Page 7 of Unexpected Alpha's Claim

“Look, I just drove like a billion miles,” he pointed out the obvious, raising his hands then dropping them to his sides. “All I’m asking is ten minutes of your time.”

“Will you leave right after if I say yes?” I knew this was a silly question, but it was the only one that seemed capable of getting rid of him.

“Yes, I will,” he promised. “I miss you, Monica. God knows I’ve been a jerk, but I miss you.”

“I don’t miss you,” I stated bluntly. “I used to miss the caring man I married before you started acting crazy. And if you’llrecall, I tried talking to you. Many times, but you wouldn’t listen. So, who’s there to miss? You’re a new you? I don’t think so.”

“Come on, babe,” he said and made his voice sound sweeter while he leaned forward. “I’ll change. I’ll bust my butt to change. Can’t we forget all about this stupid divorce thing and move on?”

“Stupid divorce thing…” I repeated three of his words, pursing my lips. “That’s where you’re wrong, Jack. You think I’m making a big deal out of some small little thing. Well, let’s get this straight. It’snotsmall. It’s final. You and I are through. Over. Now please, get out of here and don’t come back.”

“Fuck no!” He yelled, slamming his right fist into the wall beside him, rage taking over his face. Tossing both his hands down, he grabbed me by the wrists with too much force and yanked me closer. The pungent scent of alcohol struck my nostrils, and waves of fear coursed through my system. “I’m not leaving this shithole without you!”

“Jack, please!” I begged, feeling my knees giving way. “Let me go! You’re not yourself!”

His lips parted, and his jaw trembled barely three inches from my face. I cringed at the stench of alcohol, my heart jumping in my throat. Releasing my right wrist, he jerked his arm back. I clench my eyes, dreading with horrid anticipation what I knew would follow. But nothing happened. No pain was inflicted. I felt no sting. A loud thud pried my eyes open just before the sound of shattering glass. The corner window is shattered into hundreds upon hundreds of pieces.

In the blink of an eye, an unbelievable sight turned fear into absolute horror. Disbelief blocks understanding. It’s not possible, doesn’t make any sense, but I blinked rapidly, and thescene remained the same. A dark-brown wolf lands inside the broken window of my living room. The wolf whirled his head around and Jack gasped as he threw me away, turning to face the intruder.

A ferocious snarl overshadowed the noise of crunching shards of glass. The wolf drew back its lips, exposing crystal-white teeth and fangs. Its eyes fixed on Jack, then it lunged. My mouth agape, I watched the creature tackle Jack to the floor.

Jack barely got an arm up to protect his face before the wolf’s front paws plunge into his chest, knocking him off his feet. The wolf clamps its jaws around the forearm and growls. The growl sent me deeper into the abyss of horror. Jack cries out in agony as the enormous teeth close around his arm and as I watch he snaps his eyes shut. Mixed amidst the human and animal noises I catch the sound of bones cracking under pressure. A violent jerk of the wolf’s snout completed what teeth had started, Jack’s forearm was now a bloody, mangled mess.

“Help me!” Jack yelps, thrashing underneath the wolf. My knees can’t hold me upright anymore and I dropped to the floor like a log, becoming as small as possible while not taking my eyes off the beast, my hands flew to my face in despair while scrambling back and away. Blood stained the creature’s gums, a drop rolling off its bottom lip and onto Jack’s forehead. Jack’s thrashing slowed and his screams became quieter, while the wolf’s gaze paused on me. Out of the blue, this wild animal was making eye contact. I didn’t think that my shock could get any deeper, but apparently I was wrong. The wolf gave a cheerful yip before it stepped off Jack’s body. Without letting go, it turned around. Stepping backward, it dragged my ex-husband away by his pulped arm, across the floor, back the way it came and out into the darkness beyond.

“Oh, dear Lord…” I whisper, the wolf’s form disappearing through the still-open white doorframe. I caught one last glimpse of Jack’s brownish shoes as beast and man disappeared into the gloom. Tears topple over the edges of my eyes, an ugly truth sinking into me. These were probably Jack Donahue’s last moments on this Earth. I’m sure that the creature isn’t done with him. It was out for blood, having tasted it, I can only imagine that it was hungry for more. I didn’t want to be with Jack, but I didn’t wish him dead either. A voice in my head shouted loud enough to be heard over all the feelings that had been overwhelming me.

