The Wolf's Prey (2 page)

"About today and
my punishment." I answer, looking at my hands.

"Punishment?" He
asks, his voice getting dangerously low.

I nod. "For
yesterday. She was there when you restricted me from running with
the rest of the pack and then today, she heard you told everyone to
avoid me."

He continues to
stare at me making me uncomfortable. "Where does the spanking come
in?" He asks seriously his voice level and deep as
always.

I turn to him
trying to read him to see if he's lying about hearing us and is
teasing me, but I get nothing. I look away from his icy blue eyes
and back to my lap. "Ah, she thought it'd be funny to tell me to go
to your office and let you...um, well you know and ask for a
spanking. She was completely joking, I was going to come to your
office and apologize for yesterday. If I offended you in any way
I'm really sorry." I babble feeling my cheeks flush.

"I told you not
to worry about yesterday." He reminds me, his voice getting a
little deeper.

"Yes,
Alpha."

"You’re not
running with the pack because you need protection with you. You’re
smaller than any wolf I've ever seen. If another wolf tried
something with you, you'd be useless to fight them off."

I nod. It doesn't
explain why he won't let anyone talk to me. "I'll let the others
talk to you, but the running stands."

"Thank
you."

He doesn't
respond and I start to fidget, he's so off-putting. He's like a
block of ice. I can't read his face or voice, both lack emotion and
any clues to what he's thinking and feeling. Finally, he gets out
and walks to my side of the truck. He opens the door and lifts me
up. Startled, I put my hands on his shoulders and look at his hard
angular face. I notice a scar trailing from his temple to his jaw
and up under his chin. I think it makes him look darker, more
sinister. With the scar, his eyes, his voice, his size, I don't
think I'll ever see a scarier person in my life. My feet hit the
ground and I back away from him.

I feel his eyes
narrow on me as the front door of my house opens. I look behind me
and see Marta in her "sexy outfit," this is the outfit she uses to
get what she wants. I can’t help but smile; I have the best sister
in the world.

"Alpha Hall. Can
I speak with you for a minute?" She asks, playing with her
hair.

"No." He replies.
My eyes snap to his and I want to back up even more.

"You’re afraid of
me." He observes. Do I answer him? I don't think it was a question.
"Look at me." He commands. He steps forward cupping my chin and
lifting it so I am staring directly into his face. He growls. "You
don't have to fear me."

"Yes, Alpha." I
squeak out. Feeling my body tremble, how can I not fear him? He's
terrifying.

I know he can
feel my reaction to him because his eyes get even colder.
"S-sorry," I stutter. He drops my chin and growling he walks away.
He gets in his truck and leaves. I look back at Marta who is
looking at the departing truck wistfully. I still can’t believe
she's attracted to him, he was a jerk to her two minutes ago. Not
to mention all he's done to me.

**********

Weak
Link
"Thanks for trying." I say looking at Marta.

"I think he has a
problem with the whole family now. What'd he say in the truck?" She
asks curiously.

"Nothing. All he
said is he was going to lift the no speaking order, but that I
still couldn't run with the pack. He thinks I'm too small. Then he
dropped me off and you were here for the rest." I answer getting
frustrated with myself. I did it again, I made him mad.

"Well, he
definitely doesn't want you afraid of him. Maybe he sees you're the
weak-" She stops talking and turns to me. I see she's sorry but it
still hurts.

"I'm the weak
link in his pack. That's what you were going to say, right?" I ask.
I feel the tears but blink them away.

"I was just
talking out loud. We could be wrong. Who cares what he thinks
anyway?" She says waving her hands.

"No, you're
right. I'm sure that's why he's being so rude. Please, don't tell
dad."

"I won't." She
says, offended that I'd think she would.

"Thanks." I say,
as she throws her arm around me.

"Let's go eat
something. I think there's left over lasagna." She
sings.

"You had me at
eat."

"That's the
sister I know and love."

We eat our snack
and I'm itching to run but I know I'm not allowed. How am I
supposed to schedule a run? It's not like he gave me a phone number
to call. I hear Marta on the phone talking to one of her new
friends. I sneak down the stairs quietly and out the front door. I
walk down the road hoping to burn off some energy. I don't want to
risk seeing the Alpha but the park is close to his house and that's
where I want to go. I pick up my speed and turn off onto the trail
as quickly as possible to avoid being seen from the
street.

Hidden by some
trees is a meadow full of play equipment and picnic tables. I see a
large tree that would be perfect for reading under. If only I would
have thought to bring a book. I walk to the tree and sit down.
There are a few kids playing on the slide and I can't help but
smile at their antics. I decide to lie down and watch the sun
through the leaves.

I'm starting to
wish we never moved here. Not that I had any reason to stay in
Oregon. Even in Everton, I didn't make friends easily. Still, Alpha
Rhys was always nice to me and never made me feel like
this.

"Found her!" I
hear someone shout and I sit up quickly, noticing it's dark out.
Shit! I'm in so much trouble. I see the man who yelled coming
closer. It's the guy from the woods. I'm sure he's the Beta; I just
can't remember his name. I stand up and brush myself off. I
couldn't have been asleep for that long.

I hear a loud
snap and the birds take flight letting me know someone is coming
our way. I look at the guy next to me and he keeps his eyes on the
woods. Whatever is coming towards us is snapping trees and scaring
the wildlife, seconds later a very angry Alpha exits the
forest.

I keep my head
down. Not only to show I submit but also because Alpha Hall is
completely naked. His footsteps as he comes closer makes me want to
pee my pants, literally. Why didn't I go to the bathroom before I
left?

I feel my hands
shake and link them together. I don't want to show my fear, he
doesn't like that. "You've been here?" He asks stopping in front on
me.

