The True Alpha {2}

Chapter 5

Kelly

I sat silently in a large oak tree by the border Pine Tree Pack. Holly was hiding in some bushes on the ground as she isn't comfortable at all in trees. I tried not to think too hard about Skye. I have to believe that she's okay, despite what Timothy told us. I know that he said that Skye was injured in a fight, but I still have to cling to the hope that Skye survived. She's stronger than anyone gives her credit for.

A crackling sound of branches snapping caught my attention and my eyes flashed towards the ground. I rolled my eyes as I realized that it was just Holly shifting around in her bush.

'Sorry!' She mouthed up at me.

'It's okay.' I mouthed back at her before turning my head back up to scan the undergrowth across the border.

Then, another rustling sound. I looked again at Holly, but this time she was looking back up at me shaking her head.

If it wasn't Holly moving around that caused those sounds that must mean that a rogue patrol is coming by! I scanned the undergrowth hopefully.

I growled and tightened my grip on my branch, narrowing my eyes. I can't see who's coming! I don't know if it's Skye, or someone else! And even if it is Skye I can't tell if she's alone or not which means I can't risk revealing myself.

Holly looked up at me, frowning. She shook her head. 'I can't tell...' she said despairingly through the mind link that we had established.

'Me either.' I growled back. I tried to focus my attention on the growing noise but the leaves that were surrounding me were muffling my hearing.

Finally, the sound stopped directly below my tree and I tensed. I lessened my grip to prepare to leap. Before I could, however, Holly shot me a warning glare.

I ignored her and leaped down to land in front of a startled group of about five. Three of the five immediately got into defensive stances and started snarling at me.

Two of them remained still and silent, they seemed to be more shocked than anything. I didn't recognize Skye or her scent anywhere and that meant that these rogues were trouble, for sure.

The two that were too shocked to move finally got over it and started shuffling around. The larger one, a male whom I thought I recognized but couldn't be sure, thrust the smaller one, a female, forward to greet us.

I growled at them. And the three other females met my challenge without fear. Holly reluctantly climbed out from under her bush to stand beside me.

The smallest female was trying to calm the three snarling rogues with words but it was becoming increasingly obvious that they were oblivious to her commands.

She looked at the only male in the group and he gestured with his hand to suggest something, but what it was, I can't be sure.

"Enough!" The female snapped finally. The three others looked at her with confused faces and frowns. "Stand down, that's enough! I know them, they're friends."

Immediately the three females backed down from their challenge and looked ashamed. I looked closer at the female, she seemed familiar yet different at the same time.

"Who are you?" Holly growled.

"Holly don't you recognize me?" She asked. Her face showed her complete shock.

When Holly simply glared at her the rogue turned to me with desperation in her eyes.

"Kelly you recognize me don't you?" She begged.

I stalked towards her cautiously and sniffed at her. "You smell funny." I finally said. I tried not to, but I could feel the corners of my mouth peeling upwards into a smile.

"So you do recognize me." She responded, blue eyes sparkling with laughter.

"Naturally." I laughed.

The three rogue females who had attempted to challenge us were beginning to relax.

"New friends of yours?" I asked.

She turned to glance behind her and smiled. "Yeah. You would not believe how easy it is to make friends in a strange place."

'Kelly, who is this rogue?' Holly demanded again through our mind link. I looked at her and noticed that she was tensing up as if she were preparing to attack the small patrol.

"Holly, don't tell me you don't recognize who this is?" I asked.

Holly just shook her head at me.

"Holly, it's me!" The smallest rogue, who seemed to be the leader of the patrol, exclaimed.

Holly simply looked the rogue up and down. "I don't know any rogues."

Instantly four of the rogues began to growl at her. Even the leader seemed aggravated with her.

"Holly it's Skye!" She finally blurted out. "I can't believe you wouldn't recognize me when you were at the border waiting for me!"

"I wasn't." Holly sniffed. "I came with Kelly so she wouldn't get into trouble. Skye died on a mission to the rogues to help us. They killed her in some challenge. We have this on good information."

"No, no, no!" Skye protested. "It's me! I survived the challenge! I came here to report to you guys!"

"Prove it." Holly growled. "If you're really Skye it shouldn't be a problem."

Skye snarled at her, finally losing her temper. "I shouldn't have to prove who I am but if you insist: my name is Skye Summers, I'm 17 the youngest leader or alpha of any clan or pack in history. My brother, Jonathon, was spying on my clan so that the rogues could attack and take over my entire clan. And finally, your mate Ryan, is the one who helped me disguise myself as a rogue so that I could infiltrate behind enemy lines!"

The outburst was an instant shock to Holly as she hadn't expected that much information. It came as a shock to me as well, I haven't seen Skye that angry in a very long time.

Holly gulped and stopped talking completely. She was in too much shock to even speak to Skye anymore and she hung her head low, ashamed of how she had reacted.

"Well, you're here." I finally managed to say which drew everyone's attention to me. "Do you have anything to report?"

"We can't stay long, Alpha will expect us back soon with a full report. I do need to warn you first-off that you've got to be careful around here, patrols have been bringing reports of activity along this border. It's only because of my position that we were able to take the patrol instead of some other rogue...."

"Wait hold up," I interrupted her. "Your position? What position?"

Skye looked down at her feet before meeting my gaze and responding. "I'm beta of the rogue pack now."