The Alpha's Prize

“Luna, they are upon us”.

I looked up from the map to see my Beta Lucas Smith filling the doorway with his heavy-set frame. His face was grim, fists clenched by his sides.

The blood ran cold in my veins and I struggled to breathe. Alpha Wyatt and his pack had been picking away at our borders ever since the death of my late husband Mason. He had been Alpha of the Meridian pack just like his father and grandfather before, never a kind leader but my Alpha nonetheless. He had chosen me at the tender age of 13 during my first Spring gathering and waited until I was 17 to marry. He had been brutal in the marriage bed and cold every other moment but I found a way to survive him. Such was fate that he ended his life prematurely in a motorcycle accident of all things, leaving me a widow at just 22 years old with a pack to lead. And ever since his death, packs from across The South had been making the journey to our isolated base in Meridian, Mississippi to test our strength. The most successful by far had been the Carthage pack led by Alpha Wyatt whose bloodthirsty reputation preceded him. He’d been collecting packs for the last several years and had clearly decided we were ripe for the taking now Mason was gone. Pack skirmishes are something all werewolves become accustomed to from childhood, but this was the first time I was uncertain of what the outcome would be. And it scared the hell out of me.

I clawed through my hair and collected myself.

“Ok, where is Zeta Hunter?” I asked calmly.

“He is with the warriors, fighting at the Southern border Luna”.

I looked out the window and held my hands behind my back, rubbing my thumbs against each other nervously.

“So everyone we have is on the field?”

“Yes, Luna. This is our last stand. A chance to avenge our fallen brothers and sisters, the only way to keep the sovereignty of our pack. Or we die in battle trying”.

I turned to face him and gave a small smile.

“Well, let’s go give them what they came for then”.

We trekked through the forest to the battlefield and the stench of blood and death greeted my nose far before I saw the writhing forms of wolves clashing on the battlefield. Blood, limbs and the still forms of fallen wolves littered the field. It was everything I had feared a conflict with pack Carthage would be; the death of us all.

I was dressed for battle from head to toe. My long silver-blonde hair had been braided from scalp to tip by my serving Omegas resembling a Viking warrior’s, and my pale grey eyes were darkened with generous amounts of black eyeshadow in a ghoulish fashion. I wore my thick leather corset with spikes littered across the front and leather pants for protection from stray teeth and claws. I finished off the look with steel-toe capped riding boots and knuckledusters, just in case sometime tried their luck before I had the chance to shift.

I felt the familiar electricity in the air that preceded the shift to wolf form and turned to see my Beta seething with rage. He was ready to go into battle to fight for our pack, our territory and our lives. He was just waiting for the order from his Luna.

I looked a him and gave a nod. “You may go. Shed their blood and take their throats, Lucas! Pack Meridian will reign victorious!” I cried into the crisp November air.

He’d changed and sprinted down to the battlefield before my sentence was complete. I swelled with pride seeing his valiant white coat galloping through the mass of bodies, spraying blood in every direction as he cut a path. At first it was glorious-he easily downed the wolves who dared approach, throwing them to the ground and tearing out throats left right and centre. My glimmer of hope turned into cautious excitement that maybe, maybe we could win and push the invaders back where they belonged.

That is, until it all changed. I wasn’t even sure when it happened but suddenly what was left of our army had been surrounded by pack Carthage. The only ones still putting up a fight were my loyal Lucas and several of our strongest fighters including Zeta Hunter, a valiant black wolf snarling and biting as he was overwhelmed. I watched in horror as the crowds of pack Carthage parted and the largest wolf I had ever seen sauntered down to where my Beta fought alongside his comrades. I knew in my gut it was Alpha Wyatt, it had to be. He was easily twice the size of our largest male, a dominant grey wolf with patches of white on his flanks and muzzle. He approached and snapped at Lucas exposing his canines, demanding submission from the comparatively small white wolf. Loyal to a fault, my Beta would not submit. Quick as a flash Alpha Wyatt had him by the neck on his back ready to make the kill. Before I could comprehend what I was doing, I screamed, “NOOOOOO!”.

All the wolves on the battlefield looked up to where I stood on the hill. My heart pounded in my ears and I felt nauseas from sheer panic. I didn’t know how this would go, but it was my only chance to save my pack.

“ALPHA WYATT, I CHALLENGE YOU!”.

The grey wolf dropped Lucas’s neck from his muzzle and slowly padded up to where I stood. I fought to quell my terror at the sheer size of him. In wolf form he was easily up to my breasts in height, with a head larger than any I’d seen. And those teeth. The pale yellow-green eyes assessed me curiously before electric heat filled the air and the imposing form of Alpha Wyatt appeared in front of me.

