Born A Female Alpha

Chapter 2

*

Sierra paused at the door, straining her ears to catch the sound she had heard earlier. Whoever it was, he was gone now. Shrugging, she hurried into the room. 

Her bedroom could be considered large, when compared to other teenage girl's bedroom, though she herself hadn't been to any girl's bedroom before. Her mother Eva had designed the room herself, long before she was old enough to even have her own bedroom. There were little touches of her father here and there, though it was very minimal. Alpha Clark never bothered himself with the decor of her bedroom. There were more important things to him than that. 

The four poster bed was directly opposite the door, in the middle of the wall between the two large windows. Her bathroom was to the right, white like the rest of the room. To the left was her walk-in closet, with far too many clothes for any single person to wear. Most of them were black, thanks to her father. She also had an awful lot of leather jackets, as he said that they would make her look tougher than she actually was. 

Which was a good thing. 

Her study table was directly beside her bed, where her phone, computer, charging cord, headphones and books were kept. Most of the books were about her ancestry, courtesy of Alpha Clark once again. He had also ordered that she keep a gun inside her drawer, even though she never learnt how to use one. 

The table was placed underneath the window, and this was were Sierra spent most of her day. The view outside was perfect, for it was nothing out there but miles and miles of plain lands stretching as far as the Shadow Mountains which her mother had warned her about. Beyond it, far to the East was the great blue sea she had read about, a vast body of water so gigantic and terrifying that no one in the history of their pack had ever ventured there. 

Sierra walked quickly to the closet, lest Edward should change his mind at the last minute. She grabbed the nearest jacket and threw it on, glancing at her reflection to see whether she looked presentable. Her hair was still tangled messily, so she dragged a comb through it quickly in that hope that it would straighten. But like everything else in her life, her hair refused to do what she wanted it to. 

Giving up hopelessly, she hurried out of the room and shut the door behind her, pausing to catch her breath. She had been running for far too long in one day. 

"Where do you think you're going, young lady?" her mother's voice came suddenly from the end of the hallway. Sierra jumped, startled by her mother's sudden appearance. 

"Oh, hello mother," she smiled at her. "Don't you look charming today?" 

"I asked you a question, Sierra," she said. "Where are you going to?" 

"Um, I - I," she stammered, casting about for a decent lie. If she told her mother where she was really going, she would disapprove immediately, saying it was too dangerous for her. 

"Sierra," she said as she walked up to her, "you're hiding something from me, aren't you?" 

"What could I possibly be hiding from my own mother?" she laughed nervously. "You are my flesh and blood, and the only friend I have in this world. It would be a sin to lie to your face." 

"Then tell me where you are going," she said. "And don't think I can't see right through your flattery." 

"I - I was going to Brandon's house," she said immediately. "There's something we were supposed to talk about yesterday." 

"I see," her mother replied. "And is Brandon aware that you are on your way to see him right now?" 

"Um, not particularly," she said. "I was thinking it should rather be a surprise." 

"Do you honestly think I'm going to fall for that?" her mother raised an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest. 

"I was hoping you would," she grinned innocently. Eva shook her head as she smiled. 

"Your hair is a mess," she said. "Come, let's straighten it before you run off to Brandon's house." 

"Mother," she quickly dived out of the way as her mother reached for her, "I don't have time for this." 

"You're not going out looking like a distressed yeti who doesn't know what a comb is," her mother grabbed for her again. 

"Well, technically mother," she dived out of the way again, "a yeti wouldn't possibly know what a comb is, as there are no beauty salons in the Himalayas." 

"Stop arguing and come here," her mother reached for her again, not willing to use her wolf-speed. Sierra always threw a fit whenever she did that. 

"I'll let you do whatever you want to my hair when I return, mother," she said as she made a wild dash for the stairs. "I promise." 

"Sierra," her mother called as she took the stairs two at a time, "come back here young lady." 

But Sierra was already at the landing. Not even pausing to catch a breath, she flew down the remainder of the stairs, into the wide hallway. The door was to her left, where she knew Edward would be waiting for her. 

Hearing her mother's footsteps behind her, she dashed towards the door, her tangled hair flying behind her. Before Eva could reach the hallway, Sierra was already out of the door. 

Edward was waiting on the porch, his elbows placed on the handrail. He had a cigarette in his hands, and there was a pained expression in his eyes as he stared out towards the mountains. 

"I'm ready, Uncle Ed," she said, panting loudly as she hurried down the porch. Edward turned to look at her, taking in her appearance. 

"What?" she asked. 

"Nothing," he shook his head as he smiled, revealing perfectly white and straight teeth. Like everyone in the pack, his canines protruded ever so slightly. Brandon had once told her that it was not their own doing, but their wolve's. It was to remind them all that the wolf was always there, just beneath the surface. Sometimes, it would raise it's head and sniff the air hopefully. Those were the moments when their eyes would glow ominously, or they would growl at the nearest person. 

The wolf was never too far from the surface. 

