The Wanted Alpha

Chapter 5 - Unconventional

April

I needed to go after Jude, he was why I was here.

As much as I wanted to stay with Ethan, I knew he didn't need me here for questioning that prisoner; he was more than capable of handling it on his own with Carrick. I had actually been amazed so far by my mate, this was the first time I was seeing him perform as an Alpha. Although I could feel his anger simmering through our bond, his outwardly demeanor radiated cool and calm but with a distinct intense authority that placed him firmly in charge of the situation. It felt wildly inappropriate to be getting turned on by him now…

'It is not inappropriate! Look at him...in control and so dominant...there are so many things I could do to that man on that table' August shivered in my mind in arousal.

'Oh for the love of goddess! Will you go back to linking with your own mate? This really isn't the time for your hormones! Our friend needs us' I shouted back...even though the image she conjured was incredibly tempting.

Upon closing the door for Ethan to continue with his questioning, I left the prison; this was a much smoother exit than I experienced last time. I paused by our truck, I knew my mate kept a blanket on the back seat...Jude could probably do with something for when he shifted back, I could smell his wolf's muskier scent in the air and it was freezing out. We were resistant to the cold, not immune. Quickly stripping out of my clothes and using the blanket as a makeshift bundle, I let August take over and ran after Jude and Christopher's scent. The vampire's smell was easiest to follow as it was distinctly peculiar to anything else I'd ever smelt.

After running for some time and crossing the territory markers, I came up to the coast; the air thick with a fresh, salty scent that almost burnt your lungs from the chill of the temperature. I spotted the two of them just past the dunes, holding onto each other. I tried not to listen in as I quickly got redressed but with my wolf hearing, it was a little hard to avoid...goddess, these two were so adorable together.

I approached them after a little while, feeling somewhat guilty at interrupting their moment. But Jude needed something to cover him before he froze. 

"Hey" I spoke softly as I stepped up to them and draped the blanket in my hand over Jude's shoulders.

He looked up with red rimmed eyes, a little surprised, he had been so focused on his mate he hadn't noticed my approach.

"Hey...you didn't need to come all the way out here" he sniffled but clutched onto the blanket around him tightly.

"Well, I remember a certain Beta being incredibly kind to me when I was locked in a cell. So it's only fair to repay the favour" I smiled at him

I noticed Chris raise an eyebrow in question at my words, he wouldn't have known the pretty rough start that Ethan and I had those two months ago.

"You're not the only one with an unconventional start" I laughed gently.

Looking back now, it was almost ridiculous how I thought running away would solve anything and how wrong I had misjudged the entire situation...what I thought and what actually was always seemed to be two very different things.

"I know this is going to be really difficult and no-one's expecting you to just be 'ok' because you have your mate now. What that asshole did was terrible, but in using you like he did, he led you to Christopher and I know you wouldn't trade him for anything."

At the mention of him meeting his mate his entire face softened with such longing as he gazed at Chris. While the thought of almost being kidnapped by Monkshood Moon pack and taken back to a fate worse than death was utterly terrifying, and what happened to Jude I would never wish on anyone; I couldn't bring myself to wish for it to have never happened...how else would these two have ever found each other?

'We're done. Where are you? We'll come pick you up' Ethan mind-linked me.

'Somewhere by the coast? I'm with Jude and Chris…he seems to be doing a lot better with his mate.'

'Good. Stay where you are, I'm coming for you sweet.'

Even in my mind, his voice sounded so weary. Having left after Jude I hadn't heard anything other than that cursed woman, Maria, being Kevin's mate, which had stirred a whole endless stream of questions in my mind. I wondered what would become of Kevin now? He certainly couldn't be exiled, he seemed far too much of a dangerous liability.

"Ethan's on his way, we'll get you both warmed up soon."

"As long as he gets here before my balls freeze off...did he say anything else?" Jude asked hesitantly, I knew what he really meant but unfortunately I didn't know anything more than he did.

"No...but I'm sure he'll tell you as much or as little as you want."

He nodded with a frown and a contemplative look, as though he was debating whether he really wanted to know or not.

"If I may ask, Luna, while we wait. How did you come to be in a cell in this pack, I'm not quite sure I follow?" Christopher asked, his curiosity winning out.

"You can call me April, please...not that anyone actually calls me by my name anyway" I muttered, which made Jude snort.

"I remember a certain rogue that wouldn't even tell us her name and practically bit our heads off when we asked" he chuckled, obviously amused by the memory.

"You were a rogue?" Chris asked in almost disbelief.

