The True Alpha {2}

Chapter 1

Finley

I groaned as I sat up from my bed. I threw the covers away from me as I got up to get dressed.

Two weeks. Two weeks since the challenge. Two weeks since Boulder was killed. Two weeks since he and Andrew visited me. Two weeks since Alpha promoted me to Beta. Two weeks, since we found out about the war.

I grinned as a knock sounded on my door. River. He comes to my room every morning to say hello and then we walk together to breakfast. River always arrives at exactly 7:00 sharp and he's never late. I learned pretty quick to be ready on time.

I opened the door slowly at first to make sure it was River and then threw it open. River smiled at me sheepishly.

"Hey." River said softly. I blushed a little as he smiled at me.

"Hey." I mumbled quietly.

"Well, are you ready, Beta?" River asked nudging me gently.

I rolled my eyes. He knows I don't like being called "Beta" even if it is my technical title in the pack. But I guess maybe I can make an exception for River.

I punched his arm slightly harder. I laughed softly as River flinched and rubbed his arm.

"Ow..." River grumbled. "You're mean!" I raised my eyebrows at him and he started smirking.

"Oh you wouldn't!" I exclaimed. He grinned wickedly and I braced myself, knowing what he was about to do.

"Oh, but I would." River said. The way his face is twitching is making it extremely obvious that he is struggling to hold back laughter.

"Don't even think about it!" I squeaked. "River!" I warned as he took a step closer to me.

"We need to get ready!" I said desperately. "I'm supposed to organize training and patrols!"

Immediately the laughter died from River's eyes. "You're not actually going to follow his orders are you?!"

I sighed and looked away, down at my feet. "We don't have a choice River. If we don't follow Alpha's orders he'll kill us. All of us."

Over the last two weeks I learned that River, Gwen, Sunshine, and Daisy all share the same beliefs as me. They don't believe in this war anymore than I do. The only reason they stay loyal is out of fear.

"I'm not sure I care anymore." River muttered.

"You don't mean that!" I gasped. "You know as well as I do that if you don't obey he'll kill Sunshine!"

River looked away from me, pain in his eyes. "I know." He whispered harshly.

"We just have to survive." I whispered softly. I tilted his chin up so he was looking at me again.

"We just have to survive long enough that we can protect everyone. I don't want anymore casualties."

River looked away again. I decided to do the only logical thing I could think of.

"I know that you know the truth." I said softly.

River snapped his head up to look at me. "What are you-?"

"Boulder told me everything." I explained. "While I was unconscious, af-after the challenge. He came to visit me in my dreams, with my old mentor who died. He told me that the two of you knew the truth about me."

"If you knew I knew, how come you didn't do anything? How did you know I wouldn't say anything?" River asked.

"I trust you." I answered simply. "You hadn't said anything so I trusted you to continue to do that."

"Why did you lie to all of us?" River asked grimly. "You lied to gain our trust, there must be a reason."

I sighed. This is going to take a long time to explain. "Where I'm from, I am the leader of a strong clan of werecats. While my deputy and I were away, a group of rogue werecats attacked our camp. When Kelly and I returned our entire clan with the exception of three were captive all together in a room. Two of the three we were able to rescue, the third, my mentor, h-he was already dead. We later on found that one of the members that we rescued, my own brother, had betrayed us."

"How did he betray you?" River asked.

"He was a spy on our clan for the rogue clan. He told them my deputy and I were leaving. He told them our patrol schedules so that the rogues could sneak up on us!" I started out speaking calmly but by the end I could hear myself hissing out the words.

River grabbed my arm to steady me and I began to calm down. I looked up at River.

"My brother was the only thing I had...." I whispered harshly. "Our parents were killed when we were young, and Andrew practically raised us. Jonathon must have told the rogues how close we were, so they could break me."

River hugged me as I cried softly into his shoulder.

"They didn't." River growled. I sniffed and looked up at him. "They didn't break you. If they had broken you, you wouldn't be here right now."

I shook my head in confusion. "What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"You're here. You're still fighting." River reminded me gently.

"That doesn't mean I'm not broken." I objected.

"Maybe you're not entirely whole, but you aren't fully broken either." River argued.

I rolled my eyes but I didn't argue any further. There's no point, River always somehow manages to beat me. It's like he knows exactly what I'm going to say, before I even do. Maybe there's more to our relationship than meets the eye...

"Anyways, come on!" River yelped. "We need to get in a good breakfast before we have to go on patrol."

"Let me guess, you're starving?" I teased lightly.

"Awe come on, I haven't had anything to eat since last night!" River pretended to moan in agony.

"Awe you poor thing." I  mocked. I widened my eyes and gave him my best "pity" face.

River laughed and wrapped his arm around my waist. I rolled my eyes and shook my head as we walked to the cafeteria together.

With all the positives here, sometimes it's hard to remember my objective. It's so peaceful, I can hardly believe that a war is just around the corner...