6) An Alpha to rival all before her

Briella’s heart was pounding as her father explained the scent of the stranger among them, and as Matty lifted her from his knee, he kept her cradled in his enormous muscular arms as he approached their Alpha. Azreal cleared his throat and began to tap his fingers against the taut muscles in his forearms, “young Mathew...my daughter can walk'' the Alpha retorted and Breilla simply tisked at her dad, “stop it dad...he’s helping me.” She grumbled, but whispered something into his ear before patting his shoulder. The massive golden blonde wolf set the small girl on the ground, so gingerly there wasn’t even dirt displacement from her shoes.  Azreal grabbed Honeysuckle’s chin and forced her to look at Briella. 

“Quicksilver hunters come and witness,” Azreal yelled, and immediately the shuffling of feet surrounded them. Honeysuckle took short, ragged breaths as she watched the ever searching, beautiful green eyes of the young girl in front of her, and she couldn't help but whimper pathetically. “I’m sorry, Alpha... please.” Azreal backhanded the frightened woman, and she groaned as blood and saliva dripped from her now cracked lips. “You will not speak unless I demand it… are we clear?” Honey simply nodded as she sniffled and whimpered.  

Azreal took his daughter's hand and walked her around the bound sniveling woman and when he spoke he addressed all company present, “this... woman, this… wolf was a nurse almost eighteen years ago now when our beloved Beta was pregnant with Briella.” Mj and Moxie growled in unison as Jay stalked toward the trembling captive.  

Honey tried to turn her face away from the young girl who stood with a stone expression on her face, but Azreal’s fingers dug into her jaw and kept her focus on his daughter. He leaned down into her ear as Jay took the bindings from Ed and pushed the sagging body upright with such force, her shoulders popped inside their sockets, and the young woman cried out in pain.

As Briella simply stood in front of her father's captive, Mj began to slowly step forward, so she could get a better look at the cocktail server's face. “Alpha… May I speak” she asked tentatively and Azreal almost purred in her direction, “of course little sister, please open your mind to me.” Mj stepped up to Azreal and looked between him and the girl, whose face he still held in his iron grip. “Young,” Mj shot the single word through the telekinetic link she could share with the Alpha, and he simply hummed before letting Honeysuckle’s jaw go slack. “Question her Mj... let’s test your interview skills shall we?” Mj and Moxie laughed between the two of them, but Mathew made a strange sound in the back of his throat, and Azreal quirked one eyebrow at the obviously upset but silent young wolf. “A problem Matty my boy?” the Alpha quipped and Mathew flinched as Brie reached backward and started to rub his forearm in comfort, "I-I mean no disrespect Alpha…b-b-but… sh-sh shouldn't I escort Briella home before the interrogation... I hear they are violent.” Briella twisted her face toward Matty and scowled as best she could. “I can handle it, Matt...it’s not like I can see, anyway.” As Briella bit out every word, Honey gasped and Azreal growled, “that’s right bitch... she survived but no matter how strong the wolf is she still bares the scars of what you and your Triad tried to do.” Honey was trembling and began to breathe heavily as Jay wrenched her arms back to keep her body held up high, “LOOK” the Alpha bellowed, causing everyone but Mj to jump slightly.  “Look... take a good hard look at what your precious Triad tried to do, but they failed, they only strengthened her... she will make an Alpha to rival all before her one day.” As Azreal spoke, his voice elevated and Briella blushed.

Mj looked at the new woman again and started to shake her head, “Alpha… She looks very young.” Mj said cautiously, and Azreal’s head snapped in her direction. “What” the seething Alpha snapped and Mj stepped up between Honeysuckle and the other wolves. She inspected the girl's face and clothes. Only inches from her face, Mj’s nose brushed hers as she spoke. “How old are you, Honey?” At the mention of her name the captive woman shuddered in fear, but Jay yanked her upright. “twenty-nine” she squealed, and Mj’s eyes locked with Azreal’s. The Alpha growled loudly as his new hunter continued, “are you a wolf,” Mj asked with a stone-cold voice and the imprisoned young woman only nodded. Azreal and Mj exchanged glances of confusion and intrigue. “are you working for the Triad?” Mj asked and Honey shook her head but licked her lips nervously as Azreal snarled in her face. “Lying bitch!” The angry Alpha’s words bounced off the open fields of trees and echoed around the group before Mj grabbed Honeysuckle by the back of the hair and lifted the woman’s face to look in her eyes, “tell me why you would do that to your own… how could you pledge your loyalty to something that kills what you are, who your parents were and what your children will be.” While Mj spoke, Azreal cocked his head to the side and watched the reactions and effect her comments had on every wolf in the room, including his own daughter.

