Chapter 5

LUCIUS

Still rattled by seeing Wren after all these years, I headed back to the village to try and get my head back on to what’s first priority. My pack.

Now that she’s gone, I won’t have to worry about her again.

I hit the clearing edge and I caught a scent. I put my nose to the air. It smelled like bacon?

I walked to the clearing and looked around. The moon was high and bright, but I didn’t need its light to see the small campfire at the edge of the territory.

I don’t fucking believe it.

I ran back to my house, shifted and put some clothes on.

“Hey, it’s almost time for the fire.” Curtis yells.

“Not now.” I growl as I stride through the village toward the clearing.

I jog across it to find a tent has been erected “I thought I told you to leave!” I yelled as I ran up to Wren sitting on a log cooking food on a fire.

Without looking at me she says in a monotone tone. “I thought I told you I wasn’t leaving without Raven.”

“I’ll carry you out if here if I have to, Wren.” I warn.

She turns her head to me. “I’m not on your territory, Alpha. I can sit here forever.” Her face holds no expression.

I’m breathing heavy as my anger brews. “What’s it going to take for you to leave us alone?” I clench.

She sits up. She arches a brow to me. “I told you. Give me my sister and I’ll leave. A simple request.”

“No. She’s not yours to have. I won’t subject her to a pack less life.” I step one foot to her. Pointing at her aggressively.

Wren stands. “This life is any better, Lucius? Not knowing where home is from day to day? Out here unsafe? Not knowing if you’ll eat that day?” She looked at me like she was better than me and it pissed me off even more.

“I take care of everyone in my pack! Which is more than I can say for you!” I yell.

“Really? Really, Lucius?” She steps around the fire closer to me. “By working with Dragons? Is that how you take care of your pack?” She snaps at me.

“The Dragons have protected us better than the Alliance ever did. The Alliance killed us all!” I spit.

“The Alliance didn’t attack us, Lucius. The Dragons did. Or have you forgotten that point.” She scowls.

“The Alliance wasn’t there to help us fight. As far as I’m concerned, they killed us.” My anger spilled off my words.

She shook her head. “So, you think it’s better to be hooked up with the pack that actually killed your people?”

“Anytime we’ve needed them, they were there, Wren. Ready to help us fight. What has the Alliance done for us?” I glared at her.

She turns back to her food. “Don’t you have a pack to get back to.” She mumbles.

“If you’re not gone by morning, I’m removing you myself.” I turn and stomp back to the village.

Who the fuck does she think she is? She just shows up and dares question the way I run my pack. We may have an Alliance with the Dragons, but it's not what she thinks. They protect us, provide food and supplies, but they don’t own us. I’d make a deal with the devil himself to protect my pack.

She can’t just waltz in here and question my authority. I earned this spot. My people respect me. They look to me for leadership.

She thinks she can just show up and tell me what my people need. Fuck that. I’m the Alpha. No one questions me.

I get to the entrance of the village and a bunch of pups run toward me.

“Alpha Lu? Aren’t you singing a goodnight song?” I smile at Desi. A little blonde pup. She just turned seven last month.

I crouched down to her. “You want a goodnight song?”

“Please, Alpha Lu.” She grabbed my arm and pleaded.

Another little boy jumps on my back, making me make an ‘oaf’ sound. “Yeah, Alpha Lu. We can’t sleep without a goodnight song.”

I laugh a little bit and stand with the boy on my back. “Alright. Just one. You’re not sneaking anymore out of me like last night.”

“Fine.” The boy on my back says.

I sing the pups to bed and head back to my own cabin in the woods. It seems darker than normal. I open the door. Walk around my room, lighting candles as I go.

I take off my shirt and lay down. Hugging the pillow on my stomach.

I close my eyes and Wren's face is on the back of my eyelids. In the dark I see her smile. I see the look she used to give me. I hear her saying I love you.

I huff a breath and try to erase the images from my mind. It works, but only for a while.

My sleep was fitful. So fitful, I was up at dawn the next morning.

I started my fire and went inside to get cleaned up. I grabbed some deer meat and threw it in a pan.

Walking up, I’m greeted by Raven and Dale.

I throw the pan on the fire. “Good morning. You two are up early.” I say in a deep voice.

Raven looks at Dale and he tilts his head to her. Gesturing for her to go ahead.

I arch a brow. “Was there something you wanted, Raven?”

She shifted in her spot and played with her hands. “Yes…um…. I want my sister to live with me……um…. please.”

I look at the young girl. I glance at Dale who looks like he already knows this is a bad idea.

“No.” I stand and turn to my house.

“Alpha, please. I haven’t seen her in so long. We need to be together…….” Raven stepped closer. I heard her through the door.

I come back out. “Raven. She may be good for you, but she’s not good for the pack. We have to think of everyone. Not just you.” I squat back down.

“What do you mean? Wren is part of this pack. She’s good for it.” Raven fought.

“No. Your sister is Alliance, Raven. I won’t allow it. And you’re not to see her either. I don’t need her influencing you.” I point my fork at her.

“You can’t keep me from my sister!” She yelled and started to cry.

“Watch your tone, Miss. Remember who you’re talking to.” I warn her.

Her face turned to anger. “I told Wren you were nice. I see I was mistaken.” She turned and ran away.

“Raven!” Dale chased after her.

