Blood Alpha (Chosen Mate Series 1) [Complete]

Chapter Thirteen

When I'd finished throwing up, I stood back up. Layton glanced at me, looking unsympathetic, and let go of my hair. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "Finished?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. I nodded, blushing. "Good". He turned back to Beta Strider.

"What should we do?" Beta Strider asked, Layton paused. "We have to call the police, Alpha. The person who killed her, obviously was in a half-shift, so it looks like an animal attack".

Layton thought about that for a moment, before sighing. "We'll have cops swarming over the territory for days. The Pack will hate that". He ran a hand over his face, I looked up at him – not wanting to look at the dead girl. Layton seemed to have aged significantly since dinner, frown lines deepened on his forehead.

"But, if we don't, and the girl gets reported missing, the cops will examine all the woodland areas anyway. And that will take longer, and with the Full Moon coming up, we can't afford for that" Beta Strider argued. Layton cussed angrily.

He growled, and cussed, and raged. He scared me when he was like that; so aggressive and dominate. I wanted to cower at his feet, or return home, but I just didn't want to be with Layton right then. He was scaring me, terrifying me.

"Fine, call the fucking cops" Layton snapped angrily, turning around and throwing his hands up into the air. "Gemini, come" he growled, not even looking at me. I obeyed without argument, rushing to his side.

He put his arms around me, gripped me in a tight grip. He still didn't even look at me, and I kept my eyes cast to the floor – slightly because of Layton's dominance, but mostly because I didn't want to see the dead girl again.

Beta Strider took his phone from his pocket, and dialled. I gulped deeply as he held the phone to his ear – the dialling tone filling the silence of the evening. Then, someone spoke and Beta Strider explained how he had found a body, who had been attacked by an animal; 'possibly a bear'.

"What's a half-shift?" I asked Layton. He finally turned to me, before gripping my chin and jerking my head up so our eyes met.

"I thought we were passed you submitting to me?" he growled angrily. I knew that he wasn't angry at me, but at the situation. So I didn't take his anger to heart, but it didn't mean it didn't hurt.

"I wasn't submitting, I didn't want to see her" I replied honestly, my voice barley a whisper. Layton looked at me strangely, before shaking his head.

"Sorry, I didn't think that it would bother you so much" he sighed, running a hand through his hair. He pulled me close, and hugged me. He kissed the top of my head; a soft, soothing, peck. I leant into him; my face resting on his chest.

"What's a half-shift?" I questioned once more, glancing up into Layton's green eyes.

"A half-shift is when Wolves – strong ones – have the ability to change when it's not a Full Moon. However, it's not a full form shift. It is just certain part of the body that change" he explained. I nodded; shocked I had never heard of it before. But, then, I didn't know any strong Wolves before I met Layton.

"I shouldn't have brought you out here" Layton mumbled, sighing heavily. "It was selfish of me. I knew you would calm me down if I brought you along. But I shouldn't have been so selfish to only think of myself". He pressed another soft kiss to my head. "Go home, I'll wait for the police".

"No" I shook my head, "I want to stay with you". I clung onto his shirt, my fingers gripping the material hard. Layton just nodded, and we stood together.

"She should leave" a voice said from behind us. I turned my head slightly, seeing Beta Strider glaring at the two of us. "She is weak and we don't need her spilling all our secrets if the police question her". He narrowed his eyes in my direction, and I blushed in embarrassment and shifted uncomfortably. Layton let out a menacing growl at his Beta.