Do something!

I put my hand on the floor and push myself up. Rising to my feet, I hear my labored breath, and the pounding heartbeat in my ears. Sealing my lips felt impossible. I was desperate for air, feeling like someone had spent the last two minutes trying to choke me to death. Stumbling through the door and reaching the sidewalk, it dawns on me that the wolf hadn’t gone far. It was ten yards down the road, standing over an unconscious Jack. It raised its head and, its eyes glinting yellow, looked into mine once more. One more yip ripped through the air while it held its position. I took slow footsteps leading away from my home. As I was leaving the porch, something in my peripheral vision caught my attention. Outside of the ruined window were the remains of a bouquet of lilies, now only scattered petals and crushed stems littered the sidewalk.

“What the hell…?” I whispered, attempting to look back at the beast.

In the seconds it took to switch my attention, I’d missed the wolf leaving. The immense wolf was not where it had stood tenseconds ago, it was running, fading into nothingness, the speed of its gait broadcast its anxiety to get away.

It left me with a broken man lying on the asphalt next to his black Camry. Stunned, in a world of shock and awe. My limbs still shaking, I began to wonder if what I had just witnessed was true, or if my imagination had played a trick on me. Alas, I didn’t have the luxury of time. Jack was lying in the road, at the mercy of an oncoming car. I had to move him and call an ambulance, otherwise he would meet his death under someone’s wheels…

While I did that, I couldn’t help thinking:Those yellow eyes…but I wouldn’t let myself finish the thought, ‘cause that’d be crazy, right?

6

RAUL

“Let’s go to Shandaken’s Annual Spring Ball.”

It was Sam’s bright idea to go. Right, the Annual Spring Ball. It’s four hours in “Northern Thicket,” the biggest bar within a one-hundred-mile radius, surrounded by humans and their annoying habits.

Their music was a bit loud for our sensitive ears, but it wasn’t such a big deterrent. I even liked some of it, like their jazz and their blues. But their stupid mannerisms were a whole different story. Silly innuendos, ridiculous outfits, and their insatiable appetite for smelly fast food and tobacco appalled me. I couldn’t find the appeal in stuffing their mouths with junk and filling their lungs with poison. Of course, most of them didn’t know what the hell they were eating or smoking. I guessed they viewed it as some of life’s pleasures.

Most of all, I didn’t like Sam’s suggestion because I wasn’t in the mood to mingle. I had attempted to visit the one human who had been kind to me. The woman who had taken me in and looked after me when I was injured. Yet, it seemed that fate itself had had other plans for that night. Somehow, a man from herpast had beaten me to it. I was close enough to hear everything. Hell, I had smelled his raging hormones from half a mile away. I wasn’t going to get involved, but when he tried to hurt her, my instincts got the better of me.

I shed my human cloak and let the wolf handle him. I could have done that in human form, sure, but the beast was more efficient. It could terrorize with a single glance. Of course, I had done more than just look at him, but I couldn’t care any less about the damage to his arm. A man who tries to brutalize a woman doesn’t deserve to be called a man. He’s a lesser being: A pest, deserving to be eradicated. Only at the last minute, I decided to spare him. Not because I pitied him in any way, but because of her. I didn’t want to tear him apart in front of Monica. She had been through enough horror that night.

Despite my reluctance, I decided to accompany my brothers to the ball. Every year, it acted like a magnet to the people of the surrounding villages and towns. If nothing else, it was good business. We had plenty of customers in those places. In truth, it was a good chance to get some feedback from all those people about their motorcycles. We would find out what they liked about their machines and what they didn’t like. Some would babble about how great it felt to ride a powerful, custom motorcycle, but that came with the territory. There was a simple truth about riders, they liked to gloat, especially in the presence of beautiful women. And us, as the creators, being there to listen to them gloating meant a lot to them.

As usual, the streets around Northern Thicket were lined with parked cars. Situated on the far edge of Shandaken, it sparkled like a jewel. Red and blue lights were hanging over its green neon sign. A large, vinyl banner below it informed anyone hermit enough to be unaware of the night’s event.

“Welcome to Shandaken’s Annual Spring Ball!”

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