Awakening the Alpha (10 page)

Authors: Harmony Raines

Tags: #General Fiction

BOOK: Awakening the Alpha

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She nodded, taking one, two deep breaths before she could keep her hands steady enough to press the numbers. “Hi, Hugo.”

As she explained to Hugo what was happening, Riley slowed down. Coming towards them was Cole. When his brother drew alongside, Riley told him what was happening. Cole shouted a dozen expletives while he hauled his car around and headed back to town. If anything happened to Kira, there was going to be serious hell to pay in Wolf Valley.

Fara’s hand on hers made her jump. “Don’t worry, honey. It’ll be OK.”

“How? Damn it, Fara, why wasn’t I born a boy?” She cried tears of frustration, which Fara’s gnarled old fingers wiped away.

The old woman’s voice sounded so tired when she said, “Things happen for a reason.”

“What reason? It’s not just about me. Why when there was no male son of the alpha did the town’s beta have to get exiled too?” Natalie wiped her tears away angrily. “It’s not fair.”

“But it is right. You think that after what occurred in the past, that fate just happened to bring you all together now? That your mate isn’t the son of the beta for a reason?” Fara gripped her hand harder as they went around a bend. The road straightened out and the town was there before them.

“It’s a cruel fate.” Natalie was angry now, finding it hard to understand what good could come out of this. “The children of the men who should have been alpha are powerless against a man who wants to be a tyrant.”

“You have never been powerless. This.” She touched the pendant around Natalie’s neck. “This belongs to you. To both of you.”

Natalie frowned at Fara, not able to understand what she meant. “It’s just a worthless relic of the old days.”

“Or a symbol of the new.”

The truck stopped before Fara finished her sentence. There, five hundred yards down the main street, was a small gang of bikers. “What now?” Natalie asked.

Cole was out of his car and running back to them. “I think they’re at the sheriff’s office. If anything has happened to Kira, I swear I will rip their guts out and make them swallow them while they die a long painful death.” His wolf was there, snarling and scratching to be freed.

“Listen, you and Fara stay here,” Riley said to Natalie.

“Like hell I am!” Natalie said, getting out of the truck. “I am coming with you.”

Riley opened his mouth to argue and then changed his mind. “Keep close to me.”

“Fara. Will you be OK here for a while? As soon as we can get through, we’ll get you to the hospital.” Natalie hated how pale she looked. But without a long detour, they had to pass through the bikers. They also needed to find Kira.

“Don’t worry about me,” Fara said, resting her head back against the seat, but Natalie was worried.

“Try Kira’s phone,” Riley said to Cole.

His brother took out his phone and dialled. “I’ve already tried several times, there is no answer.” They stood still a few minutes, and then he shook his head. “Nothing.”

“Then let’s go. Shame we don’t have more guns,” Riley said.

“Or more people,” Natalie answered.

They moved forward, keeping to the side of the street, trying to get a view of what was happening. But all they could see was a crowd of people. Natalie was sure they were on bikes, the sun catching the chromework and glinting occasionally as the bikers moved around.

Then as they got closer, they could hear shouting. “Frasier,” Cole whispered.

“Need a hand?” From the hardware store, two men appeared.

“Yes, we do, Mike,” Cole said. “You got any weapons?”

“Come inside; let’s see what we can kit you out with. Axes, they might do the trick to make a dent in those shiny bikes.” They followed Mike inside.

“You have a rear exit?” Riley asked. “I think we might be better to sneak up on them. Maybe going through some of the other backyards.”

“There’s a pathway out back. We’ll get a little closer without being seen.”

“Do you know how many of them there are?” Cole asked, hefting a nice sharp axe.

“Fifteen, twenty. We saw them roll in about half an hour ago. There was a gunshot. And we rushed to the door, but they already had the sheriff’s office surrounded.”

“Let’s go.” Cole looked anxious. His fear for Kira was clear across his face as he followed the storeowner outside.

“Shall I ring Hugo and find out if he’s in town? I’d hate for him to take them on alone,” Natalie asked, pulling out Riley’s phone again.

“Sure.” Then Riley added, “When this goes down, I want you to hang back. Please, Natalie.”

“I can’t promise you that, Riley,” she said, putting the phone on speaker and waiting for Hugo to pick up. Nothing. “You think the sheriff has them?”

“Can’t see how.”

Cole had come to a stop behind the Mike and the other guy. They were looking down a side alley; out on the street a lone biker was driving up and down. They were trying to time it so he didn’t see them rush out.

Natalie crouched down next to Riley. “This was not how I expected my return to Wolf Valley to go down.”

“I’m sure people would have been pleased to see you, under different circumstances,” Riley said.

“Unless we can get Kira out safely and get rid of the bikers, there aren’t going to be better circumstances,” Natalie said.

“We’re going to go for it. Slide out along the street and take them by surprise, as much as we can. We’re not far enough along the street to make this more of an ambush.”

“Natalie. Stay here,” Riley said again.

“I can’t, honey, you are my world. If you go out there, I have your back.” She hugged him quickly and then picked up the small axe she had chosen from the hardware store. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Riley said and he didn’t argue anymore.

Cole ran first and the rest of them followed quietly. As they came out the lone biker was heading back to the others, giving them a small window of opportunity. They charged forward, weapons raised.

Everything happened so fast. They hit the bikers on the outside of the crowd, smashing metal and breaking bones. But almost instantly Frasier’s voice reached them.

“You might want to think twice about that. Or this little woman who stole my badge might end up dead.”

