The Merciless Alpha(erotica)

“They’re dead,” the men said.

“They landed in Minneapolis about an hour ago. They could be here in an hour, longer if they stop for supplies. We don’t know if they have any allies meeting them, or if they brought weapons with them.”

“If they did, that will slow them down even more. Checked bags and TSA red tape,” my Beta said. “I bet they show up in wolf form.”

“They will expect we are holding their Luna at the Pack House or cells and want her and the young boy back. We don’t have to defend the territory, we defend the Pack House,” I said. “Now, let’s figure out the best way to do that.”NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Ten minutes later, we had our plan. “The key is figuring out where they are coming from. There’s only three logical ways here, down Highway 52 to Rochester than over on I-90, down Highway 61 along the river to I-90, or they cross into Wisconsin and take 35 or 53 down. They all end up in Lacrosse on 35 going south to us,” I said. “It just doesn’t give us much time to react.”

“If they get out and run through the woods it doesn’t matter much, does it?”

I thought about it, he was right. “I still want to get more notice. Frank, you drive up 61 and watch there. Larry, you take a car up by New Amsterdam with Connor and watch the intersection of 35 and 53.”

“Who’s taking I-90?”

I smiled. “The Alpha Killer.” Some of the men let out a whoop, there was nothing their wolves understood more than vengeance. They all wanted to see Talia inflict pain on the man who ruined her sister. “Get going, guys. The rest of you, we have reinforcements arriving soon. Here’s our plan.”

Alpha Justin Heranus POV

Interstate 90, crossing into Wisconsin

“Make your weapons checks and put on your vests,” I sent to my men as we drove over the Mississippi into Wisconsin. The wide river valley was divided into the main channel, which we crossed, then a maze of islands and backwaters. There was a large island in the center, and on the far side we finally reached La Crosse.

Soon, I would have my family back.

I had been going nuts after I got the word the Alpha Killer had been to my home and taken my mate and my son. She was a nightmare. A rogue with Alpha blood, highly trained, deadly and with a chip on her shoulder the size of a mountain. The thing that kept me up at night the last three years was that she would figure out I was the one who bred her sister, then had her killed and buried in the woods.

Thank Luna I had gotten that call from my buddy Carlos. He and I had trained together, an intensive course for future Alphas and Betas that used to be held every other year. We were thrown together as roommates and he was like a brother to me. Our paths had diverged; I had taken over my Pack after finding my mate, while he had thrown himself into Beta training at the Mount Shasta Pack.

A decade later, his life plans were ruined. The Alpha female died during childbirth, and the heartbroken Alpha killed himself to be with her. He was under thirty and unmated, with Alpha blood only on his mother’s side, and was not allowed to succeed. Instead, one of the Alpha’s younger brothers took over and brought his own Beta with him. Demoted and unhappy with the changes, he had requested to be transferred to the Alpha Council Enforcer program.

His new Alpha was happy to get rid of him.

Since that day in 1961, they only saw each other at Alpha Council functions and occasional visits. Never mated, Carlos worked hard and rose to Lead Enforcer for the council in 2001. He was in charge of all intelligence, law enforcement and protection operations, which meant he knew everything.

Five Years Earlier

I had traveled to a Council conference alone as my mate didn’t want to go to Saratoga Springs. After the meetings were over, most of the males who didn’t have mates along had headed to the hotel bar. When it closed, I ended up in a chair with a bottle of Two Gingers Irish Whiskey in Carlos’ room. Everyone else except Beta Todd Aldridge had gone back to their room by four in the morning.

I was happy getting my drunk on.

Todd was a good guy, and he was lying on the couch with his arm over his eyes. I looked over at my buddy, he was drinking vodka straight and was just as fucked up as I was. It took a lot of booze to get a werewolf drunk, and the bottles on the floor showed how hard we’d worked for it.

“How’s it going with Rhoda,” Carlos asked. “Any new treatments?”

“Nope. After the trials were ended by the Council, no one will touch it. She told us that our only chance would be to find a young she-wolf willing to be a surrogate, and give her the drugs to induce a heat.”

“So? That should be easy.”

I took another drink. “Easy if you want some Pack Slut or Omega, maybe. It only works if I service her during her heat, so her bloodline will be half of my son’s bloodline. If I weaken him, he’ll never take and defend the position. I need a strong Beta female, an Alpha would be better.”

“Shit, you may as well ask for immortality,” Carlos laughed. “Where are you going to find a high-ranking female willing to fuck you and bear your child, then just go away?” He took a long drink, then tossed the bottle into the pile by the garbage can.

The sound from across the room surprised me. “I can get you one,” Todd said. “Alpha bloodlines from both parents. Unmated. She’s underage, not that you care about that if you’re going to rape her. You just need to make her disappear when you have the child you need.”

