The Alpha Female

Chapter 3

"Isabelle!" Her father shouted shocked at the scene that was in front of him. His only daughter- his precious jewel- was dangling mid-air held only by her wrist by the cruellest Alpha there has ever been. He was soon flanked by his Beta and Third both giving off gasps in surprise.

The Alpha of the Blood Howlers then looked as though he had just gotten out from the phase he was in. He let's go of Isabelle's wrist, a look of pure shock vibrated through his usually emotionless face. His own Beta and Third then rushed out from the study looking equally surprised by their Alpha's expression.

Isabelle was a lot shorter than Gavin. She barely reached his shoulder. If she was being honest, in her opinion, she felt as though the height difference was perfect. Isabelle shook her head suddenly looking up to glare at the man known for his ferociousness. Where she found the courage to do so, she did not know. Only that she was angry at how he held her. Their eyes meet yet again. They could not deny the strong pull they had for each other. She simply could not break eye contact from the strong jawed man and he could not look away from the beautiful mystifying girl. Gavin Bancroft was still looking at her, a look of pure shock still evident in his handsome features.

Isabelle's father was by her side in an instant. He inspected her wrists and her face checking for any injuries. Her father was talking to her though Isabelle couldn't hear. Her eyes and attention was still on the mysterious man that was in front of her. Without a doubt, be is incredibly gorgeous. He has perfectly sculpted jaw and even god given cheek bones making it even hard to look away.   

Isabelle was the first that pulled away from their gaze. Her wolf protested at her angrily for it. She knew what he was and judging by the look he was giving her, he knew too. Her wolf was screaming at her but she only pushed her deep within her thoughts. Isabelle took one last angry look at him before she stalked out of the hall stomping her foot loudly. She stubbornly ignored her father's call. 

Isabelle had no idea why she was so angry but deep inside she was crushed to find that her mate- the only mate she will ever have was a cruel and vicious man. Her wolf was on rage. Shouting at her and telling her that the notorious Alpha is hers and she was his. It's simply how it worked.

In truth, Isabelle has been dreaming of the day she would meet her knight in shining armour. She dreamed of the day where she would meet the perfect man. Back when she was younger, she thought that maybe Nathan was her mate for they clicked right from the start. Isabelle thought he was handsome but it truly was never enough. Nathan was never enough.

Isabelle realized then that she was scared, scared of her mate. Was that even possible? She silently cursed the fates for giving her a mate that would probably never want her and would probably kill her if he had the chance.

She didn't stop walking until she was engulfed in darkness by the trees somewhere far away from her home and far from anyone. Or so Isabelle believed. She kept on walking until she was jolted from her thoughts by a snap of a branch. Isabelle turned back, eyes widening and heart quickening. It wasn't like her. Isabelle was tough. It was in her blood yet, she knew she was scared.

Isabelle took a step back when her eyes landed on another pair, only these eyes were yellow almost golden. Her stomach did a funny flip at the thought of her mate going after her. She could smell him and just like the rest of him it was painfully alluring.

Famously powerful Gavin Bancroft stepped out from the trees and Isabelle had to hold in her gasp. She took a good look at him and he certainly didn't look like the barbarian that her mind conjured whenever the Blood Howlers were mentioned. He was far from it. Far from anything she has ever imagined.

They stood like that for a moment both inhaling each other's scents and taking in the others form. Isabelle felt insecure suddenly compared to the magnificent creature in front of her, she looked close to a barbarian.

"Isabelle." Gavin's voice was incredibly husky that it made her knees feel like they were made out of jelly. Isabelle had to breath evenly and distract herself to prevent her from jumping him right then and there. "I-I apologize for earlier." His voice was deep and low. If Isabelle didn't have super hearing she'd probably miss what he said. Was listening and sniffling this man even legal? Nothing this perfect should even exist. Maybe just maybe she was only dreaming. A dream too good to be true.

Isabelle could only nod. For once in her life, she was lost for words. "Why didn't you kill me for eavesdropping?" She blurted out without thinking. It was like a nightmare. Only this time she couldn't wake up from her horrible drabble.

His soft amber eyes narrowed and hardened. "You thought I would kill you?" He looked taken aback by this his eyes filled with hurt.

Isabelle could feel her wolf whimper. Was this what it felt like to have a mate? Their connection was almost scary. "No, no. I mean eavesdropping is bad, so I've heard." She mentally slapped herself. Isabelle silently prayed to the Moon Goddess to smite her right there and then to safe this poor man from her.

"You think it's punishable by death?" Gavin asked looking at her through his long lashes. She found herself smiling despite herself. One, because she's heard him speak with her father and the way he was speaking right now was nowhere near his edgy Alpha voice. It was soft and careful like he was afraid she would run off again. Two, because he didn't look at her like she was crazy.

They were quiet suddenly as they stood a few feet from each other. Even with the distance, she could feel her heart going wild for him. "Are we-?" She didn't know how to finish as she looked around the trees trying to pry her eyes away from his Goddess blessed looks.

"Mates." Gavin finished for her with a nod. There was silence again and Isabelle could see that he was unnaturally still. Oh my Goddess, did he die on her? No. He was breathing thank the heavens.

He took a few step towards her then and when she didn't show any signs of running off he took another. His amber eyes showed so much emotion it was hard to keep up. Disbelief, shock, joy and everything else she couldn't recognize. Isabelle realized then that he didn't talk too much.

The massive Alpha took another step. Isabelle could tell that it was hard for him. For some reason, he looked as though he was at war with his wolf and himself. Was there something wrong with her? There must be. He took another step this one slower than the first few ones. Gavin was close enough to touch when he leaned in close enough that he took a deep long breath. It was as though he would never take another one.

