Alpha Xander: His Contracted Luna

In a new light of morning. The squad had returned but in fewer numbers. Eric and all his members were intact but they had lost the sparkle in their eyes. Shawn returned alone. He left all his squad members for dead in the deep forest up north.

Manny had a sack bloodied at the bottom in his hand. He waited in the courtyard and sat by the fountain. The others went in to rest. He looked up at the balcony for his Alpha to come out.

“The innocent wolf returns,” Jamal came from out back.

“I see the Luna had you on a leash for some time,” Manny rose to his feet.

“Says the Alpha fanny pack,” Jamal cocked his head and folded his arms around his chest. “Oh… you didn’t get the update. Your boy took your place. He has been up and about running errands for the Alpha. And now you came back with what? A blood bag or some shit,” he looked at Jamal’s grip on the bloodied bag.

“It’s the head of a rogue you dummy,” Manny confronted.

“I never told you to disclose that information,” Xander said on the balcony staring down at the two young betas.

Jamal nodded at his Alpha and walked away. Manny now embarrassed, slouched his shoulders.

“You came back alive that’s worth a life saved,” Xander rubbed his palms. “Come on in and clean yourself up. We have a lot to catch up on.”

Manny bobbed his head forward and marched down to the door. Joni was already at the door going out.

“Hey man,” Joni gestured with a thumb waking out.

Manny gave him a side-eye and closed the door behind him.

He dumped the bag on the glass center table. The severed head of a roughed-up bearded man rolled out of the bag.

“Bloody rogue,” he scoffed.

He left the head out of the sack right there in the living room for any anyone and everyone to see. His belly ached and he checked out the kitchen. The dishes were empty and nothing palatable was in the drawers and cupboards.

“They haven’t restocked the snacks yet,” he grumbled and slammed the empty freezer.

Manny headed up the stairs all tired and hungry. The halls were filled with story-starved young betas and deltas. They hoarded him. He managed to reach his room door, but they bombarded him with questions as he searched his pockets for his key. A thought flashed in his mind.

***FLASHBACK***

He was running from a rogue in the woods. Sandra and Ruben were knocked out cold. Eric was up against two other rogues from a distance. Manny hid behind a tree. The rogue after him was a full-beard husky with a smug face.

The rogue was getting closer to where he hid. His options were to face him head-on and die in combat, or run and still get attacked and killed by the rogue. He went with the first.

The rogue appeared before him. Manny was shaken with undeniable fear. The rogue got him in a lock. He wrapped his arms around Manny. He suffocated the air out of the young beta.

In Manny’s attempt to slip a hand out, the rogue slammed him on a tree bark. Manny was free but he gasped for air. He crawled away from the rogue.

Not so fast buddy.

The rogue pulled him close by the legs. Manny kicked back but it wasn’t helping to fend off the rogue. He clamped his hands on Manny’s neck. He squeezed tightly till the young beta’s face reddened and water tears filled the corner of his eyes.

This is the end.

He stared into the man’s crossed eye. He felt a piece of metal poking his thigh. He reached for it fast and stuck it deep into the rogues next. The attacker’s blood splattered into his mouth. The rogue was strong but enough to withstand and keep his hold on Manny’s neck.

Manny dropped to his knees and left the piece in the staggering rogue’s neck. He picked a pace from his low state on the ground and pounced on the rogue, bringing him to the ground. He stuck his finger into the opening of the attacker’s neck. He sought a key in his hand and tore the flesh of the rogue round.

He stuck his hand deeper till he snapped the neck to the side. A bone poked out of the slightly dangling head. Manny tossed the key on the ground. It fell into the shrubs. He grabbed the rogue’s almost severed head and snapped it off completely. He deemed the able-bodied husky headless.

He held his head up in his hand and roared as his blood poured down on his chest. Like a bloody rain, he was drenched in the blood of another.

Eric had taken down one of his attackers. The other was still struggling with the squad leader when he saw Manny howling and running to their stance. He pulled away from Eric and scattered into the bushes.

“He’s gone now,” Eric halted Manny from going after him.

Sandra and Ruben had gained consciousness. They ran to meet Eric and were startled to see Manny in a different color.

“You bathe in the blood of your enemies,” Sandra awed.

“He wasn’t playing,” Ruben fisted into his palm.

They were victorious. Shawn came out of the bushes with the shirt of the rogue runner tied across his arm.

“Where’s the rest of your squad?” Eric asked.

“They didn’t make it,” Shawn’s eyes darkened.

“Wits has a lot to show for,” Ruben snickered. “Manny took out a big one.”

“I think he was the one who led them out here,” Sandra said wriggling her wrist.

“The young beta proved himself,” Eric lauded.

“You can take this head back,” Shawn tossing the shirt to wipe the blood off his face.

“Man I need to wash off,” Ruben whined.

“You were knocked around all day don’t complain,” Sandra gave him a stern gaze.

“I guess we didn’t move up the rank today Eric,” he jerked Eric by the side.

Manny stared and put the head in a bag. He looked down at his bloody hands.

***PRESENT***

He realized his key was gone. He would have to meet his roommate for a spare or take the risk of breaking through the door.

Jamal was an asshole to ask a favor these days.

He turned the knob and the door was already unlocked.

“Good gracious,’ he sighed with relief.Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

He shut the door on those who waited on him outside in the halls.

He stripped naked and went straight under the shower. The squad had washed up in a motel on their way here but he still wanted the water on his body.

***

Xander came down the stairs and met an unexpected face seated. He grabbed an antique spare from the wall.

“You have got some nerves, Drew,” Xander steadied the spare.

“I come in peace,” Drew uncrossed his legs.

“You dare come up in here,” Xander scowled. “You killed Jackson.”

“My pack divided after your coronation,” Drew fixed a smug on his face and spread his arms on the chair. “It came to my ears you had nothing to do with my daughter’s death.”

“About time you came to your senses,” Xander placed the spare back on the wall and seated across Drew.

The room was empty. The made had carried the severed head and cleaned up the smeared blood all over the center table. Any wolf that proceeded to come down the steps turned back up when they sighted the two Alphas alone in the living room.

“The Elders reclined my investigations,” Drew stroked his beard. “So now I come to you or directions.”

“You did threaten a lot of people, and I was at the receiving end,” Xander massaged the back of his neck. “How can I be of help to the one cast away by the Elders and the community at large?”

“The rogues you hear of are outcasts,” Drew lifted his chin. “I have never raided with my pack. We were rumored to be the bad guys. The rogues are wolves without a purpose going around just hurting and maiming.”

“You know so much I see,” Xander leaned back in his chair. “For an innocent man, you have quite the intel on these rogues.”

“Think what you may of me Xander Marion. I speak the truth,” Drew jolted. “My daughter who left us so soon was meant to be marked with you. If that had happened I wouldn’t have fallen into this grief that deprives me of joy. Yes, I started the rogues but it was a rebellion to find justice for her. The wolves were consumed by the power and misled.”

Xander could see the sorrow in Drew’s eyes. He wouldn’t speak ill in the mention of his daughter.

Xander recalled his moment with her before she died. Catherine was intoxicated in the car. Drew’s daughter hanging on to life by a thread. He did the last bit of her passing.

He got up from the couch.

“We will carry on later Drew,” Xander said. “My condolences again.”

“Don’t leave so soon,” Drew rose from his seat.

Xander reeled away with unclear emotions.

Drew could sense the agitation Xander was letting on. And that alone put Drew back in a state of suspicion.

Once again, Xander was his number one suspect.