Savior of the Wolves

Aiden’s POV

In our pack, my father is the most respected. The most powerful with his goddess gift. He is Alpha.

And I, his second born, am the strongest. I don’t think it out of vanity. It’s something you feel as you mature. My wolf is the largest and we both fight for survival. Perhaps it was my training. I’ve been trained since I was a pup. This same threat wasn’t around when my father was growing up. He had something that resembled more of a childhood.

I was not complaining. I was not alone. We had all trained like this. All the young wolves of my pack had. So had Josh. But my wolf…he was as large as our father’s. Closely followed by Josh…then Zeb.

Josh was first born. He would find his mate and solidify his position as this pack’s Alpha if something were to happen to our dad.

And I…I will have my own pack...eventually.

Zeb may be the only reason I ever want to be an Alpha if the truth be known.

Years ago, as a boy, dad told me stories about the day I would become Alpha. I would have my own pack. I would have my own Luna, my own family, and part of the land, a few thousand acres would be mine so that I could stay close. If that were my choice. I loved the idea. It was all I thought about as a boy. The one day I’d rule my own pack. But now, our numbers were our strength. Dividing into smaller packs, just to advance to an Alpha was irresponsible. Today, I may only become Alpha after my father and or brother have passed. I don’t want either, so I’m resigned to the idea that it won’t happen like I used to believe. I could likely remain a noble for a very long time.

Zeb’s future was basically linked to mine. He was my future Zeta. But until I’m Alpha, he remained a beta’s son.

As I sparred with him, he didn’t go easy on me because I was his superior. That would get us both killed. He fought me until we were both nearly exhausted in a heap on the ground. Especially today. He knew I needed the distraction. He didn’t just train with me. He was my best friend. The one that you didn’t have to finish your thoughts with.

Sweat was pouring off of us both. I refrained from shifting today. My emotions were scattered, and I felt like I needed to deal with them in human form first.

I had the staff bent around my forearm and I positioned it to start again and Jeb, exhausted, didn’t argue. He took his stance to meet me head-on again.

Then I felt something.

Fear!

And it wasn’t mine.

“I’ve got more,” he huffed, trying to catch his breath. Then he realized it wasn’t me giving him a breather. He was staring at me oddly, “Is something wrong?”

I stopped with my pole straight at him, frozen and I held my hand up for him to wait. I needed silence. I was listening intensely. I heard something.

Something was wrong. I could feel her somehow. She’s scared.

“Aiden!” I could hear Zeb yell, worried as I cleared the gardens at lightning speed.

Mid run, I heard my father, “Son, she’s awake.”

But I already knew.

I should’ve known better, but I rushed into the infirmary. I felt guilty doing so until I looked at her. She wasn’t worried in the least. She seemed incredibly calm...considering.

I slowly walked up to her bedside, needing a closer look at her. I may not have the humming, the craze, but I was still pulled to her. A human. Was it residuals from before? I had no idea...I didn’t know how that magic worked anymore than anyone else did.

The sun touched a section of her hair. Those strands looked like honey against the darkest brown I’d ever seen. They highlighted the edge of her face. I was completely mesmerized. Even with gauze over her eyes, there was no denying she was beautiful. The bruising wasn’t the same black and blue today. I couldn’t look away as I desperately wanted to slip my fingers under the bandage and see the color of her eyes.

Why did I think this way? Everything about her had my mind spinning.

“You look so much stronger,” I said, and she obviously shook. I startled her and her instant fear tore at me. I began to reach for her, to let her know that I would never hurt her, but I pulled back just as quickly.

Her eyes furrowed. As though she were studying something. She was staring in my direction as though she saw me.

“I know your voice,” she said with a weakness to her tone.

Those four words. They made my breath catch in my throat. I wanted to make her speak more so that I could hear her voice fill the air around me. It was intoxicating. I wanted the feeling to continue.

“I brought you here,” I said carefully. I had to choose my words wisely. I found myself stepping towards her. For a moment I forgot that we weren’t alone.

“I remember...some,” she said and stopped. She began to take fuller breaths to calm herself. I remembered too. Every gut-wrenching second of fear. I begged her to live. I urgently needed her to live. And I don’t know why. I desperately wanted to know if she remembered it that way. But now was not the time. Then, in the silence, she patted the gauze on her eyes, and I swear it looked like she was trying to stop a tear from coming out from underneath.

Could she have heard me? While in the car?

I wanted to know how she was. If she hurt. If she was scared. Is there anyone we could call for her? So many things but when your nerves are tied up, small talk just blurts out. “Do you remember how you got here?” I had been thinking about it all day. How did something so perfect end up in the hands of that noxious human.

Dad quickly interrupted that he would fill me in later if was fine with her.

And I watched this strong woman nod.

The air once again got trapped in my throat and I coughed lightly to regain the use of it.

I finally was able to spit out the question I need to know the most, “How are you feeling?”

I knew the generic question would probably get a generic answer like, “okay” or “fine” but there was silence.

Then she answered, “Thankful.”

Could a single word turn everything you were upside down? I think so.

I knew then, I didn’t need the hum to be pulled to her. Her presence...her voice, it affected me. Why did it have to be because of fucking magic!

And I knew I couldn’t let this continue. There was something wrong here. This unknown magic was having a strange effect on me. I had to be realistic. This didn’t make any sense. So...it wasn’t fated like we were all taught about from a young age. It wasn’t right. She was human...I was a wolf.

The journals I have been reading. They talk about being tricked. This was another trick. I didn’t understand what was happening, but other packs had been tricked too. But that’s a trick, right? Creative and manipulative. I was definitely feeling manipulated. These life-changing feelings that came and went with her, shouldn’t just go away overnight. That was not how it worked with wolves. This was unnatural. It was magic...all of it. My feelings too.

This confusion was unsafe…for me...my family...my pack.

“Get out,” I logically warned myself.

A growl began to escape my lips and I muffled it with my hand as I faked a cough to cover the sound.

My wolf’s insatiable need to stay startled me. He argued my decision to leave.

I looked over to see my father watching from the wall, I realized that my heart was pounding out of my chest, my breathing was labored.

As if the goddess understood my pain...my plea...the door opened behind us.

“Josh,” I grumbled, without having to look. I could smell him. And I could tell by his huffing that he ran here.

The infirmary was a large room. It contained several beds with partitions. The room was completely open and unused, except for her bed. But I suddenly felt suffocated.

“Excuse me,” I panted quickly and rushed from the room.

***

The next day felt even worse. My wolf wanted to be near her. But I wanted to run through the woods and get as far from my own pack as possible. Put distance between her and me.

My stomach was in knots, so I got up early with no desire to eat. I just needed to release this built-up agony, so I quickly got dressed and went to the firm.