Sierra tried to look within herself, but she found no wolf underneath the surface. Instead she found nothing but resentment. Not just towards herself, but towards the rest of the pack. It wasn't fair at all, but she couldn't help feeling the way she felt. 

"Come," he said, throwing the cigarette down towards the damp grass. "It's almost sunset, and I should have left long ago." 

As Edward hurried down the few steps in front of the house, Sierra fell into step beside him. Excitement was coursing through her veins at the thought of finally seeing the border. The last time she had asked her father if she could visit it just once, he had punished her so severely that she was unable to sit for two weeks. 

"Uncle Ed?" 

"Hm?" 

"Does father know that I'm going with you?" she asked. 

"Of course he doesn't," he replied. "But that doesn't mean we should stop what we're doing because of him, does it?" 

"What if he gets mad?" she raised an eyebrow, shivering slightly at the thought. Alpha Clark was a dangerous man even when he was smiling. When he was angry however... 

It was truly a horrible sight to witness. 

"Don't worry about your father," he chuckled. "You're forgetting that I once overpowered him in a fight." 

"You admitted that it was just an accident yourself, didn't you?" she raised an eyebrow. "If father hadn't slipped..." 

"Sierra, are you excited about the festival?" Edward asked as they reached the main path which would lead them down towards the town, trying to change the topic quickly. 

"Not really," she shrugged. "Mother and father were arguing about whether I could be allowed to go earlier. I don't want them to be upset with each other because of me. I'll just stay in my room and not bother about the stupid festival." 

"You have a right to go," he said. "The whole pack will be attending it, so why shouldn't you?" 

"I'm not a part of the pack, Uncle Ed," she said, kicking a small rock as they hurried along. 

"You're meant to be the next great alpha, Sierra," he said. "Never forget that. No matter what your father or anyone else says, you are one of us." 

Sierra smiled weakly, but Edward could tell that it didn't reach her eyes. The girl was far too damaged by Clark and his crude statements. It was no secret to anyone that Alpha Clark despised her, for the simple fact that he thought her a weakling. The resentment was visible for all to see. 

But Edward knew otherwise. 

Clark may harbour some resentment towards her, but he would still protect her to his last breath. Alphas guard their seeds well, and Clark was the best Alpha to have led the pack in centuries. Everyone agreed on that. 

Soon however, they would be singing a different tune. 

"You know what?" he said as he stopped suddenly. "At this pace we'll never make it there in time." 

"In time for what?" Sierra asked as she squinted at him. 

"Come," he said, branching off into the small bushes on either side of the path. Sierra followed, not sure where he was leading her to. The sun was just about to set, and the shadows were beginning to get long and creepy. A cold wind was beginning to sweep over the land as well, and Sierra was glad she brought her jacket with her. 

"I can get us there in a few minutes," Edward said as she caught up to him. "But you'll have to climb on my back. And you know we can't go through the town looking like that." 

"Why not?" she asked. 

"It is considered disrespectful when a wolf is mounted by someone else," he explained. "It makes you no different from a mule." 

"I wouldn't mind being a mule," Sierra chuckled. Edward laughed as well, a high and cold laughter which sent some birds in the neighbouring trees flying. 

"You might want to step back a little," he said. Sierra did as she was told, turning away as she heard his bones beginning to crack. She hated watching anyone transform, as it was always a painful reminder of what she couldn't do. 

Seconds later, Edward was no longer beside her. In his place was the great grey wolf she was so used to seeing. Even though the beast looked nothing like him, there was something familiar about the eyes, which looked exactly like they did in his human form. 

The eyes always gave them away. 

The wolf c****d its head as it watched her, wagging its tail anxiously. Sierra reached out and patted it once on the head. In return, she received a very wet licking all over her face. Her laughter echoed across the trees, and the wolf seemed to smile as well. Taking a few steps ahead, it crouched low onto the ground, turning to look at her. Sierra got the message. 

Swinging her legs over the back of the wolf, she couldn't help a slight giggle as she felt the beast stir underneath her. It was a very uncomfortable position, as she had nowhere to place her legs. Instead she left them dangling uselessly beside her, while she struggled to find somewhere to grip. 

'Hold on,' she suddenly heard a tiny voice in her head whisper. As her eyes widened in shock, the wolf suddenly lurched forward, causing her to scream. She threw her hands around its neck, lying flat against its back as they tore through the trees. 

So this was what it felt like to run like a wolf. 

The wind tore through her hair, whispering a sorrowful tune as the trees flew past them in a blur. Sierra opened her eyes briefly, and gasped as she saw the world flying past her. At this speed, the world was nothing but a blur, like the painting of an artist who was afraid of edges. The sky seemed to melt into the trees and the earth, creating a beautiful mural which she ached to reach out and touch. Looking back slightly, she could just make out their home far off in the distance, several miles behind them. 

The wolf knew where it was going, for it was picking its way through the trees excellently. When they got to a small ravine, it leapt into the air so suddenly that Sierra nearly fell off. But she tightened her hands around its neck, flinching as they landed on the earth again with a loud thud. 