Honey started to cry and shake and Mj crossed her arms, “drop her Jay” she barked and without even a glance in Azreal’s direction the young but lethal hunter dropped the sniveling woman on the ground but kept his body positioned between Honey and his Alpha. Mj stuck her hand into her matted mess of crimson hair and pulled out a small gold dagger. She cut the girl loose and grabbed her by the ear before pulling her to her feet. Honeysuckle whimpered and stayed pliant and submissive as Mj handled her and as she steadied the wobbling woman Mj glanced at Briella and smiled. “I will know if you are lying Honeysuckle… so don’t.”  Azreal growled as he glanced from his daughter to his equal. Briella snickered into Mathew’s chest and nodded as her eyes wandered over the shape she could pick out as the only member not of her pack.

Mj squared her shoulders and kept the waitress steady, “why did you approach my brother at the club tonight,” she bit out and the woman whimpered, “because he was alone and Casper said we needed to take a few stronger wolves,” Mj’s eyes immediately shot to Azreal’s deep pools of auburn and brown and the Alpha quirked a single eyebrow but nodded silently so Mj glanced at Briella, and she nodded so Mj twisted back to the captive she held, “why does Casper want strong wolves?” Honey tried to twist out of Mj’s grip, but the stronger woman simply jerked her back into submission. “Please... they will kill me,” Honey sobbed and Mj shocked everyone except for Ace, who stood by stoic and almost pleased with the scene as the new hunter began to laugh in her face. Mj drug her sharp nails down the soft flesh of Honeysuckle’s cheek and drew the thinnest drops of blood to the surface. “Death is something you will wish for if you do not stop fucking around with me and answer my questions.” Honeysuckle sobbed and tried to sink to her knees, but Mj tugged her ear and the woman shrieked as she clutched Mj’s wrist to keep her appendage from being torn off. “The Triad owns the club, the own Casper… and me, they own it all!” Mj’s head snapped back to look at a stunned Briella and the youthful girl simply nodded before hiding her face in Mathew’s chest. “Please Alpha,” Matty began to beg, “let me take her home… this is too much-” the young wolf started to plead but the smaller girl he held in his arms elbowed him in the torso hard enough to cause his breath to hitch and speech to halt. “I am fine... continue” the inexperienced girl barked and Mj simply nodded, “why do you work with the Triad,” Mj’s question was met with hysterical laughter and Honey almost threw her skull back as large tears mixed with the small beads of blood on her cheek. “You don’t work for them… they own you!”

Azreal stepped forward and waved his hand at Mj who released her hold on Honey. The cocktail waitress slumped to the floor and Azeal squatted down to her level, the Alpha loomed over her down turned head but did not touch her. “How old were you when you were my Beta’s nurse,” he asked in a flat tone and Honey never looked up but answered through her sniffles and sobs, “I was twelve Alpha.” Azreal’s eyes darted toward his daughter and as Briella’s extra sighted eyes roamed the body of the woman on the floor, she nodded and twisted her face back into the chest of her blonde protector. 

Azreal motioned for Mathew to leave, and the young man gave a curt nod before he squeezed the small young girl in his arms and ran back toward the pack-house. Mj waited until the younger wolves were out of sight before she began her interrogation again. This time, instead of just jerking her upright, Mj darted forward, slamming the server's body into the SUV. “Why do they take strong wolves, Honey,” she growled, and the server whimpered a weak sound as she tried to speak through her sobs. Azreal pinched the bridge of his nose. “commander...you will oversee the inquiry and take her to a guest room... I will be returning to my bed and my mate.” Ace nodded as Azreal clasped his hands behind his back and calmly walked back into the quiet pack-house. //