Natalie looked in horror. Frasier, badge on his lapel, hat on his head, was holding a pale and bloodied Kira in cuffs.

“No,” Cole shouted, charging forward.

“Cole, stop,” Natalie yelled. She didn’t want him dead. She didn’t want any of them dead; she had faced enough sadness in this town.

Cole stopped, turning to her, his face confused. “Natalie.”

“What?” she asked, turning to see what he was looking at, but there was nothing behind her.

In the moment’s hesitation, the bikers left their bikes and headed towards Cole and Riley, then Mike and his assistant joined them. But Cole broke away, coming towards Natalie. Were they retreating?

Cole reached for her, one hand on each of her arms, looking her in the face. “
You
are the alpha.
You
can stop this.”

She shook her head. “I don’t have that power. I never did. Only a male can hold the power.”

“Don’t question it, Natalie. Use it.”

The bikers had reached Riley. A fight was breaking out and she couldn’t bear it. “Stop. Stop it, all of you.”

As if they were on a leash, they stopped, all of them looking at her, and realisation spread over Riley’s face. “Damn it, you had the power all along.” And then his face broke into a grin. “You’re going to put that imposter in his place.”

She strode forward, her face a mask of anger, but she fought to control it as she had watched her father control his emotions so many times. The alpha did not have absolute power, and she was not a murderer, although right now she wanted to string Frasier up and let him swing for what he had done to Kira and the rest of the town.

“Let her go.”

Frasier laughed. “Listen, you don’t have jurisdiction over me.
I
am the sheriff.”

Her hand snapped out and took the badge off him, and he seemed unable to stop her. “Not anymore. Now let Kira go. You, Frasier, are exiled from Wolf Valley. You will
never
be welcome here and you will
never
cross our borders. Now go.”

He tried to stay, tried to fight it, but the bikers, those who had supported him, turned on him, snarling, heckling, and obeying their alpha. Exile was absolute.

Frasier turned and ran, wolves snapping at his heels as the deep primal law of Wolf Valley returned.

Epilogue

“You’re doing a fine job there,” Fara said, watching Riley hammer nails into the last piece of wood. That was it; the barn was finally finished. Leaning back, he surveyed his work, feeling pleased with himself.

“It looks good, doesn’t it,” he stated proudly. “Make sure you look after it this time.”

“Well, now that pretty woman of yours is in charge I think we’re going to be free of raiders of any description.” Fara chuckled. “Bet she has some fun ordering you around.”

“That she does, Fara.” He climbed down off the ladder, and Fara came to help him collect his tools. “Although between you and me, I like to play along with it; she thinks she has complete control over me.” He winked.

“You are a mischief-maker, Riley Merric. Now you go and get yourself something to eat before that brother of yours feeds it all to those pups.”

He didn’t need asking twice: he was starving; the smell of cooking had reached him all the way up on the barn roof. It had made him work harder. Now he was going to get his reward.

Behind him, the sound of a truck arriving made him turn. It was Kurt, with Nadine and Colin. They had all been invited over for the barn raising. Although he was sure he was the only one who had done the raising.

“Hi there. You come to be bossed around by Natalie?” he joked.

“I heard that,” Natalie said, coming across to kiss him and greet the new guests. “Hi there and welcome. You have to excuse Riley; he is in need of food and always gets grumpy when he’s hungry.”

“It’s good to have you back, Natalie.” Colin hugged her, much to Natalie’s surprise.

“Thank you. I know you, right?” she asked.

“Long, long time ago.”

“Then it’s good to see you again.” Natalie broke away from him and said, “Let’s go eat. There’s a big bonfire to keep us warm.” She walked away, with Kurt and Nadine following.

Riley, however, had a question for Colin. “So what is up with this alpha thing?”

“Up?” Colin asked.

“Yes. I thought you implied it was going to be one of us. One of the Merric kids.”

“It is, in a roundabout way.” Colin edged toward the food, but Riley wasn’t done questioning him.

“That still sounds like a riddle.”

Colin laughed and then held out his hand. “I will be the first to congratulate you.”

“On what?” Riley asked. “Having a wife who can boss me around?”

“No, I suppose it’s too early for you to know.” He leaned in and whispered, “Natalie is carrying the next true alpha of Wolf Valley. Until the time he reaches maturity and finds a mate of his own, she has the power. Think of it as a bodyguard with benefits.”

Riley didn’t know what to say. His appetite had disappeared. All he wanted to do was jump up and down and shout to the world he was going to be a dad. “Do I tell her?”

“That, my boy, is up to you. But women do like to be the ones doing the telling. And if I was you, I would let her enjoy herself. She has the power that should have been rightfully hers. All this passing from a father to a son is bullshit. A woman knows how to handle it so much better than a man.” He patted Riley on the back. “I am off to get some food. Your secret is safe with me. You decide what you tell your mate.”

Riley stood alone for a few minutes, watching his woman as she laughed and joked with her new family. By the time his appetite had returned, he had made his decision. He would keep this to himself, let her go through the excitement of discovering she was carrying their child in her own time. As for the alpha thing? He would never begrudge her that.

As long as it meant she commanded him to do all the pleasurable things he could think of to her body. He trusted her, she was his mate, and they would make a fantastic team and be the best parents to their son. And who knew how many years it would take for their son to grow up and find a mate of his own?

Only then would he come into his power. Until then, she was the finest alpha he had ever seen, and she belonged to him. The rift between the two families was now dead, and he had never felt more alive.