Alpha's Guest

XAVIER

She looked so tiny in the hospital bed that was designed for a werewolf.

We were large, even in human form. The smallest among us was at least six feet tall. Little Georgie couldn’t have been much more than five feet.

The bed made her look even smaller. All the tubes and wires coming from her didn’t help.

Beads of sweat clung to her brow, and her blonde hair was damp and plastered against her forehead.

Miles stood with a nurse, looking at a clipboard with a frown etched across his brow.

I walked over to where he stood. He must have sensed my presence as he immediately looked up and nodded at the nurse, who gave us some space.

Miles forced a smile. “It looks worse than it is... She is stable, but she’s running a high fever.”

I walked over to the bed, closely followed by Miles.

Her clothes had been removed, and she wore a hospital gown. Wires went from her chest to a heart monitor that was going beep...beep...beep. A cannula fed into her arm and was attached to a drip.

“Was she infected?” I asked cautiously.

Miles nodded.

“It was in the early stages, so we are treating her with antibiotics through the IV. The fever should break once the antibiotics are in her system.

“She also has bruised kidneys from the beating, so we need to keep her fluid levels up.”

As we talked, a nurse came over with a damp cloth and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead.

“Here, let me,” I insisted.

She smiled and stepped aside.

I took the cloth and wiped some more of the sweat away, then I gently brushed the hair away from her damp skin.

She moaned slightly, and her eyelids fluttered open. Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw me.

I rested my hand on the top of her head, my thumb gently stroking her forehead.

“It’s okay, little one; we’re going to look after you now,” I soothed.

I saw her throat move as she swallowed, glancing fearfully at the heart monitor then at the drip.

“A—am I gonna die?” she whispered, her voice cracking.

I gently stroked her cheek. “No, little one, you just need to rest, then you’ll be fine.”

She took a deep breath. “B—but I can’t pay!”

“You can pay me by telling me the truth, Georgie. You’re not sixteen, are you?”

She closed her eyes and shook her head nervously. “Eighteen,” she whispered.

I sighed and took a beaker of water from the side table. I tilted her head.

“Drink this; you need to keep your fluid levels up,” I added.

She frowned but took the water that I offered.

“I—I don’t understand... You hate us... You let them die, all of them,” she wailed.

The heart monitor started to beep faster. Miles looked at me, frowning and shaking his head.

I gently lowered her head back down on the pillow.

“No, little one, I... We don’t hate you at all.” I hesitated. “You need to rest. I’ll explain everything soon.”

I watched as she closed her eyes, the beeping returning to normal. The slow rise and fall of her chest told me that she had drifted off to sleep.

I stood up and walked across to Miles. He had been alarmed when her heart rate started to rise.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I hadn’t intended for that to happen.”

Miles nodded and rolled his eyes slightly.

“You were her interrogator; what did you expect?” He smirked.

I smiled. He knew as well as I did that I would never intentionally scare a pup. Certainly not a sick one. They did sometimes need a short, sharp shock if they were being really disobedient.

Georgie was different, though. There was something about her I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

I wanted to protect her and nurture her, but I also wanted to discipline her. It was more than that, though. I looked at her plump lips that I just wanted to kiss.

Lucky for her, I was an alpha and had at least some self-control.

“There’s something about her. I barely asked her anything,” I growled, shaking my head.

Miles smirked. “Sounds like a certain mateless alpha has a soft spot for his little prisoner!”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help but grin.

“She’s not a prisoner; she’s a guest!” I exclaimed.

“Now, on a more serious note, I may need you to get together a medical team to send into Hope Springs. Sam is there now doing some investigating, but I want everyone there checked and medicated if necessary.”

Miles nodded, a serious expression on his face. We had been friends a long time, but this was business.

“Yes, Alpha. I’ll get on it straightaway and send them over there.”

I nodded and left the infirmary. Georgie was in the best hands. I would visit again soon. Hopefully, I could get more information about her in Hope Springs and then get her moved to my quarters.

It was about ten miles from the pack house to Hope Springs. I couldn’t believe Georgie had walked all that way. That night there had been a storm, and it had been pouring with rain.

What with the start of her illness, the beating, and the clothes she was wearing, it made me realize how strong she was. I should have realized it from her sassy attitude.

She was still only young, though. Her sassiness was just an attempt to hide her fear. I could understand that to an extent, although it might have gotten her into more trouble than she realized.

I hadn’t been to Hope Springs since I was a child. My father had discovered the mine and raised the town from the mud while I was still a boy.

I’d had the grand tour before any of the humans moved in. That had been the best part of twenty years ago.

As I drove down the main street, I wondered at what stage it had gone downhill and whether the humans managing the town had always been corrupt.

When the town had been built, there was only a small jail. The idea was that the human workers wouldn’t be in need; they would have healthcare, education, free housing, and a good wage.

The only crimes expected would be misdemeanors. Maybe the odd drunk and disorderly miner who had overindulged on a Friday night.

Looking at it now, it looked like a cesspit of a town. Some of the buildings were derelict. Others were still inhabited but in a state of disrepair.

That was apart from a group of houses on the other side of town. They looked like they didn’t belong there. They were larger than all the others, well-maintained with tidy gardens.

Ash had been right. Even without looking, this place stank of corruption.

