The True Alpha {2}

Chapter 11

Finley

The training patrol headed back into camp, laughing and joking with each other. Sometimes, if I allow myself to forget what's happened it almost seems like my old camp. It's still not the same though.

River and I went last, closing the doors behind us. The rest of the patrol had halted just inside the hallway some of them stiffening slightly in confusion.

A low voice drifted to us from the meeting area. I gently pushed my way through the patrol and headed towards the sound. The rest of the pack was gathered in the meeting hall, listening silently to a tall figure standing where Alpha usually stands...

I stiffened in shock, Gregory! What is he doing here?! Why is he addressing the pack and not Alpha? And, what if he blows my cover...

Alpha looked up at Gregory, who had stopped talking and was staring at us. Gregory's mouth had dropped in shock and Alpha was looking between us, confusion shining in his eyes.

My stomach plummeted down to my feet as Gregory started laughing. I started breathing heavily and I could feel my palms slick with sweat as I brushed them off on my jeans.

"Why don't you introduce me to your friends?" Gregory laughed. Alpha just looked confused.

"Beta? Come here, and bring your patrol with you." Alpha commanded.

I forced my numb legs to move forward, my mouth dry, eyes darting side to side as the members of the rogue pack watched me cooly.

I cleared my throat as I approached. "Yes Alpha?"

Gregory laughed harshly. "This is your new beta? I have to say I'm disappointed."

"And why is that?" Alpha asked harshly.

"Do you know who she is?" Gregory snapped at him.

"Umm... Finn?" Alpha said hesitantly. "Finley Sparks?"

Gregory laughed harshly. "Is that what she told you? And you believed her so quickly? You're even stupider than I gave you credit for."

Alpha growled at him. "You watch your tone when you address me in front of my pack."

"Fine." Gregory snarled. "But why don't you ask your beta what her real name is, and why she doesn't talk much about where she comes from."

"Finn, what's going on?" Pebble whispered in my ear. She was clutching onto Lilac's hand tightly with Dark and Nyroc just behind them.

"Nothing, everything's fine." I whispered back in a tight voice.

"Beta, what is he talking about?" Alpha growled stalking towards me slightly.

I tilted my chin up. "I have no clue who he is, I've never seen him before in my life."

Gregory laughed. "Now, now, really, there's no need for the lies anymore, Skye."

I froze as Alpha slid his gaze down to meet mine. He was trembling with barely concealed fury. "Skye? What is he talking about?"

I opened my mouth to respond but no sound came out. I was beginning to panic. I tried again, to no avail. I'm done. He's going to kill me.

"I asked you a question!" Alpha roared. I flinched away from his anger, but not quick enough. Alpha grabbed me by the throat and shoved me up against the wall, hard. I cried out as my head slammed against it and I faintly saw stars dance before my eyes.

"Her name is not Finley Sparks, she is Skye Summers, the leader of the Lion Claw Pride. If she came here it is for a reason." Gregory smirked. He came closer until he was standing right next to me. "Too bad you didn't see through my lies before we took over your camp. I even managed to trick you into thinking I was your mate." He whispered into my ear, his voice low, threatening. "And before your brother betrayed you."

At the mention of Jonathon I snapped. Sliding out my claws I raked my hand across the side of Alpha's face before launching myself at Gregory. Stunned by my sudden attack, Gregory rolled as I tackled him.

"Grab her!" I faintly heard Alpha's screamed order as I rolled off of Gregory and dashed towards the doors, throwing them open before taking off through the trees.

I sprinted through the forest, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I heard the sound of angry rogues pursuing me. I kept running, refusing to turn and see which of my former friends were chasing me when suddenly I felt a heavy weight slam into my back, driving me into the ground.

I screamed as I felt claws digging into my back and I forced myself to turn and look at my attacker. I shifted quickly despite the angry werewolf pinning me down and slashed my claws at his nose. Blood spurted from the wound and he howled, shifting his weight enough that I could slip from between his paws.

I hissed as he growled at me, several other rogues just behind him. Including, to my shock, River, Sunny, Gwen, Daisy, Pebble, Dark, Nyroc, and Lilac. My friends! How could they have all turned on me?!

As the werewolf launched himself forward again River threw himself in between us, forcing him back. I purred with relief, I should have known my friends wouldn't betray me. Following River's lead, Sunny, Gwen, and Daisy led the four young werewolves over to me. Together we formed a line facing the angry rogues. Nine on nine, we're evenly matched but I wish I didn't have to leave the four young ones to fight on their own.

The lead werewolf howled and all nine of our opponents leaped forward, leaving me no time to think I yowled a battle cry and launched myself towards the lead attacker. We collided in midair and suddenly all distractions cleared from my mind and it was just me and my opponent.

We wrestled together in the air for a second before gravity took effect and we slammed into the ground, each of us scrambling to get our footing back before the other. The angry rogue cuffed me over the side of the head with a massive paw. My head, still spinning from when Alpha had slammed my head into the wall, started ringing from the blow and I staggered back. In an instant, the rogue had jumped, pinning me to the earth below. His teeth snapped towards my throat and I jerked my head to the side so that his teeth grazed my neck, enough to draw blood but not cause serious harm.

I screeched and flashed my paws up to claw his face, slashing them across his ears. Blood ran down freely and he snapped his teeth closed on my left back leg. I cried out and writhed underneath his paws. Suddenly the weight was lifted off of me and I saw River with his teeth fastened in the rogue's scruff. He had already chased off his rogue, as had Daisy who was aiding Pebble, and Gwen who was lending her assistance to Dark. Lilac, Nyroc, and Sunny all seemed to be holding their own so I re-joined the fight alongside River.

Together we faced the lead rogue, hissing and spitting at him. River flicked his tail at me and I nodded to acknowledge his signal, slinking silently behind the rogue. River howled a battle cry and leaped forward at the rogue while I leaped at him from the back. River and I worked as a single unit, both knowing instinctively what the other was going to do. I clawed my way onto the rogue's back while River dove under his exposed belly and started clawing fiercely.

The rogue howled and tried to shake us off, but I was clinging on too tight, and River was going nowhere. Finally the rogue howled in fury and started to flee. I hopped neatly off his back and headed back to River purring. We stood together with the others as the last of the rogues fled.

We all shifted back and I smiled at my friends. "Thank you, all of you. You all gave up your place in the pack for me and I can never forget that."

"Of course we did!" Gwen sounded startled. "You changed all of our lives for the better when you came to the pack, we would have never let you fight this battle alone."

I smiled at each of them in turn. "You will all have a place in my clan if you want it. I could not ask for better people that I would want to join my clan to fight alongside me."

Pebble and Dark looked at each other, both looking extremely pleased. Lilac and Nyroc both looked proud, smiling at each other. Gwen, Sunny, and Daisy each tilted their heads up and grinned. River looked at me and smiled widely, nodding his head at me.

"Then let's go." I told them. Then, I turned and began to lead the way through the trees.

"Where are we going?" Nyroc asked softly.

"To the Bear Claw Pack." I smiled back at them. Then without another word, the nine of us headed out into the trees.