Alpha Xander: His Contracted Luna

After a relapse, her eyes opened. She was back on the bed, tucked in tight to the sheets. Her strength was retained, she wasn’t as idle and weak as she was a moment ago. It felt like she had slept the whole of yesterday. She looked to her left and the wind blew lightly on her face. The curtains were open and the sunlight was yellow and blooming. She looked to her right and the door was open ajar.

Manny was outside laying on the ground. She laughed at the way his head poked out the opening of the door. “What are you doing,” She asked rubbing her eyes.

The young beta got up to his feet fast. She stretched out her palm to call him forth. He entered admiring the room’s décor. He had never been inside his Alpha’s quarters until last night. In the daylight, the room was more enthralling.

He itched behind his right ear and pocketed the other hand in his shorts, “I was keeping watch outside,” He said nervously. “I saw you passed out in the basement… I mean attic.”

“You have got cobwebs on your hair,” Catherine pointed.

He dusts his hair with his hands and notices her laughing at him

She clamped her hands over her mouth, “I’m just kidding Manny,” She teased. “I am really grateful. Thank you for helping me last night.”

He walks back to the door, “Yeah… anytime,” he smiled. Please don’t tell Xander you saw me here. He’s mad at us enough as it is.”

She lopsided her head, “Us?” she asked.

Jamal peeps from the door, “It’s me.”

Manny pushes Jamal’s head back outside. He waved Catherine goodbye, “We gotta go now,” he chuckled nervously. “The mirror is not gonna guard itself-

Jamal said behind the door, “Today’s sure no fun.”

“What day is it?” she asked curiously. “We didn’t hold the bonfire yesterday.”

Manny holds the door, “It’s Tuesday… I think,” he checks his phone, “Yes Tuesday. Friday was a few days ago and we didn’t hold the bonfire.”

She looked down at the end of the mattress. She was perplexed by how time had passed. Manny left and shut the door lightly.

“Last one to the attic is the pack’s bitch,” Jamal said running down the hall. Manny joined him.

“Guarding the attic?” She thought to herself. The whole incident was coming to an under-whelm. She tried not to think of it.

Catherine listened to their heavy quick steps down the hall.

She laid her head back and rested.

***

Xander was back with Jackson. Jackson left him at the entrance.

“I’ve got to meet up with Sandra at the barn house,” he said giving Xander the car keys.

Xander opened the door and surveyed the room. It was tidy and oddly quiet.

The maid was washing the dishes in the kitchen.

Faye appeared behind the door when he pushed to lock it.

“What do you want now?” he grunted.

He sat on the sofa watching the furnace. Faye pranced and sat next to him. She tried to put her hand around his neck.

“Don’t be a prude,” she said. “You think I don’t have a hold over you but I do.”

Xander got up to leave, “I’m not doing all this again.”

Faye held back his left arm, “I will tell them this time.”

Xander sat on the arm of the sofa. He clearly understood what she meant, “Tell them what?” He snorted and pulled his arm away from her grip

He was hoping she hadn’t gone to blab to the pack about affairs tracing back to Catherine. It would be a problem if the pack lost trust in their Alpha. If there’s no trust, no influence. If there’s no influence then all is lost.

“The pack will learn of your misdeeds,” Faye snarled. “Make me Luna. You know I deserve it.”

“You deserve nothing,” Xander said.

The maid in the kitchen set the dishes and watched Faye completely become a nuisance.

Faye gave her an ill look, “Don’t get cocky,” She warned.

Xander was not going to have Faye ruin his reputation by revealing such a heavy burden. The burden from many nights ago out on the road in the woods. A dead female wolf lay bare next to another who slowly regenerated from his wounds and bruises.

Faye gave Xander one last bold look, “If you don’t act fast,..” She said. “I’ll see to the end of your reign in a week top.”

Xander got up to confront, “Believe what you may,” he said.

***

Xander tails Faye when she leaves the pack house unannounced to her wolves. It wouldn’t be a first when a wolf observed Faye’s shadiness.

Jackson went out a day ago but never came back. Xander was worried. It would still come as a shock to know whoever Faye hung out with outside the house.

“She wasn’t ever cool with the others unless it was wreaking havoc,” Xander thought. She had never been always bitter. And now she wouldn’t stop trying to have a killer motive against Catherine.

Faye pulled over at a stop sign a few meters away from Pack House. If the distance was that short she still drove her car. Xander parked right next to an inconspicuous tree.

She got out of her car and walked a straight path into the bushes. Xander maintained a high profile stealth, steadily following her into the woods.

“Hey there you,” a guy came and popped up halfway through the walk on the path. Xander immediately climbs up a tree.

The guy looked awfully familiar. Xander lowered a branch to get a better view.

“An omega wolf,” Xander muttered to himself.

He realized Faye was a greater traitor than he imagined.

***

Xander was home. It was hard to process seeing Faye with the enemies. “She has gone rouge,” he said taking a deep breath.

Xander pulled the curtains to get Catherine’s attention.

“What are you saying?” Catherine asked.

Xander stares out the window, “We need to fake your death,” he said. “This can’t go on anymore.”

She threw her arms in the air, “You don’t just do these sort of thing–

“Of course we can. And we will,” Xander interjected. “It is for your safety or you’d rather suffer the fate of Faye’s scheme?”

Catherine moved to the edge of the bed to face Xander, “We can rile up the pack and defend ourselves,” she said.

“That’s pointless,” Xander said. “Innocent lives will be lost for nothing.”

Catherine got up and shielded herself from the cold breeze of the midday.

Xander turned to face her, “Do you trust me,” he asked.

Catherine dropped her palms in the air, “I don’t get to have that choice.”

***

The wolf pack was all in the courtyard. They had beers and barbeque in the open. Manny and Jamal jugged down beer pongs. Sandra eased them to slow down.

Sandra collected the cups from their hands, “That’s enough for tonight,” she said kindly.

Jamal was tipsy but could identify a bloodied Alpha when he saw one.

“Alpha!” he yelled dropping a bottle. It broke into shards on the ground.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Xander was walking with his clothes in rags. His face, hands, and chest were revealed from an open shirt covered in blood.

They rushed to him. Faye was on the balcony watching.

Sandra got to Xander first, “What happened?’ she asked.

Xander dropped to his knees and lamented, “W-we went hiking in the woods this evening. Drew and his pack jumped us when we were far away from the house where our voices couldn’t be heard. I told her to run.”

Xander winced, “I fought off many. Hell, I even killed his betas… but he got to Catherine first. I found her blood all over. I know her scent and this was a lot. Xander buried his face in his palms, “Her body was taken by the enemy,” he lowered his head to the concrete pavement.

The whole pack circled him with sad eyes and the rage to avenge their Luna that never reigned.

Faye smiled and wondered if this was too good to be true. The news of Catherine dying was a joy to her heart. This will be her time. Finally to be Luna of the pack.