Protector

Kane

I watch out the car window as the trees whiz past; I had to accept this invitation but Alpha Mernard is what I like to call a Muttly. He thinks he has high breeding and an exquisite line, but he runs his pack like a coward, and I am not fond of him as an Alpha.

“Kane, are you even listening to me?” My Beta Finn asks me, and I snap my head towards him.

“No,” I honestly answer with a smirk and watch his hands scrub down his face with anguish.

“Kane, this is important!” He growls, but I can't help but chuckle.

“Finn,” I say calmly, grabbing for the flask in my jacket side pocket, “We have been planning this for months. I am not worried. We have nothing to fear.” I remind him.

Finn sighs, grabbing the flask from my hand before I can even bring it to my lips, “I know, Kane! I just like to be prepared!” He says before taking three big gulps from my flask. I watch his expression turn bitter as he swallows, “Why do you like vodka so much?” He snarls, passing the flask back to me. “It’s like drinking rubbing alcohol.” He gags.

I shake my head as I laugh, “You know you could have your own flask filled with your own choice of alcohol, right?” I smirk.

Finn smirks back, reaching into his side jacket pocket, “I do,” He says, pulling out a copper colored container, “But I needed to get your attention.” He jokes and I laugh as he puts his flask to his lips, taking a gulp and smiling after, “Bourbon is a much better choice.”

I roll my eyes and sit back in my seat, “So, what were you saying?” I ask, knowing this will annoy him.

Finn sighs heavily and I watch as he puts his flask back in his jacket pocket, “I was saying you need to be more open to finding a mate. The Cresent Moon Pack needs an heir, and you know it. Someone has to be trained to take over.”

“To take over what, Finn?” I growl. “You know the Moon Goddess hasn’t blessed me with a mate,” I pause as the terrible memory flashes across my mind, “And with what happened, she may never.”

“Kane, it doesn’t work like that,” He sighs, looking out the window. “You were only a child; it wasn’t your fault.  I am sure she doesn’t hold grudges.”

I grit my teeth and shake my head, not ushering a reply. I will never forgive myself for what happened. I may have been young, but I should have known better. I was betrayed and tricked by someone the entire pack trusted and who raised me after my father passed away.

My pack is special…. well, we once were.

We were the Guardians to the Moon Goddess’s descendants, but after my mistake, the sacred pack left and no longer trusted us to protect them—no one has seen them in almost twenty years, and I doubt they are coming back to us.

I brought great shame to our pack, and I can never forgive myself.

“Kane, I’m serious,” Finn inhales sharply. “One day, we will find out who attacked us, but tonight we do what we always do; we try to find out what happened to Luna Audra and bring her home.”

I nod, but before I can reply, our driver slams on the brakes, making us both launch forward, “What the hell, Loki?!” I yell towards the front of the car.

“Sorry, Alpha, a girl just ran in front of the car!” He exclaims. “I was inches from hitting her,” He gasps, fear written all over his face.

I look at Finn and we both grab the door handles, open them, and exit the car, “What did she look like? Are you sure it was a girl, Loki?” Finn asks, as his eyes scan the tree line.

“Yes! It was a girl” His hands point towards the trees. “She had a shoulder satchel on and looked as normal as can be,” He pauses, “I only saw her for a few seconds…. Blonde. I think she was blonde,” he says, his face twisting as he tries to remember.

I look at Finn and shake my head as I walk back to the car, “Come on, we don’t want to be late.”

“But Kane,” Finn gasps, “What if she needs help? What if she’s hurt? It’s our duty as protectors to help her!”

I pause momentarily as I think over his words, but I am no longer a protector, “If she needed help Finn, she would have stopped and asked for it. She probably wasn’t looking where she was going. Come on, let's get going.” I watch as Loki and Finn look at one another, but Loki walks back to the driver’s passenger door and climbs inside.

“He’s right, Finn. She would have asked for help.”

Finn looks at him and then his eyes dart to me before he walks back to the car and slides inside, “I don’t know, Kane. Something feels weird about this. Do you think she came from Mernard’s pack?”

The car dings as it starts back up, “I’m not sure Finn, but for now, it doesn’t matter. Alpha Mernard may be the lead that we need to find Audra and this party is our way in. We don’t need to worry about some random girl right now.”

Finn sighs, clicking his seatbelt, “I still can't believe we didn’t know they knew each other,” he says, grabbing a photo from the center console of the traitor who raised me.

“I know. This may be what we have needed all along,” I say staring at the two men in the photograph.  Alpha Menard’s arm is around the man I once called father, and they are both smiling with a deer they hunted at their feet.

The car moves once more, and I look back out the window, but Finn is right; something does feel strange about the girl. Why was she running at this time at night? I thought she smelt like a wolf, but it's so faint, that the smell could just be from Mernard’s pack since we are only a mile away now.

Plus, if she's a human, how would we help her in the first place?

I push the thought from my head and Finn stiffens as we pull into Mernard’s driveway, “Who has that many cars and why?” he questions, looking at the multiple black SUVs parked in front of the packhouse, sporting the same insignia sticker.

The sticker looks familiar, but it can’t be him.  Why would he be here?

“I’m not sure, but that is strange,” I admit. “It must be some high-profile Alpha,” I say brushing off my suspicion.

 Alpha Perez doesn’t come to parties or balls.  In fact, we have never been able to get close to him to see if he is even a suspect in the attack of our pack that took Luna Audra.

Finn nods as Loki parks in front of the packhouse and I take a deep breath as I see Alpha Mernard waiting for us, “Ready?” I ask.

“Yes,” Finn straightens his back, “We know what to do,” he says before opening the car door.

I flash him a quick smile and Loki opens his door next, “Don’t worry, Alpha. We won't let you down.”

I nod stepping out, of the car, and walk towards Alpha Mernard; here we go. This has to be it. We need answers.

NO! I need answers.

I walk up each step, my eyes set on Mernard when another Alpha comes out of the front door of the packhouse and stands next to him.

My eyes widen with surprise when I see his face, but I keep my composure, “Alpha Kane,” Mernard smiles as his hand extends to me. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

I push my shock away and nod firmly, “Thank you for inviting me,” I say shaking his hand.

“Of course,” he smiles before his eyes dart beside him. “Have you met Alpha Perez?” He asks.

“HOLY SHIT! It really is him!” Finn mind-links me.  I simply eye him, but I don’t reply. At least we now know for sure who all those SUVs belong to.

EVERYONE knows who Alpha Perez is, but his reputation is not what concerns me…. The fact of why is here with so many men does.

Something isn’t right.