"Yeah, like you guys, I lost my home too. The same people that did it were the ones you stopped yesterday. I'm not actually meant to be an acting Luna yet, either, I'm only just learning how to be in a pack again…"

"You seem to be doing admirably, do not criticise yourself too harshly" he praised. I always loved the way this vampire spoke, as though he was still in another era.

I told him about how I came to be in the pack the first time round and who I was running from, who Maria actually was and finally how Ethan has tracked me down in the hopes of bringing me home.

"Some of you wolves truly do know how to hold onto a fixation" Christopher spoke after I finished...but the way he said it, it was as though he was speaking of more than what had happened with myself, Ethan or Jude...something he had personally witnessed, maybe in the pack he used to live with?

I began to feel a warmth spread through my chest, my mate was coming! August was practically doing flips in my mind wanting to nuzzle him. I saw the lights appear over the dunes not long after, heading straight for us. As soon as he stepped out of the passenger's seat, I leapt on him, kissing him as hard as I could; these last few hours had been a little fraught and I just needed to hold him.

I heard gentle chuckling behind us before Jude spoke up "now, if I did that to you, you'd probably shout at me" he wore a sly grin as he addressed his mate, who looked equal parts irritated and embarrassed by his remark.

"I think you'd break poor Christopher's back, you males are heavy!" I said as I released Ethan.

Both Ethan and Carrick asked how Jude was doing, handing him some clothing to change into as he apologised for losing his cool.

"Don't worry, man. So you fucked an asshole, it's understandable" Carrick tried to console Jude, while the four of us looked at him incredulously...did he seriously not hear himself?

"Wow, it's taken you all this time to successfully figure out how gay men operate. Good job, bud" Jude sarcastically commented with a laugh as he flashed a thumbs up while climbing in the truck.

"...ok, I just heard it how the rest of you did" Carrick admitted, sheepishly. Maybe one day he'd think first before he spoke.

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On the drive back to the pack house, with a short detour to drop Carrick off at his home, Ethan went through everything Kevin had confessed. Jude had insisted he wanted to know, saying the bandaid was still hanging and to rip the rest off. After that the rest of the drive hung in a heavy silence, digesting his words. It wasn't until Christopher tentatively announced that he and Jude wanted to marry in a vampire ceremony on the Solstice approaching that had the small space erupt in joy. 

I had never thought I would ever get to witness something like it and goddess knew how much Jude needed something so beautiful to look forward to. I remembered how my mom used to organise parties and events in the pack and as I grew up I'd always thought it was so cliché how she'd fuss over it, but now? When I had the chance to do it myself? I was admittedly excited! Especially picking out the food! I wondered if the wiccans could help grow some plants to decorate? It'd look so magical with ivy's, wisteria and lights hanging everywhere.

'You're smiling like a Cheshire cat, what you thinking about? Don't tell me you're already planning the wedding?' Ethan laughed in my mind as he drove.

'Don't laugh! I'm trying to be a serious Luna here!"

'Trust me, you don't have to try, you're a natural. Just be you.'

The pack house came into view, lit subtly as it was now well past midnight. My Ethan had been awake for two days with barely five hours of sleep on what must be the most adrenaline fueled 48 hours of his life, I was amazed he was still standing.

We parted ways on the third floor and sighed a heavy breath of relief once our door was closed.

"I need to decide what to do about this contact...I did a search while Carrick drove to pick you guys up, but it's just an app generated number, the IP address just runs through several VPNs. I'll never be able to track this guy, he could be anywhere" Ethan sighed as he sat on the bed looking at Kevin's phone, while I just stared at him like he was speaking a foreign language.

"Uhhh...I understood about 30% of that sentence, Mr. Alpha. You'll have to dumb it down for me a shade, I've never even used a cell phone in years!" I laughed, as I hugged his shoulders from behind and kissed his cheek.

He chuckled softly, while nuzzling into the side of my face "he's hiding his digital fingerprint very well…" his frown appeared as he looked down at the phone again.

"This guy...he's obviously been in contact with Nicholas, right?" Ethan nodded "maybe you should phone it? Throw down the gauntlet, Monkshood Moon obviously know where I am and that they failed. If anything is gonna happen, they'll come here. Maybe you should tell them you're ready, anytime...we both know it's gonna happen at some point. Plus, whoever the guy is should probably know his informant in the pack is no longer available."

He seemed to contemplate my words, twirling the phone over between his fingers "it would be satisfying to tell the bastard directly…"

He seemed to come to a decision as he hit 'call' with the phone on speaker.

It rang for a tense few seconds before a smooth and rather snide voice answered.

"Well, if it ain't my favourite traitor."

Chapter 45 - The Wanted Alpha