Chapter 4 Jeremy Stanton vs. Ryan Hicks: Feral attraction in the midst of hatred... Confusion!

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"Take him to the dungeon and lock him in cage two," Jeremy growled. "And Alex, tell our hunters to lead the packs out." He ordered. "Are the pup watchers in place?" He asked, referring to the sitters of the pack who kept watch over the pups whenever the others had to go for runs, hunts, or battle. Anyone who had not attained the age of fifteen and therefore hadn't had their first shift yet was classified as a pup. One would be a fool to think that pup watchers were weak and soft. On the contrary, they could be the most vicious members of the pack if anyone messed with the pups.

"They are Alpha," Someone answered.

"Good. Let's run." Jeremy nodded and abruptly turned to go, followed by his lead beta, Philip.

A completely stunned Philip turned to watch as the warriors picked up the collapsed hunter and rushed to fall into step beside his alpha. "What the fuck just happened, Jeremy?" He whispered, not as scared of the alpha as the others because he knew Jeremy would never harm him...well unless of course, he crossed a line.

"Questioning me, Philip?" Jeremy growled, still in his kill mode.

"You know I'm not," Philip whispered, desperate to get his friend back. It was obvious something had triggered that suppressed side of Jeremy. "I just want to know what just happened back there. Jer, you have to control it. If that hunter triggered it, then I think you should stay away from him."

The beta knew that in as much as his Alpha was fierce and ruthless when it came to their enemies, he was the most sympathetic and just man he'd ever met. Putting that hunter...and a human for that matter, through that agonizing pain was rather cruel and uncalled for and so unlike his alpha. Yes, he hated hunters but that alone couldn't possibly have brought out that deadly side of him.

"I had my reasons. And I'm not in the mood to talk about it tonight," Jeremy snapped as he started stripping out of his clothes. He wanted to destroy something.

"As your beta, I understand," Philip answered quietly and respectfully. Anyone in their right mind would stay away from a red-eyed Jeremy but Philip knew he had to at least try to talk his alpha down. "But as your best friend, you better get ready to...Oh fuck, Jer pl...please..." Philip gasped when he suddenly found his throat in the grip of Jeremy. "Alp..." But before he could get the word out, Jeremy flung him away from him.

"You know better than to get on my nerves right now, Philip," Jeremy growled and then shifted into a huge red wolf. The wolf watched Philip bare his neck in submission, and then charged into the forest, knowing his friend would not be far behind him.

Philip quickly stripped as he watched his alpha move into the forest at a furious pace. With a frustrated growl, he shifted into a large grey wolf and charged after his friend. He knew his friend had noticed how upset he was but thanks to the controlling Ojah spirit, the alpha couldn't be bothered as he would have been had he been in his right frame of mind. That was one of the perks of turning one's humanity off. Jeremy didn't care that his best friend was upset with him at all.

They were virtually like brothers and shared everything. When Jeremy's father and little brother were killed by hunters about twenty years earlier, his father had taken Jeremy under his wing and trained him as his own father would have done had he been alive. As beta to Jeremy's father, his dad had stepped in for some years as Alpha when his friend was killed and given Jeremy all the training and coaching he needed to become a great alpha.

Even at that young age, everyone knew Jeremy would be a brilliant alpha. And Jeremy hadn't let his people down. At age thirty-one, he had accomplished so much for himself and gained the respect of not only his pack but the public in general. JS Group of companies was popular worldwide and owned by none other than Jeremy. He was intelligent, resourceful, and one of the revered and feared Alphas in the supernatural community. The pack was so proud of their alpha.

Although Philip was two years older than Jeremy, the two of them had virtually been joined at the hip since they were kids. No one had the nerve to tell Jeremy off to his face except Philip and Jeremy's mother. Well, this time Philip knew he was going to have to wait to tell Jeremy off unless of course, he wanted his throat ripped out by his literally crazy alpha. And as he charged after his alpha, Philip tried to ascertain what had triggered off his friend's current state. If anyone could figure it out, he could. He knew Jeremy too well.

As Jeremy ran hard and fast, all he could think of was having a talk with Philip's father, Joel. He needed to talk to the elder who was also his mentor. Jeremy really needed to ask the elder whether what he'd felt about the hunter could have been a mistake. He wasn't gay for fuck's sake. But even the Ojah-controlled Jeremy respected the man too much to go before him in his current state. He knew the elder would definitely be disappointed if he got to know what had caused him to lose control of himself. He would wait until he was himself again no matter how long it took, Jeremy thought.

But even as his paws pounded the earth, the alpha fumed at the injustice of it all. A male mate? Seriously?

What was Luna thinking!