"Yes." I
answer.

"She was
sleeping." The Beta explains for me.

"Leave." I turn
around but his large hand on my shoulder stops me. "Not
you."

I nod and turn
back around, keeping my eyes on the ground. I shift on my feet,
really needing to pee. "Are you nervous?" He asks.

"Yes and I have
to go to the bathroom really bad." I reply still bouncing from foot
to foot.

"Come with me."
He says walking away. I follow his shadow but end up tripping on a
rock. I fall forward and trying to catch myself, my hands connect
with his flesh. I squeak and pull them back falling to the ground.
My elbow hits another rock and I know the second it breaks skin. I
cover it with my hand trying to stop the bleeding.

Alpha picks me up
bridal style and starts walking again, not saying a word. I stay
quiet. I see his house come into view it's a beautiful two story
brick manor with white columns and portico. It's elegant, simple
but makes a statement. I try focusing on anything other than the
fact that I'm bleeding, I have to pee and I'm being carried by a
naked man whose butt I accidentally touched. Marta is going to
laugh for hours after I tell her about this. He easily maneuvers me
so he can open the door and walks into the dimly lit
house.

I find my voice.
"I can walk." I offer.

Ignoring me, he
continues until we reach a bedroom and takes me to the bathroom. He
drops my legs and I stand. He leaves shutting the door quietly
behind him. I don't waste a second; I relieve myself and wash my
hands. I look at the cut above my elbow and see its only bleeding
lightly now. It will be fine until I get home. Before I can leave,
the bathroom door opens and Alpha comes in. He puts the lid of the
toilet down and moves me over pointing to the toilet.

"Sit." He orders.
I sit and watch him take out alcohol, cotton swabs, a white bandage
and tape. He wets the cotton with the alcohol and comes towards me.
Oh, this is going to sting. He lifts my arm and wipes the cut
lightly. I can't stop the hiss that comes from my mouth feeling the
sting. He stops and looks at me. "It needs to be
cleaned."

I nod and he
continues to clean the cut. When he's done he wraps the white
bandage around my arm and tapes it. "Thank you."

He steps back and
I stand up. "I'll take you home." He says opening the door so I can
pass. I walk ahead of him and into the bedroom.

"I can call Marta
to-"

"I said, I'll
take you home." He states cutting me off.

"Yes, Alpha." I
reply.

"Lennox." I can't
help but look up at him. His eyes are on me. He wants me to call
him Lennox? My confusion must be obvious because he clarifies.
"Call me, Lennox."

Too surprised I
don't respond but start walking. Just as I'm about to open the
front door he opens it for me, I mutter a thank you and go to his
truck. He opens the door and picks me up by my waist, same as
before and sets me in the seat.

When we arrive at
my house, I see the lights are on and know I'm about to be scolded
for the hundredth time since we've been here. I open the door,
"Don't get out." His calm voice orders. I sit and watch him come to
my side and he lifts me out. So now I can't even get out of a truck
by myself.

The front door
opens and my father steps onto the porch. "Jocelyn, stop wasting
the Alpha's time and get inside."

Immediately, I
start to go inside when Alpha's gruff voice shocks me. "Go inside,
Mr. Robinson." My father nods and turns going back inside. "Is he
rough with you?"

"He doesn't hit
me." I answer evasively.

I feel him beside
me. "Come." He orders striding to the house. I follow and he opens
the door holding it open for me. I walk in and I feel his presence
behind me.

My father is
pacing on the carpet and stops when we walk in. "Go to your room,
Jocelyn."

I was expecting
worse so getting sent to the sanctuary of my room is a
blessing.

"She needs to
eat." Alpha responds.

"Marta, make her
a plate and take it to her." Dad orders.

"Thank you, Alp-
Lennox." I correct myself in time and climb the stairs to my
room.

I am just about
to enter my room when I hear Alpha say to my dad. "We need to
talk." I close my door not hearing anything more than muffled
voices. I wait for Marta to come in with my plate of food when she
does she's smiling from ear to ear.

"What happened?"
She whispers excitedly.

"Promise you
won't laugh too hard?"

"No. Now,
spill!"

I sigh. "I went
for a walk and fell asleep under a tree in the park. When I woke up
the Beta was yelling that he found me."

"Beta Holden."
Marta supplies and I continue.

"Yeah, he found
me. Then I hear what sounded like the forest literally being
demolished and Alpha Hall comes out completely naked and
terrifying."

"It was that
big?" She asks in awe.

"Don't be gross.
So, he walks up to us and Beta Holden explains that I fell asleep.
He tells Beta Holden to leave and me to follow him. I accidentally
trip... Okay, this is that part you can't laugh at me for hours and
make fun of me for the rest of my life." I warn.

"Tell me." She
chuckles, already amused.

"I fell. I
tripped and accidentally touched his butt." I cringe and she throws
her head back laughing hysterically.

I wait until she
calms down a little before I continue. "Then what?" She asks
breathlessly.

"Well, I pulled
my hands away so fast I couldn't brace myself. I hit the ground and
cut my elbow on a rock. He picked me up and carried me to his
house, let me pee, then cleaned my cut and brought me
home."

"That's
it?"

"Yeah."

"He let you pee
and cleaned your cut?" I nod. "How romantic." She replies
sarcastically.

"I didn't say it
was romantic I said it was going to make you laugh. It was so
embarrassing."

She huffs. "I
thought it was going to be juicy when he told dad to go back
inside."

"Oh, no, he just
wanted to know if dad was rough with me." I explain.

"Bummer. Well,
eat and go to bed. I want to leave early for school
tomorrow."

"All right.
Goodnight." I say, as she leaves the room.