Page 2 of Alpha's Rise

Romi wanted to question him even more because that statement shook her to the core. Of course, she knew there were things in the world she did not understand, but looking around at the people surrounding her, she felt chills run along her skin. She was surrounded by people who weren’t really human.

How did she not notice that they were different? That they could turn into animals? And why the fuck wasn’t she passed out on the damned ground in shock and fear?

As she watched the wolf version of Butler sink his teeth into the neck of the outsider wolf, she couldn’t help but give an internal cheer. Son of a bitch won’t mess with anybody else. That’s what he gets for talking shit. If he dies, he dies. A smile came over her face at the thought. Honestly, that sounds like some fucked up shit my best friend Layla would say. Romi couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought.

A loud howl filled the air as wolf-Butler bested his opponent. The men… beasts… other beings from around their circle joined in, while those she couldn’t see roared like lions. It was then that Romi fully understood what Smitty’s words meant.

It looked like she was the only one who had not transformed. Slowly backing up from the group, she felt it was time for her to get the hell out of dodge.

As quietly as she could, Romi took two steps away from the larger group of men. Maybe it was best that she try to forget she’d ever seen this.

“Going somewhere, Sutton?”

Romi almost jumped out of her skin as the Master Sergeant spoke behind her.

Freezing in place, she dropped her head and briefly closed her eyes. Damn. She’d almost gotten free. The Master Sergeant was not the type of man to mess with on a good day, but after what she witnessed, Romi was almost afraid to turn around.

What if he was a ten-foot bear or some shit? He might use those big bear claws to rip out her entrails. Was that even a thing? Did bears disembowel humans just for the fun of it? Yup, Romi was quietly losing her shit.

“I asked you a question,” the Master Sergeant spoke again.

The crowd standing around the camp had gone eerily silent. She lifted her gaze to look at the man who called her name. The feral howls and roars had ceased, and the men around the camp had returned to their human forms.

Mouth dropping open in a gasp, she noticed Butler was bare-assed naked, with his large dick swinging in the breeze. Well, shit. One of her eyebrows lifted as she took him in.

Of course, the motherfucker had to have a big dick to go along with that big ass ego. Butler was fine as hell under his uniform, but who knew he was packing something so mouth-wateringly good? Romi could almost admit that she now regretted not shooting her shot with him because that beast between his legs would have had her begging for more.

“Sergeant Sutton! Quit staring at Butler’s dick like you wanna eat it. Turn the fuck around.” She had forgotten that the Master Sergeant was still waiting.

Romi was almost offended by his words, but she took a deep breath before facing him. Once she noticed the look in his eyes, she subconsciously took a step back. It wasn’t that she was afraid of him, but his eyes… his eyes were a bright yellow. “Fuck! You’re one of ‘em, too?

“Sutton, you weren’t supposed to see this. Smitty was supposed to get you the hell out of here before anything went down.”

Smitty broke into the conversation. “You know how fucking stubborn she is. I tried everything I could without knocking her ass out and carrying her out over my shoulder.”

Romi glanced at him. “Smitty, you know I would have shot you in your left ass cheek if you tried to force me. If I were you, I’d keep those big ass paws to yourself. And how come you’re still fully clothed and shit? If I’m going to have eye-candy roaming around,” she paused before glancing at Butler again, who winked at her, “then I want my fill.” Romi smirked at him as she perused his form before turning back to Smitty with raised eyebrows. Now she was wondering if all these dudes had big ass dicks.

Smitty looked at the Master Sergeant. “See? What’d the fuck I tell you? Stubborn as fuck. I’m glad she’s aware of what’s going on around here because now she can do what’s needed to stay safe.”

“Hell, I still don’t know what the fuck I saw,” Romi spat out at them. “But if this isn’t some lucid dream, I would sure as shit like someone to tell me what the fuck is happening.”

“Walk with me. I have a story to tell and an offer to make,” Master Sergeant said. It wasn’t a request. The man never really asked for anything. He made statements and people did what he expected.

Before Romi took another step, she half-turned and pointed behind them. “Does it involve turning into one of those big ass wolves that rips out throats?” Although she tried to play tough, inside she was shaking like a leaf, and she had no doubt they all knew the fear was taking over.

Layla had been right all along. Romi should have kept her ass at home instead of trying to prove to everybody that she was a badass. If she had just listened to her friend all those years ago, she would be home right now, hanging with Layla and her son, Christopher, having a good life.

Yet Romi had to be stubborn and do the one thing her best friend begged her not to do—join the fucking Army.

The Master Sergeant laughed at her question. Okay, it wasn’t a laugh, but his lips lifted in a half-smile. That counted, right?

“Sutton, it involves so much more than that. And if you’re interested, you could be so much more than these guys. It’s all up to you and what you want to do with your future.”

Confused by his cryptic words and what he was trying to say, she paused before glancing over her shoulder. Romi’s eyes continued to take in the men in the camp as she and the Master Sergeant walked. “More than what they are? How’s that even possible?”

As they continued walking, the Master Sergeant looked down at her with a slight smile.

“Romi, you have a power inside you. Something so strong that I could feel it coming off you in waves the first time we met. With a little enhancement, you could be the first woman to join our elite team of soldiers. Faster. Stronger. Less prone to injury, with the ability to heal yourself and others.”

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