Behind The Alpha Book 7 Graham

Chapter 12

(Chapter song ‘Brain Stew' by Green Day)
GRAHAM

OK.  What the hell just happened?
I was in a fight and now…
Cracking an eyelid, I see the light from my window and I’m in my bed.  Hmm…
Laying on my back, I roll my head to my nightstand and see my phone.  I grab it and look at the time.  9 am.
I sit up and groan at the pain in my side.  Looking down, I touch the bruising.  Oh yeah, that Dire asshole bit me.  That won’t happen again.
I rip the sheets off and head for the bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror and look down at the sink.  I see glasses.  “Pathetic.”  I scoff as I turn and start the shower. 
He probably kicked my ass again and ran home crying.  Boy needs balls.  Actually, boy needs to get his balls laid.  I pause while I soap my hair.  Twisting my lips, I wonder if a certain little school girl can help with that. 
I’ll have to work out my strategy.  My first approach seemed to scare her. 
I towel my head as I think.  How do I make her come around enough to let me in her pants?
I flip my long hair back and my eyes see the glasses.  A mischievous smirk grows as I reach out and hold them up in front of my face.  “You might actually have a use after all.” 
I palm the glasses just as my phone dings.  I wrap my towel around myself and walk to my room.
I pick it up and see a message from Sawyer.
SAWYER:  Where are you?  Council meetings in 20 minutes.
I roll my eyes.  All these guys ever do is talk.
YOU:  Be there in 15.
I toss my phone on the bed and get dressed. 
I stand in the room and put his glasses on.  The entire world goes blurry.  “Ugh.”  I scowl as I pull them off.  Shit.  I can’t be him without these.  If he can will himself to be blind, can I?
I put them on and focus on the mirror on my dresser.  I lean on the top as I concentrate.  I feel it.  Like I’m borrowing his sight.  Like our eyes are being switched.  This is fucking amazing, I think as my sight comes into focus. I don’t know how long it will last, but hopefully it will last long enough to convince people that I’m the host, not the weak sack of shit I’m riding in.
I grab my things and whistle out of the apartment. 
30 minutes later, my feet hurt and I’m pissed.  Dude needs a car, this is peasant shit having to walk to the Unit.
I make my way to the council room and open the door.
“Sorry, I’m late.  Traffic.”  I chuckle as I walk in.
“Whatever, buddy.”  Sawyer scoffs as I sit down beside Peter.
“How are you feeling, Graham? Sawyer told us what happened.”  Owen stuffs his hands in his pockets and lifts his chin. 
“Oh…uh…yeah.  That was pretty fucked up, but I’m alright.”  I smile as I lean back in my chair. 
He nods.  “Sure.”  He arches a brow.  “I want a sit down with you privately.” 
“Hey.  That’s cool.  I’ll find some time in my schedule.”  I lean on the table.
“Soon, Graham."  He eyes me and his words sound like a warning.
“No problem, O.  Just chill.”  I smirk. 
I watch heads turn to neighbors and I think I need to dial it back.  Think weak geek.
“I called this meeting because we have some new information regarding Lefu.  Apparently, he is correct.  We do have the blade.”  Owen eyes the table. 
“What?  No, we don’t.  It was stolen.”  Jake furrows his brow.
“It was and that person is here.”  Owen informs.
“Who?”  Brody asks.
The door flings open and Jesse walks in.  “Hey, hombres.  Tell me.  Anyone happen to see my dad?” 
We all stare at each other as Jesse crosses his arms and ticks his scruff covered jaw.  He adjusts his hat and looks for answers. 

