Chapter Two

She had kept the cottage going, it was virtually self-sufficient and when he rode up she was in the garden pulling up weeds,

'Good morning Alexandra.'

He stepped off his motorbike and walked toward her,

'Good morning Uncle.'

She replied coolly her hazel eyes watchful and wary as he approached,

'Where is your Mother, I would like to talk to her.'

He saw the pain flicker in her pretty eyes and then disappear just as quickly as she lifted her chin,

'Mother has gone to be with the Goddess.'

She was completely impassive, her words spoken without any emotion as she stared at him not blinking, the Alpha frowned,

'What does that mean?'

He asked stopping and looking around him searching for his sister,

'You know what it means Alpha'

She shot back at him chin up eyes flashing and he hid a grin, she was so beautiful and had her mother's spark of defiance,

'Where is she?'

He asked quietly and she pointed to the spot where she had buried her, the ground was flat and tidy and the only sign of the burial plot was the small vase of wildflowers positioned in the sunlight beneath the flowering fruit trees. He went across to stand in front of the grave, his head bent and tears in his eyes,

'I'm so sorry Sister.'

He whispered gruffly, he was an Alpha and Alphas do not cry but hung his head in shame, he knew he could have done so much more to help her but he had taken the easy way out and left her to live her own life.

'Why do you cry Alpha?'

He turned in shock to see the flashing hazel eyes staring into his with real anger in them and she wasn't finished,

'You did nothing for her while she lived why would you cry now she is dead? Isn't that what you wanted? Your problem is solved, go tell your Pack the Witch is dead.'

She turned and walked away heading into the cottage, he made to follow her but she slammed the door behind her and shot the bolt denying him entry, he halted feeling his temper rise. It would be easy for him to kick the door open his superior strength would knock it off its hinges with little effort on his part, he was her Alpha and her Uncle and she should obey him and more than that she should show him some respect. He gave a low growl deep in his chest as his Wolf came forward wanting to dominate this insolent young female and he was shocked to hear her voice,

'Go ahead Alpha, are you prepared for what you will encounter?'

His Wolf pushed further,

'That little bitch needs bringing into line, you are her Alpha, she must be punished for such disrespect.''

He stepped towards the door determined to do just that,

'Get out here Alexandra, I am your Alpha and will not allow you to disrespect me like this.'

To his surprise the door opened and the beautiful young female stood framed in the sunshine pouring in through the windows at the back of the cottage,

''Submit.'

He commanded using all his Alpha powers to bring her to her knees before him but she lifted her head and laughed,

'You have no power over me Alpha, I have never blooded to your Pack an oversight by its self-centred Alpha I do believe, so now I belong to no one.'

Now his anger escalated to boiling point,

'You fucking disrespectful bitch, my sister should have taught you how to behave towards your Alpha.'

He lunged at her and in a split second she had shifted into a magnificent grey and silver Wolf her fur stood on end making her look huge and her teeth were bared a deep ferocious growl rumbled from her chest. Stepping back he shifted to face her his deep grey-black Wolf bristling with rage at this young female's insolence he was double her size and she should have submitted instantly. Alexandra was more than a Wolf as he was about to find out, she did not submit instead she attacked leaping at him he was so shocked he did not move quickly enough and she slashed his side with her razor-sharp teeth.

'Fuck'

He whipped around to face her again but she had gone then he yelped as those same teeth clamped around his hind leg biting deeply and drawing blood, he shook her off sending her tumbling away from him. This time he reacted faster spinning around he used his strength to to catch her in full flight sending her flying over his head into the side of the house. She hit it hard, knocking the air from her lungs and making her see stars lying on her side panting heavily she knew she was beaten and closed her eyes waiting for death. The Alpha watched her closely, she wasn't moving so he approached cautiously, he could see she was still breathing but clearly struggling,

'End her.'

His Wolf snarled still furious with her disobedience but the Alpha was not angry, he was proud of his niece's spirit, she must have known she had no chance but still fought him. Her bravery and loyalty to her mother were to be admired not punished, he stood over her, she was hurt he sensed it and nudged her with his nose,

'Shift Alexandra, shift and heal.'

He commanded mind-linking her but she was not a Pack member and he could not reach her, so he shifted and lifted her head,

'You must shift so you can heal.'

He told her and her eyes flickered then opened staring straight into his,

'Alexandra, you have to shift.'

He repeated ignoring the low rumbling growl that started in her chest, he knew he had put himself in danger now he was human he was not as powerful as her, she snarled and he slapped her muzzle hard,

'Stop that you stupid child, now do as you are told, SHIFT!'

She was so shocked that he would do that to her Wolf it made her shift as he held her and to her surprise he scooped her up and carried her into the cottage placing her gently onto her bed.

He ordered and she lay still her body wracked with pain, when he returned her had a bowl of warm water and too her surprise he sat beside her and washed away all the mud and blood from her wounds. When he had finished cleaning her he covered her up and said softly,

'Sleep little niece, you need to rest and let your body heal.'

'Don't move.'