Page 4 of Cruel Alpha Daddy

I want to be higher up when that happens so I can see the sun come up over the snow-capped peaks. It suddenly seems a great sin to me that I wake before dawn every day but rarely ever see it.

Once I’m far enough into the forest, I shed my clothes and shift. Instantly, as my wild instincts take over, my anxiety begins to settle. As a wolf, my needs are simple, and the connection I feel to the earth and nature helps heal my emotional wounds.

A flash of pain streaks through my heart, and I push forward into a flat-out run. Nose to the ground, paws drumming on the soil, I let the wolf consume me until all thought and worry has been swept from my mind.

When I break through the tree line to a low peak, the sun greets me. A golden glow streaks across the mountaintops, making the snow glitter as if it is scattered with diamonds. My heaving breath fogs the air around me as the sky breaks out into glorious colors, peach and pink blushing against perfect blue.

An ache that has nothing to do with the exertion of my run throbs behind my ribs. I whine softly, realizing that my hard run, my wolf’s primal mind, or the beauty of the sunrise won’t make it go away. I throw my head back and howl, letting that horrible, painful loneliness wail from my throat. My sorrow joins the beauty of the sky as an accompaniment, like a reminder that there is no joy without pain.

Even though my hard breaths begin to settle, the ache in my chest remains. I drop my nose to the ground, sniffing without enthusiasm. I don’t want to look at the pretty sky anymore. I feel lost, tired, and fragile, and I wish I was back in my warm bakery, making cakes and pies.

Repetitive, familiar actions are soothing, and making delicious food for people to enjoy is a great comfort to me.Suddenly, I have to wonder what madness possessed me to leave the house and come up the mountain. I don’t think I’ve ever opened the bakery late for any reason.

My thoughts are sweeping dangerously close to things I don’t want to remember. I turn my back on the beauty of the breaking dawn and trot into the forest, ready to bolt down the mountain.

If I really push it, I won’t even be late. Caleb will never even know I’ve been gone.

That’s when I hear it.

I have to tilt my head and tune out the sounds around me to identify the noise. It’s a soft pattering, lots of footfalls running lightly through the forest paths.

It could be foxes, rabbits, or deer.

Or wolves.

Whatever it is, it’s downwind, so I can’t catch a scent. If it was wolves from Silver Meadows, they would howl or bark to let me know. Even as I try to reason with myself, cold panic starts to spread through my guts.

Move! Now!

I turn and bolt into the trees, using the steep descent to my advantage. I try to leap from rock to rock, covering ground as quickly as I can. As I hit the trees, an excited baying splits the air.

Definitely wolves.

My chest constricts, and the swift beating of my heart makes my head spin. They are gaining on me, and they are not friendly.

I push myself as hard as I can, but I’m not used to running and can’t get ahead of them. Soon, they are sweeping aroundme, a small pack of mangy-looking, dirty wolves with fierce, feral eyes.

Even though I try to run downhill towards Silver Meadows, they charge at me, snapping their teeth and shoving me off-balance. They drive me deeper into the forest, forcing me to run ahead of them.

We cover a lot of ground before my strength finally gives out. I have no idea where I am, and the sun is high and hot above me when I finally drop. My wolf fades, and my human shape takes over. Lying face-down in the grass, I sob, trying to get my breath back.

“Look at this, boys. We got a pretty little she-wolf here.”

I know that predatory tone too well, and I quickly sit up and try to cover myself. A shadow falls across my face, and I look up into the coldest blue eyes I’ve ever seen.

“Don’t bother trying to hide,” he sneers. “We’re going to see it all in a few minutes.”

His voice is a low rumble, dripping with dreadful promise. Fear freezes me in place. I curl up, shaking my head uselessly.

The guy takes a step towards me, and I flinch away. He lunges, growling as he grabs my arm.

“Tobias, shouldn’t we see the alpha first?”

The one holding me rolls his terrifying blue eyes and sighs. “Russ, do you really think I give a fuck?”

“I know you don’t. But… it’s the rules. You said we weren’t ready to—”

“Okay, okay,” Tobias snaps, letting go of me.

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