He was impressive, I would give him that. It appeared the rumours were all true about his looks and size- he had to be around 6’4 to my 5’4. Large broad shoulders seamlessly flowed into huge muscular arms, and his defined pectorals and six-pack rippled as he stepped towards me. I noted the attractive dusting of bodily hair covering his chest and stomach leading down to his pubic area, which I avoided looking at despite his nudity.

“Luna Nova, I assume?”. His piercing-blue eyes stared into mine quizzically, unblinking.

“You assume correct. Why have you come? You attack our borders and kill my wolves, all for what?” I spat.

He put one hand on his hip and scratched at his shoulder-length mane of hair with the other. “Well, seems to me this pack is in dire need of leadership. And I can always use more fightin’ wolves. Nothin’ personal” he said casually.

My temper flared at his arrogant dismissal of all he had put us through.

“Pack Meridian has a leader! You have no right!” I snapped back.

“Pack Meridian has a Luna. It needs an Alpha” he asserted firmly, both hands on hips now like a parent scolding a naughty child.

My wolf rose from within and I snarled at him, feeling the heat of my change coming.

“We do not need you or your mange-ridden pack. Get the fuck off my territory. This is your last warning, Alpha Wyatt” I threatened. He cocked his head and snorted.

“Luna Nova, I believe you mis-read the situation. You see, I have your warriors surrounded. The battle is over. It is time for you to submit”.

“I believe it is you who mis-read the situation if you think I will roll over and leave my pack to a rogue Alpha. Accept my challenge and let’s finish this in blood! Winner takes all”.

He sighed and shook his head. “There is no need. You cannot possibly win, little Luna. Submit to me and save us both the trouble. I will let you stay in your pack, you can live out your days in peace under my rule”.

I growled in rage and lunged at him, scraping my nails across his chest drawing blood instantly. He snatched my wrists mid-air as I tried to lodge a fresh attack and pushed his face into mine. His narrow eyes burned pale yellow as his wolf surfaced to meet my own.

“Have it your way, little she-wolf. Just remember that I offered you mercy when you are under my teeth!”. He dropped my hands and shifted back into wolf form as he ambled back down to the field.

Nothing for it now. You can do this Nova. Succeed or die trying.

I quickly stripped off my clothes and followed his lead. Wolves from both packs had formed a circle to contain our fight, with loud yips and howls of encouragement ringing out from both sides. Silence fell as I stepped into the makeshift ring and I knew exactly why. Alpha Wyatt may be impressive in size and strength, but my wolf more beautiful than any I’d ever seen. My coat is a long, lustrous silver-white with a glorious mane around my throat, eyes a glowing burnt orange.  And although Alpha Wyatt was certainly the largest wolf I’d ever seen, I was no runt and stood up to his shoulder when both of were shifted. We took our positions opposite one another and silence fell around us.

Maybe I have a chance.

The future of my pack depended on me. Life or death, I had to kill Alpha Wyatt or face a public execution. Or worse.

My wolf was ready to shed blood.

Alpha Wyatt stared me down until the very last second expecting me to yield, almost pleading me to with his big yellow eyes. I howled in response and charged straight for him to the joy of what remained from Pack Meridian. I feinted a snap at his legs and he went for my back, only for me to roll out of reach and circle him. He easily followed me and never let his back turn to me. Desperate for the kill, I leapt onto his back and sunk my teeth into the nape of his neck and he yelped out in pain. He reared his head back and locked his jaw around my throat, easily throwing me off of him. I landed back on my feet and howled defiantly. Enraged, he galloped over to me just as I had wanted. I could guarantee a wolf of his size would struggle to manoeuvre as quickly as I could. As he reached me, I feinted left before rolling to the right and was rewarded by his confused scrabbling for a few moments. It didn’t last nearly as long as I hoped, however, and he was back on me in a flash. He had me on the run and we did a few laps of the circle before he barrelled towards me from the side knocking me off my feet. He kept trying to pin me on my back but I was not giving in. We tumbled over again and again snapping at eachothers necks, my claws furiously scraping at his face and chest while he seemingly restrained himself. He took me off-guard using his muzzle to throw me onto my stomach, seizing the moment to jump on top of me. His jaw clamped around my neck and I lie there pinned to the ground on my belly.

No!

I did not concede. I thrashed my head viciously and tried to roll away, but in response he just closed his mouth tighter. His teeth dug into my neck harder and I felt the needle-sharp points beginning to pierce my skin.

He rumbled, Give in, she-wolf. Submit.

Never, I growled in response.

He flipped me over with one toss of his muzzle and set a paw on my belly, seizing my throat once more in his teeth.

It is done. I will be forced to kill you or take you where you lie if you insist on fighting. This has to end. SUBMIT.

His warning sent shockwaves through my soul. Die on the battlefield with my fallen warriors or be taken like a common street dog in front of both packs before probably being killed anyway.

Or…. I could submit. And bide my time. Find a way to dethrone this arrogant prick of an Alpha and murder him in his sleep myself. Game on, I thought.

I submit.