The Lonely Alpha (A Werey Merry Christmas Series Book 1)

Chapter 3 Duty & Honor

　　Morgan's PoV

　　We had been walking for over an hour already and the weight of the cold was beginning to settle on my shoulders as I secured the sled's ropes to the back of Dingus' harness. He was clearly a loyal, hard working dog as he soon grew restless with being sat on the sled. He coiled restlessly around my feet, his breath coming out in great clouds of fog as he panted anxiously.

　　I couldn't help but glance at the lifeless forms lying beside us as we took a brief rest for me to check my precious cargo over- so still, so pale- like macabre sculptures wrought by winter's unforgiving hand.

　　"Stay by my side, Dingus," I command softly as I loop another rope through the hoop in his collar, just in case he tries to run off.

　　He obeys, though a low growl vibrates in his throat.

　　"Don't worry boy, we're taking them back to town. They'll take care of them there. Maybe pulling this with me will help release some of that stress you're feeling."

　　The dog's growl subsides into a whine, and we move off together, the sled heavy behind us. With each step, my muscles tighten, bracing against the wind that beats relentlessly at us at this altitude.

　　I glance up and see that the sky, once a depressing gray, had begun to darken ominously and I sensed the shift in the weather before it happened.

　　A scent not just of ice but of change permeates the air- electric almost, and most definitely sending a tingling thrill through my body. The wind picks up, whispering secrets in a language only I understand. It speaks of white fury and of the tempest's approach; it murmurs warnings of being trapped, of being buried alive beneath layers of remorseless frost.

　　"Storm's coming," I mutter, more to myself than to Dingus. "Faster now."

　　The Malamute senses the urgency in my voice, and together we quicken our pace. Our steps crunch in the snow, a steady rhythm fighting against time.

　　"Damn it," I curse under my breath as the light snowfall begins to fall faster, watching the sky grow ominous. "Not another precursor storm, not now."

　　I knew that the storm that was almost upon us was just a preclude to what awaited us over the coming days and weeks, but this one hadn't been expected for another few hours at least. I should have had plenty of time to collect what I needed and return home.

　　But, that was life for folks here in the mountains. The weather could change at the drop of a hat and if you weren't prepared, then you would end up like the two unfortunate souls on the sled behind me.

　　My thoughts raced as fast as my heart,with the knowledge of what I have to do as well as what we now face.

　　I was no stranger to storms, I know their power, and their capacity to erase tracks. If I was on my own, then it would just be about survival, but I'm not alone, not right now and I have a duty to preserve the life of this newfound canine companion.

　　"Keep close, Dingus," I say as another gust of wind ripples through the trees, disturbing the snow laden branches as great clumps deserted their boughs and fell to the floor with a thump in the gathering gloom. "We've got a long night ahead."

　　Dingus responds with a bark and seems to pull with a renewed effort, straining at the harness to go faster, and I briefly wonder if I should just shift and pull the sled alongside him.

　　We would cover a lot more ground together far quicker than in my human skin if I were on four legs, but the chances were that my sudden change would spook the dog and he would bolt. With the images of the bodies and my gathered firewood strewn on the ground floating around in my mind I discounted that idea and clenched my jaw.

　　We were a team now. Dingus' spirit, entirely undaunted by the conditions and circumstances we faced lends me strength and I push forward. I can only hope that when dawn finally breaks, we will have emerged unscathed.

　　I trudge through the deepening snow, the frigid air biting at my skin despite the thick fur that lines my coat.

　　"Keep up, boy." My voice echoes against the mountainside, hollow and lonely. The vastness of the wilderness swallows the sound, reminding me of how insignificant one soul can be amidst these ancient spires of rock and ice.

　　"Morgan," I chide myself, "You're getting maudlin. Focus."

　　The mountain doesn't care for my brooding or for the secrets I keep locked tight behind my eyes. Here, I am a mere speck against the canvas of nature's indifference. Yet, this isolation is a sanctuary I've chosen- a shield from the betrayals that once tore my world apart.

　　"Easy, Dingus." My hand finds his fur, stroking the thick coat that ripples with muscle beneath. He offers a low whine, sensing my unease.

　　"Sorry, boy. It's just us out here. I wish I'd have arrived sooner if that makes any difference." I say grimly as we trudge ever onwards.

　　At one time I would have liked to have a companion to spend my days with, but now, who would dare venture close to Morgan Foster, the rogue Alpha?

　　For all the strength and power that courses through my veins, I might as well be a ghost myself- haunting these peaks, forever distanced from the warmth of pack and the solace of a mate.

　　My life was once defined by power, love, and duty but now, I clung to the things that seemed mere hollow echoes of a life I can no longer claim as my own.

　　"Who are you really, Morgan?" I think angrily to myself.

　　Am I the savior of these lost souls, or merely the keeper of the dead, destined to wander these cruel heights until my own story ends in frost and silence?

　　"Doesn't matter who I am," I mutter, quelling the doubts that threaten to rise." Those are pointless musings. Right now, I just need to focus on the job at hand."

　　With a quiet resolve, I set my gaze upon the path before me, my mind clear, my heart encased in the ice of my own making. Yet, somewhere beneath the surface, the ember of hope still glows- stubborn and defiant- as I wait for the storm to break, for the world to change, for the unknown to reveal itself and perhaps, offer me redemption.

　　Finally, as I pushed my dark thoughts aside, we left the lesser known trail and emerged onto the main route that led back to the main road, and my waiting truck.

　　I knew this place like the back of my hand yet tonight it feels foreign, as if the mountains themselves are rearranging their bones in preparation for what is to come.

　　"Evergreen won't know what hit it," I whisper under my breath and much to my surprise, there's a twinge of something akin to concern, not for myself, but for the townsfolk- human and supernatural alike.

　　The chill deepens, biting through my heavy coat, a reminder of the vulnerability of my human skin despite my strength. I am an alpha without a pack, a leader with no followers, waging a solitary battle against the elements and the loneliness that clings to me like frost to a windowpane.

　　"Are you holding up, Dingus? Final stretch now. We'll soon be in the warm again." I state as he barks once in reply, his bright eyes drawing a rare smile that tugged at the corners of my lips. "Can't stop now, we're almost there," I reassure him as the outline of my beaten truck begins to take shape through the flurries of snow.

　　I unhook Dingus and secured him in the driver's cab, then moved around and loaded the sled into the bed of my truck, securing the tarp over the top and racing around to the cab.

　　As soon as the door shut behind me, I turned the keys in the ignition and set the heaters to blowing. I sighed gratefully as the warmth began to seep into my bones again and glanced across at where Dingus sat.

　　"Much better, eh boy?" I chuckled, stroking his head absent mindedly, "Hard parts done now but make no mistake, this is still going to be a difficult drive. Roads aren't very forgiving here in this weather."

　　He huffed in reply as he flopped across the seat and laid his head on his paws.

　　"Brace yourself, boy," I say, as I start the engine and pull out onto the poorly maintained road, steeling myself for the final stretch. "This is going to be a rough ride."

　　Ahead, the lights of the town flicker like distant stars, a heaven I can observe but never truly join. Yet tonight, I must breach that divide, briefly appearing to deliver my charge, and then to fade once more back into the solitude that both sustains and suffocates me.

　　"Let's show mother nature that she's no match for us," I declare suddenly, as I press my foot to the accelerator with a determined set to my jaw and we are swiftly swallowed by the blindness of the snow storm.