Rejected Alpha

Chapter Sixteen

It was sunrise before I reached the bustling city. I kind of missed city life, but I knew I couldn’t go back to it. I was a wolf now and I quickly found I loved the forest. The sounds hurt my ears now, the smells too strong giving me a headache. I ground my teeth together as I walked down the street searching for a bank or ATM I could use. It took longer than I expected, however I was elated the bank was sat right next to a bus station. Two birds one stone.

Walking into the elaborate bank I was immediately greeted by an overly perky young woman. She was small, maybe five foot tall. Her blonde hair was pulled into a bun, a few strands hanging lose to frame her petite face. She wore a bright smile, her blue eyes shining eagerly as she saw me enter. “Welcome.” She enthused. “How can I help you?”

“I need to make a withdraw.” I told her, trying to keep the pain her high-pitched voice caused me contained.

“Very well. Follow me.”

I did as she asked, following her to a row of open office doors. All were full of customers attending to their business, whatever that may be. When we reached the final office, I froze. The man behind the desk was exceedingly gorgeous. Dark hair the color of mahogany. His eyes a brilliant and shining smoke grey. His features were sharp, dark skin stretching across high cheekbones and a sharp chin. He was tall, and built like a linebacker. He didn’t look any older than twenty-five, but he was also a wolf and being a wolf made telling their age hard. Wolves didn’t age like normal people. We lived hundreds of years.

His eyes have been on me since the second I crossed his threshold. His grey eyes piercing into me like thousands of needles making the hair on the back of my neck rise. I still kept my shoulders squared, my eyes staring right back at him without care. He was a wolf, an alpha. Which means the city was another packs territory. I wasn’t sure if I should be grateful or scared.

“Thank you, Marie, you may go.” The man waved her away, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Yes sir.” I felt the woman’s presence leave.

“How may I help you?” The man sat behind his desk, motioning for me to sit across from him. I only hesitated half a second before crossing the room and sitting where he indicated.

“I need to make a cash withdrawal.” I told him; my voice strong.

“Name?” His eyes moved to his computer, though I saw as he peaked up at me.

“Seraphina Coleman.”

He hummed, typing my name into his computer. His eyes widened marginally before looking back at me. “It seems you are one of the largest account holders we have. How much were you hoping to withdrawal today?”

“Four hundred thousand.” I told him easily. I had thought about this a lot. I needed enough cash to last me for as long as possible. I couldn’t risk a paper trail. It would be enough to buy a small house, get food and clothes and anything else I might need for a few years.

“That’s a lot of money Miss. Coleman, and will take us at least a day to gather. May I ask why you are hoping to get such a large amount?”

I sighed, running a hand down my face tiredly. I haven’t slept in over twenty-four hours. “I need to have my paper trail end here. I can’t risk using my card and being tracked. With cash there are no bank transfers or card use involved that could give away my location.” He was a wolf so he would know if I was being dishonest.

"So, you’re running?”

“Yes, in a manner of speaking. I will return when or if I am ever ready to. I plan to move on, get stronger, train. Then maybe I will return from where I came.”

“What pack are you from?” He asked, closing his laptop and clasping his hands in front of him.

“That’s not an easy story to tell. Long story short, I just recently found out I was a werewolf and was thrown into this world with no preparation. The first and only pack I have been exposed to is the north river pack. My wolf came early, much earlier than most. Just yesterday I found out my mate was his awful son. One who tried and killed me. As luck would have it, my second chance mate just so happened to be at the heir’s birthday. And ironically enough, he too, has tried to kill me. So, I left. I am going to the red river pack to train.”

“The red river pack only trains alphas.” The man told me calmly, though nothing about him was calm.

“I am an alpha. I am what my mom said was a pure blood alpha female. I didn’t even know what that was until I asked.” I shook my head, a humorless chuckle leaving me. “Sad really when you think about it. But it’s all in the past, all I can do is move forward which is what I am trying to do. I need to go train where I am not treated like glass.”

“Red River pack would be lucky to receive a she wolf such as yourself, but I have to admit they do not like unexpected visitors. Alpha Hector isn’t known to be friendly.”

“I don’t need friendly. I need training. I have a birth pack that I was taken away from upon my birth. My parents claiming, I was in danger. I want to take my birthright back, lead my birth pack and make it grow to where it is a thriving and self-sustained territory. But before I do that, I need training and information on the pack and current alpha.” I honestly wasn’t sure why I was telling this man all of this. I didn’t know him, not even his name.

“What is your birth pack?” He asked with an arched brow.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t get your name.” I said, avoiding his question.

“My apologies. I am alpha Zak of the shadow grove pack.” He responded proudly and puffing out his chest as if I should know who he was.

“It’s very nice to meet you alpha Zak, but I think I have told you more than enough about myself.” I told him coolly.

“You’re right. I have no right to question you as I have been. I can make the withdrawal for you but as I said it will take at the least twenty-four hours. In the mean time you are welcome to come and stay as my guest at the pack house. I will keep your presence here quiet so you can move on peacefully. Elijah and I are not rivals but we are not allies either. None shall know you are here.”

