The Alpha Female

Chapter 2

Isabelle's heart dropped as she spun around to find herself face to face with Max, her second brother. He was about to say something to her when she slaps her hand to his mouth to prevent him from saying anything. She then tugs him towards the family library shutting the door behind her.

"Eavesdropping again are we?" He said lifting an eyebrow at her.

"You do it plenty of times." Isabelle huffed crossing her arms around her chest.

Max suddenly laughs then tugging on her hair playfully. "You shouldn't be so guilty." He sighed laughing as he did. "I was even going to congratulate you." 

Isabelle dropped her arms and grinned at her brother playfully. Only Max could be this mischievous. "What can I say? I learned from the best." 

"You little devil." Max shot back at her wrapping his arms around his little sister's neck. Out of her three brothers Max was the one who had a softer spot for her. Damien was always protective and was constantly nagging her. Timothy on the other hand was Max and Damien put together. They all had identical eyes that the pack calls as the so called trademark for the Alpha's family. Sadly, Isabelle didn't get her father or her brothers pitch black hair. Instead, she had her mother's chocolate brown hair. "What have you been up to today, huh? And why are you wet?" He says letting go of her and sticking his tongue out in disgust.

Isabelle shrugged. "The usual, the river with Sofia and Nathan."

Max was about to comment when Trevor knocked on family library door. "Miss El Bridge, your Alpha is ready for you now."

Max waves her off dismissively. "Get a bath after, little sis. You smell." He taunted smirking at her.

"You probably just smell yourself." Isabelle counters running off before her brother could pull her back and show her what a bad smelling person really is.

Knocking before she went inside Isabelle pushed open her father's study. Isabelle's father is just as broad and muscular as her brothers with the familiar grey eyes and just like her brothers he had the same pitch black hair only his had grey streaks on it from old age. He was currently sitting down his chair in front of a big mahogany table. "Isabelle." He greeted. "How are you, dear?"

Isabelle smiled warmly at her father. He'd been gone for about three weeks for his business trip whatever that was. Walking around the big wooden table, Isabelle leaned down to press a kiss on her father's cheek. "Alright. How was your trip?" She asked sitting down on the chair on the other side of the table.

"Quite tiring." The Alpha said with a sigh as he massaged his temples. He shook his head like he was shaking off the headache he was having. "Have you been a good girl to your brothers?" He asked a rare smile on his lips.

A grin spread through her face. "You know the answer to that, father." She answered mischievously.

The Alpha merely chuckled at her reply. "Poor Damien. I hear he's been rather restless with you."

"A restless tomato." Isabelle corrected her father.

"The best kind." He smiled. "How goes the preparations for the barbecue?" He asked placing his hands down on the table like he always does when he was talking business.

Isabelle shook her head. "I honestly don't know. I did see a few tables and chairs at the clearing though."

Her father sighed and started to massage his head again. "Hopefully your brothers will remember to have the barbecue this time."

Isabelle laughed at this. Last year when her father was gone for another long business trip, he left the boys in charge of the barbecue only to come back with nothing but chairs and tables. The pack had to go hunting out instead.

"Now, off you go. I have to get this ready for-" The Alpha stopped himself. "-for the party." He continued wide eyed.

Isabelle didn't miss it. She knew he was going to prepare for the arrival of the Alpha of the Blood Howlers and she was going to be there. Smiling sweetly, she left her father with the thought of the Blood Howlers never leaving her mind. Why did the Blood Howlers want to have a meeting with her father? She had to find out. 

-

Thankfully her brothers didn't forget about the barbecue this time around. The three bothers even had an ice sculpture of a random girl set up which was quite laughable. The barbecue was set up at a large clearing where they usually held pack meetings. It was the only place in the entire pack that could fit a hundred wolves. 

Isabelle was just about to pour herself a cup of punch when she was engulfed in a bear hug by her three brothers. "Little sister!" They chimed.

Isabelle pushed her way out looking breathless. "I'm not so little anymore. I'm seventeen for goddess sake. Almost eighteen." She reasoned dusting off her body hugging silver dress.

"Watch it, Iz, just because we allowed you to wear that- that- little piece of cloth." Damien said pointing to her dress. Earlier that evening, her brothers pushed her back inside her room demanding for her to change. After a little charm- well, more like begging- she was finally allowed outside.

"Relax, Damien." Max soothed pushing a bottle of beer towards the eldest brother to relax him. Damien was in an extra nasty mood this evening. "You clean up well, sis. Though you still smell." Max wrinkled his nose wrapping his arm around Isabelle's neck again. Her second brother loved having one arm around her at all times. It was Max's way of showing his protectiveness to their sister. 

Isabelle pushed him off her playfully. "I told you, Max you only smelled yourself." She teased back. Just when Isabelle was about to step away from her brothers she felt another arm pull her back.

"Now, Izzy. You're going to give us a hard time warding off boys." Timothy says shooting her a toothy grin.

Isabelle was about to counter with a childish remark when someone beat her to it. "Why would you need to ward off boys when you've got me?" The trio turned towards the voice, it was Nathan. He winked playfully towing a blushing Sofia. "Hey, beautiful."

The boys rolled their eyes at him. "Yup, your stench does ward them off, Nath." Max told him with a smirk drowning his bottle of beer with one gulp.

"What is it with you and smells?" Isabelle asked him pulling away completely from her brothers to join her friends.

"It comes with being a powerful werewolf." Max winked turning around to grab another bottle of beer from the cooler.

Damien scrunched his nose up at Max. "You should get that eye checked, Max. You've been winking all day."

