Taken by the Alpha

Clarice Mont

“Where is she?” Nathaniel’s voice echoed, his appearance disheveled and his expression bewildered.

“I’m not sure. I left the stream about five minutes ago. I think her wolf might have run off by now,” Greta replied, her voice shaky. Her eyes were glossy, filled with unshed tears and fear.

“How can you not know?!” Nathaniel’s voice boomed, his hands raking through his hair in frustration. Greta flinched, suddenly feeling unsafe around her best friend’s father.

George growled protectively, pushing his daughter behind him. He glared at Nathaniel, whose lips were curled into an angry snarl.

“Nathaniel, calm down. This isn’t Greta’s fault. You have no right to yell at her or scare her,” George said, his voice stern. His daughter stood behind him, trembling.

“My daughter, who just shifted for the first time this month, is out there in the woods. She has no control over her wolf form and doesn’t know how to shift back. So, I’m sorry if I’m yelling!” Nathaniel’s voice was filled with worry, his canines elongating with each word he spoke. His green eyes darkened, much like Clarice’s when she was angry.

George sighed, understanding Nathaniel’s concern. But he stood his ground, knowing the protective instincts of a wolf towards their pup.

“Nate, it’s not Greta’s fault that your daughter shifted. You know this. Greta is going home, and you’re not going to follow her. Understood?”

Nathaniel growled at George’s words but remained silent. He watched as Greta hurried out of his house, tears streaming down her face.

“She’s just a pup, George. The King is coming today. He’s a monster. What if she runs into him and can’t control her wolf? What if he kills her?” Nathaniel’s voice was filled with fear, his hand rubbing his chin and his eyes wide.

“Nate, the King won’t kill her. That’s ridiculous. I know this shift was sudden and impulsive, but she has to learn to control her wolf. It’s early, but she has to learn,” George replied, choosing his words carefully.

“I know that. It’s just too soon. She’s alone. We don’t have time to look for her... This is Clarice we’re talking about, George. She’s so innocent, so vulnerable. I know she’ll shift back and be okay, but there’s a chance she won’t.”

***

A creature with thick auburn fur moved swiftly through the woods. Its speed was so great that the only evidence of its presence was the deep paw prints left in the muddy ground.

The sound of its paws hitting the ground was almost rhythmic. Its fur swayed with the wind, and its long, pink tongue hung out of its mouth, keeping pace with its rapid movement.

Its black snout was raised high, sniffing for anything unusual. It pushed past low branches and vines, seemingly without a destination in mind.

Its eyes were dark yet light, focused on the leafy, muddy path ahead. It opened its mouth as if to sneeze, baring its canines at nothing in particular.

Suddenly, the wolf stopped, its body freezing at the sound of footsteps and the snapping of twigs. It bared its teeth, its snout raised as it sniffed the air before growling.

The wolf’s tail and ears shot up in alarm. The tantalizing scent of fresh meat and the faint throb of a heartbeat could only mean one thing. It was about to enjoy its first snack, and the unsuspecting fawn wouldn’t know what hit it.

***

“Nathaniel, he’s here. The King has arrived. The Alpha wants everyone at the training grounds,” Mattel said gently. His warm, chocolate-brown eyes took in Nathaniel’s distressed face.

“She’s not here, Mattel! She’s not here!” Nathaniel cried out, clutching at his dark hair in despair.

“I know. But there’s nothing we can do now, except wait for her to come back or for Greta’s wolf to find her,” Mattel replied. His voice was steady, but the slight twitch of his fingers betrayed his own restlessness.

“Kim will kill me if she finds out I don’t know where our newly, forcibly shifted pup is!” Nathaniel exclaimed, his eyes wide with fear and worry.

“I understand, trust me, I—”

“You don’t! I just realized that we’ve overprotected and coddled our seventeen-year-old daughter her whole life. What if she wanders off the grounds and crosses the border? What then?!” Nathaniel interrupted Mattel, his eyes glossy as he imagined every disastrous scenario that could result in his pup getting lost or killed.

“We can’t think about that now. We just can’t. You have to stay positive and hope her wolf isn’t reckless enough to leave its territory,” Mattel said, holding Nathaniel’s tear-filled gaze.

“Honey, we need to go,” Kim’s voice floated in as she entered the house. Her eyes landed on her husband, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

“What’s happening?” she asked, her gaze shifting to Mattel, whose eyes were wide with concern.

“Nothing, nothing at all,” Mattel mumbled, at a loss for words in the tense situation.

“My husband is crying! Something is obviously wrong.”

“No, sweetheart, I’m okay. I was just worried about the King’s arrival,” Nathaniel lied smoothly.

“Oh...oh. There’s no need to cry, my love. You’re a strong man...” Kim’s voice trailed off, her words stumbling over the shock of seeing her husband cry over something so trivial.

“I think we should go then, if there’s nothing too scary happening. Come on, honey, dry your eyes and let’s go.”

Nathaniel inhaled shakily, wiping away his tears with his fingers.

“Yes, let’s go,” he said, struggling to keep his voice steady. Mattel nodded, casting a timid glance at the couple.

***

“Did she find her?” Nathaniel asked George in a hushed whisper as they approached the gathering.

“I don’t think so. She hasn’t come back yet,” George replied, his voice so low that not even their wives could hear them.

“Nathaniel, where is our daughter?” Kim suddenly asked, causing both Nathaniel and George to flinch. Her face was filled with confusion, her eyes boring into the two nervous men.

Nathaniel stuttered, trying to come up with an answer. But before he could say anything, the sound of many paws echoed through the air. Everyone bowed their heads in fear and respect.

“He’s here,” Mattel murmured, his gaze fixed on his shoes, his teeth gnawing at his lower lip.

Clarice was nowhere to be seen…