“Why would you do such a thing for me?”

“You are a rare wolf Miss. Coleman. None should want to keep you held like a delicate flower. An alpha must be strong and resilient. You are right that you will need training to take your birthright back.”

“I’ll need to get in touch with red rivers alpha.” I said more to myself. “Elijah is supposed to be sending Blaze there. I need them to train me before they accept him. I can not be in the same pack as him again.”

“I will help you contact alpha Hector if you’d like.” He sounded sincere.

“Thank you, alpha Zak.” I spoke. “Truly, I appreciate all the help you are willing to give me. It is very generous of you.”

“I hope one day, when you finish your training and take your birthright back, we can be allies.” He said, a fondness in his voice. “It is not everyday you encounter such a strong female wolf. I shall get everything going for your withdrawal and I will escort you to the packhouse. My luna will be very happy to meet you. I think she’ll take a liking to you. We have been unable to have pups of our own.” His face turned sad, his eyes glistening.

“I am terribly sorry to hear that Zak.” I murmured. “I do hope the goddess will bless you with a child soon.”

“Through all our years and struggles, no one has ever offered us the goddesses blessing. Thank you, Miss. Coleman."

"Seraphina please. Or Sera if you will.” I smiled.

“Sera it is then. Please just give me a moment and we will go.”

I nodded, taking the moment to look over the room. Or office. It was quite beautiful. There was a picture of him and a beautiful woman on his desk. His walls had paintings of landscapes of all kinds. Flowers were on the windowsill making me think his mate had done it to cheer him up. There was a small book shelf off to the side that looked to hold rather boring accounting and law books. The floor was a hardened looking carpet in navy blue. Not very sightly to be honest. A nice crème color would work much better with the darkened walls and furniture.

“Is there something wrong?” Zak’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

“Oh, no. Nothing. I was just studying the room.” I told him honestly. “It’s…...unique.”

Zak chuckled, his eyes holding amusement. “What’s wrong with it?”

“Well. You have beautiful dark oak walls and mahogany furniture. The flowers are bright, which I am assuming was from your mate. But the floor…” I cringed. “It doesn’t exactly match. Crème would be a more complimenting color. Light against dark. It would make the room more welcoming, open.”

“You sound like Carol.” He laughed. “She is always asking me to change the flooring in here. Maybe I should take more of her advice.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Zak was older than I thought. I knew that just by the knowledge that they’ve been trying for children but couldn’t yet conceive. But he seemed like a pleasant enough man. And he admitted he should listen to his mate more often. Not many men will admit when they are wrong. I found I enjoyed his company.

“Now.” Zak closed his computer and stood from his desk, grabbing a suit jacket and shrugging it on. “Let us go.” He walked around me, opening the door motioning for me to go ahead of him. More indication he was older than I thought. He spoke oddly sometimes, more formal. His actions screamed old fashioned.

“Thank you.” I walked through the door but waited in him. I had no freaking clue where I was going, he would have to lead the way. Zak walked by my side as he led us back through the many open office doors, none of them occupied like they were before. Which seemed odd. Ruby was prowling in the back of my mind, her hackles rose. I gripped Zak’s arm pulling him to a stop. He looked down at me in confusion, but I shook my head holding my finger over my lips. He needed to stay quiet.

It was faint, but I could smell them from here. They were in the lobby. Soft murmurs and frantic breathing could be heard. Cries were clear even with them being soft and muffled. Growls kept quietening their cries. Fear permeated the air, suffocating me. But Zak didn’t seem to catch any of this. He was still looking at me in confusion.

“Rouges.” I mouthed the word silently. Zak’s body stiffened and he lifted his nose in the air to scent them out. I could smell at least six of them. Zak still didn’t seem to notice these rogues, his eye brows furrowed at me in confusion. But he just shook his head and started forward. I tried to stop him, but he pulled away from me, jerking his arm harshly out of mine. His eyes pierced me angrily making me sigh and step away from him. I held my hands up in surrender, then motioned for him to go ahead and go.

I however stayed behind. I prowled behind Zak, masking my scent and ready to jump in should the need arise. People really needed to start listening to me more. I may be new to all of this, but Ruby seemed well informed. She knows what the smell was before I even registered it. These stubborn alpha’s will end up getting their people slaughtered one day.

Zak’s harsh growl pulled me from my thoughts. He had reached the lobby. I saw his body stiffen further. His back was to me, but his shoulders were high and rigid, his fists clenched at his side. His body seemed to tremble and anger wafted off of him.

“What do you want?” His tone hard and flat.

“We heard an alpha worked here with no guards.” A female rouge purred. “No other wolves around him. Even an alpha could not take down six rouges alone. And you see all of this?” the woman asked. “So many innocent people. So many children. Are you really willing to start a fight among so many innocent humans?” She enunciated the word human, easily telling Zak he couldn’t expose himself.

He couldn’t, but I could. I wasn’t part of his pack. I would pose no danger to him or his people should I expose myself. I would bring unwanted attention to myself, but it would be worth it so long as no one got hurt. These rouges were threatening Zak with the lives of his customers. It wasn’t right. Those people were innocent. They had nothing to do with the supernatural world.