I may be an ass, but you know what. If Wren steps foot in this village, it will be under my terms. Not by the tears of a twenty-year-old girl.

Wrens dangerous for us. Dangerous for me. She showed that when she questioned me. She has no respect that I’m the Alpha now. I don’t care that she was the Alphas daughter. I don’t care about her title. It means nothing now.

I’ve been looking after this pack for ten years and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let anyone change that.

After Ravens little outburst, I decided to check to see if our resident squatter has vacated.

Upon entering the clearing, I see she hasn’t. All her stuff is still there.

Fuming, I march down there.

Her fire is out and there seems to be no one around. Where did she go now? I look around the clearing.

Putting my nose to the air, I see if I can track her.

I think this is the first time I’ve used my nose since she’s been here, because instantly I’m hit with Lavender. It swims in my nostrils for a bit and goes straight to my brain. I caught her trail.

Following it, it leads me to the tree line. She’s gone into the woods.

I follow for a bit until I find a pile of clothes at the base of a tree. I pick up the shirt and give it a sniff. Yep, it’s her. She’s shifted.

She’s running her wolf on my land? Not on my watch. I strip my clothes of and call the wind. My skeleton rearranges and my wolf stands where my human form did. He trots off in the direction Wren went in.

I was probably an hour in when I see her. She’s in the small lake where we get our water. Apparently, bathing. I shift and hide myself. I don’t know why I don’t leave. I can sit by her tent and wait for her, but I’m hiding in the bushes like some sort of creep.

I watch as the water cascades down her chest to the now, full grown B cup breasts. Her little pink nipples are hard against the cool air. The sun glistening off milky white skin.

The more I watch, the more heated I get and the bigger my dick becomes. I’m supposed to be mad, but right now, I want to take her in that water right now.

I was so memorized by her wet body, that I didn’t realize she was coming out. Until I did. Oh my God. Perfect everything. Pussy, ass you name it. Legs for days. Like the Gods couldn’t have made a more perfect body. She even has a tiny bit of ink which I find very cool.

I wipe my mouth of the drool when she whips her head in my direction.

“What are doing?”

I stand, nervous as hell. Then whip around to not look like I’m creeping on her or show her my raging hard on.

“You. Uh…you’re on my land.” I grumble. Desperately trying to calm myself down before she decides to come to me.

“Sorry. I didn’t realize you owned the water.” I glance over my shoulder and wringing out her hair.

“Well. I do. So, hurry up and do whatever it is you’re doing there and get off it.” I’m breathing in and out of my nose. Praying for my dick to cooperate.

“Lucius. Are you actually shy?” I quickly glance back. She’s smiling.

“No. I’m just…. Look. Would you shift already and leave so I can get back to my day.” I fold my arms.

“Whatever you say. You’d think you wouldn’t be uncomfortable considering this isn’t the first time you’ve seen me naked.” She does something at the water's edge and walks behind me. “Bye, Alpha.” She shifts and her black wolf runs into the brush.

I blow out a breath as soon as she’s gone. I don’t know why I’m so heated around her. Maybe because my feelings aren’t the same or maybe they are. All I know is, I can’t get caught like this again. The last thing I want her to think is that I’m interested. Because I’m not. Far from it.

I give it some time before I shift and run back to my clothes. I change and walk out of the trees into the clearing. She’s sitting at her fire.

I glance her way as I continue toward the village. I’ll deal with her later. Right now, I have pack business to take care of.

I head to my house. Curtis jogs up beside me. “Samuel’s here.” He says.

“Fuck. Did you tell him I’m busy?” I ask as we walk up the path to my house.

Curtis nods. “I did, but he didn’t care.” We got to my door. “He’s inside.”

I sigh as I open the door. “Samuel. We weren’t supposed to meet for a couple of weeks.”

“Hello to you too Lucius.”

Samuel Jax. A blonde haired, brown eyed jackass. He’s as tall as me. A little less built, but he knows he’s pretty. He’s the Dragon liaison to the pack. He communicates the requests back and forth and helps negotiate the treaties. I can take that, what I can’t take is he knows he’s better than me and feels the need to make me feel like a stray dog by a dumpster every time I see him.

“What do you want Samuel?” I pick up some stuff off my floor and toss it in the other room. I stand and eye him.

“I’ve come with a request from Xavier.” He watches me walk around my room doing various things.

“If this is about fighters, we have none to give right now.” I was irritated by his presence.

“The Alphas request is not really a request. You know this.” He tips his chin up.

I stop with my hands on my hips. “Look. It’s not like I have many members here. Of the five I gave you three months ago, one came back. I can’t afford anymore. You’ll have to ask the other packs.” I was stern and serious with him.

“He won’t take no for an answer, Lucius. You will be punished.” Samuel warns.

I stride up to him. “You tell that son of a bitch, that I will not be threatened. Let him come. I’ll run him off too. Treaty or no treaty.” I grind.

“You’re funeral.” He shrugs. “I’m surprised, Lucius. You’d think you’d want to give you’re pack a good life. You know Xavier can give you that."

“The answer is no Samuel.” I seethe

He straightens his jacket. “Fine. He’ll be here in three days' time. Prepare for his arrival. I’ll see myself out.”

He smiles and walks out. Down the path to the village.

“What did he want?” Curtis asks.

“Xavier is going to force me to give up more fighters.” I turn my head to him.

Curtis crosses his arms. “How long?”

“Three days.” I supply.