Alpha Mitch?

2. First Encounter

Alpha Scott and his pack had been following this buck for a few miles. They had plenty in their pantries but the cold weather had come early this year and the Betas were predicting a long winter. They could salt and store the meat and use the pelts that are lost when they shift from human forms. Better safe than sorry.

Finally, the buck seemed to have decided to slow down and eventually stopped and became vulnerable stopping to munch on some vegetation. Scott seized the opportunity and leapt for the throat. Suddenly, he saw another wolf a few seconds in front of him crunching his jaw along the lifeline of the beast. He quickly maneuvered his head a touch to bite down a bit lower on the buck's throat trying to find a bit of the vein that would bring him down.

Together they held onto him until the buck was dead. The other wolf was a blur as it jumped off to face him. He must be a rogue, without a pack. He would be easy to dispose of. He sensed his pack come from the woods to line up beside him. They knew not to attack the buck until called to do so. But now, they knew to come to his aid when threatened by another wolf.

Scott could see this wolf was small and painfully thin. He was wild. There was no response to his mind link which was unusual. He must not be a Shifter but just a wolf. He didn't want to kill it if it wasn't a threat to his pack. He used his leader mind link to tell his team he would shift and they should stay in wolf form but Avi should go to the nearest "Drop" – a place where human clothes & first aid kit are hidden in various parts of their area and bring the package back.

As Scott transformed to human form, he saw the wolf maneuver backwards, the hair on the back of his neck standing straight. He growled but some whimpers were mixed in.

"It's okay. I won't hurt you," Scott said softly, bending low and moving slowly toward the wolf. Mitch snarled but also tilted his head in confusion. He was a wolf, but now a man? There was also a strong scent, a beautiful intoxicating scent, one he had never smelled before. It smelled... warm, good, safe. His growls lessened and his whimpers multiplied. He wouldn't hurt this man. He couldn't.

Slowly, Scott gently put his head on top of Mitch's head and petted and scratched it. It was nirvana to Mitch. He closed his eyes and unable to stop himself, rubbed his head into that wonderful hand. Scott put his other hand on the other side of Mitch's head and scratched and rubbed him, "that's a good boy. You just need a home don't you?" he cooed. 

Avi trotted up to Scott with a package in his mouth. Mitch immediately backed away, ears back flat, leaning back, ready to attack and growling. Scott stood and put both hands out in front of Mitch and told Avi quietly, "Okay, drop it and walk backwards slowly. Don't growl." Avi obeyed.

Mitch stayed on the alert watching Avi's every move. Scott slowly knelt and opened the box and dumped it. He quickly put on pants, shirt, socks, boots and hat and unfolded and put on a parka. He put his hands in the box and fumbled around for a minute. Then he turned and bent down again, slowly making his way back to Mitch. Mitch had relaxed a bit and had watched Scott put clothes on. It looked familiar, it was puzzling, his head tilted one way and then the other. He slowly moved toward Scott sniffing at the sleeves of the parka. The scent he loved before was there, under those things but much fainter. He didn't like it. He wanted the smell to be stronger.

Before he knew it, Scott had him in his arms and he felt a sting in his hind quarters. He panicked and tried to twist to bite that hand, but Scott had him firm against his chest and he couldn't move. He growled and tried to nip at Scott's face, but he couldn't reach it. Mitch growled more and tried to wiggle out of his grip. But he was getting tired, sleepy quickly. 

"There, there. It's okay. Don't worry. You'll be warm and safe soon," whispered Scott. Mitch was close enough to see Scott's face. The last thing he remembered seeing before he fell unconscious was Scott's crystal blue eyes, just like the wolf.