“We have to.” Ruby growled.

“I know.”

“Just hand over the money and no one will get hurt.” A man with a very deep bass like voice said. His voice booming through the lobby as if he were speaking through a microphone.

When Zak didn’t answer, the scream of a child hit me. My body quaked with anger at the sound. I shifted, shredding my clothes and darted to the lobby. I was faster than most wolves, so I was on the man before he could blink. I tore the child as gently as I could from the man and took her to her screaming mother. The woman stared at me wide eyed as she clung to her daughter.

Rage burned bright inside me, my eyes landing on the man who had the child. I easily took him down, ripping his head from his body before darting to another rouge. One by one I took them out. Only two were able to shift before I got to them. Even then I walked away with a few bites and scratches. No one. And I mean no one, would harm a child while I was present.

I looked back to a wide-eyed Zak and growled harshly at him. He should have just listened to me. We wouldn’t be in this damn mess if he had. We could have thought of another way. Called the human police if need be. Anything other than this would have worked. Now these people, these children were traumatized. They would forever have nightmares about what happened here. Movement to my right caught my attention and I snapped my head to the side. The child had somehow wiggled her way out of her mom’s arms and approached me with wide eyed wonder.

I smiled to myself, lowering myself onto my belly and nudging her gently. She laughed, the sound lighting up the room. The girl threw her arms around my snout happily without fear. I nuzzled into her, a purr rumbling in my chest. When she let me go, her hazel eyes were beaming brighter, her smile so bright it melted my heart.

“Wolfy” the girl screeched, patting the side of my face. Ruby laughed, licking the small girls face affectionately. The people seeing, I was no threat to them approached me slowly. The child’s mother picked her up into her arms and scratched between my ears.

“Thank you.” She whispered, tears in her eyes.

“Wolfy!” The girl screamed, tears filling her eyes as she reached out to me. It broke my heart. I stood and pressed my head to the girl, nuzzling her gently and moving her outstretched arms to where she embraced her mother.

One by one the people came forward petting me or scratching behind my ears. It was weird. Like really freaking weird to be treated like a dog, but what could I do? I couldn’t shift here. Not like the rouges did. In fact, they would all somehow have to get the idea of shifters out of their heads. Unless they all thought this was all just some kind of nightmare in the morning.

“Phi, here girl.” Zak whistled at me, calling me as if I were his pet. I turned and glared at him, my chest vibrating with a growl. His eyes warned me, but I didn’t care. He was not about to call me like some damn dog. I was not his pet. I snorted at him, turning back to the girl and licking her small face one more time before turning and going back down the hall where the offices were.

I searched the rooms until I found one that had a spare dress hung on the back of the door. I shifted and grabbed the dress before heading to the bathroom attached. I rinsed my hair in the sink and wiped the blood off of me with soap and paper towels. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do just fine for now. I looked at myself in the mirror as I pulled my black hair back into a bun. I still looked like me, but also not. My tan skin was still a light bronze. My green eyes and black hair still the same. But my eyes now held a wariness to them. A darkness. I had taken more lives than I could count now, in such a short span of time. Was this who I was now? A killer? The thought didn’t bother me like it should. I was protecting people. I didn’t kill in cold blood. I killed in defense of myself or others. But did that still didn’t mean I was any less of a monster.

“Seraphina?” Zak’s voice called me, and I had to suppress the growl that wanted to emerge.

“Don’t worry, I am leaving. I’ll get my money from another city. I will leave your territory.” My voice came out harder than I had intended, but I didn’t care. The old fool should have listened.

“You do not have to leave.”

I laughed darkly. “Yes. I do.” I turned and opened the door to face him. My face was a mask of emotionlessness. “You were stubborn and refused to listen. I tried to warn you what was there, what was happening. This all could have been done without bloodshed if you had listened to me. Human law enforcement would have detained them. Maybe not for long, but long enough where the humans wouldn’t have been traumatized how they are now.” I shook my head and moved to walk past him, but he grabbed my arm at the crook my elbow to stop me. “I will ask you nicely. Please get your hand off of me.” I demanded through clenched teeth.

“I apologize.” Zak removed his hand and allowed me to pass. “How did you know they were there?”

“I smelt them.” I told him, moving to the hall where my clothes were shredded and my bag was dropped. I gathered my things, slinging my bag back over my shoulders.

“Your pure blood genes make you stronger. Make your senses stronger. Of course.” Zak sighed, running his hand through his dark hair. “I am sorry I did not heed your warning, Sera.” He told me sadly. “But I do not wish for you to leave. Please stay, at least until your money is ready and we have contacted alpha Hector. It is the least I could do. If Hector knows what happened here today, he would be thrilled for the chance to trail such a strong female.”

Shit. I did still have to get in touch with him, ask him not to accept Blaze. I needed him to keep my presence there from anyone outside his pack. And I needed the money to get by. Crap. I needed Zak’s help whether I wanted it or not.

“Very well.” I sighed. “Lead the way.”