Gavin froze then his head shooting up, listening. Isabelle perked her own ears trying to catch what he was hearing but to no avail. It was only when she heard thunderous footsteps did she jump away from him effectively banging her head on a tree. She hissed in pain clutching the part of her head where she hit herself.  Gavin was about to come and check on her, the footsteps momentarily forgotten when three boys jumped in between them. Three loud growls vibrated from their chests. It was her protective brothers.

Gavin's eyes darkened and let out an even noire louder and powerful growl. "Mine." He snarled his chest vibrating angrily.

"Stay back." It was Damien. His voice was cold and icy stepping closer to Isabelle as if trying to shield her.

Gavin was a mere second away from shifting to tear the unfamiliar boys heads off when a large grey wolf came running towards them. Judging by it's size, it was the Alpha. He shifted back to his human form right in front of them. "Gavin! These are my sons!" He shouted trying to ease the mind of the other Alpha.

More footsteps then came bursting out of the shadows were two of the most vicious wolves most of them have ever seen. They flanked Gavin looking from the three boys to the naked Alpha. They growled out. "Mine." Gavin snarled again trying to contain his wolf for his mates sake.

"Damien, Max, Tim, calm down." Isabelle spoke through gritted teeth. "It's okay. He didn't hurt me. I was clumsy and hit myself on the tree." The boys looked back at her but shook their head and looked back at Gavin. "Listen to me!" She shouted trying to pry her brothers' hands off her.

Isabelle could see Gavin getting agitated by the second. By the look on his face, he wanted nothing more than to take her away from the men that were touching her brother or not. It didn't take long until more of their pack came out some in wolf form and some in human form. They circled the three unfamiliar wolves. 

"What is this guy saying? Mine?" Timothy asked out loud looking towards the shaking form of Gavin.

"He's talking about me." Isabelle tried to explain.

"You hit your head hard." Max commented looking at the back of her head.

Isabelle sighed, irritated. "We're mates." She declared angrily. Suddenly, everyone was quiet. You couldn't even hear breathing anymore apart from Gavin's ragged breathing.

"He can't be-" Damien stuttered out looking from Gavin's feral looks to Isabelle's desperate ones.

"They are, Damien." The Alpha- their father- finally spoke. "I saw them earlier."

Damien, Max and Tim suddenly froze. Their father has spoken. There was no doubt it was true. Their baby sister mated to the heartless Alpha from the Blood Howler pack. "But he's a Blood Howler, the Alpha to be exact!" Damien cried desperately. He paced around the area looking ashen. The crowd that gathered gasped.

Gavin growled at this, he was at his edge and losing patience quickly. Isabelle side stepped and stood in front of Gavin scared that he might start attacking. She faced her brothers. "It's true but Damien-"

"He's the enemy." Damien shouted pointing at Gavin with so much hatred. "He'll end up hurting you!"

It was at that moment that Gavin snapped. He grabbed for Isabelle and yanked her lightly behind him. Gavin shifted into a massive black wolf with eyes so gold it was almost unreal. Gavin was towering over his Beta and Third easily though they were already big for their size. He snarled angrily.

Damien wasted no time as he too shifted, as well. Damien's wolf was huge but not as massive as Gavin. They growled at each other menacingly. Isabelle tried to run towards them but was stopped by two pairs of hands pulling her back. She recognized them as Gavin's Beta and Third. "Let me go!" She struggled.

"Calm down." The Beta soothed. She glared daggers at him. Isabelle struggled some more. She would not let her brother and mate hurt each other. Isabelle pushed and kicked but hands on her didn't loosen.

She was about to fling herself in the middle with all the force she could muster when her father came and held Damien back. "Damien." He said commandingly. "You will not fight with our guests. Shift now." He ordered in his Alpha's voice.

It took Damien a while but eventually he gave in to their father's wishes. Damien shifted back to his human form butt naked with all his glory in front of everyone. Isabelle secretly wished her best friend was near to see this as she looked away.

After Damien was passed a pair of shorts by a random pack member, he gave one last glare towards Gavin before stalking off. Isabelle couldn't help but feel pride at how her brother stood up towards Gavin. No one else would do that.

Gavin then looked back at Isabelle and his men. He let out a terrifying growl, spotting their hands on his mate. They let go immediately without another word taking a few steps back from her. Gavin's dark black wolf slowly walked towards her then and sniffed her as if her mere scent alone could calm him down.  His muffle was only a few inches away from her neck.

Isabelle didn't know how to react. She wasn't used to the tingles and to the howling of her wolf. For a second, she thought he was going to mark her right there and then, in front of everyone. She could see that they were all frozen with fear for her. Her eyes met the familiar green of Nathan. He looked as though he was a blink away from shifting, his fists clenched angrily.

Just when she thought Gavin was going to mark her, he took a step back and walked away towards the trees leaving his Beta and Third to watch her. She suddenly felt the cold. Did he not want her enough to claim her? Yet in some ways she was relieved that he didn't. Her father and two brothers came towards her.

"Izzy, darling." Her father soothed bringing his arms around her. Thankfully, he had shorts on this time.

"What am I going to do?" Isabelle replied in a weak voice.

Some of the pack members already dispersed, some though still lingered from a safe distance. Watching and waiting to protect the Alpha and his family.

"It's not your fault. It's not you who decides your mate." The father tried to explain. Her two brothers were quiet for some reason as they were both glaring down at the ground. She could tell it was hard for them, all her life she's been protected by her brothers now when they can't, they're left angry, hurt and confused.

Isabelle took a deep breathe then knowing what she had to do. "Dad, I have to talk to him. Alone."