**** 

“He could be anywhere.”  Darcy throws up his hands and leans back in his chair.
Jesse walks to table, his side arms clink as he steps.  He leans on the table.  “Not only that, but he’s chalk full of nymph power.  Which means my sisters are in danger.” 
“You’d think he would have made a move by now.”  I say. 
“For now, he doesn’t know where they are.  They’re shielded.  If he finds out…”  Jesse raises his head to Owen. 
Owen nods.  “I’ll call Bastian.  I’m sure Thea has felt the shift and I’ll warn them that Artemis has the blade.”
Jesse looks around the room and smirks.  “Falcon Ridge.”  He growls.
Owen furrows his brow.  “Jesse?”
He ticks his head.  “Guess again.”
Within a second, his eyes glow red and he bursts out of his clothes to rhinoceros. 
The table smashes and we all fly backwards as his roar shakes the room.
“FUCKING SHIFT!” 
The Alphas all shift to their wolves as alarms blare across the Unit. 
I try to shift.  “What the hell?  Shift!”  My wolf whines and outright refuses. 
“ASSHOLE!”  I yell as a chair flies at my head and I duck.  “Damn it." 
The rhino rushes the group of Alphas in the back, destroying what’s left of the table as he goes.  The wolves jump at him and try to tear through the tough hide of the animal. 
He hits Peter’s wolf and he careens across the room taking out Ash and Mateo in the process.  Owen jumps on his back and tries to get at his neck while Darcy and Brody bite at his legs.  Sawyer grabs his horn and tries to drag him down. 
I sit at the door to the Luna room as I try to negotiate with my wolf.  “Since when are you a fucking coward?  Fucking shift right now!”  I growl.
He curls in a ball in the back of my mind. 
My eyes widen.  “Shit.  His wolf.”  I look to the fight going on in the council room.  “Where the hell is mine?” 
Gun shots fill the room as Ops soldiers storm the room.  The bullets bounce off Artemis' back and he turns on them.
He charges and they fire all they got.  He roars as he rams them and smashes through the doors.  Ops soldiers fly out into the hallway as Artemis hits the wall across from the doors, breaking it then finds his feet.  He charges down the hallway, smashing walls as he runs.
We all chase after him. 
He hits the railing to the open floor and smashes through it.  As the rhino falls to the first floor, he shifts to a giant eagle.
People scream as he buzzes the first floor and flies up.  He smashes through the glass roof and we cover our heads as huge glass shards fall from the ceiling.  More screams are heard as the glass hits the floors below. 
Owen grabs Sawyer.  “Get Falcon Ridge on the phone.  Tell them Artemis is headed their way.”  He grabs Peter.  “Ready the chopper.  We leave in 20.” 
“Got it.”  They both say and run off. 
He runs his fingers through his hair.  “We need to take this guy out.”
I nod.  “I think we can do that easily enough.”
“How?”  The Alphas gather around me. 
I shrug and tick the corner of my mouth.  “Tell Lefu where he is.” 
“Are you nuts?”  Ash says.
I smirk.  “Maybe.”
Owen thinks.  “No.  He has a point.  Lefus been attacking us, trying to find Artemis.  If he knows where he is, he might just take him out for us.”
“Or kill us!”  Darcy scowls.
The Alphas consider. 
“Ok.  So how do we contact him.  It’s not like he’s on speed dial.”  Brody says. 
“I have a feeling if we wait around long enough, he’ll come to us.”  I grin with a meaning look.
They look at me then look at each other.

****

We stand in the desert outside the crack as the sun just hits its peak.  The afternoon heat rises and I stare out to the collapsed mountain range off on the horizon.
“Vamps have a hearing range of, oh, 100 miles or so.  I theorize this super vamp has a hearing range of about 1000 miles due to his sheer size.  I assume he has an increased auditory system.  Plus, him being part lycan, it only adds to that skill.”  I inform as I plant my hands on my hips.
I step forward and look around the desert.  “HEY, BLOODSUCKER!  WANT TO KNOW WHERE YOUR BLADE IS?!!”  I yell into the expansive emptiness.
“Graham, don’t call him a bloodsucker.  It’s derogatory.” 
I turn to Jake and arch a brow.  “Are you serious?”
He shrugs.  “That’s what Zander says.” 
“Zanders a dick.”  I scowl and turn back as the Alphas mumble behind me. 
It’s not long before a column of dust rises in the air like a whales water spout off in the distance. 
“I love being right."  I smirk and cross my arms.
“Ready your weapons.”  Owen grumbles. 
The sounds of guns cocking come from behind him. 
The cloud comes at us fast.  Just before it hits us, we’re engulfed in dust and sand.  Covering our faces, we wait until it dies down. 
I lower my arm and look to the gigantic dark man with swollen muscles and yellow/green eyes.  Fuck, he's huge.  His fangs bare and he hisses.  His large fists ball as he eyes his all. 
His presence does command fear, but for some reason, I’m not feeling it.  Maybe it’s because I know how weak he can become. 
I step up to him.
“Graham.  Back off.”  Sawyer growls and I shoot a finger at him, telling him to stand down as I meet Lefus eyes. 
“This better be good.  I’m hungry.”   He growls. 
I nod.  “I feel that.  I skipped breakfast too.” 
I cross my arms and look up at him. “Now, I will tell you where the blade is, but you have to swear that you won’t kill us when we do.”
“Graham!  He’s not going to…”  Owen starts.
“I swear.”  He grinds deep.  “Where’s my blade?” 
I look back at the Alphas a smile.  They shoot me looks of confusion.  I turn back.  “Artemis was just here.  He’s headed to Falcon Ridge, if he’s not there already.” 
He looks us all over and then stares at me.  His chest heaves and his lips snarl.  A growl grows in his chest and we all start to feel it as his anger grows.
His fists raise as he takes a deep breath.  He leans forward and roars at us.  The wind from his power blows at us and we shield ourselves.
He takes off in a vamp run and disappears. 
I fix my hair as I turn around. 
Owen steps up to me.  “How did you know?”
I shrug.  “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”  I smirk.
The rest of the Alphas chuckle as Owen arches a brow. 
“Let’s get to the chopper.”  I smack his arm and push past him. 
Truthfully, I thought we were dead, but knowing that most of his beef is with Artemis, I had faith he wouldn’t kill us.
He needs this blade.  I don’t know what for, but I can tell he’s obsessed by it so much, regular fighting is pointless to him. 
Besides, if the blade prevents him from becoming the puppet that I know him as, I’ll help him every step of the way.