogether by the dawn.

"Yes, of course. I...I packed you a bag when we were at your house, it's on the floor in the bedroom, and there are fresh towels in the bathroom..." The shy tone of her voice and the way she dropped her eyes from his surprised him.

Alexander's fingers touched her chin gently, bringing her eyes back up to his.

"I'll just be a few minutes then how about I cook you some lunch. I don't know about you but I'm starving."

Jenabel heard immediate verification of his statement as Alexander's stomach rumbled and she laughed.

"Go take a shower, and I will take you up on the offer to cook, I'm not very handy around a stove."

Alexander heard the tentative tone of her voice and smiled, moving close to her.

"I guess it's a good thing that I am then." He finished the comment with a gentle brush of his lips across hers before turning and striding up the stairs two at a time.

Jenabel leaned against the counter, the strength to stand almost too much to muster as having Alexander so close caused her emotions to once again swirl out of control.

'We have to complete the mating soon. I won't be able to resist him much longer.' The thought made her smile as she ran her fingers through her long black hair. The man was a menace when it came to her keeping her desires under control.

Alexander pulled a clean pair of jeans and white button down shirt out of the bag he found in Jenabel's room. He rummaged around and found socks and a pair of boxer briefs as well. 'I'm glad she thought of this.' Alexander mused as he walked into the bathroom. His current attire of one legged jeans would not do.

It was obviously a woman's space he found himself in. The floors were a light sand tile with darker browns in the shower. On the counter were the things you would expect to find, makeup, a blow dryer, the various sundries that women everywhere keep in such spots. It was a new landscape for Alexander.

Having never lived or spent any real time with a woman, every small detail was something new for Alexander to explore. In his world there was soap and shampoo, toothpaste and brush, with some deodorant thrown in for good measure. As he waited for the water to warm he stripped out of his clothes, looking at himself in the mirror he was surprised to find the damage from his battle with the wolves almost completely healed. "I guess being part wolf has its good points." He said to his reflection in the quickly fogging mirror. Then he stepped into the shower.