Alpha's Moon

Chapter 2-2

Deke

There’s a sweet scent wafting across the town plaza. It’s driving my wolf crazy. I keep raising my head and sniffing the air.

“Cut it out,” Lance mutters to me, and a growl rumbles in my chest. My blond packmate is standing too close. Fucker’s doing it on purpose. He knows my wolf needs space.

“Leave him alone,” Channing defends me to Lance. “It’s almost a full moon. That makes him crazy.”

“This is Deke we’re talking about,” Lance retorts. “He’s always crazy.”

I narrow my eyes at him, my growl intensifying. Lance side steps quickly, dancing out of the way. I’ve been known to up and punch my packmates for less provocation.

“No fighting.” Rafe, our Alpha, emerges from the alley shadows. “Not in front of civilians.” By civilians he means humans. Rafe glowers extra long at Lance. The two are brothers, but Rafe never plays favorites. If anything, he’s harder on Lance than us.

“Business done?” Lance asks, running a hand through his surfer blond hair. f*****g pretty boy preens like he’s in a boy band.

“Yep, let’s move out,” Rafe orders.

The other guys immediately follow our alpha. But I resist, scuffing my boots on the plaza stones. That scent calls to me. Candy sweet. My mouth waters.

Rafe doesn’t miss my reluctance. “Deke? You coming?”

“I don’t know.” I rub my chin. “I think I might stay a while.” Even as I say it, I know it’s lame. I’m the last of my pack who’d want to stick around a public plaza crawling with humans. Things are better for me now that I’m out of the service. We have our own place and can run free in the mountains every night. It keeps my wolf manageable. But I’m still the guy who gets edgy around too many people.

“For what? There’s no band tonight.” Channing smirks and points to an old concert flyer. “And I didn’t know you liked Jimmy Buffett.”

I flip him the bird.

“Deke,” Rafe says, a hint of growl in his voice.

“What?” Out of respect for my alpha, I tuck my middle finger away. “I just want to stay out a little longer. Enjoy the night air.”

There’s a long pause while my pack stares at me like I announced I wanted to put on a pretty pink tutu and dance a pas de deux.

“I could stay,” Lance offers.

“I don't need a babysitter.” Enough of this fucker. I bare my teeth. In answer, Lance’s wolf makes its presence known, eyes flashing blue. My wolf surges to the fore, a second away from snapping its chain.

“Fine.” Rafe steps between me and his brother, inserting himself physically. Ever the peacemaker, until we piss him off too far. Then he kicks our asses. Not a perfect system, but it works. “Deke, you do what you want. The rest of us are heading back.” He jerks his head, and Channing and Lance march to the bikes. Rafe hangs back.

“You sure about this?” he mutters to me. My alpha’s the only one who has the right to ask this question, and it still makes me bristle. I don’t have the best track record around humans. I’m not charming, like Lance. I get downright surly, and if provoked… well, let’s just say trouble is guaranteed

Rafe knows this, and he keeps a closer eye on me. If he were a lesser wolf, my wolf would challenge him and rip him to shreds.

Most of the time, I’m glad Rafe is a better fighter than me. If I ever lost control or went too far, he’d be there to put me down.

But tonight, I want to be left alone. “I’m good,” I say and stretch my lips in a semblance of a smile. This is my happy face, and I know it leaves a lot to be desired. I’ve been told skeletons are less creepy.

Sure enough, Rafe shakes his head. “Don’t show that to civilians. You’ll scare them,” he orders, but then he slaps my arm in universal bro code for “Take care,” and leaves me, heading in the direction of the bikes.

A sigh heaves outta me when my pack rides away. Normally, I’d be glad to get away from this town and all these people. Happy to be on the motorcycle. There’s nothing like a long ride on the mountain roads, the wind rushing over me and chilling my arms, nothing between me and the night sky. But tonight, I’ve got more important things to do than ride.

I lift my head to the moon and drink in the candy sweetness. I’m gonna find the owner of this sweet scent before my wolf goes crazy—crazier than he already is.