Alpha Without a Pack...

Chapter 73

Still though Sidney never slowed, she bared her teeth in a snarl, her muzzle dripping with blood from her deadly attacks, and then she was onto another. I brought down two with Colton at my side and the others spirits were lifting as the rogue numbers dwindled under our attacks. When Emmett and Tucker finished off the last male the sudden silence was surreal as our panting proved our exersion in this fight. Sidney despite having moved the fastest and worked the hardest in the fight did not have a scratch on her, and her even breathing showed she wasn't even winded as I felt her filter through us to take stock of our injuries. 

"You guys okay?" Her concern floated through as she nuzzled Fletcher's bleeding flank with a whine. The remarkable thing was she didn't have a scratch on her while we all sported wounds of our own, either she was just that good or the rogues wouldn't attack her because of her heat, whichever it was it only made me respect her more. "It's just a scratch, Sid you were amazing." Fletcher's awe was flooding the link and she nipped gently at his ear with a huff. "That was nothing Puppet, now let's get back so the Doc can treat the worst of your injuries, and I really don't like being out in the open like this." I could feel her unease as she scanned the forest her ears perked up in one direction and a wave of relief ran through the link as the three mutts trotted into view. 

"Well that's everyone save for the two back at the house, let's get moving, shall we?" Her gaze met mine and I snorted in amusement. "That's all up to you now alpha girl." I linked and her lip curled in a low growl. "We are so having a talk about that later B.S., now move it." Her link rang out as she led the way back towards the house in a hurry, I was not particularly looking forward to that little talk after seeing her fight today. It was close to 3am on day six of her heat I believed and I wasn't exactly sure how the next day or two were going to play out, but at least Sidney had her control back for now.

                                                      Beckett

It was infuriating having to sit out of the fight he others had run into on theor search, all because Doc made it clear I couldn't shift because of my dumb shoulder. I could only pace in panic and worry over the others defeated thoughts until hope surged through the link with the now familiar warmth of Sidney's presence not far away. It was a long wait before a calm settled through our pack link and after a few tense moments the sound of paws on the porch had me wrenching the door open to see Sid at the front of the pack in the full alpha role. I caught just a hint of guilt rolling off her as she met my gaze until she shifted directly in front of me and it took all my focus not to let my eyes wander from her face, although I did take a few quick glances in my peripheral.

 "Hey Sweetness are you going to let us all in or are you going to make us freeze out here a bit longer?" The nickname and the slight teasing of her tonenearly sinking to my knees in relief as I ushered everyone inside before locking the door behind them, Sid was back. The others shifted as well, nobody seeming bothered by the lack of clothes for the moment as the guys slipped into some shorts we had waiting on the couch, I slipped off my shirt and offered it to her. "Thanks." She whispered as she took it and slipped it over her head she was staring at my shoulder before glancing to Simon, the pain in her eyes had my chest aching. "Sid, it's fine." I tried to sooth her worries but she met my gaze with the shake of her head. 

"No, it's not, and I'm so sorry." Her words were tight and painful and I stepped forward to squeeze her into a quick hug. "We'll deal with everything together, besides it's not like you're the first one to have a go at us." I whispered before letting her go, she frowned but stayed quiet. "I deserved mine for drugging you like that." Simon scuffed his foot against the floor and she snorted. "Yeah, probably should have mentioned that most drugs don't work on me and they never last long even if they do. The only reason it worked the first time was I was more relaxed, when I'm defensive my body fights it off." She muttered shyly and I raised my brows at that, always full of surprises. "So drug immunity, that's cool." Gavin muttered as he sunk on the couch with a groan.

 "Let's just get all your wounds treated for now shall we, then we can focus on everything else as it comes." She ordered out now as she assisted Simon in cleaning and bandaging everyone up. "You should have seem her Beck, she's incredible, I've never seen anyone fight like that before, she's like a bullet darting around to deal death to others." Micah spoke softly as we watched her helping Simon keep Tucker still to put in a few dissolvable stitches in one of his deeper cuts. I nodded to him as I watched her, even in her focus of making sure everyone was okay, I could still see the glances she cut at me and Si, her guilt was clear and I hated it. 

I slipped into the kitchen when they were working on Colton as their last little patient, grabbing the cake Fletch had made the day before, hiding the tray behind my back as I strolled back into the living room. "Well now I know none of you are going to fall to pieces on me, I'm just so sorry for everything I've put you all through these past few days. I don't remember everything but what I do remember... I'm so sorry." She pleaded the first bit out before groaning the rest into her hands, her remorse was rolling off of her. "It's fine Sid, honest, you warned us it wasn't going to be easy remember, and none of us really minded, much." Micah tried the cheer up act as well as she cut a pointed glance to me and then Simon. "I nearly killed Simon and I injured Beck so he couldn't fight, warranted and warned or not, that is unforgivable." The pain in her tone, the guilt and hate clenched my heart painfully for her. 

"No offense Sidney but that's up to us to decide, not you. Sure you dislocated my shoulder because I fought your hold when you only wanted me to stay where I was, I know you didn't intend to harm me, it was an accident." I stated firmly she went to object but I continued before she could. "Simon drugged you when you were already worked up and in pain, you only reacted instinctively, it was his own fault for rushing in like that and we all know it. Sure we've got a few little battle scars now but it's nothing that won't heal, we forgive you Sidney, even if there's nothing to forgive you for." I let the truth coat my words as I sent my forgiveness and acceptance into the link with her, Simon copied my actions. 

I pulled the cake out from behind my back and offered it to her with a smile. "How could you honestly think we'd ever hate you, we're not going anywhere Sweet Cheeks." I sighed as I referred to our little cake in the face moment that had happened forever ago. There was a shift in her guilt as she recognized it and stared at the cake, there were tears in her eyes that she forced back out of sheer will. She met my gaze and I felt her accept our flow of forgiveness with a flare of hope that confused me, but then warmth enveloped my chest as she slung her arms around my middle. She buried her face in my bare chest and I nearly dropped the cake as she squeezed me with a gentle firmness in her grasp. "You are such an idiot... thank you." She whispered the words but we all heard them, her thanks was flowing into everyone through the link and I wrapped my free arm around her with a grin. 

When she finally pulled back from the little embrace the teary eyes were replaced with the familiar bright and teasing glint, and only warmth and joy flowed from her, no remnants of guilt rolling off her. "Thanks for the cake Sweetness, I'm starving." She beamed as she stole the cake dish and darted away. "Uh, uh, you need some actual protein first." Simon tried to scold her and she snorted. "Excuse me good Doctor, but are you trying to tell me what I can and can't eat?" Her tone held power behind it, but it was more teasing than forcefully alpha, the others gaped at her and I chuckled to myself, yep Sidney was definitely back to normal.

*Well I'm having a rainy icky day today hope you all are fairing better, enjoy the update!*