They dashed through the forest for several more minutes, through the fallen leaves and broken twigs scattered all around. The scent of the wet leaves filled Sierra's mind, while the cold wind slapped her across the face and licked at her exposed skin. Her fingers were freezing, her hair was an awful mess and her teeth were beginning to chatter. But she didn't care, for she knew what lay ahead. 

Just when the cold wind was becoming too much to bear, the trees suddenly vanished beside her, exposing the vast plains which marked the end of her father's territory. The grasses here were low, and they bowed as the wind swept over them, swaying continuously like a great and never-ending green sea. 

The wolf stopped here, sniffing the air loudly. Still sitting on its back, Sierra tried to sniff the air as well, trying to find out what all the fuss was about. All she got was a cold slap of wind across her face. 

The wolf crouched low then, and she slid off gracefully to land on the slightly damp grass. Seconds later, the wolf was gone and Edward stood beside her once again with his hair tousled up and a slight grin on his lips. 

"How was it?" he asked, raking his fingers through his hair. 

"Cold," Sierra replied, shivering as she drew her jacket tighter around her. 

"My apologies," he said. "I forgot the wind would affect you." 

"It's okay," she said, turning her attention instead to the small cottage ahead of them. There were a few people sitting in front of it, talking loudly while they played with what appeared to be cards. Just a few yards away from them was a single black wolf, not as large as Edward's, but nearly so. It looked up at them, as they approached, howling once. The others looked up as well, and Sierra saw them quickly pack the cards up. 

"I know what you're thinking," Edward whispered. "They're a motley crew, but they are incredibly loyal. And they do their jobs well."

"That's nice to hear," the largest of the bunch chuckled as they finally cleared the grass and stepped out into the clearing in front of the house. "It warms my heart to hear you say that." 

"It wasn't a compliment, Donovan," Edward said in a clipped tone. The others chuckled, while the black wolf simply c****d its head. 

There were four men in total, with the wolf making them five. Donovan was the largest of them, with his bulging biceps struggling to break out of the shirt he was wearing. His hair was cut short, and his eyes were warm despite his intimidating size. 

"Master Ed," the man beside Donovan said, "forgive me, but why have you brought a human with you today? Is she to be executed?" 

"Watch it, Percy," Donovan said as Edward growled coldly. 

"A thousand apologies, sire," the one called Percy bowed his head. "I meant no disrespect." 

"This is Sierra," Edward said calmly, though his eyes were still narrowed at Percy. "She is Clark's daughter." 

At the mention of Alpha Clark, the men straightened up instantly, while the wolf sat on its hind legs. Regardless of her relationship with her father, Sierra felt a warm glow inside her at the thought that her father could provoke such fear in the hearts of men. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady," Donovan bowed before her. "The name's Donovan, but you can call me Don." 

"The pleasure is all mine," Sierra smiled at him. 

"This is Percy," Edward lounged towards the skinny man beside Don. "He's a hopeless wimp, but he's an excellent tracker. This here is Slynt, the best fighter here."

Slynt inclined his head towards her, though his eyes remained cold and unwelcoming. He wasn't as bulky as Don, but he was freakishly tall and well-built. There was a massive scar across his left temple, and Sierra didn't wish to find out how he had gotten it. 

 "And this is Fred," Edward pointed at the last man who was still sitting, a nearly extinguished cigarette between his lips. He glanced at Sierra once, snorted and turned his attention back to the pack of cigarettes on the table. 

"That there is Willy," Edward pointed towards the black wolf, giving Fred a very cold look. "The lads call him Willy Nilly. And I'm sure you can guess why." 

Sierra chuckled as she watched the wolf chase its tail rapidly in a circle. 

"He hardly ever transforms back to his human form," Don explained. "He's the fastest here, and could probably rival Ed here on the plains." 

"But he can't beat me in the forest though," Edward said with a grin. "Anything interesting happen here today?" 

"Not particularly," Percy shrugged. "Old Bertha came by a few hours ago to see if you had returned." 

"Anything new?" 

"Just the usual," he replied. "She still claims to have seen intruders in the night." 

"Knowing her, it was probably just the trees," Don scoffed. "Maybe Percy and I could go take a look around." 

"Percy and I will check it out," Edward said. "Janos, you and Fred should head down south; see how the new recruits are holding up. Don, I want you to go west. Carlos will be expecting you. I've given him instructions on what I want you both to do." 

They all nodded in turn, hurrying off to carry out their duties. 

"William," Edward called sharply. The wolf paused, taking a few steps forward. 

"You know what to do." 

In the blink of an eye, the wolf was gone, dashing off north as fast as a bullet. That left Sierra and Edward standing with Percy in front of the cottage. 

"Come," Edward said. "There's something I want to show you. 

As they headed off into the cottage, all three of them were oblivious to the terrifying howl which echoed through the land, as Alpha Clark stood in front of his house with a murderous look in his eyes. 

*