“What are you talking about?” I stared at him, wondering what his deal was.

“Carlos, I’m in the same situation you are but I see it coming. My Alphas have only two daughters; the eldest will find her mate, probably the son of another Alpha, and he will take over for them. The new generation will have no use for a man like me, and I’ll be pushed aside just like you were.” He struggled to sit up. “On the other hand, if the Alphas were gone along with one of the daughters, or if they were all gone, I’d be next in line. I could mate one to cement my position, she’s a hot little number that would be fun to bend to my will. Or I could find my own mate if they’re both gone, I’d have my pick.”

I couldn’t believe my luck. ‘How? Why?”

“We each get something we need, Justin. I deliver you one of the females for you to breed, and you get rid of the Alpha pair for me.” He stood up, walking over to me. “I’ve got to get some sleep before the morning meetings. This talk doesn’t go outside the three of us. If you’re interested, slap me on the shoulder as we’re leaving tomorrow. We will figure out a time and place and make this happen for both of us.”

The next morning, I couldn’t think of anything else. As the meeting broke up, I slapped his right shoulder and told him he should come visit sometime.

Present Day

The first of six Suburbans turned onto the access road that led to the La Crosse Pack House. I was in the trail vehicle with my ally, Eau Claire Pack Alpha Bruce Eastwing. Our Betas were in the two lead vehicles. Between the two Packs, we had a force of three dozen heavily armed werewolves.

The trucks accelerated down the gravel road, only minutes away. There were no patrol wolves, no guards, and I smiled. We had achieved complete surprise.

Alpha Clark and his Pack would pay dearly for their involvement in the kidnapping of my family.

Luna Rhoda Heranus’s POV

Northeast Iowa

I felt like I was waking from surgery or something. My head ached, and my limbs felt numb. I fought against the fog in my brain, trying to think.

I finally got my eyes open. It was light out, and things were fuzzy at first, but I could see my legs in front of me. I took a sniff, I didn’t recognize anything; the smells of woods and another scent, one of cow dung and hay, came across. I looked up, seeing a small creek going through the trees around me.

I tried to move but couldn’t. My arms were behind me, around the tree I was leaning back against. I couldn’t move them much, then I figured out the wrist pain was from handcuffs. I tried to contact someone, anyone through the link and it wasn’t there. I screamed for help, and no one answered. I struggled to get free and it was hopeless.

Phillip.

Oh Luna, where was Phillip? I thought back to the last thing that happened; we were playing out back. The door opened, then a pain in my neck and then nothing until now. I’d been drugged and kidnapped!

The realization shook the rest of the fog from my head. I tried to get my feet under me but couldn’t stand; the tree was rough barked and big enough around I had no freedom of movement. I couldn’t shift, my arms would tear off if I did. I took a few deep breaths, trying to keep calm and think. Then I screamed for help again.

Nothing.

I closed my eyes and sought out my wolf, but she was still asleep. Probably silvered. If the cuffs were silver, they would prevent my wolf from doing anything. No shifting, no linking. That meant the person who took me was a werewolf.

I heard leaves crunching downhill, coming closer. I scooted up the tree as far as I could, but I was completely helpless. I was shocked to see a young girl, maybe just out of high school, coming up the trail by the creek. She was carrying a plastic cooler and a briefcase-like bag. As she got closer, I was shocked to see the scarred “T” on her cheek.

The mark of a traitor, which meant she wasn’t part of a Pack. I was being held by rogues, unstable werewolves with no Alphas and no rules. What could they want with me? “WHERE IS MY BOY,” I yelled as she walked up from the creek.

“He’s not your boy now, is he Rhoda?”

My blood turned cold. “What do you want? Money?”

She just laughed as she set the cooler down just out of my reach. “Oh, Rhoda, do you think this is about money? Do you think the Alpha Killer cares about MONEY?” I was fighting to maintain control now, if I was under that bitch’s control I was as good as dead. “No, this is about justice.”

“I haven’t done anything,” I pleased. “Let me go.”

“I’m sure your mate heard that a lot over the course of that ten months she was held,” she said. “Before story time, we need to make sure you’re alert and healthy. You’ve been out of it for a long time.” She reached into the cooler and pulled out a bottle of water. Opening it, she brought it to my lips. I was very thirsty, it was cold, and I drank it down eagerly. When the bottle was done, I felt better.

“Who are you?”

“Erica Connally.”

“I’ve never heard of you. Why are you doing this?” I couldn’t stop looking at her face and wondering what she had done to deserve the brand at such a young age. It would prevent her from being accepted by any Pack, a life sentence of being alone and vulnerable.