She's Back...

~BLAKE~

I stood in front of an old public phone booth on a deserted street, its glass smeared with yellowed flyers. Sunlight spilled through the tree beside me, brown leaves falling on my torn sleeve.

Five minutes later, a white Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled up slowly before me with low growl of its engine.

The driver's door opened, a tall young man stepped out, equally well-dressed and sharp. When his eyes met mine, he lowered his head at once.

"Alpha Blake."

"Raise your head, Jaxon." I lifted a hand, tapping his arm lightly. Only then did he look at me directly.

Jaxon Warragul... my childhood friend, and Beta for fifteen years. But the moment his gaze touched the torn sleeve of my shirt, his expression went sour.

"What happened to you?"

I glanced at the tear, blood faintly crusted against the fabric. I chuckled, a low sound, careless, as though it meant nothing.

"Not here, let's go."

Without hesitation, Jaxon opened the back door for me. I slid into the leather seat, leaning back with quiet ease. He circled to the driver's side and pulled onto the road.

"You disappeared for two weeks with no phone or word," Jaxon finally spoke. "Everyone was worried."

"I was in North Sydney, tracking rogues. They've been breaking into houses, and killing openly. I was supposed to return last night, but was attacked."

Jaxon stiffened. "Attacked?"

I lifted my arm slightly, feeling the dull throb where the wound still refused to knit together.

"Yeah... with dark magic."

The wheel slipped slightly in Jaxon's hands, his eyes widened. "Dark magic… in this era? Impossible!"

"Nothing is impossible with them because the rogues are getting bolder. If they keep exposing themselves, the entire werewolf race will be dragged into disaster with humans."

"Sure," he uttered in agreement. "What do we do now?"

"Erase them all before the next three full moons."

Jaxon nodded, his lips shut as he focused on the road. I leaned back further, head resting against the cool black leather.

With one hand, I pressed the button on the door, and the window rolled down. Sharp wind rushed in, cutting across my face. But what came with it wasn't only the city's air... It was that woman's scent.

Matilda? The name she was called earlier by her friend.

The moment she had touched me at the bus stop... her sweet lavender scent had clung to me, burned deeper than any mate mark.

I remembered walking into her room after she had fallen asleep-- the blanket had slipped, her red silk nightwear had two buttons undone at the top, revealing her smooth cleavage and her body curled on the bed.

The sight had made my pulse quicken in a way I hadn't felt for years.

I had pulled the blanket over her shoulders and forced myself to leave. Yet even now, my fingers twitched, as though remembering the curve of her lips I almost touched this morning.

Nonsense!

I had faced countless enemies, led my pack through blood and fire, and never once had I been swayed. And yet one careless woman with messy hair and embarrassed eyes could make me… smile.

I realized only then that I was smiling again.

"Alpha Blake," Jaxon's voice cut in, hesitant. I turned my eyes toward him. He faltered, then asked, "Did something else happen? You've been smiling for minutes now."

My throat tightened for a moment and I coughed lightly, shutting the window with a press of my finger.

"It's nothing."

Jaxon gave me a long look, but didn't push. He reached forward, turned on the radio and the announcer's voice broke the quiet.

"…Breaking news: another couple was found brutally murdered last night in North Sydney. Authorities suspect animal attack—"

My face turned cold that instant, the easy smile vanished and anger rose instead. "Rogues," I mumbled.

"This is the third one this week." Jaxon answered, knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. "Exactly why they must all be killed!"

I immediately shut my eyes for a brief moment before opening them again. "Drive to the woods."

"Alpha…" Jaxon hesitated.

"I need to run," I cuts in.

Only four words, and he understood at once. Jaxon had followed me long enough to know daytime runs only meant one thing... my wrath. He turned the wheel sharply, taking the road that lead toward the Blue Mountains.

Half an hour later, the car stopped.

"Alpha, we've arrived." Jaxon leaned back, tapping my shoulder gently.

I opened my eyes, the quiet woods stretched before us, mist winding through the ancient trees, the ground damp with fallen leaves.

I pushed the door open and stepped out.

Without a word, I began unbuttoning my shirt. Each button fell away, exposing the lines of muscle that years of exercise had carved into me. My chest rose and fell, each breath deep and controlled.

Jaxon accepted the shirt wordlessly, his gaze respectful, his back slightly lowered. He knew what this meant.

"Stay here."

"Yes, Alpha."

I turned and walked deeper into the woods. The moment I was far enough, I stopped, closed my eyes and drew in a single breath. Then bones shifted, and flesh stretched... the sound low, raw, yet I did not flinch.

It was a change my body had known since birth.

In the space of heartbeats, my form expanded. Muscles tightened, spine cracked, fur sprouted across my skin. My hands twisted into claws, my senses exploded.

I was no longer Blake McAllister, I was a... white giant wolf. Power surged through me, my paws dug into the ground, and I ran.

Branches snapped under my paws as each stride was meant to burn away the restless fury of rogues using dark magic.

Yet no matter how fast I ran, something else chased me... Matilda's face. The memory of her human scent filled my lungs even stronger than the wind.

I stumbled, claws digging into the soil.

My body wanted the relief of running, but my mind was on her lips parting in sleep, neckline loose, and skin flawless under the nightlight. The image… it had branded itself onto me.

Ten minutes, that was all I lasted.

The strongest Alpha of Blue Mountain, who had once fought for days without rest, was brought down by the thought of a single human?

How pathetic!

I stopped running, my breath harsh. The wolf receded and muscles twisted back, skin closing, until I stood once again on two feet.

But the heat inside me refused to cool down as I walked back.

Jaxon looked up, surprise flickering across his face. "Done?" His tone carried disbelief because he knew I never cut a run short.

"Yes, I'm done." I bent down, pulling the shirt from his hands, my fingers moved over the buttons.

Jaxon wanted to ask more, but he knew better. In front of me, even curiosity had its limits... so he lowered his gaze again, silent.

As I slid my arm into the last sleeve, he suddenly glanced up. "Oh, I almost forgot... Sofia returned three days ago."

My hand froze and I lifted my gaze to him. "What did you say?"

"Sofia's back in the country..."