“Sam, where are you... What’s happening?” I mind-linked to my beta.

“In the security office. I have the whole management team locked up. I haven’t found Maddox yet.”

I growled under my breath. Where was that son of a bitch?

I carried on driving, heading toward the mine offices and security.

As I drove along, I glanced at a run-down building and immediately slammed my foot on the brakes. Two kids, couldn’t have been more than about fifteen, were carrying a body bag out of the building.

I opened the door and got out of the car.

“Hey—what are you two doing?” I growled.

Before they had a chance to answer, a big man followed them out. He was big for a human, but not big as far as werewolves went. He looked at me disdainfully.

“Move along if you know what’s good for you.” He scowled as his hand hovered over a sidearm he was wearing.

“I’m looking for the head of security; you know where I might find him?” I questioned.

He smirked. “You just did; the name’s Maddox. Mr. Maddox to you. What do you want?”

I slowly walked toward him, my hands raised in mock surrender.

“I’m looking for someone; maybe you can help?”

As I walked past the two youngsters, I looked at them.

“I would get the hell out of here if I were you boys,” I let my wolf come to the surface for a split second. A look of horror crossed their faces when they saw my eyes flash black.

They dropped the body bag and ran. I wasn’t in the habit of scaring pups, but in this case it would be for their own good.

“Where the fuck are you two going? You little bastards!” he growled.

Because of the distraction, I was soon standing right in front of him. Despite my height and my build, he wasn’t in the slightest bit afraid; in fact, I could smell the testosterone he was emitting.

“I’m looking for a girl,” I began. “Her name’s Georgie, about eighteen.”

My wolf was lurking near the surface, but I pushed him back.

Maddox rolled his eyes and sneered at the body bag.

“That’s her mother, Nancy Mackenzie. I doubt we’ll see her again after the beating I gave her,” he smirked.

“Fucking little thief, but she’s got a cute ass. If she comes back, I’ll fuck her into oblivion!”

That was enough for me and my wolf. I growled, and my canines and claws extended. My claws swiped across his throat, piercing his windpipe.

He dropped to his knees, struggling to take in air, which just caused the blood to bubble as it escaped through the hole in his throat.

Within minutes, he was dead. I probably should have taken him back to interrogate him first, but he was a piece of shit. He deserved to die.

I glanced down at the body bag that held Georgie’s mom. I wasn’t just going to leave her in the street, and I needed to get rid of Maddox. I mind-linked to Sam.

“I found Maddox. He’s dead. Send a couple of your team to dispose of him, and there’s a body bag with Georgie’s mother in it. Take it back to the pack house. We’ll give her a proper burial for Georgie.”

I waited by the car. I didn’t have to wait for too long before Sam turned up with a couple of warriors.

They loaded Georgie’s mother in the back of the SUV and grabbed Maddox’s body and disappeared around the back of the house that he had come from.

“I told them to burn it,” Sam stated. “They’ll take her mother back afterward.”

I nodded. “What about the rest of the management team?”

Sam sighed.

“They tried to destroy the evidence. Luckily, it’s all on computer, and the fuckwit didn’t know what he was doing. They’re all currently locked up as well as some of the town’s officials.

“We have all the files. Rufus is taking them back to the pack house. He’s good at that sort of thing. It’ll take him a couple of days, but he’ll get a report to you as soon as he can.”

I was happy; it sounded like Sam had it all under control.

“Good work, Sam,” I praised.

“But I want the mine closed down and the miners sent to the hospital. Miles is sending a team in to treat any infected miners.

“Ship those bastards in management back to the pack house prison. You better make sure you tell the miners they’ll be paid until we can safely reopen the mine.

“Also, make sure they know that the medical care is free.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Those fuckers were charging people for everything—medical care, extortionate rent, even schooling for the kids.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Well, that’s all gonna change; you can tell them that. I have enough people to send a team in to get everything put right. It’ll take time,” I sighed.

“I can’t believe they’ve been charging people rent to live in these shitholes.”

I tapped the roof of my car.

“You take this. I need to run... get rid of some of my anger!” I growled.

Sam nodded, then frowned. “How’s the pup?”

I bit my bottom lip. “Hopefully, okay. I need to get back and check on her.”

Sam smiled at me. “You do? Is there something you’re not telling me?”

I rolled my eyes. “As soon as I know for sure, I’ll let you know. I need to take a look at her records, find out her date of birth. Once she turns nineteen, I’ll know for sure.”

Sam raised his eyebrows. “And if she isn’t...?”

I smirked. “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it!”

I grabbed my backpack out of the car. I always carried it just in case. It had been specially designed by one of the pack so it would stay in place when we shifted.

That way, we didn’t have to worry about shifting back and having no clothes to wear. Most of the time it didn’t matter, but there were the odd occasions when it did.

Werewolves weren’t that bothered about being seen naked, but a few of the pack had human mates, and they still found it a little difficult to see other males naked.

It especially seemed to be true for the higher-profile wolves, like Sam and me.

I only had to walk a little way to be out of the town and into the woods. Once I was there, I quickly looked around. Seeing no one, I stripped off and put my clothes in the backpack.

Slipping the backpack onto my nude body, I quickly shifted. I stretched before running toward the pack house and back to my potential mate.