Chapter 4 The Alpha

"Where should I go?" Sasha whispered, her voice barely audible as she limped deeper into the forest.

She couldn't return home, nor could she go back to the Pack. Not after being framed and cast out by Darius. Even Mr. Anderson, who had once been a mentor, was disappointed in her. The sting of rejection burned more than the physical wounds, and Sasha grimaced, clutching her sore chest. The memory of Darius turning his back on her felt like a blade twisted deeper each time she thought of it.

The night was alive with the hum of forest insects, a symphony of sounds that only made her loneliness more profound. Sasha dragged her weary feet, her only goal to find shelter for the night.

"Awuuu!"

She froze, her breath hitching as a distant howl echoed through the trees. Panic surged through her, and she quickened her pace, desperately searching for a place to hide. More than once, she stumbled over exposed roots, her knees buckling as she hit the ground hard. But even as her head throbbed with pain, she forced herself back up, teeth gritted in determination.

"I have to find a safe place... before I run into a Rogue," she thought, a cold sweat trickling down her face.

The forest suddenly fell silent, save for the sound of heavy footsteps approaching-footsteps that were unmistakably those of a werewolf. Sasha's heart pounded, and she limped to conceal herself behind a nearby tree, but it was too late.

A sharp, searing pain shot through her as a pitch-black werewolf lunged at her, its fangs sinking deep into her left shoulder. Sasha was thrown to the ground, a scream tearing from her throat as the agony overwhelmed her.

"Ack!"

"Well, well, look who we have here," the werewolf growled, his voice dripping with a sinister amusement. "Looks like you got lost, missy."

"Please, don't hurt me," Sasha whispered, her voice trembling as she clutched her injured shoulder. Fresh blood oozed from the wound, seeping through her shirt and staining it a dark crimson.

"Take it easy, I won't hurt you," the werewolf said, though his words were undermined by the drool dripping down his snarling face.

Sasha swallowed hard, her pulse quickening in panic. It was clear now-this werewolf was a Rogue, prowling for prey, and she'd been unlucky enough to cross his path alone. This was bad. Really bad.

'Lyra! Come out, please, help me!' Sasha pleaded silently, desperately trying to shift. But once again, her efforts were met with silence.

'I'm sorry, Sasha,' Lyra's voice echoed softly in her mind, a whisper of regret that only deepened her despair.

"Wait," the Rogue said, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air around her. He grinned, a wicked glint in his eyes. "There's something strange about you... It's not often I find a weak werewolf like this. Looks like it won't take much to get rid of you."

Sasha's heart pounded wildly, her panic escalating. With the wound on her shoulder draining her strength, she struggled to stay on her feet, willing her legs to move, to run. But before she could take a step, the Rogue lunged, sinking his fangs into her arm. Sasha screamed, the pain sharp and blinding, and she collapsed to the ground.

"Ack! Let me go, don't hurt me, please!" she cried, her voice raw with fear.

Clutching her injured arm, she watched in horror as fresh blood trickled down, staining the earth beneath her.

"What... what do you want?" she stammered, her voice barely a whisper, trembling with dread.

"Nothing much," he replied, his sly grin stretching wider. "Just a message for the Vortex Pack... by killing one of their lost little members wandering around my forest."

The Vortex Pack? Sasha's mind reeled. Did he think she was one of them? Her breath hitched as the realization dawned-he had mistaken her for a member of the enemy Pack.

"Don't blame me for this, girl," he snarled, his eyes narrowing with bitter rage. "I just want my revenge... for Lucian, who killed my brother!"

Lucian? Who in the world was Lucian?

"I-I don't know anyone named Lucian," Sasha stammered, her voice quaking. "Y-You've got the wrong person! I'm not part of the Vortex Pack!"

"You think I'll believe that?" The Rogue's snarl twisted his face into a grotesque mask, his fangs gleaming under the pale moonlight.

Poor Sasha-framed and rejected by her own mate, expelled from the Pack, and now attacked by a Rogue Werewolf. It seemed her life would end here tonight.

"S-Seriously, I'm not a member of the Vortex Pack! And I don't know Lucian! Please, let me go," she pleaded, her voice shaky with desperation.

"Take it easy," the Rogue sneered, his lips curling back to reveal sharp, glistening fangs. "I'll make your death painless. I just need your head to deliver to that bastard Lucian."

The Rogue advanced slowly, his growls low and menacing, yellow eyes glowing ominously in the dim light. Sasha's knees buckled as he drew closer, his fangs ready to pierce her neck.

'Dad, Mom, I'll see you soon,' she thought, closing her eyes as the Rogue's hot breath brushed against her skin. So, this was how it would end? Death at the hands of a Rogue?

Sasha had just accepted her fate when, suddenly, a blur of grey fur crashed into the Rogue, knocking him off balance. The Rogue snarled, startled, as another werewolf stepped between him and Sasha.

"Let the girl go!" commanded the grey-furred werewolf, his voice ringing with authority.

Before Sasha could grasp what was happening, four more werewolves appeared, growling and surrounding the Rogue.

"What a coincidence," the Rogue spat, a twisted grin spreading across his face. "Saves me the trouble of bringing her head to you."

"I won't let you harm that girl!" the grey-furred werewolf barked. "Attack!"

The four werewolves lunged at the Rogue, teeth bared, and a vicious brawl erupted in the middle of the forest. Snarls and the sound of snapping jaws filled the air as they clashed, biting and pouncing, a storm of fur and fury.

Sasha didn't understand what was happening, but she knew this might be her only chance. With a body battered and bleeding, she quietly slipped away, limping into the dense shadows of the forest.

As the battle raged on, another werewolf emerged from the darkness, larger than the rest. His fur was a deep, tawny shade that glistened in the moonlight, and there was a commanding aura about him, the kind that sent shivers down spines. This was no ordinary wolf-he was an Alpha.

"Finish him," the Alpha ordered, his voice cold and firm. His presence exuded a powerful, intimidating energy, and the others obeyed without hesitation, launching another wave of attacks on the Rogue.

While the battle unfolded, the Alpha's keen eyes scanned the area. Suddenly, his nose twitched as he caught a scent-faint but distinct, coming from the spot where Sasha had stood. He bent down, sniffing the ground, and his tongue flicked out to taste the blood that had pooled there.

The scent hit him like a wave, flooding his senses, and he felt a jolt of recognition. Sasha's pheromones were unmistakable, and something inside him stirred, an overwhelming need surging through his veins.

"Mate... I found my mate again," the Alpha murmured.