Everyone burst out laughing then earning Damien a 'nice one' from Timothy.

"Damien, why don't you come and say hi to Sofia over there?" Max asked wagging his eyebrows towards the girl.

Sofia blushed even further as she tried to hide behind the ice sculpted lady. 

Damien raised an eyebrow questionably before saying a brief hi to Sofia who in return squeaked a 'hi' back. Isabelle could tell the boys were having a mind link conversation by the look on their faces.

"I wasn't kidding when I said you looked beautiful." Nathan whispered in her ear low enough that her brothers wouldn't hear but loud enough that Sofia could hear thus making her snort in disbelief.

"Oh, wow, Nath. Is that like your best line?" Sofia mocked trying hard not to laugh at loud.

Nathan's eyes narrowed. "Says the girl who blushes for the word hi."

They were about to have a full blown fight when they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat. Nathan and Sofia looked up and immediately straightened. "Alpha." They greeted bowing their heads in respect.

The Alpha only nodded at them. He turned his attention to his four children instead. "Boys, Isabelle." He called taking the boys away from their mind link conversation.

"Dad." They greeted at the same time.

"I'm excusing myself for a little bit. I will leave the barbecue in your hands." He told them in his low voice commanding voice.

The boys nodded. Isabelle, on the other hand, smiled knowing where he was about to go. Just when she was about to excuse herself, a strong smell suddenly hit her. It was the most amazing smell she's ever taken in. She sniffed again distractedly. It was so alluring that it was frustrating her.

"Who enjoys smelling now?" Max retorted a grin on his face as he watched Isabelle sniff the air.

Isabelle only smiled at him giving him her signature shrug. "Like you said, it comes with being a powerful werewolf." Isabelle phased out on the conversation, getting captivated by the smell yet again. It then hit her. She had to leave now to listen in on the meeting her father was having with the Blood Howlers. Stupid distracting scent.

Excusing herself, Isabelle set off towards her house. Isabelle waves off her usual guards and Trevor telling them that she had to go to the little girls' bathroom. She knew she had to be extremely quiet knowing her father would have an extra ear out for eavesdroppers. Surprisingly, the smell was getting stronger as she entered the back door. Isabelle couldn't remember smelling this before she left for the party. Isabelle stopped abruptly when she reached the dark hallway that lead to her father's study. She could smell it even more now. It was making her wolf giddy and frustrated at the same time. What or who could have this captivating smell? It was almost intoxicatingly good.

Isabelle could hear voices now. The door of her father's study was open slightly. She crept soundlessly through the halls the scent and the voices getting even louder. Isabelle silently thanked the moon goddess for making werewolves soundless predators. She stopped then when she was right beside the door.

"Alpha Bancroft, let me get this straight. Are you warning me that the rogues that have banding together and have been attacking packs?" She could hear her father say. He sounded shocked yet it was hidden by well masked voice.

"Yes." It was then that Isabelle's heart stopped. That voice... It was something altogether. The voice was husky yet something else entirely. She couldn't fully comprehend and it was only one word. It was taking her a lot not to pop her head through the door frame to look at the man who owned such an amazing voice. Isabelle then realized that the smell was coming from this so called Alpha Bancroft. Could it be? Is this man truly the Alpha of the most vicious and heartless pack? He sounded civil yet you could tell just by his voice that he was truly an Alpha and a powerful one at that.

"Why are you warning me of this?" Her father asked sounding enthralled. She could picture him leaning down on his table. "Are you looking for an alliance?"

There was silence. "I don't make alliances with anyone." Alpha Bancroft replied in a low powerful voice. There was an edge to his tone. He was young she thought to herself- for an Alpha. The most powerful Alpha in the world sounded like he was in his twenties give or take.

Isabelle suddenly realized that she hasn't seen any sort of guard in the halls. Did he come alone? Was he that powerful that the Alpha didn't need backup? She closed her eyes and concentrated. There were about six heart beats. Three of them, she recognized as her father's, their Beta and the third in command. She could easily pin point the other Alpha's heart beat for it was strong and steady. The other two she guessed were his Beta and his third. Regardless, to venture into another packs territory with only three people? It was unheard of.

"I don't understand." Isabelle heard her father say he sounded shocked still. She could imagine him shaking his head.

"I owed you." Alpha Bancroft replied simply.

"Because of my warning for you when you were first appointed Alpha?" Her father asked. Isabelle never thought that her father was friendly with the Blood Howlers. When the other Alpha didn't reply she heard her father sigh. "Gavin, I know it was hard for you to come here and warn me. I'm ever grateful but as I've told you before you didn't have to repay me."

It was silent then until she heard someone sniff. She felt her heart drop. "Someone's here." Isabelle froze suddenly hearing a loud powerful growl that made her wolf steer. Her heart started pounding inside her chest then. Desperately, Isabelle tried to even out her breathing. She was sure everyone in the room would be able to hear her now.

Isabelle didn't have time to react. She was suddenly yanked from the side and pulled up by this towering, mysteriously dark and broad shouldered masculine man. The man was no doubt the most handsome man she's ever seen before. He had dark messy black hair that fell just above his electrifying amber eyes. She let out a soft 'eeep' followed by struggling with the man's iron grip on her wrist.

Alpha Gavin Bancroft stopped then as their eyes met. Isabelle was dangling in midair gasping at the part of her wrist where she could feel sparks. They held each other's gaze as if both couldn't believe what they were seeing. Gavin didn't let go of her wrist despite her trailing around. He kept her eye level with him still caught by her bright grey eyes.

They knew what they were.

Mates.